How to teach Speech to a deaf child - Essay Example

If this problem can be caught early, even in infancy then there is a high probability that speech can be taught adequately to children, if it is carried out appropriately. However, there are many non-deaf people in the world, who will come into contact with at least one deaf person in their life, who do not understand or who are not aware of what deafness really is and who will have no idea how to communicate with the deaf (Lederberg & Everhart 1998, pg. 887). In order to better understand how to interact and empathize with, support, and recognize the needs of deaf people, the kinds, causes, medical treatments, and technological advancements of deafness are major facts to know and should be a concern for many in society today.

From the day children are born they require a form of communication in order to function adequately in society. A pre-speech baby will use gestures and expressions and babblings to interact with others. A toddler will participate in turn talking to satisfy a need or want (Burke & Glazer 1994, pg. 24). The more pre-schoolers participate in the world, the more they discover that language is useful. They also realize the potential of language for expressing their thoughts and feelings. From bedtime stories to a parent playing a game of "peek-a-boo", children begin to develop their language from the time they are born.

There is no question then that; children are born ready to communicate. Before children begin school, they have already experienced 5-6 years of literacy experience. Research finds that the degree to which various learning experiences affect the children's literacy behaviors and development depends on external influences however (Jalongo 1992, pg. 115). These influences include children's play experiences, interactions with adults and cultural and environmental influences. These factors do not vary simply because a child has a hearing disability or is totally deaf; they still play a very fluid part in how they develop their interpretation of the environment and how they gain the ability to communicate in their own way (Hendrick 1988, pg. 87). The normal, non-hearing impaired child's developing language skills is a means to an end - highly functional and meaningful.

The interrelatedness of the development of language skills can be observed through watching children at play in any childcare centre, home environment or in the wider community. Children discuss ideas, work in groups, play with print and listen to each other reconstruct stories (Hendrick 1988, pg. 90). Areas within these centers are often established to encourage children to experiment with reading and writing. Many of the teachers who work in these centers have daily sharing times and whole group discussions which help extend and support the development of speaking and listening skills.

Staff and parents can be observed supporting, encouraging and challenging development in all areas. Therefore, it is true that literacy develops from real life situations in which reading and writing are used to get things done. Through active engagement, children learn literacy. An integrated approach to the teaching of language skills promotes development in all literacy areas (Jalongo 1992, pg