This page is all about giving you some information about Deaf Education: where it’s been and possible where it can go.
- The Beginning of Deaf Education
- The beginning of Deaf Education can be traced back to the 16th Century. Most people consider Pedro Ponce de Leon to be the “First educator of the Deaf.” He was a Spanish monk that developed a form of sign language and a working alphabet. There have been many notable people in the early days of Deaf Education. Some of them are Juan Pablo Bonet, who is called the “Pioneer of Deaf Education.” Johanna Ammon, a Swiss medical doctor, developed and published methods for teaching speech and lip reading to the deaf. Then in the 18th Century, Deaf schools were established with prominent figures like Charles L’Epee, Thomas Braidwood, Samuel Heinicke, and Abbe Roch Sicard. In 1755, the first free school for the Deaf opened in Paris, France. Following this schools in Britain, Germany, another in France, and Italy opened schools for the deaf. Also, speech and lip reading began. These events mark the beginning of Deaf Education with the world realizing the need for Deaf Education to grow.
- https://deafhistory.eu/index.php/deaf-history/deaf-education
- The Golden Age of Deaf Education (1835-1880)
- The Golden Age of Deaf Education, considered to have occurred between 1840 and 1912, marked a period of significant progress for Deaf individuals. During this time, American Sign Language (ASL) flourished, and about 40% of teachers for the Deaf were themselves Deaf. Pioneers like Charles-Michel de l’Épée and Roch-Ambroise Auguste Bébian championed the use of signed languages, proving that Deaf individuals were capable of sophisticated intellectual expression. In the United States, the American School for the Deaf, founded by Laurent Clerc and Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet, became a model for other institutions, with Clerc’s use of French Sign Language influencing ASL. This era saw the formation of a vibrant Deaf community, with clubs, organizations, and a flourishing Deaf press, and Deaf individuals became bilingual—fluent in both sign language and written English. However, a backlash emerged in the 1800s, spearheaded by figures like Alexander Graham Bell, who believed that learning sign language hindered the acquisition of spoken English. This led to the rise of Oralism, a method that restricted communication to speech, causing a decline in the use of sign language in schools. Despite this, the Golden Age remains a crucial period in Deaf education, laying the foundation for the Deaf community’s intellectual and cultural development.
- https://undark.org/2017/10/27/book-review-shea-language-of-light/#:~:text=Things%20briefly%20improved%20during%20the,only%20a%20question%20of%20time.%E2%80%9D
- Milan Conference
- The 1880 Milan Conference, officially known as the Second International Congress on Education of the Deaf, was a landmark event that dramatically impacted deaf education. Held in Milan, Italy, from September 6 to 11, the conference was attended by educators who overwhelmingly supported oralism, the teaching of speech and lip-reading, over sign language. The conference passed resolutions banning the use of sign language in schools, declaring that oral education was superior in helping deaf individuals integrate into society. This decision led to widespread adoption of oralism in both Europe and the United States, causing a significant decline in the use of sign language. Deaf teachers lost their jobs, and fewer deaf professionals entered fields like writing and law. The Milan Conference’s decision had lasting negative effects on the deaf community, which were formally acknowledged and apologized for in 2010 during the 21st International Congress on Education of the Deaf.
- https://deafhistory.eu/index.php/very-short-histories/milan-1880
- The Dark Age of Deaf Culture (1880-2010)
- The “Dark Ages” of Deaf education refers to a period when Oralism, the teaching method focused on speech and lip-reading, was imposed on Deaf students, particularly after the 1880 Milan Conference. This conference mandated the use of Oralism in Deaf schools, leading to the suppression of American Sign Language (ASL). Deaf students were punished for signing, with harsh measures such as slapping their hands with rulers or tying them together. Deaf teachers were also replaced by hearing oral method specialists. The era saw Deaf students forced to abandon their natural language in favor of speech, with some institutes even punishing students for signing off-campus. The preservation of ASL became a long and difficult struggle, with Deaf professionals and advocates fighting to keep their language alive. In 2010, 130 years after the Milan Conference, the International Congress on Deaf Education issued an apology to the Deaf community for their role in this oppressive period.
- https://www.deaffriendly.com/articles/flashback-oral-method-in-deaf-institutes-post-milan-1880/#:~:text=A%20speaker%20in%20the%20documentary,natural%20language%2C%20American%20Sign%20Language.