I don't know where Solomon got many
of his faulty statistics. He tries to cover his tracks when he says later in
the chapter, "These statistics are muddied, however, by their newness." Wrong
again, Mr. Solomon. Longitudinal studies of auditory-verbal outcomes exist. Worse,
"this is a slap in the face to speaking deaf adults from generations past who
also were successful spoken language communicators," says Boschini. Peer-reviewed
long-term studies published in multiple journals show that early introduction
of cochlear implants -- combined with an oral education -- lead to the ability
to produce and understand English language at a level comparable with hearing
peers. For example, Ann Geers found that "an oral educational focus provided a
significant advantage for both spoken and total language skills." (Ear &
Hearing, 2003).
While it is tempting to delve into
every single item Solomon got wrong in his Deaf chapter, suffice it to say that
Solomon's too-narrow focus and seduction by Deaf Culture should not come at the
expense of families who are dedicated to opening the world to their children.
(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
2
2
1
