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>> Welcome to School Talk.
I'm Nadjia Varney your host.
Usually when we hear the word minorities we think of
ethnic groups or race and even religion.
But today we're talking about an often overlooked minority,
people of all ages who are deaf or hard of hearing.
And I'm delighted to welcome to School Talk set, Commissioner Heidi Reed.
She is the Massachusetts Commissioner for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.
Welcome Commissioner Reed.
I'm glad you're here today.
>> Thank you so much.
>> Before we talk about some of the issues,
I wonder if you could tell us a little bit about your story,
just briefly how you became interested in working
and you have worked so tirelessly in such a committed way
for many years to help the deaf and hard of hearing.
Would you share some of your thoughts.
>> Yes. Yes.
I have been deaf since the age of 1 and a half
so being deaf has always been a part of my life.
I think that one of the lessons I've learned in growing up
and going through life as a person who is deaf
is that it is so important to have support systems in your life.
You need to be surrounded with people who understand what it is like to be deaf
and have the ability to connect you with the tools that you need
and to assist you in developing language and making it possible for you
to use these tools and be as effective as you can be no matter what you do.
I've had wonderful support systems.
Teachers were part of my support system.
My parents, my family, later in life my spouse and my colleagues,
all of these people made a wonderful team
and anyone who is deaf or hard of hearing
should have the full benefit of the tools, the strategies
and the support teams in place to help you be as effective as possible.
In anything you do.
>> Well that is absolutely true in anything one does,
but that's a wonderful message to all of us
who are hearing and have that ability to remember that.
Thank you so much.
I remember when I was teaching,
we had some children in the first and second grade
and we didn't identify until then that
they had hearing loss and some with vision loss.
My question is: how is deafness and hearing loss diagnosed today
and how early can it be found?
>> Today you can diagnose deafness and hearing loss
at birth through infant screening.
This is a critical development, it's very important that families
know immediately if their child is deaf or hard of hearing.
You can be connected with early intervention support systems right away.
These support systems are critical for appropriate early language development.
You want to do everything possible to prevent delayed language acquisition
and you also want to make sure that the child is developing cognitive
abilities, age appropriate cognitive abilities as early as possible.
>> So I hear you saying that it's not just hearing
but it's the whole language development
and thinking that's at stake if it's not identified early.
Well, you know, I remember when I was growing up,
I don't recall, and I grew up in New York City in huge schools.
I don't remember ever seeing deaf children in any of our classes.
So my question is today, once these children are in school,
how are they accommodated or are they in school today?
>> When you think about putting a deaf child into a classroom today,
you want a system that is as inclusive as it possibly can be
and when you think about inclusive, you want an environment where
the deaf child is fully participating in every aspect of the classroom.
When we talk about full participation we are talking about
being able to fully understand and participate in
the give and take of communication with the teacher,
we're also talking about the give and take of communication
with the other children in that classroom.
So having the language in that environment that the child
can fully understand and participate in is critical.
It's also very important that you have a peer environment
where a deaf child can interact and be part of the give and take
learning experience of interacting with peers.
Assistive technology comes into play also.
Technology can support this process but the most important part of inclusion
is that you have an environment of communication acts that match
to the child's needs, communication acts they need.
>> Well, that's quite, quite a high order and we're going to talk about
how that happens through interpreters in a few minutes.
But before we go on to that, you've mentioned several times
the support system that these children need or people need.
What do they do for parents?
Now some of the parents are also deaf or they may be hearing parents.
What do the schools or other places within the State,
what do they do for parents?
>> The parents' needs should be very, very much the focus of attention
when you are trying to support the child.
The parent is an important part of the child's support system.
Ideally you have a situation where the parent is fully aware
and participating in the child's communication need.
If you have a child who is deaf
and you are introduced to language through American Sign Language,
which has been proven to be a very powerful and effective way
to develop language and cognitive thinking in young children.
You want to make sure that the teachers
have the appropriately fluency in American Sign Language.
You also want to make sure that
the classroom learning is supported at home as well,
which means that parents need to develop their fluency
in American Sign Language.
How do you approach it?
There are several ways.
One way providing educational opportunities for parents
to develop their fluency in American Sign Language.
There are other supports as well.
Having an awareness and sensitivity training
for the school or town for other students
helps build an environment that's open and supportive
for the children both in the classroom and at home.
Extracurricular activities are often a very important part of a child's
social growth and ability to develop connections with other people.
These are environments where you want to build in awareness,
sensitivity and communication that works for everyone.
>> These ideas, to some people may be ideals to reach for.
And I know that you have been very concerned about
the sign language abilities of people.
In fact we'll talk in a minute about what you've initiated.
I think it's a national model that all people should be looking at,
but you are collaborating if I understand it correctly,
with the State Department of Education.
But before we talk about what's involved with that kind of a model,
would you give us a definition of sign language?
Because I thought they were making the letters of the alphabet
with their hands and I recently learned this is nothing like that at all.
What is sign language?
>> American Sign Language is a legitimate language of its own.
In many educational and government institutions
it is recognized as a foreign language,
the same as French or Spanish or any other modern spoken language.
American Sign Language has its own syntax, its own structure and rules.
It is a growing and living language the same as English.
If you think about spoken English today
and you think about how we develop new words and new expressions and new terms,
this is part of the changes that happen in our society.
American Sign Language is the same.
You have the development of new style, new expression,
this is part of the language being a very much alive and active language
that's part of people's everyday communication system.
American Sign Language is at, recognized as
a foreign language for academic credit in many school systems
and this is a growing recognition of the significance
of American Sign Language.
I think also it's important to know that it
requires lots of training and practical experiences.
Many schools could participate in shared
reading programs and similar models of teaching
whereby parents work with a tutor to develop
their fluency in American Sign Language at home in order to read with
their children and further develop language with their children.
I think that when we think about learning American Sign Language
we are thinking about learning a full-fledged language that requires a
combination of formal instruction, role models and practice in everyday use.
>> It is just like learning a language, isn't it?
I can see that.
My next question of course is
what we have such diverse population in this country,
does there need to be a different sign language
for Spanish and French and Portuguese?
How do deaf children or deaf people who have limited or no English,
how do they work with American Sign Language?
>> In here in the United States we use American Sign Language
and it has been proven through research that American Sign Language
is a very powerful means of developing language and cognitive skills
and it can be a bridge to effective bi-lingual skills.
So a child who is able to communicate effectively in American Sign Language
can then add to their language if there are these
and becoming bi-lingual in English as well.
When you think about the national and global picture of use of sign language,
here in America we use American Sign Language.
If you were to go to England you would find British deaf children
and British deaf people using British Sign Language.
Similarly in another country such as Russia or Japan
you would find a sign language native to that country.
In each country deaf people have developed sign language that are excellent,
excellent models of a language and these are thriving and growing languages.
But the point is that each country has its own language.
The World Federation of the Deaf has recognized this
and they have developed a form of international sign language known as Gestuno.
And this is a model of an international being able to communicate.
>> That is so, and not only interesting and intriguing,
but in this global economy and this growing global society,
that sounds very, very important.
But it all goes back to when we learn whatever language it is.
So when we come back we're going to take a break right now.
But now we're going to talk about what is the sign language, we know a little
of what it is, but let's get to who's using it
and what qualifications do they have.
And I know you are very interested in this and it's very important.
So we'll be back in a minutes,
we'll find out more about what's happening when you're learning it.
We need an interpreter.
We need teachers who know American Sign Language.
Stay with us, we'll be right back.
>> Everyone has their own idea of a hero.
>> Magic Johnson.
>> Arnold Schwarzenegger.
>> Mr. Neal.
>> My hero?
Gloria Estefan.
>> Martin Luther King.
>> Mr. Hovey.
>> These are teachers.
But to the kids they've reached, they're heroes.
They've given them hope.
They've given them choices.
They've changed their lives.
>> Well, the children are the heroes.
>> The most thrilling thing is watching that child succeed.
>> I just like to help them make their dreams come true.
>> Teachers have the power to wake up young minds, to be heroes.
To make a difference.
Reach for that power, teach.
If you want to make an impact on our future, call 1-800-45TEACH.
>> Mr. Wilkins.
>> Mrs. Eisenhart.
>> Mr. Adams!
>> Be a teacher.
Be a hero.
>> C'mon David, c'mon David!
Let's go David!
C'mon!
C'mon David, you got the line.
>> Get as involved in your kid's education as in everything they do
and imagine the success they might find.
Stay in touch with the teacher, visit the school.
For more tips call 1-800-281-1313.
>> Go David!
Go David!
>> Commissioner Reed, in your interest in improving teaching of sign language
and teaching children who are deaf, you have this wonderful model.
You call it A Memorandum of Understanding.
It's not a law as I understand it, but it is something you're doing
with the Department of Education in the State of Massachusetts
and I think it's, as I said earlier, a national model.
You say that you're very concerned about the teaching,
teachers who work with deaf children.
Now to whom are referring?
General ed teachers or special ed?
Would you talk about what teachers you are referring to.
>> We are talking about the teachers who are responsible for
providing education to deaf children.
We are talking about a deaf education classroom where you have the teacher
who is responsible for working directly with children who are deaf.
You want to make sure that that environment is led by a teacher
who's communication skills, who's language with confluency
is at the most appropriate level
and is best able to be sure that the child is able to learn.
>> I know that you're passionate about this and it makes sense
because just teaching ordinary kids with hearing, that's so important
to not be speaking in language that they cannot cognitively deal with.
But especially with children are hearing impaired or fully deaf.
I'd like you to give some examples if you could inside the school.
Why this is so critical.
>> A teacher is a language model for a child regardless of that
child's situation and this is very, very true of deaf children as well.
When you have a deaf child in the classroom,
that child is ready to learn, the child wants to learn.
The teacher requires an appropriate level of fluency
so that they can ensure that you have give and take of learning,
you have cognitive development, you have exchange of information
and you have from that point the growth of learning
of any topic in the classroom.
It is so critical that the teacher be able to
demonstrate the language fluency needed throughout the classroom
so that the child is constantly absorbing,
learning and benefit from that communication.
>> Now wouldn't that be pretty difficult in courses which are being
focused upon in the nation, like science and technology?
In the high school for example.
How does that happen?
I mean, and there are new terms all the time.
How are they helped?
>> Very true, very true.
If you think about how many of us work in a profession
or have an everyday communication system
whereby we do our work every day in one language
and then you think about a teacher in the classroom with a deaf child.
That teacher needs to be able to communicate very fluently.
If you're teaching a subject such as science
or you are teaching world history for example,
you want to be able to walk through an entire lesson,
explain the entire historical event, the date, the people involved,
what happened, why it happened, facilitate a discussion of this event
and you need to have the American Sign Language skills to do that.
You need to be able to communicate so clearly and fluently and effectively
that the child is seamlessly absorbing the information,
there's no barrier to the language or barrier to the communication.
This is why it's so important for teachers who work with deaf children
to have a level of fluency in American Sign Language.
This is why it's so important that when we have
a teacher who is certified to work with deaf children,
you want to be ensured that that teacher also
has the level of fluency in American Sign Language
to be effective in meeting that child's needs to learn.
>> This is, in my mind, similar to teachers
who teach children who have limited English.
They really should be fluent if they can be, for example Spanish, and English.
But also they need to know how to communicate the subject matter
whether it's science, technology or literature.
So I see the need for it.
My next question is, does the federal government
or do state governments have certification requirements?
Do they have standards that a teacher or an interpreter in a school
must reach before that person can work with deaf children?
>> There are regulations both at the federal and state level.
However, we recognize the need for enhancement.
This is why our MOU came about.
Our MOU focuses on specific strategies for assessing and
improving the American Sign Language fluency of teachers
who are working with deaf children and interpreters as well.
>> When you say MOU,
that you're talking again about the Memorandum of Understanding.
I know you know the acronym,
but I want our audience to know that this is not a law in the state
but you have initiated this collaboration Memorandum of Understanding,
which is really, I like that word.
Because it's, those of us who do have hearing,
we often don't understand the needs.
And here we are in the country looking for highly qualified teachers.
So this is really what you're doing.
You just said you're looking for good assessment, seeing what they know
and also certification requirements so that they are highly qualified.
Now are colleges presenting courses?
Now I know, I believe you first went to Gallaudet University
before other school.
But other schools other than Gallaudet School,
which I think is specifically for the deaf.
Do other colleges, universities provide courses for people
to become proficient in American Sign Language?
>> You are correct that Gallaudet University is specifically for deaf students.
They also have a graduate program that prepares teachers and other
professionals to work with people who are deaf and hard of hearing.
And that is open to people who are hearing as well as people who are deaf.
Around the country there are numerous academic programs
where it's possible to take American Sign Language coursework for credit.
Not every state does recognize American Sign Language
for academic credit as a foreign language.
Many do recognize American Sign Language
as part of the offering of elective and course work.
It's important that people who want to
improve their fluency in American Sign Language
look into the higher education system in their state
because there are range of options.
Some are degree related, some are elective.
>> Now you are strongly advocating in this Memorandum of Understanding
and in your talks that you give to groups, you're strongly,
if I understand this correctly, you're advocating that American Sign Language
be looked upon as equal to other foreign languages and receive academic credit.
Could you elaborate on that a bit?
I want to know how valuable is this ability.
Let me put it this way.
How valuable is this in the larger society to have this kind of training
and this kind of credit from the college level?
>> Very, very valuable in any possible profession.
If you think about people who are going into the human service profession,
someone who is going to the field of education
or social work or any number of human service professions,
the potential to encounter a child or adult who is deaf is clearly there
and this will be a definite asset in being able to
bridge the communication that's needed.
There have been so many times when I have found that if you
go into a situation as simple as a restaurant
and you find that the waiter or the waitress has the
American Sign Language skills to assist you in your order, this is great.
I have also seen the same kind of situation pop up,
someone who's working behind the counter at a car rental dealer
or someone is a professional such as dentist or a healthcare professional.
If these people have basic sign language skills
you have the ability for some basic initial communication which can make
all the difference in the world in terms of carrying out your business.
Obviously there many, many situations that require a professional interpreter
and must have a professional interpreter for many situations.
However in terms of initial communication, greeting, simply being able to
have someone with some basic communication, it's a valuable skill to have.
I have found also that the population of
deaf and hard of hearing people is widespread
and being able to have people working in a business or working in any situation
with the fluency in American Sign Language is a tremendous benefit to have.
It's a great way to welcome the public,
it's a great way to make your program, your services accessible to everyone.
>> That is very intriguing to me
because I don't know that businesspeople have thought about that.
You know, this is such a business oriented world now,
sometimes I think it's capitalism gone wild.
But my goodness, that does make a great deal of sense to me.
To pay, in fact, people, reward them and remunerate people at a higher level
who can speak maybe not just English and Spanish,
but also American Sign Language.
What a wonderful thought that is.
>> There are many businesses that have been very, very aware of this
and when they are sensitive to their community
and they be aware of population in the community,
such as the school for the deaf
or a program that works with a significant population of deaf people,
you will see that where the employees and the business people in that
business use American Sign Language and make that known, it's a great draw.
>> Well, before we come to the very end of our show,
I wonder if you could give me, just even one or two tips
for those of us who are hearing and we're not always sensitive.
Sometimes we start shouting or gesturing wildly
and I'm sure that must be uncomfortable for people who are deaf.
What tips would you give me and all our viewers?
>> Well, I think the most important is to realize that people who are deaf
and hard of hearing are more like everyone else than different.
They are more than the same people and people want to be approached,
people want to be included,
people want to give and take with the communication.
I think it's important to realize that the fact that
someone who's deaf or hard of hearing is not visible situation.
You will, most of the time you won't know
by seeing someone if they are deaf or hard of hearing.
Be aware of that.
Simple procedures such as eye contact, facing someone, being prepared to
use visual cues, that's an important part of getting in touch with someone.
If you don't understand what someone is saying
or if you think someone is not understanding you,
be prepared to consider the possibility that
someone might be deaf or hard of hearing.
Visual cues are very important.
Sensitivity and awareness and being face to face
and alert to someone is also very important as well.
And if you have the opportunity to learn American Sign Language, do start.
>> Well, thank you so much Commissioner Heidi Reed.
Thank you for joining me.
>> You're very welcome.
Thank you for having me.
>> You're welcome.
In closing, I'll say to our audience that this show is closed captioned
and technology will be there as deaf and hard of hearing people move
more and more into mainstream society through schools and through jobs.
But in my mind there's no doubt that highly qualified interpreters
of American Sign Language will be absolutely necessary.
In fact, globally, all over the world in many languages
as we go forward in our global School Talk.
>> Join the discussion.
Send your comments to School Talk at bridgew.edu.
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