Languaculture and School Leaders’ Attitudes in Schools for the Deaf

• In Event: Roundtable Session 22
  In Roundtable Session: How Do Perceptions, Attitudes, and Identities Affect the Learning Opportunities of Underrepresented Students?

Abstract

Emancipatory research requires emphasis on emic perspectives on Deafness. Too often, Deaf education focuses on etic perspectives that come from a medical perspective where the Deaf child is seen as deficient. This etic view then seeks to “fix” the child by implementation of oral/aural pedagogy. In contrast, the philosophy of sign-based pedagogy is cultural transmission where visual language and culture are recognized and celebrated. Pedagogy based in this emic perspective encourages students of their inherent worth and potential to understand their Deafness from a rich cultural perspective. This paper analyzed both school settings in which to define how Languaculture is shaped and developed.

Authors

• Catherine Ann O'Brien, Gallaudet University

• Thomas P. Horejes, Gallaudet University