Attitudes and Use of Sign
Language among CLD
Populations
Katandria Love Johnson, MA MSCCC SLP/ITA
UNT Health Science Center
Social and Behavioral Sciences/
Public Health
Research Pres.
Johnson
1
ABSTRACT
„
In the general literature, how language attitudes
define group membership and cultural identity has
been understudied. This research examined the
language attitudes of three families regarding the use
of sign language as a form of communication for their
deaf and hearing children. They were interviewed
utilizing a list of open-ended questions about sign
usage patterns and the factors that affected the
individual’s ability to use it in daily communication.
The data were collected from a hearing family parent
or relative. Results showed that hearing families
exhibit multiple and varying attitudes toward sign
systems. Furthermore, familial networks, educational
programs, and socioeconomic status may influence
these attitudes and the use of sign in the home and
Research Pres.
Johnson
educational settings.
2
INTRODUCTION
„
A dearth of research has investigated minorities’
ideologies of deafness. Two areas of interest that
have yet to be developed are: (i) What are the
attitudes of hearing parents regarding the use of
American Sign Language (ASL) or Signed English as
a communicative tool for their deaf child? and (ii)
What are the attitudes of hearing parents with
hearing children who also utilize a sign system as a
form of communication? I hypothesize that both
groups will have similar attitudes toward sign
language. Rather than having a communication
system imposed upon them, each family’s ability to
choose which form of communication system best
benefits their child is a key influence in developing
Research Pres.
Johnson
3
positive attitudes towards sign language.
METHODOLOGY
Participants, Apparatus, and Procedures
„ This research examined the language attitudes of
parents who use sign language as a form of
communication with their children. Each family had
experience working with sign language systems as a
form of communication for their deaf or hearing
children and their hearing siblings. These hearing
parents are using sign because they want to facilitate
better communication with their child or promote
bilingualism in English and Spanish. Additional
information regarding the subjects are detailed in the
chart below:
Research Pres.
Johnson
4
TABLE 1
Background Description of Subjects
Participant Number
Sex and Ages of
Hearing
/Language Spoken
Children
Status
Family One/English &
3 yrs. (male)
All normal
Spanish
1 yr. (male)
9 yr. oldFamily Two/Spanish and
11 yrs. (female)
Profound
English
9 yrs. (male)
hearing loss;
5 yrs. (male)
Others-Normal
4 yrs. (male)
Family Three/English
9 yrs. old (female) All normal
8 yrs. old (male)
Research Pres.
Johnson
Delay or
Disability
None
9 yr. oldAutism;
Speech
delay
8 yr. old –
Autism;
Speech
Delay
Socioeconomic
Status
Upper middle
class
Low middle
class
Middle class
5
SUBJECT DATA
„
The first couple interviewed consisted of a family
with two children, ages 1 year and three years. This
couple did not report any deaf relatives on their
respective sides of the family and their children were
not born with any speech, language, or hearing
difficulties. However, the mother decided to teach her
children signed English as a supplementary medium
of communication. The mother, who is a homemaker,
began communicating in this modality with her
children at birth.
Research Pres.
Johnson
6
SUBJECT DATA, cont.
„
She stated, “Communication starts with
comprehension…understanding what you are saying
to children comes first and then expression.” Thus,
this mother thought that alternative ways in which
family members could understand each other would
be appropriate for her family. Once this decision was
discussed and agreed to by the father, the mother
began signing to her oldest son at six months. At
seven and a half to eight months, he began using
signs to communicate his basic needs, e.g. food. In
the beginning, the mother looked for him to respond
to sign receptively, then to develop expressive sign
skills later on. Research Pres.
Johnson
7
SUBJECT DATA, cont.
„
Family two has dealt with many emotional situations
surrounding their son’s acquisition of sign language.
They reported that he signs less and acts out his
intentions when he becomes frustrated. Early last
year, he was a candidate for a cochlear implant but
was denied one due to his diagnosis of autism. He
was also eligible to attend the Texas School for the
Deaf, but the parents were unable to find a means to
transport him to Austin. They also feared that he
would not be able to cope in a new environment in
the absence of his family members.
Research Pres.
Johnson
8
SUBJECT DATA, cont.
„
In sum, signing is an essential part of functional daily
life for this family. Even though the parents sought
testing and medical insurance coverage to facilitate
additional communication methods with their son,
they appeared satisfied with ASL. Clearly, this family
was not afraid to take advantage of the opportunity to
obtain a cochlear implant for their son. Despite
intermittent behavioral issues with their deaf child, he
will probably always rely on sign to communicate
effectively with other family members and in all other
communicative environments.
Research Pres.
Johnson
9
SUBJECT DATA, cont.
„
The third family interviewed is a set of grandparents
who are raising their autistic eight-year-old grandson
and his nine-year-old sister. When the male child
became school age, the special education teacher
and school speech pathologist developed an
individual education plan (IEP) that recommended
speech and sign as his form of communication. As
reported by the grandmother, the school chose signs
as a means to accompany the limited speech skills
he may have once he becomes old enough to
produce all age-appropriate words.
Research Pres.
Johnson
10
SUBJECT DATA, cont.
„
„
This family has struggled to deal with their
grandson’s means of communication. They reported
behavioral issues, as they have attempted to address
his needs through a limited knowledge of signs
combined with speech. The grandparents have
adhered to his individual educational plan, even
though they would like additional input regarding the
plan.
Several observations can be made about this
particular family. The most important point is that they
are desperately searching for a means of consistent
and functional communication with their grandson.
Research Pres.
Johnson
11
RESULTS
„
The first interviewed family appeared accepting of the
use of sign language in various communicative
contexts. Perhaps this level of comfort could be
attributed to the fact that their children have the
potential to become fluent speakers. Unlike the third
family, the first family ultimately perceives their
children as proficient, future speakers of one or more
spoken languages. Comparatively, the Latino family
is in a situation similar to the last family in that they
foresee the permanent use of signs with their child.
However, the latter family would change the mode of
communication if they had the alternative.
Research Pres.
Johnson
12
RESULTS, cont.
„
„
This point raises the following question: What type of
assumptions are these medical and educational
professionals drawing on when they make
recommendations for such families?
Clearly, service professionals involved with the
families have followed a model that is not as sensitive
as it could be regarding families’ seeking the best
form of communication for their child. They may have
offered the best advice possible in terms of their
specialization, but whether all available options were
presented appropriately to the third family is
questionable.
Research Pres.
Johnson
13
RESULTS, cont.
„
„
The grandparents and parents expressed concerns
with regards to their children’s behavioral issues. In
this situation, these professionals addressed one of
the two issues surrounding these children’s cases by
offering a communication mode but not a form of
behavioral modification with which to mediate
unwanted non-linguistic behaviors.
Any family that seeks such services wants to have
the ability to choose between several alternatives that
will complement the lifestyle of the child and other
family members. This freedom of choice does not
appear to be evident with the second family and has
adversely affected their views of communication in
Research Pres.
Johnson
14
general.
DISCUSSION
„
What sorts of pertinent points can we glean from the
three families investigated? First, variability across
cultures and within cultures can be seen in terms of
their use and attitudes toward spoken and signed
language. I believe this variability is influenced by
several implied factors:1) familial networks; 2)
educational programs; and, of equal importance, 3)
socioeconomic status.
Research Pres.
Johnson
15
DISCUSSION
„
The last two families sought other alternatives to
improve their child’s use of signs and communication
in general; however, limited finances inhibited their
ability to find such options. On the contrary, the first
family appeared comfortable using signs because of
their knowledge about the available options, the
ability to choose and finance those options. All
families have relied on online or public education to
reinforce or maintain the modality of communication
chosen. However, when a communicative breakdown
occurs in either environment, families have to work
hard to communicate with their children.
Research Pres.
Johnson
16
DISCUSSION
„
„
Finally, if the relationships among family members
and professionals are not strong, consistent and
persistent communicative breakdowns can
compromise parents’ confidence in the medical and
educational systems promoting those services.
A rich model can be formed regarding the attitudes
and usage patterns of sign language among the
families studied. The most salient point we can gain
is the level of variability each family has in terms of
how they view and use sign systems.
Research Pres.
Johnson
17
DISCUSSION
„
All families, who happen represent two ethnic
minority groups, shared the same long-term goal that
their child becomes an effective communicator, even
though they arrived at their conclusions through
varying experiences. How medical and educational
experts present communication alternatives to their
families can affect their attitudes toward and use of
sign. Therefore, professionals need to understand
how each family develops such attitudes and uses,
which will help tailor how they communicate with
families seeking the appropriate mode of
communication for their child.
Research Pres.
Johnson
18
DISCUSSION
„
„
They will also gain knowledge about what type of
communication system to recommend to their
families based on the family’s needs and not the
requirements of the educational or medical systems
governing these professionals. Finally, careful
consideration must given regarding each family’s
culture and how it may interact with their attitudes
toward professionals and models of remediation.
First, more participants are needed in order to derive
a more representative picture of each ethnic group
represented.
Research Pres.
Johnson
19
DISCUSSION
„
„
Second, ethnographic observations need to be
conducted in the familial and educational
environments the children utilize sign, which will
provide insight as to how sign is incorporated in these
settings on a daily basis.
Third, any reports or information from the service
professionals that have worked with these families
would provide additional insight into these three
families. This information will provide a better
understanding of why professionals recommended
the types and frequency of services implemented for
the families interviewed.
Research Pres.
Johnson
20
DISCUSSION
„
„
Fourth, any information about the family’s progress
utilizing sign with their child long-term will also help
answer questions about the quality of outcome
hypothesized by these professionals and hoped for
by each family’s participation in these home and
educational programs.
Finally, we may want to think about how these
descriptions may be affected by ethnicity.
Research Pres.
Johnson
21
REFERENCES
„
„
„
Jones, R.C. & Kretschmer, L.W. (1988). Parental
attitudes of Black hearing-impaired students. Volta
Review, 19, 41-50.
Kroskrity, Paul V. (2004). Language ideologies. In
A. Duranti (ed.) A companion to linguistic
anthropology (pp. 496-517). Malden, MA: Blackwell.
Ramsey, C.L., & Noriega, A. (2001). Niños
milagrizados: Language attitudes, deaf education,
and miracle cures in Mexico. Sign Language Studies,
1, 254-280.
Research Pres.
Johnson
22