ASL 3 – Deaf Like Me
Name :______Date:______Period:______
Intro:
This is the true story of a young deaf girl whose parents attempted to raise her “orally,” then switched to sign language after their child was not developing any language skills. It is an honest story, typical of the Deaf Experience in the 60s and 70s, written by the girl’s father. AS you read the story, it may seem a bit “dated,” as it took place over 30 years ago; the scenario as described in the story regarding “oralisim” is a controversy that rarely takes place today, but it is still relevant. As you are reading, think about the current Controversy of the cochlear implant and how Lynn’s story would be told if it took place today.
Directions:
Answer the following questions carefully and with a great deal of thought. Remember to answer each question thoroughly. Pay attention to the fact that some questions require more than one response, for example a question within a question. Please type your responses using Times New Roman, 12 point font, single spaced.
Chapter 1
1-What year does this story begin?
2-What epidemic occurred during the 60s that was responsible for 20% of babies being born with “defects” which included deafness?
3-What was Louise’s first solution to the fact she was pregnant and had been exposed to and possibly contracted Rubella?
4-Why was her solution not feasible at the time?
5-What did Tom read in Today’s Health News that angered him?
Chapter 2
6-What occurrence made Tom and Louise realize that Lynn wasn’t as “perfect” as the doctors had concluded at the hospital at the time of her birth?
7-What initial “defect” were Tom and Louise worried about?
8-What did Lynn do that caused Tom and Louise to doubt their diagnosis/ suspicions that she as deaf?
Chapter 3
9-What do both deaf and hearing babies do as they are developing which “fool” people into believing their child can hear?
10- How is Dr. Bale’s reaction to Louise’s concerns about Lynn typical of the medical profession?
11- At six months, what natural childhood began to decrease in Lynn?
12-Who dos Louise go to when Dr. Bale refuses to take her concerns seriously and what advice is she given?
13-What kind of “specialist” did Tom and Louise bring Lynn to and what did the specialist suggest?
Chapter 4
14-Why did Tom and Louise go to CA after their visit to the specialist?
15-How old is Lynn at the time of their trip?
16-How did Tom and Louise learn of the John Tracy Clinic?
17-Who is Spencer Tracy and how does his “name” or involvement give the clinic “power” or “credibility?”
18-What were the recommendations of the John Tracy Clinic?
Chapter 5
19-How do the basic principles that the John Tracy Clinic, as well as others at this time, of not allowing a child to gesture, go against the basic laws of human nature- deaf or hearing?
20-Why does a deaf child naturally “take to” gesturing?
21-At what decibel level did the Children’s Memorial diagnose Lynn’s hearing and how does this compare to what the John Tracy Clinic had told the Spradleys?
22-What is an “auditory trainer?”
23-What disappointment do the Spradleys receive from the Chicago Hearing Society?
Chapter 6
24-Deafness is “invisible.” How does this statement/ fact contribute to how the Deaf are treated by the hearing world?
25-Does Lynn really live in a “world of silence” as her parents describe in this chapter? How is this phrase opposite of what Deaf people believe about their world?
26-What do the Spradleys learn from their interactions with Bob and Mary Hughes?
27-How is the auditory trainer a “false hope” for the Spradleys? Furthermore, how does this false hope lead to more disappointment?
28-What sort of phrases or words can Lynn seemingly “lip-read” at this point in the story and why do you think that is?
Chapter 7
29-“[After that] we often tried to head off this kind of social trap.” Explain this statement and why most parents would avoid this topic of discussion.
30-“An explanation now would only embarrass this kindly gentleman.” In reality, how does this statement dance around the topic of explaining Deafness? Who would really be embarrassed and why?
31-Why do you think that auditory trainer didn’t hold Lynn’s interest for more than fifteen minutes at a time?
32-Again, deafness is mentioned as invisible, yet, how many Americans are diagnosed with hearing impairment?
33-How does the story of the man who spoke up against the John Tracy correspondence course and the response of the teacher a typical occurrence of this time period? How does this carry over into today’s cochlear implant controversy and the professionals that center around this?
Chapter 8
34-How does Louise adapt the “matching game” sent by the John Tracy Clinic and how is this adaptation more realistic to the needs of teaching language that the lesson sent by the JTC?
35-What is the difference between subconscious and conscious teaching?
36-If Lynn was born to Deaf parents who understood her needs, what kind of teaching would she have received? Explain your answer.
37-When tom and Louise practice lip-reading, what do they discover? Explain your answer in detail.
38-Who is Jill Corey and what is her advice to the Spradleys?
Chapter 9
39- What is the Volta Review?
40-Who is Alexander Graham Bell and what is his “association” to deafness?
41-What is the Clark school?
42-What did a hearing aid look like in the 60s/70s?
43-How is the hearing aid yet one more disappointment to the Spradleys?
44- What sis the Spradleys discover in this chapter that helped them understand Lynn’s deafness?
45-What is Linda MacArthur’s story and how is her story one in a million?
46-What is ODAS?
47-What story did Mrs. Brands tell the Spradleys?
48-How is Beth’s story typical of the orally raised Deaf individual? How did you think this story will eventually extend into the cochlear implant raised child?
Chapter 10
49- Where are the Spradleys moving and why>
50-What “connection” dis Lynn make on the way?
51-Why would it be pointless to spank Lynn for her disobedience?
52-How is Louise’s inability to comfort her daughter a significant sign that something needs to change?
53- At the end of chapter 10, when the Spradleys feel Lynn has made progress, Tom narrates; “ And I felt sure Lynn would start talking soon; perhaps by the time she was three or going on four at the latest.” How has this statement changed from their initial expectations and hopes?
Chapter 11
54-What everyday skills did Tom and Louise discover deaf children lack, including Lynn because they are related to sound?
55-How are these skills related to sound?
56-How does Lynn learn what crying in?
57-What are “gross sounds?”
58-How does the inability to communicate put a strain on family relationships? Explain this from both the hearing and deaf perspectives and how could this easily be solved?
Chapter 12
56- At what age do most hearing-impaired children begin their oral/mainstream education?
57- What is the Jane Brooks School for the Deaf and What are its expectations? How are these expectations really “limitations?”
59-By the age of 2 ½ how many words could Lynn lip-read?
60-What was Lynn’s first spoken word?
Chapter 13
61- Explain Lynn’s confusion regarding the school bus. How does this incident touch upon “abstract concepts” and furthermore how does it show the importance of the need for language and communication.
62-What other incidents occur in this chapter that Louise and Tom have no way to explain to Lynn?
63-Describe the behaviors that all the oral students seem to have at Lynn’s school. Why do you think that these behavior issues occur?
64-How does the stress of raising an oral deaf child affect the whole family?
65-Why do you think professionals who support oralism are so evasive in their answers to parents’ questions?
Chapter 14
66-In this chapter at a parent meeting, many of the parents discuss the issues they are encountering with their deaf children, one of which is “not being able to sleep” at night. What do you think is the real issue behind this issue?
67-Who do Tom and Louise send Lynn to a professional speech therapist outside of the dail training she already receives at school?
68-How long did the John Tracy Clinic shape how Tom and Louise viewed Deafness and ultimately how they view their own deaf child?
69-How many words could Lynn “hear” by her 4th birthday, what were they, and how useful were these particular words?
70-What new approach regarding choice training do tom and Louise try on their own?
Chapter 15
71-Describe the emotions that cannot be communicated in this chapter between Lynn and her parents- first about her illness and hospital stay and second, the back-packing trip?
Chapter 16
72-What was the controversy at Starr King School?
73-How easily can the inability to communicate with a Deaf child turn into “abuse?” Use parent stories from this chapter to support your answer.
74-How many children born deaf actually develop intelligible speech?
75-How much spoken language can a skilled lip-reader really understand?
76-What happens at this parent meeting that begins to make Tom and Louise think about their daughter and what might be best for her?
Chapter 17
77-What was Tom initially planning to do at the oralisim vs. manualisim meeting?
78-What stopped Tom from making his argument?
79-What does Tom do at the end of the meeting that begins the family’s journey to truly understanding Deafness?
80-What is the only exposure Tom and Louise have regarding having met a Deaf person? How does this encounter support their fears for their daughter’s future?
81-Compare the knowledge that Louise and Tom have Deaf people so far via the Volta Review, Carolyn Graves, the Deaf beggar, and the deaf parent/ professional Jim Hudson
Chapter 18
82-During the meeting with Jim and Alice Hudson, Tom comments “I had the curious feeling we were the ones that didn’t know how to talk. What does he mean by this and how does he put him and his wife closer to understanding how their daughter feels?
83-When 4 year old Deaf Diane uses an abstract word like “perhaps” in ASL, how does this totally convince Tom that he and his wife have been using the wrong communication approach with their own daughter?
84-What signs did Tom and Louise learn that night?
85-Why do many deaf people lack the inability to “speak intelligibly?”
86-What do Tom and Louise learn about the Volta Review?
Chapter 19
87-How many words can Lynn “speak at the age of 5?
88- What are Lynn’s first words in ASL and how are they more meaningful than the 5 words she knows in English?
89-What happens to Lynn when she discovers “sign language?”
90-What happens to Lynn at Starr King School when her teacher discovers she can now sign ?
91-Who are Bill and Bunny White and what impact to they have on Lynn and her family?
Chapter 20
92-Describe Lynn in 1974 at 8 years old. How has her life changed?
92-How have the lives of Tom and Louise changed?
93-What happens at the Casino that reminds the Spradleys of their own experience?
94-What do you think will happen to Mark, the boy at the casino?
95-What school does Lynn end up attending?
Final Questions-
96- How does Lynn’s story of “oralisim vs. manualism” compare to what may be happening to Deaf children today regarding the cochlear implant controversy?
97- What do you think will become of Deaf schools and ASL in the Midst of the cochlear implant controversy?
98- After having taken almost 3 full years of ASL, and having seen a lot of movies, read a lot of literature including Deaf Like Me, what advise might you give to a family friend of your that has a deaf child?
99- What is your overall impression of this book?
100-Compare and contrast the experiences of the parents in Deaf Like Me and A Loss for Words. How were their lives similar/ dissimilar?