It’s September and you know what that means - happy back-to-school season! This time of year is scary and exciting for all students, from kindergarten to university. In honour of the back-to-school season, this blog is going to talk about schools for the Deaf - what they are and why they are beneficial.
What are Schools for the Deaf?
Schools for the Deaf are bilingual schools instructing in both English and ASL that are designed for students who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing. This is known as a “Bi-Bi” or Bilingual-biculturalism approach. Having both languages be used in the classroom helps Deaf students develop their language skills. Deaf children need a language they can see, which is why ASL is taught first, and then English is introduced. These schools provide an accessible, welcoming, and supportive environment that benefits both the students’ education and social skills. There are elementary and secondary schools, as well as colleges and universities throughout North America. Since there are fewer Deaf children than hearing children, these schools are not common. To give an idea, there are only 3 elementary and secondary schools in Ontario, with more throughout North America, and two Deaf universities/colleges in North America.
Benefits of Schools for the Deaf
Imagine going to school on the first day, so excited to learn and meet new friends. But when you get there, something is different. Your teacher and classmates are speaking another language, one you barely know. You try to listen and pull out phrases but it’s like putting together an impossible puzzle. Next thing you know, you have a test, but struggle to do well since you only understood half of the lessons. This is the reality of many Deaf and Hard of Hearing students who attend hearing schools all across the country and around the world.
In hearing schools, Deaf and Hard of Hearing students may find they struggle with certain classes because of the quicker pace and language barrier. Most Deaf students would receive an interpreter or an Educational Assistant (EA) to assist them with learning and interacting with peers inside and outside of the classroom. Although most Deaf and Hard of Hearing students would prefer a certified interpreter, some may be given an EA based on the school board. EAs usually have a limited range of ASL knowledge and can leave large gaps in learning. Usually, a student has one interpreter who accompanies them to their classes; this is something that needs to be taken into consideration as sometimes these interpreters can face fatigue and possibly mistakes, which can affect the information the student is receiving.
School isn’t just about learning though, we all know how much fun school is with friends. Being surrounded by peers that make you feel welcome and understood can improve confidence and overall mood. Not to mention, when children are happy and enjoy going to school, their grades will also improve. Schools for the Deaf provide a space where all students feel welcome and can meet friends who are alike and can find commonalities easily. Some may think that schools for the Deaf can further isolate students and that “they’re going to have to integrate one day”; however, this is entirely false - it’s those who are hearing that should create a welcoming and accessible environment for them, and unfortunately, the public schooling system doesn’t provide that for everyone right now. Also, when parents put their children in Deaf schools from a young age, it can improve their ASL skills through a fully immersed environment, and allow them to build the same communication skills as hearing students would at mainstream schools. Oftentimes, Deaf students who are mainstreamed have limited interaction with ASL, or possibly have never been introduced. This can create even greater gaps in their education when mainstreamed since they may rely on lip-reading or captioning, instead of interpreters. Furthermore, they miss out on the opportunity to develop connections with not only the Deaf community but their heritage and Deaf culture. This will likely affect them once they have reached adulthood and possibly the rest of their lives.
These schools also provide a space for aspiring athletes. These teams are entirely made up of people who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing, which means the athletes can adapt their communication techniques to best suit the entire team, which can also give them quite the advantage.
What Kind of Schools are There?
There are schools for the Deaf at every level: elementary, secondary, and post-secondary. There obviously aren’t schools in every city like there are hearing schools, which may make it seem unrealistic to some families. However, they typically offer a boarding option, but some parents don’t feel comfortable sending their young children away for school. Unfortunately, the enrollment at these schools is declining and their future could be in jeopardy. Although there are many benefits of Deaf schools, the lower demand means that the schools aren’t able to offer as wide of a variety of course options compared to hearing schools, which can affect students’ ability to get into university. The challenge with these schools is that while they are incredibly beneficial to Deaf and Hard of Hearing students, the quality of education suffers when there is low enrollment and little attention given to them by the school board or government. When hearing parents learn that their child is Deaf or Hard of Hearing, it can be difficult for them to understand why a Deaf school will benefit their child. Instead, they may send their child through mainstream education because of the idea of oralism (having Deaf people communicate by speech and lip-reading rather than sign language) or due to logistic constraints such as distance. Unfortunately, there are some schools in North America that are oral schools for the Deaf, which are schools that promote oralism and instruct Deaf students in only spoken English. These schools may seem like they have good intentions to some who are unfamiliar with Deaf culture, but they are quite damaging to the child and Deaf culture.
Deaf universities and colleges have a relatively better enrollment since most young adults move away from home for university anyways. Even if students have had mainstream education for elementary and secondary, going to a Deaf post-secondary institution can drastically benefit them. Canada doesn’t have any Deaf universities, but the U.S. has two - Gallaudet University and the National Technical Institute for the Deaf, which is a college in the Rochester Institute of Technology.
Some young adults may have had no exposure to ASL despite being Deaf or Hard of Hearing for all or most of their life, but still want the experience of a Deaf college. Since many students would have gone through mainstream education, Gallaudet has a 4-week intensive course to learn the basics of ASL prior to enrollment.
The National Technical Institute for the Deaf is the largest technical college for the Deaf. This is a very diverse school, having Deaf and Hard of Hearing students from a variety of backgrounds. Some students prefer to use spoken English, some rather only sign language, while others prefer a combination of both. The college has over 100 in-house interpreters, real-time captioners and trained note-takers to suit whatever communication preference any student may need, both inside and outside of the classroom.
As you can see, Deaf schools provide a great and equal opportunity for students who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing throughout all stages of their academic careers. Hopefully, in the future, Deaf education will be more accessible and parents will be more willing to send their children.
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