Term Paper on
Cross-Cultural Counseling Paper on the Deaf
In Old Testament times it was largely assumed
that sickness and disease were sent by God as a punishment. Those who were
sick, disabled, or disfigured were treated like
odious sinners. They were despised by the community and seen as an embarrassment
by their families. Some progress was made when Jesus touched the untouchable
sick and disabled and healed them. Early Christians were the first to establish
hospitals where the sick and suffering could be nursed back to health. Still,
these ages old prejudices continue to hang on even today.
By the turn of the 20th century families could
send their mentally ill away to state ‘hospitals’. Parents were often counseled
to commit their retarded, disabled or disfigured children to the care of these
same mental institutions. Special state schools had been established so that
deaf or blind children could be sent away to receive an education and vocational
training.
Carol Padden has defined Culture as a set of learned behaviors of a group of
people who have their own language, values, rules of behavior, and traditions.
(1988) While "separate and unique" are accurate definitions of the deaf culture,
"isolation" may be closer to the truth. Many deaf are in a sense trapped in
their own world due to the physical limitations of deafness. Culture results
from a group of people coming together to form a community around shared
experience, common interests, shared norms of behavior, and shared survival
techniques. Such groups as the deaf seek each other out for social interaction
and emotional support.
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The historical shift involves the concept of Deaf
culture with a capital 'D'. The use of a capital 'D' has become widespread
within a certain literature advocating concepts of Deaf culture (Baker and
Cokely, 1980; Brennan, 1992; Padden, 1980; Padden and Humphries, 1988; Sacks,
1991 etc) following an article (by James Woodward, 1972). The use of 'D' is
intended to group together, socially and culturally, people who are variously
seen as sharing a sign language, who display certain attitudes towards a
community of Deaf people, who share commitments to a community of Deaf people,
who are seen to be 'included' in a community of Deaf people by other members of
that community, and who engage in cultural practices and expressions valued
within that community. This is in sharp contrast with definitions of deafness,
which treat the experience mainly as a personal affliction (e.g. Myklebust,
1964; Schein, 1987)
Being Deaf usually means the person has some degree of hearing loss. However,
the type or degree of hearing loss is not a criterion for being Deaf. Rather,
the criterion is whether a person identifies with other Deaf people, and behaves
as a Deaf person. [...] But the most striking characteristic of the culture of
Deaf people is their cultural values - these values shape how Deaf people behave
and what they believe in. (Padden and Humphries, 1988)
To participate in this society individuals need
to be highly independent and responsible, being able to take the initiative and
act autonomously. In the raising of children and in education one aims for the
development of these qualities, in which the DIALOGUE is an instrument for
reaching this goal. In families we find nowadays a style in child rising which
is mostly based on negotiation. Parents and children cooperate in settling rules
and making agreements. In this way children learn to formulate their opinions,
but also to LISTEN to the opinions of other persons and to find a solution by
cooperating. There is also more room for the opinions of pupils in schools, by
having student-committee’s and complaint-boards. All this is very easy for a
normal child to follow but children with disabilities cant cope with this set
up. As it is impossible for a deaf person to fully comprehend what it is like to
be hearing, it is as impossible for hearing people to imagine being deaf.
Deaf adults function as role models and examples which pupils can identificate
with. Pupils feel themselves more comfortable; have a higher self-respect and a
good contact with their age mates. But this level of psychological well being
drops dramatically as soon as they leave the well-protected surroundings of the
school and enter society. In society they are confronted with non-understanding,
non-acceptance and inability, to which they are not or not enough prepared. They
had to learn by experience that they are different from other children and
always will be. No matter how hard they try to hide or ignore this. They do not
have a positive perspective to being different but regard it as a source of
problems that they take in account in each social activity they undertake.
Pupils who have been educated in deaf education regard their problems in a
different way. They also do experience their deafness in a less positive way,
but the main cause of stress with them is the fact that they are not or not
enough used to the reactions they receive concerning their ‘being different’ as
soon as they enter society. They haven’t learned to cope with these situations
and even do not, as you could say, has the courage to go out and buy an ice
cream.
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Going back to residential schools, these schools provide a vital link in the
transmission of Deaf Culture and Language. Children here are able to communicate
in a language readily understood by each other. Deaf children are able to
partake in social clubs, sports and importantly enough, to be around deaf role
models. It is important for deaf children to be encouraged to further their
education and to learn that deafness does not mean you cannot grow up to be
successful and happy (success of course being at each persons own perspective on
what success and happiness means to them individually.) This is not to say that
mainstream education is iniquitous for deaf children, but we must keep in mind
that socialization is essential to a child's growth and without a common
language socialization is limited. Sport also has a strong historical link with
the Deaf community and still is linked. Sports can be said a commitment of a
disable and will help us to see how committed they are with there
responsibilities and commitments. There are four major benefits in the mental
health aspect of sport:
Positive self-esteem: identifying with other deaf people, making new friends,
time out from stress and participating in sport more equally.
Stress Management:
Opportunities to control negative emotions i.e.: anger, express physical energy
in controlled activities, giving our mind a break from problems and learning
skills on how to cope with pressure during competition/training.
Feelings of belonging and inclusion:
Deaf people around us, part of a team and community, visual communication,
understanding of being deaf, new friends and learning new things.
Leadership opportunities:
To give their best, to be involved as player, captain, coach, committee member,
umpire/referee, and/or be a role model To represent a state or country.
To share ideas, advice and support.
Research material - "Sport and Recreation Needs Survey for Deaf People in
Victoria - 1992':
This survey was controlled by a hearing person but has five deaf researchers
involved. The findings has revealed that 90% of deaf children are born to
hearing parents and that most deaf people are integrated into schools; deaf
facilities and support services such as visiting teachers.
1) Sport remains to be the major source of
interaction in all areas for deaf people.
2) Deaf children in hearing families do not have access to deaf friendly
information as the first point of contact is usually from a medical source.
3) Parents find it hard to accept their child is deaf and make efforts to
integrate that is a common reaction as 'medical experts' gives them advice.
4) Deaf children of hearing parents can grow up feeling isolated. Questions on
equal access, identity and independence development were raised. This all
depends on the family's support and views, which can impact on the deaf child's
identity development and self-esteem
Here is an example how deaf take and react to authority. They behave like normal
people and ask for their rights as any normal person does. An agreement was made
that the City of Houston will significantly improve the way its municipal courts
system, police department and jail communicate with people who are deaf or hard
of hearing.
The agreement stems from an investigation that the Justice Department began
after receiving a complaint from a deaf man who had been arrested by the Houston
Police Department. In his complaint, and in a subsequent lawsuit filed in
federal court, the man alleged that when he was arrested, he did not know why he
was arrested or where he was being taken because he could not communicate with
any of the police officers. He further alleged that throughout the time he was
held at the City jail he was not able to communicate with any jail officials.
During its investigation, the Justice Department became aware of a second
lawsuit involving similar allegations. In that case, a deaf man who had been
arrested by the Houston Police Department alleged he could not effectively
communicate with the arresting officers. He stated that while he was held at the
City jail, he was denied important medical treatments because the jail health
staff did not call for a sign language interpreter.
Additionally, the man claimed he was not provided with a sign language
interpreter in several subsequent appearances before the Municipal courts.
Under the agreement, all three agencies will appoint ADA coordinators to work
with the public and the agency's employees, to purchase telecommunication
devices that enable people who are deaf to communicate effectively, and to train
staff in how to operate the devices.
Because a deaf person requires as much information as a hearing person, a basic
goal for deaf people is to acquire information and to communicate with others in
the most effective way possible, both to avoid visual fatigue and to free their
visual attention for the next activity or demand. This goal is not peripheral;
rather, it is a central organizing principle for their lives. Success in
achieving it is necessary in a world in which effective information processing
and management are keys to survival. (Erting, 1987)
Deaf citizens in the 21st century, where do we stand in the society, what are
our possibilities? It seems as if society is becoming more accessible for deaf
people by the many developments in the area of multimedia and
telecommunications. The truth is that it is harder then it seems to be. Society
is also becoming more complex and the stream of information increases day by
day. Not everybody is able to get by all this new developments and rapid
changes. The society of these days demands more and higher qualities of the
individual compared to the society of some decennia ago. Another feature of this
Culture is the role of marriage. It is estimated that 9 out of 10 members of the
American Deaf community marry other members of their cultural group. Many D/deaf
couples also wish for a deaf child so that they may pass on their heritage and
Culture, it is not just the language but also the values, the same values that
hearing parents want to instill in their children.
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They also learn about safe sex and AIDS, and why not? Deaf kids need this info
as much as hearing kids do maybe more, since very few of them say they can
openly discuss sex with their parents. And if they go to their regular doctor,
not only do they worry about confidentiality, but also they need an interpreter.
Conclusion
Deaf youngsters expressed their pride in being Deaf and being proud of the sign
language they are using. They want to foster self-esteem and a sense of group
identity. They want to explore their language, which is structured totally
differently from English, and their communal norms and values (not that I know
what these norms and values are, but hey, teach me). They want to celebrate Deaf
role models--successful educators, executives, doctors, and lawyers.
References
Harilyn Rousso. International Workshop Held on "Preventing Discrimination
Against Children: Ensuring Inclusion for All Children"
BAKER, C., and COKELY, D. (1980) American Sign Language: A Teacher's Resource
Text on Grammar and Culture. Maryland: TJ Publishers.
BRENNAN, M. (1992) 'The Visual World of BSL: An Introduction by Mary Brennan' in
D. Brien (editor) Dictionary of British Sign Language/English. London: Faber and
Faber.
PADDEN, C. (1980) 'The Deaf Community and the Culture of Deaf People' in C.
Baker and R. Battison (editors) Sign Language and the Deaf Community: Essays in
Honour of William C. Stokoe. Washington DC: National Association of the Deaf.
PADDEN C., and HUMPHRIES, T. (editors) (1988) Deaf in America: Voices from a
Culture. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.
SACKS, O. (1991) Seeing Voices. London: Picador
WOODWARD, J. (1972) 'Implications for Sociolinguistic Research among the Deaf',
Sign Language Studies, vol. 1.
SCHEIN, J.D. (1987) 'The Demography of Deafness' in P.C. Higgins and J.E. Nash
(editors) Understanding Deafness Socially. Springfield: Charles C Thomas.
MYKLEBUST, H.R. (1964) The Psychology of Deafness: Sensory Deprivation,
Learning, and Adjustment. New York: Grune and Stratton.
KYLE, J.G., and WOLL, B. (1989) Sign Language: The Study of Deaf People and
their Language. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
ERTING, C.J. (1987) 'Cultural Conflict in a School for Deaf Children' in P.C.
Higgins and J.E. Nash (editors) Understanding Deafness Socially. Springfield:
Charles C Thomas.
Andrew Schneider .The Associated Press. (2002). Suit may be filed over arrest
Deaf man says officer wouldn't let him write
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