Our Conference will be in just 2 months!
This year has flown by and we're only a few months away from our annual conference and we are preparing everything to make it unforgettable.
The format that we will have in this 2023 will be different from previous years... art, music, personal well-being and much more will be part of our conference.
In addition, as always, we will have the help of our sponsors, partners and friendly organizations, who will provide the best resources for our families.
The conference will begin on Friday, November 3rd with a special dinner for parents.
Do you want to know more details? ...
Follow us on our social media networks and soon we will publish how you can be part of this unique event for you!
Whiting of the Month May 2023
Emilia Heinz
To include deaf people, is sign language an alternative for inclusion in Colorado?
46,688 people are deaf and 399,444 people are hard of hearing in Colorado. It is 6.9% for
percent of the entire Colorado population. Especially now in the time of COVID, but
also in daily life it is obvious that it would surely be a great relief for
deaf people if they could communicate in their environment and travel with foreign people,
independent of having to read lips or something similar.
The probably best way to achieve that would be if all people who are not deaf
they would already learn sign language in school.
But is that imaginable and above all actionable? Is sign language really that
important that each person should learn it, that it should be introduced as a new stuff?
To teach deaf children in the late 19th century to speak, they were forbidden to use language
sign in schools.
To prevent them from doing it in secret, they even tied their hands. At that time, however,
some people defended the right to investigate sign language, for which reason the
we can use today.
“Sign language, like spoken language, is an evolved natural language.” That
means that it was not invented by a single person, but has developed over the course of
several centuries. This also means that sign language is not international so
that different sign languages are used in different countries. In the United States it is found
ASL, Americain Sign Language, in Germany German Sign Language,
of Austria, as well as German-Austrian Sign Language.
It cannot be said exactly how many different sign languages there are in the world today,
but in 2013 it was said that there were around 137. In addition, you can also recognize dialects
in sign language.
Depending on which state you come from, you use sign language in a slightly different way.
different. However, in different countries and languages there are different similar signs,
Therefore, communication at the international level is due to the similarities between sign languages, easier.
Since sign language is a living language, in addition to dialects there is also a youth language
which is constantly evolving. One might doubt whether there are enough experts to
that change from the introduction of that new stuff in schools.
But more sign language interpreters are needed in the professional world.
On the one hand, it means that there is a shortage of skilled workers, so
it will probably be very difficult to equip each school with teachers who can teach in
sign language.
On the other hand, it shows that people who master sign language, in their lives
many doors will be open to him later, since sign language
it is also required in some areas of professional life or even necessary.
Furthermore, many people, especially young people, do not know that sign language is recognized as
independent language in the United States and that there are entire professions that have developed
around language. Especially for young students could appear
new ideas for your future career wishes.
Another aspect is that knowing the language reduces prejudices and insecurities towards and in the
I deal with other deaf children. This represents an important first step towards the inclusion of
the deaf in the United States.
Since there is a limited number of study hours possible per week in schools,
that especially in the high grades is often exhausted, another would have to be shortened
matter or remove other matter entirely to make it possible to introduce new matter.
Consequently, the question then arises what matter could probably be less
important than another, for which reason there could be tensions between the teachers of the subjects
different. Additionally, a study plan must be developed for each new subject, for that
would also be necessary.
In addition, teachers would be needed who are fluent in sign language and can teach that
subject in schools in order to officially introduce the subject.
The problem here is that there is a national shortage of sign language interpreters. For the
Therefore, it would probably be difficult to find enough teachers, who could teach at the
sign language, if there are not even enough sign language interpreters available
for deaf people in the United States.
In addition, sign language interpreters are more important than teachers, who must
teach students sign language, because they are an important help for the deaf and
support in daily life in contact with people who do not know how to use the language of
address. It is also highly conceivable that fewer sign language interpreters will be needed, if
students is n forced to learn sign language in order to communicate with people
deaf in everyday life.
On the other hand, the profession of sign language interpreter could emerge and disappear from this
way, with the consequence that long-term sign language interpreters may not be
need them more in your work.
In the end, it has to be seen that the probability of finding a deaf person is not very
likely because the number of deaf people in the United States is very low at 3.5%.
As a consequence, it may be that a student learns sign language without ever using it,
because he will never have contact with a deaf person.
So it could be doubted if it is really logical and necessary to introduce sign language
as a compulsory subject. However, the introduction of sign language as a subject
mandatory could set an important signal for the inclusion of deaf and hard of hearing people.
hearing problems.
Deaf and hard of hearing people have great problems with reaching a
understanding in everyday life. Including, communication based on sign language
it can be for example in absolutely necessary life-threatening situations.
Therefore, it is much more important that more and more people are learning the
sign language to help deaf or hard of hearing people in life
daily On the other hand, however, it must be considered that the instruction of a subject
The new one would continue to fill the students' schedule.
Especially in the upper grades the pupils often have up to the
late afternoon classes, so that the introduction of sign language as a subject
new could be met with incomprehension.
For the introduction in the younger grade, on the other hand, one must ask whether the students
are willing to learn sign language and its grammar because a new subject
it is also an additional burden for them.
However, there would be a large margin of manpower in the field of sign language,
because the lessons could be given in different ways.
Since an exam or tests can probably be written rather very difficult on a
language consisting of signs, in view of that there would be less pressure on the students, with
the effect that the classes would be less forced than in the written exam subjects.
Consequently, students would also be more willing to accept another school subject.
This if they had to take it seriously and study, but the pressure in the form of written exams is
would delete In addition, the understanding of students to learn about a topic such as
sign language, which in society is still a somewhat marginalized topic, but very
important is bigger when they know that perhaps by learning they will be able to help one day
A person.
But since each school would need a teacher to teach the subject "language of
signs", the objective of introducing it in each general education school as a subject
obligatory, serious at least at first unrealistic.
So the real introduction would only be possible step by step and based on a period of
longer time.
In short, it can be seen that sign language is definitely relevant enough
to introduce it as a compulsory subject in general education schools.
However, due to the lack of teachers, the introduction quite reasonable,
would probably fail.
However, for the introduction to be feasible, it would be possible to evaluate sign language
as a new subject first in selected schools.
Thus it could be observed, as soon as the new subject is accepted or rejected and where there are
implementation difficulties that need to be addressed. Subsequent success or failure would show if
it was reasonable to include sign language in all schools gradually as a
compulsory subject.
Whiting of the Month April 2023
Zaira Gutiérrez
Learn a little about the Presidents who had a Disability.
Several of the presidents of the United States had different abilities.
Abraham Lincoln lived with depression; James Madison had epilepsy, Franklin D. Roosevelt had polio
and lost his Using his legs, John F. Kennedy lived with various medical problems.
However the Kennedy's most serious health problem was Addison's disease, this is a failure of the
adrenal glands that produce the vital hormones that help control body levels. Although the presidents
had different abilities they did great contributions to society and country.
James Madison, made an important contribution to the ratification of the Constitution, so much so
that he was called the "Father of the Constitution".
The legacy of Lincoln is based on the fact that he successfully fought a civil war that preserved the
Union of the country and, ending to slavery.
Roosevelt led the federal government for most of the Great Depression, the worst economic crisis in the
history of the United States.
President Kennedy he fought to ensure equal rights and opportunities for all Americans.
They were pioneers and with their great example of strength they were able to change lives and the
future of a nation.
For more information on presidents with different abilities use this link:
Disability history: Presidents and disability (U.S. National Park Service). (2020, July28). NPS.gov (U.S. National Park Service).
https://www.nps.gov/articles/disabilityhistorypresidents.htm
