The next Linguistics Circle Meeting will be held on Monday 3 September between 09:30 and 11:00.
Dr Elizabeth Mathews, from the University of Dublin and author of 'Language, Power and Resistance – Mainstreaming Deaf Education' will give a presentation on 'Unpacking Mainstreaming Policy and Practice: opportunities and challenges for deaf children in Ireland'.
The presentation and discussion will be held in Hall E Gateway Building (M.A. Vassalli Conference Centre), University of Malta Msida Campus.
Abstract
Historically, the field of deaf education has been an ideological battleground between medical and social models of d/Deafness and their respective educational approaches: speech and sign language. Until the 1970s, the dominance of one model over the other was played out in schools for the deaf.
Particular schools favoured oralism or manualism, and shifts occurred in response to changing social conditions. One consistent feature of this educational system, however, was that deaf children had the opportunity to interact with their deaf peers, supporting the development of the Deaf community and the intergenerational transfer of a social model of Deafness. This fostered the growth of sign languages, often regardless of the philosophy of the particular school. From the 1970s onwards, however, deaf education changed with the arrival of what became known as mainstream education.
On the one hand, this presented opportunities for deaf children to access education in their local communities with their hearing peers in a way. On the other hand, mainstream schools have struggled to include deaf children unless they can learn in the same way as hearing children do. As a result, debates between medical and social models of deafness continue to rage, though they take place now outside the deaf school system. There has been much debate about the suitability of mainstream environments for deaf children.
This paper examines the contemporary mainstream system of deaf education in Ireland. It uses interview data from parents, teachers and Deaf children to tell the stories of those embarking on mainstreaming deaf education. A discussion and questions will follow the presentation.
Historically, the field of deaf education has been an ideological battleground between medical and social models of d/Deafness and their respective educational approaches: speech and sign language. Until the 1970s, the dominance of one model over the other was played out in schools for the deaf.
Particular schools favoured oralism or manualism, and shifts occurred in response to changing social conditions. One consistent feature of this educational system, however, was that deaf children had the opportunity to interact with their deaf peers, supporting the development of the Deaf community and the intergenerational transfer of a social model of Deafness. This fostered the growth of sign languages, often regardless of the philosophy of the particular school. From the 1970s onwards, however, deaf education changed with the arrival of what became known as mainstream education.
On the one hand, this presented opportunities for deaf children to access education in their local communities with their hearing peers in a way. On the other hand, mainstream schools have struggled to include deaf children unless they can learn in the same way as hearing children do. As a result, debates between medical and social models of deafness continue to rage, though they take place now outside the deaf school system. There has been much debate about the suitability of mainstream environments for deaf children.
This paper examines the contemporary mainstream system of deaf education in Ireland. It uses interview data from parents, teachers and Deaf children to tell the stories of those embarking on mainstreaming deaf education. A discussion and questions will follow the presentation.
To attend send an email to marie.alexander@um.edu.mt.
