DEAF WITHOUT LIMITS DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING PIONEERS CDSS Office of Deaf Access.
Deaf Characters in Children’s Literature
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Transcript of Deaf Characters in Children’s Literature
Deaf Characters in Children’s Literature Literary characters provide children with a parallel image of their own culture and provide a look into
other lives and cultures.
Two Main Focuses in Deaf literature for Children:• Deafness as a disability• Deafness as a culture
Careful! Common Deaf Stereotypes in Children’s Literature: • Ridiculing deaf people and faulting the individuals, not society
in general• Presenting only the oral method of communication (as
opposed to sign language)• Framing the story around the deaf person's amazing ability to
totally lipread• Presenting the characters in only middle class or otherwise
affluent families where the families have the money and time to dote on them
• Not representing the cultural or racial diversity of the deaf community
• Presenting "handicapist attitudes" because the books were primarily written by hearing people, not deaf authors.
Recommended Reading:
Gallaudet University Press – Disseminates knowledge about deaf and hard of hearing people, their languages, communities, history, and education through print and electronic media
About the Focuses:• There have not been many books that talk about Deaf Culture, but
focus more on a child gaining hearing through cochlear implants or hearing aids.
• It is important for literature to show Deaf culture and that Deafness not just a disability.
• It is also important for children to have role models in literature that show Deafness as part of a vibrant culture with its own language and practices.