Lack of a Common Language: Deaf Adolescents and Hearing Parents

Book Review: Play, Gender, Therapy: Selected Papers of Eleanor Galenson

“…Because from infancy these children were able to learn American Sign Language from their parents and to communicate with them, I hypothesized, a more “normal” or typical course of development ensued. In a research project, my hypothesis was confirmed (Kolod 1994).…”

Filial Therapy with Teachers of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Preschool Children

“…While this inclination is understandable, according to Kolod (1994), it countermands a fundamental precept of human attachment-that a common language is necessary for human beings to experience a sense of genuine connectedness with each other, and that the lack of a common language, or a less-than-fluent common language, will significantly impact the child-parent relationship. Two examples of this come to light if the hearing parent of a deaf child is not willing to learn sign language, or the deaf or hard of hearing child has not been able to learn to speak well orally.…”

“…As their teachers communicated more understanding and acceptance non-verbally, verbally, and through sign, it appears that the students in the experimental group felt more secure and free to express themselves openly. Kolod (1994) argued that a fundamental precept of human attachment is that a common language is necessary. Kolod further believed that the lack of a common language, or a less-than fluent common language, could negatively impact the child-primary caretaker relationship in a significant way.…”

The role of language in the development of the self I: Language acquisition.

“…AsKolod (1994), in discussing acquisition of language in deaf adolescents, added: "Language allows the social values of one generation to be passed onto the next. It is through verbal interaction that children begin to distinguish fantasy from reality and arrive at some sense of themselves and others, their worth, and the environment in which they live.…”