Essay On Deaf Culture

Essay On Deaf Culture
In deaf culture, there are different values that are especially important. Language is the most important one; however there are also rules of behavior
that need to be followed in the Deaf culture. In this essay, we will find out what those values and rules of behavior are.
ASL (American Sign Language) is the natural language for the deaf. There are multiple languages that are not supported by the Deaf, for example,
Sign Supported Speech, Signed English, and Cued Speech, to name a few. These languages are mostly used to help Deaf children learn English.
Spoken English is mainly useless to the Deaf. ESL (English Sign language) is not longer used, because the Deaf like ASL better as it makes more
sense to them. Not speaking is highly valued in this culture. When Speech education is forced Deaf children are deprived of their natural language –
ASL. Exaggerated mouth movements can be seen as rude.
In hearing culture, we like to interact with people. Well, the Deaf do too, it is important that they mingle because there are very few Deaf people in a
community. This is why deaf dating site have become very popular. Before texting and technology, Deaf people would only associate with someone in
person or by writing letters.
There are different rules of behavior that the deaf need to follow....show more content...
Whereas the Deaf prefer the actual term "Deaf." If you use the term "hard of hearing" Deaf people can see that to be very negative. The terms
"deaf" and "Deaf" are two different things. They are referred to as "little d" and "big D." deaf ("little d") refers to people who have lost their
hearing. Deaf ("Big D") indicates those who are involved with the culture and shares the values, behaviors, and language of the culture. In hearing
culture, people assume deaf people are handicap. The only real handicap of deafness is when deaf children are deprived of true their true
communication –
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Deaf Culture Essay
Deaf Culture
In mainstream American society, we tend to approach deafness as a defect. Helen Keller is alleged to have said, "Blindness cuts people off from
things; deafness cuts people off from people." (rnib.org) This seems a very accurate description of what Keller's world must have been. We as
hearing people tend to pity deaf people, or, if they succeed in the hearing world, admire them for overcoming a severe handicap. We tend to look at
signing as an inferior substitute for "real" communication. We assume that all deaf people will try to lip–read and we applaud deaf people who use
their voices to show us how far they have come from the grips of their disability. Given this climate, many hearing people are surprised, as I was at
...show more content...
Deaf children are entitled to know that they are heirs to an amazing culture, not a pitiful defect. In order to follow through on that obligation, one of the
best things I feel we can do is try to educate other hearing people about the realities of American Sign Language and Deaf culture. Language is one of
the most critical aspects of most cultures, and one which sets deafness aside from other defects such as blindness, physical disability, or illness. Sign
language is not universal, nor does it always correspond to the spoken language in the same country. For example American Sign Language is native to
the United States and Canada. Deaf Canadians might use English, French, or both as a written language. But deaf people in Great Britain, while they
may write in English, use a completely different sign language. (nad.org)
ASL is essentially the offspring of native new world sign languages and French Sign Language. LSF merged with the indigenous sign languages when
it was brought to the United States in 1817 by Laurent Clerc, a Deaf Frenchman who opened the first American school for the Deaf in Hartford,
Connecticut. Grammatically, ASL is far removed from English. One common misconception is that ASL is simply silent English; a means of
representing English with the hands. Codes such as this do exist, but they are rough hybrids of English grammar and ASL hand

Not at all like racial minorities, most by far (at least 90%) of hard of hearing individuals are not naturally introduced to a Deaf minority amass
(Mitchell and Karchmer, 2004; Schein and Delk, 1974); as it were, their family is hearing. Not having a Deaf foundation, the greater part of guardians
of hard of hearing individuals don't mingle their youngsters about their identity as Deaf individuals or open them to Deaf culture. Inquire about
recommends that hard of hearing individuals not naturally introduced to a Deaf family have a more drawn out time of character advancement, and that
the vast majority don't turn into a piece of the Deaf people group until their high schooler years. This more drawn out time of personality advancement
is likely

What Did You Learn About Deaf Culture?
Taking American Sign Language this semester has taught me a wide variety of things. It has taught me about the deaf culture, signing, using facial
expressions, and has enhanced my knowledge of ASL as well as the deaf culture. Overall, I am extremely grateful to have been able to experience a
different culture, such as ASL, this semester.
What did you learn about deaf culture? This semester I have learned a lot about deaf culture. I learned that deaf people do not want to be pitied
because they are deaf, they like to live their lives to the fullest extent as possible. People in the deaf culture do everything that people in the hearing
culture do, sometimes the way they do it slightly differs. Such as everyday ways of life, things as simple as listening to music, having conversations,
and watching TV. Instead of being able to hear the music, they are able to feel the beat and vibrations made by the music. They have conversations
by signing and making facial expressions, instead of using words; and the same with watching TV, instead of listening to the TV they read captions or
sometimes even read is. The same things we do, as a hearing person, they just do it differently. I also found it interesting that people in the deaf culture
are a lot more direct and friendly, than people in the hearing culture.
What signs did you learn?
I also learned a lot of signs this semester, considering I did not know anything about ASL before I started this class. My favorite sections that

The Deaf Community and Deaf Culture Essay
From antiquity, being deaf was looked upon as an undesirable and a culture which was disconnected with the rest of mainstream society. Often
members of the community found themselves ostracized by members of other cultures, who viewed them with suspicion, and were thought to be
possessed, or in communion, with undesirable "spirits", particularly during the advent of the Christianity that was in practice during the Middle Ages.
During this period, before the advent of Gutenberg's metal, movable type printing press, the populace was mostly illiterate and religious texts and
spiritual obligations/instructions were verbally transmitted to the people by the literate clerics of the day. Thus, the deaf were believed to have no
access to "Fides...show more content...
This bond is not, as some would suppose, a simple rapport between people who feel a kinship with those who have a similar physical condition, but is,
in the traditional sense like other cultures, in that its traditions and values were, historically created and actively disseminated across generations.
(Christiansen & Barnartt, 2003, Chapter 2–4) One of the current social policies in place that protect the rights of the Deaf and hearing impaired is the
Americans with Disabilities Act. (The Americans with Disabilities Act, 1990 ) The ADA is a body of laws and policies that bans discrimination
against those with disabilities. This includes the deaf and hearing impaired population. The ADA has four sections that cover: employment, public
accommodations, government and telecommunications. In order to be compliant with the ADA, employers are compelled to inquire about the types of
accommodation needs the deaf employee has so that they may work alongside others with the least amount of distractions or interruptions. State and
local governments, which include a long list of agencies and services, need to provide qualified interpreters when requested by the deaf, along with
assistive listening devices when applicable. Deaf persons should be able to participate in these services. While the consumer is

Deaf Culture History Essay
The deaf community does not see their hearing impairment as a disability but as a culture which includes a history of discrimination, racial prejudice,
and segregation. According to PBS home video "Through Deaf Eyes," there are thirty–five million Americans that are hard of hearing (Hott, Garey &
et al., 2007) . Out of the thirty–five million an estimated 300,000 people are completely deaf. There are over ninety percent of deaf people who have
hearing parents. Also, most deaf parents have hearing children. With this being the exemplification, deaf people communicate on a more intimate and
significant level with hearing people all their lives. "Deaf people can be found in every ethnic group, every region, and every economic class." The
Clec was from the Paris Institution for the Deaf and had been deaf since infancy. He bought to the United States a nonverbal form of
communication known as French sign language. The technique that Clerc taught was by the use of his hands, which he communicated with French
sign language, blended with a bit of signs used by students in the United States. To Gallaudet the language was a inspiration which he called it,
"Highly poetical," but to Clerc and many of the deaf people, the using of sign was natural and useful. This was a result of a created acculturated
nonverbal language known as American Sign Language (ASL). As new schools for the deaf spread west and south, American sign language also
evolved as well in the states of New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, Indiana, Illinois. By the year of 1864, Abraham
Lincoln signed a law constituting the first college in the world for deaf students called Gallaudet University and all these schools used sign as a
curriculum. By April of 1871, a Scottish immigrant named, Alexander Graham Bell (founder of the telephone), laid a foundation for teaching deaf
children in Boston. Bell had a deaf mother and wife, and was always involved with the Deaf community. According to Baynton, "Bell thought that
signing prevented deaf people from learning to speak, so he was against deaf people using sign, their natural language." Bell also had

Deaf Culture Essays
Deaf Culture
Carolyn Mason
I was interested in immersing myself with this group because they are a community of people that I've often wondered about. I've always wondered
about the way they communicate with others and was it hard being deaf or hearing impaired in some ways. As myself, I learned that most people
feel uncomfortable when meeting a Deaf person for the first time and this is very normal. When we communicate with people, we generally don't
have to think about the process. When faced with a Deaf person, we are uncertain which rules apply. We don't know where to look, or how fast or
loud to speak. When the Deaf person gives us a look of confusion, we don't know how to correct the problem. Accept the fact that your initial...show
more content...
The deaf culture/community stands for shared beliefs, values, and behaviors of deaf or hard of–hearing people who use sign language as a primary
means of communication and who are members of local deaf communities. Historically, communities of deaf people have existed in most countries of
the world, each with a unique cultural heritage, and often, a distinct sign language.
In the United States, culturally deaf people are joined together by a common language (American Sign Language, or ASL), a common history, and
many common traditions. Most culturally deaf people are deaf or hard of hearing from birth or a young age. They also grow up using sign language
for most of their lives. Between 21 million and 28 million people in the United States are hard of hearing or deaf. However, only a relatively small
number of people (between 100,000 and 200,000) consider themselves culturally deaf. Most other deaf people either lose their hearing after childhood
or grow up without using sign as their primary language.
Culturally deaf people live throughout the United States. Particularly large communities of culturally deaf people are found in and around such cities
as Chicago, Illinois; New York City; San Francisco, California; and Washington, D.C. Although they may not live together in the same neighborhoods,
they frequently socialize with one another and meet together at sign language events. Culturally deaf people are recognized by the

Common Stereotypes Of Deaf People
Deaf People have been given many different stereotypes throughout the years. Like many other forms of stereotypes, people make inaccurate
assumptions about someone in which they might not even know. Many stereotypes given to Deaf People are brought upon by the hearing world.
Comparable to alternative stereotypes, a generous portion of the misconceptions and stereotypes that are created about Deaf People are absurd. One
stereotype that has been formed is that all deaf people sign. This is not necessarily true because every Deaf Person, like people with hearing abilities,
are raised differently and are not provided with the same atmospheric behaviors. Some individuals are raised with alternative ways of communication.
Sign Language is generally thought of when people discover that someone is unable to hear; therefore, it is a stereotype that is given to the Deaf
Community. Another stereotype that is given to Deaf People is that hearing aids will give them the ability to hear. There are different levels ofDeafness
and some of the levels are incapable of being settled by the hearing aids. It is frequently thought that Deaf People are not able to speak. Generally, the
inability to speak is thought to be associated with the lack of hearing capability....show more content...
Deafness can occur at any age. It can be brought on by unfortunate occurrences. This is a stereotype because people just assume that the Deaf
Person was born with the disability and does not know any different. There are stereotypes that people are not able to dance because they can't hear
the music. This is a stereotype because it is thought by many people that this is a problem that Deaf People face. There are still able to dance just
like anyone else is able to. It is also thought that they are not able to have fun with other people who are able to listen to music. Some people with
hearing deficiency are still able to feel

Deaf Culture Research Paper
Standing too close to someone while speaking in America and deafness are both considered culture, but only one is typically thought of as culture.
Many people disregard deafness as a culture because it is biological. The average person only views culture in a concrete way, but culture is abstract. A
person cannot feel with their hands how a person learns, shares, integrates, adapts, changes, and symbolizes their community, but deafness and Deaf
people undergo all these apparatuses. Although deafness (the genetic disability) cannot be learned, deaf the culture can. The Deaf learn and in return
teach that deafness is not a disability or a condition that can be fixed by man; rather, it is a blessing for the gods; in fact, the Deaf are taught that
words such as impaired or disability do not even apply to them. Moreover, Deaf people share sign language to their families and friends in order from
them to communicate. In actuality, sign language is by far the most important aspect of deaf...show more content...
Deaf culture is no different; thus, it is integrated through deaf and hearing schools. In this schools children with deafness learn alongside of hearing
children. The mixed culture educates both hearing children and deaf children on cultures that are different than their own–causing a ripple effect of
understanding and respect for people who are different then themselves. Although mixed schools help integrate another aspect of deaf culture are
schools that are only for deaf children. In addition, the Deaf have begun to integrate by building communities such as the ones in Sound and Fury
where the Deaf and hearing people live together while understanding each other's needs. For instance, in the film Peter Artinian moves his family to a
community in Maryland, where Nita, his wife, comments that she signed to a cashier, "where is the baby bottles?" in a local super markets, and the
lady signed back, " aisle

Defining Deaf Culture Essay
Imagine if you were a proud Native–American, or Hispanic and someone said that your culture is not real, that the way you were born is just a
disability, and you should change to be more like everyone else. You would probably be quite offended. That is what the Deaf community has had to
deal with constantly for the past 40 years because of the social unawareness of much of the hearing community. 90% of all deaf children are born to
hearing parents who never thought much about the deaf community (Bat–Chava). That is why in mainstream society, the quality of being deaf is seen
as a disability rather than something to be praised. The common view of deafness is that it is simply a person who cannot hear and "is deficient in some
way because...show more content...
Many feel strongly that the deaf do in fact have their own culture, Pat O'Doherty strongly stated: "I'm Deaf! Just like I'm American with a capital 'A',
I'm Deaf with a capital 'D'" ("Deaf, not Impaired"). It is widely believed that the only difference between deaf and hearing people is their means of
communication. But the deaf have an entirely different culture complete with their own history, customs, and social etiquette. Though it is not
acknowledged by many people, deaf culture should be considered as a legitimate culture. To classify a minority as possessing a culture, it is important
to first examine the meaning and function of a culture. By definition, culture is: "the totality of socially transmitted behavior patterns, beliefs,
institutions, and all other products of human work and thought characteristic of a community or population" ("Culture"– The American Heritage
Dictionary). Language also plays a big part in defining culture, it is not just a way to communicate, but it also determines the way we think, and how
we perceive the world around us (O'Neil). History is another component of culture; it tells us where we have been and where we are going, and
"shapes our views of the present" ("The Importance of History"). When a culture has well–founded history, it allows them to answer questions to
existing problems ("The Importance of History"). "It has been said that he who controls the past controls the future" ("The Importance of History").

Deaf Culture
There are very few and limited opportunities for the deaf across the country, and even fewer opportunities and awareness in college. This issue is not
present itself in the Deaf community, but rather, it lies in the merges between Deaf and Hearing cultures. In general, America has been known to
struggle with diversity because people have been raised to believe there is this perfect format to being "normal". Deaf people might not be able to
hear, but they can do nearly whatever they set their minds to. However, ignorance aboutdeafness and Deaf culture has led to discrimination when it
comes to the criticals of education and hiring opportunities. The Deaf are more empowered more than ever to break the barriers that have held them
back for so...show more content...
Sign Language interpreters serve as a communication facilitator between student and professors, teaching assistants and other participants in meetings
and classes. CART provides instant translation of the spoken English language into written English text that can then be displayed on a laptop monitor,
which allows the student to read what is being said during a class session. Assistive Listening devices include a microphone with a transmitter unit, that
is worn by the speaker, and a receiver unit with a headset or boots on a hearing aid user. The speaker's speech is then transmitted to the student's
receiver unit via radio signal, which gives the student the ability to control the volume along with other settings. Accommodations are usually approved
by a case–by–case basis, but new accommodations can be requested at any time. Even though the student's preferences for an interpreter or CART is
given consideration, it cannot be guaranteed that their preference will be

Deaf Culture Research Paper
Customs and traditions define the different things each culture do to maintain their special bond. Values are the morals that the community lives by.
Religion is a strong belief in the power of a greater God that controls human destiny. Food can be a big part of culture and can provide nutrition that
powers the people in the culture. Each culture has certain traditions or values that hold them close together. The Deaf culture uses sign language to
express their pride and culture by coming together. Other cultures may use bibles or religion that tie them close together and make them proud to be a
part of that culture. Culture can also be defined by the way they spend spare time and uses creativity. The Deaf culture can spend their spare time by
communicating with each other through ASL. The Deaf culture loves to...show more content...
The Deaf community may or may not believe in getting hearing aids or cochlear implants, like the audiological community does. The Deaf
community views cochlear implants differently and more negatively. Some people believe that the cochlear implant will help with hearing and
will be beneficial in their lives. Others believe that they do not need an implant to be happy nor successful in life. In other words, they feel as if
they do not need to hear to be happy. Some people are happy with the way they are and are proud of being Deaf, so they believe that a cochlear
implant is unnecessary. These types of people view Deaf with the half full perspective. The audiological community views hearing aids and cochlear
implants as a great idea and advancement for the Deaf. The audiological community believes implants will help the Deaf and encourages the Deaf
community to grow and be more successful. The audiological community views deaf people with the half empty perspective. They see the Deaf
community for what they do not have, which is extremely

Deaf Culture
Deaf Culture
In mainstream American society, we tend to approach deafness as a defect. Helen Keller is alleged to have said, "Blindness cuts people off from
things; deafness cuts people off from people." (rnib.org) This seems a very accurate description of what Keller's world must have been. We as
hearing people tend to pity deaf people, or, if they succeed in the hearing world, admire them for overcoming a severe handicap. We tend to look at
signing as an inferior substitute for "real" communication. We assume that all deaf people will try to lip–read and we applaud deaf people who use
their voices to show us how far they have come from the grips of their disability. Given this climate, many hearing people are surprised, as I was at
ASL also avoids one of the biggest scourges of English: the pronoun problem, the tendency of English speakers to use "he" as a generic singular
pronoun representing any unknown person, male or female. However, once a person is mentioned in an ASL conversation, she is given a location in
space which represents her for the remainder of the conversation. Different ways of pointing to this location can indicate the number of people who
occupy it, and their role in the conversation but not their sex. (aslinfo.com)
Because about 90% of Deaf people are born to hearing parents, they absorb their culture from their peers, not their families. Most Deaf children who
attend residential schools for the deaf pick up ASL from their classmates. Because of this source of cultural identity, one of the first questions Deaf
people ask upon meeting each other is where they went to school and who their teachers were. In this way, the Deaf community can become very
close–knit, as each member becomes familiar with residential schools in various regions of the country. Deaf culture also places a great deal of
emphasis on physical contact. Hugging is far more common than shaking hands, especially when parting. Deaf good–byes are unusually drawn out and
even in passing not taking time to chat for a few minutes is considered rude. The Deaf community easily becomes a second family to many people
whose own families are hearing. Like many minority

Deaf Culture Essay
Deaf Culture in America
CAPSTONE PROJECT
By Heather Velez
Liberal Arts Capstone
LIB–495–OL010
Dr. David Weischadle
April 19,2013
Abstract
The purpose of this research paper is to answer the major question, what is Deaf culture? There are three sub–questions that will assist in answering the
major question: (1) What constitutes Deaf culture? (2) How has American Sign Language impacted the Deaf community? (3) What are the major issues
that are being addressed in Deaf culture today? With these questions answer, it will give a better understanding as to what Deaf culture is and that it is
indeed a culture.
The methodology of my research is based off of internet, books, and a survey. My methodology of this paper is clear and...show more content...
There are also questions that arise such as, what constitutes Deaf culture? There are two other questions that are very important into explaining the
importance of Deaf culture, which is, how has ASL (American Sign Language) impacted the Deaf community and what are the major issues that
are being addressed in Deaf culture today? This topic is very important to me because I was raised in the Deaf culture. My entire family is Deaf
and have faced many of these questions that hearing people are unaware about. I feel that it is my job to educate when I have the chance to do so.
By being able to educate at least one person, I have done my job. I do not think there is enough information out there to reach everyone's awareness of
Deaf culture. While investigating this topic I will be trying to ask at least 30–50 people; Deaf and hearing, about what they think Deaf culture is. I am
very curious as to how many understand Deaf culture and how many Deaf people actually know what Deaf culture is. Deaf culture has been
suppressed for many years that even the Deaf people might not know what really makes up Deaf culture. I also what to get the Deaf people's take on
what they think are the major issues that are being dealt with today and also how they think ASL has impacted their communities (History). I know
that everyone will have a different take on these two questions and it is always interesting to see the different answers. I

Write An Essay On Deaf Culture
A boy named Steven has never listened to the sound of a radio, or heard the voice of his mother and father. Since these situations are typical for a
hearing person, they are taken for granted. These are everyday scenarios that will never be a part of a deaf person's life. "360 million people worldwide
have disabling hearing loss (1), and 32 million of these are children." (Deafness and hearing loss Fact sheet, February 2017). Since having a hearing
disability is common in society, everyone should learn how to communicate, and interact with the deaf people through their culture. So, what exactly is
deaf culture? Deaf culture differs from hearing culture by having different language, social beliefs, art, education, and technology. Having a culture that
caters to the deaf allows people to not focus on the incapability to hear. Instead this lets deaf individuals to be themselves without judgement. Also,
making their daily tasks easier in a hearing world.
What is the sense of Hearing? Technically research says: "Hearing depends on a series of complex steps that change sound waves in the air into
electrical signals. Our auditory nerve then carries these signals to the brain". (How Do We Hear? July 2015). Hearing allows people to live without
boundaries. To respect and appreciate the real nature of deafness, first one must appreciate their current state of hearing. Every day, people hear
different simple sounds of birds chirping, traffic, voices of others, the radio

Essay about Deaf Culture
Deaf Culture
I may not be considered part of the hearing culture due to my severe to profound hearing loss, but some people might be surprised to hear that I am
not considered a part of the Deaf culture. A majority of the Deaf culture is very critical of those who assimilate with hearing people and accept
hearing culture as their majority culture. I believe that every hearing impaired and deaf person is an individual and needs to do what is best for them
instead of being worried about following the rules of the Deaf culture.
The members of Deaf culture have many different levels of hearing that range from profoundly deaf to slightly hard of hearing (Halpern). However,
none of the members of the Deaf culture consider themselves...show more content...
The Deaf community is a community where they can feel like they actually belong and feel accepted.
Deaf culture tends to be critical of deaf people who embrace hearing culture. They consider these people traitors. One of the reasons why the Deaf
community looks down at someone who rejects their Deaf identity is because they feel that the person is leaving behind a rich culture, not a disability
(Halpern). Deaf culture has a sign for hearing that is done in front of the mouth. When they want to make an insult to deaf or hearing impaired people
whom accept their own majority culture as the hearing culture they make the same motion for hearing in front of the forehead instead of the mouth.
This is supposed to mean who ever they are talking about is "hearing in the head" (Halpern). This sign is meant to be an insult to those people who
associate with hearing culture.
It is easy to see why Deaf culture is so critical of those who assimilate with hearing culture because the Deaf have had a history of struggle and
discrimination. Hearing culture has been critical of what Deaf people are able to do and have denied their existence. In the past American deaf
people have been denied the right to vote, to marry, and to raise children (Halpern). Deaf children often were denied education, grew up illiterate, or
grew up with no real language because at one point in time sign language was not allowed (Halpern).

Abstract
The deaf culture is one that I am not familiar with. No one in my immediate family or none of my close friends are deaf so I have not been exposed
to it during my lifetime. I decided to take an American Sign Language course in high school to not only learn the language, but to learn about the deaf
culture as well. I would like to someday be fluent in sign language so that I can cater to the deaf community while conducting business. Conducting
research, I learned a lot about to deaf community. Deaf people are presumed to have a disability because they do not have the ability to use all five
senses. The Deaf community is a cultural group, sharing common experience, concerns, and language
Main Body The deaf community...show more content...
Some people do not necessarily want to learn the deaf language, but instead or forced to for reasons such as: having a deaf parent or loved one,
needing it for a job, or learning it for a mandatory school class. Some deaf people prefer the use of American Sign Language, but others do not. The
deaf people that adapt American Sign Language allows them to communicate with the hearing English speaking community easily. Some deaf people
that try to speak are considered as behaving inappropriately by other members of the deaf culture. In Constructing Deafness, Susan Gregory speaks of
how there may or may not necessarily be a such thing as a deaf culture. By culture, the author meant a distinct way of life that every deaf person
follows. With this definition, the answer is no. There is no such thing as a deaf culture because each and every deaf person spends their lives
differently doing different things. There is no reason that a deaf person should have to live like another deaf person to not offend them. A striking
statistic I read in the books is Deaf people have better driving records than hearing people. This shows that deaf people tend to be more cautious than
hearing people and may take their time and not rush as much as a hearing person would. I also read that deaf people develop keener senses of
observation, feeling, taste, and smell to compensate for their loss of hearing. Looking at

Five Elements Of Deaf Culture Essay
пЃµBefore you learn about one of the five elements of Deaf culture, what did you think/assume about the element? Identity to me is a person's concept
and expression of their own self–identity also other's individuality or group affiliations for example their national or cultural identity. If I were to
explain identity in the Deaf culture before learning about the five elements I would be of the mindset that the Deaf community members would be
either considered Deaf, hard–of–hearing, or even hearing which would be the CODA's who interact within the community. Well, actually that is what
I first thought, that a person was either Deaf or they were hard of hearing and possible could eventually be Deaf. It didn't seem like there could be any
other options. People either had hearing, was gradually losing their hearing or had none at all so I thought people in...show more content...
Be specific including which chapters and pages. There was so much that I found interesting about this element. I am just going to refer to chapter 52 of
HPO pages 313 –315. This chapter begins defining "deaf" which mean "unable to hear normally" and "hear–of–hearing" which means "having a mild to
moderate degree of hearing loss." However, some audiologically deaf identity themselves as "hard–of –hearing" as well as some audiologically
hard–of–hearing identify themselves as "deaf". According to the Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf, you are considered
"hard–of–hearing" if you lose your hearing after the age of 8 no matter how deaf you are. The way deaf people distinguish "hard–of–hearing" from
"deaf" is if someone with a hearing loss can still use the telephone with amplification then they are hard–of–hearing. However, if they cannot they are
Deaf simply enough. Although Clyde Smith, President of the Deaf Pilots Association, considers everyone with a hearing loss to be deaf that there are
only different degrees of

Deaf Culture
Is deafness a disability or a type of ethnicity? The disabilities act of 1990 defines "disability" as anything that may be a physical or mental
impairment. Many people do not see deafness as an ethnicity because of this. However, Deaf people have created their own language, values,
customs, history, and social behaviors. For these reasons, the Deaf have established their own culture. The influence of being a culture has changed
the meaning of "Deaf" for Deaf people. "Deaf" refers to a person who is a part of the culture, while "deaf" refers to a person's ability to hear.
American Sign Language or "ASL," is a language developed by the Deaf that uses different hand movements, gestures and facial expressions for
communication. It originated from...show more content...
For example, while communicating with a Deaf person, you are expected to keep a constant gaze on the person signing to you or speaking to you.
Looking away without saying why when a person signs is considered very rude. Before leaving a room, a Deaf person tells other Deaf people where
they are going. They do this because Deaf people cannot simply yell into the bathroom to get another's attention. The socially acceptable way to get a
deaf person's attention include, tapping their shoulder, waving, and turning off and on lights. Facial expressions are very important in Deaf culture,
because you cannot see emotion normally when someone signs. To a hearing person, facial expressions used by a deaf person commonly seems over
exaggerated to the point it is laughable. This is because facial expression is not integrated into hearing culture.
A common theme in deaf culture is that deaf people will be very "close" and "blunt". This is because Deaf people are united in the fact that they
cannot hear, because the deaf are a minority in comparison to the hearing majority. In comparison to the hearing, Deaf people may seem rude
because they are straight to the point, while hearing people typically "walk around" a topic to lighten it up. Deaf people are direct and blunt because
their language is based on body language and facial expression, and are able to read it

Essay On Deaf Culture

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Essay On Deaf Culture