Professional Resource Review

Children's literature for the primary inclusive classroom: Increasing understanding of children with hearing impairments
Nancy D Turner, Maryann Traxler. American Annals of the Deaf. Washington:Dec 1997. Vol. 142, Iss. 5, p. 350-355 (6 pp.)

This article discusses the inclusion of deaf students in hearing classrooms. The authors’ main claim seems to be that “all members of the lass must feel that they are equal members of the classroom community and that their needs can and will be met.” They discuss a few ways that deaf or hard of hearing students can benefit by this inclusion rather than a type of segregation into an all deaf environment. These ways are “by (1) having appropriate role models; (2) participating in the same inclusive, diverse communities that they will share as adults; and (3) establishing a network of friends and acquaintances that will increase the likelihood of their success in the community.” While I can definitely see the importance of these three points, I do not necessarily disagree with the concept of an all-deaf learning environment. However, each of these three benefits are highly relevant and could even be achieved regardless of classroom environment with an integration into a hearing/deaf mixed community.

For the purposes of this article, though, I think deaf characters in literature successfully function as a gateway to understanding and acceptance by hearing students. This is explicit in the article: “Developing awareness and improving the attitudes of children without disabilities toward children with disabilities, …The use of children's literature is one way to develop this awareness.” The article also makes note of a disturbing and all-too-popular concept about deaf and hard of hearing students, that could also apply to ESL students. That is that “limited use of language is often mistakenly associated with cognitive impairment.” For this reason, deaf characters in the literature used to introduce hearing children to the deaf world must be accurate and positive portrayals that are also validating for deaf students. Finally, the authors included a list of short reviews and classroom ideas of use for literature with deaf characters.

As a future teacher, and someone who has taken a sign language course, as well as visited the Michigan School for the Deaf for a day of observation and professional development, I can absolutely understand the emphasis the authors have placed on the accurate portrayal of deaf characters in children’s literature in order to begin to foster acceptance of these types of differences in hearing children at a young age. Deafness can occur from birth, suddenly, or gradually for a variety of reasons including genetics and incidents. People who are born or become deaf are no less competent or intelligent than a hearing person. This is a concept I believe to be ignored far too often in public hearing school systems.