Why a parent of a Deaf child should learn ASL?

Why a parent of a Deaf child should learn ASL?

A research brief by Charlotte Enns, PhD; and Liana Price, M.Ed. of Visual Language & Visual Learning (VL2) at Gallaudet University, claims when parents are involved with their Deaf child’s language development at the earliest age when the child is at their most critical ages to learn language. The critical ages are younger than 5 years old as when a child is beyond 5 years old, they are more likely to be less fluent in the native language used and more likely to make errors in their native language. Therefore, this research strongly indicates the sooner the parents become involved with their children’s language development, the earlier they will acquire language, especially with Deaf children and ASL. So, when the parents find out their child is Deaf, they shall immediately learn ASL to interact with their Deaf child.

Additionally, Linda Risser Lytle, Ph.D., and Gina A. Oliva, Ph.D. wrote a research brief highlighting the key findings on how ASL has a great influence on Deaf children’s social and emotional development. For the children to have essential social-emotional development, direct communication with them among their peers and the adults involved in their lives using ASL is the key. Since ASL is a bona-fide language, this validates that ASL, along with other languages, is a great link for children’s learning and language development. So when the parents, relatives, children’s siblings, and others important in lives of Deaf children, learn ASL to have straightforward communication with the Deaf children, they will learn ASL and English the best with positive social experiences.

For more information on VL2 and their research, you can go to:
Website: https://vl2.gallaudet.edu/about/overview/

Lytle, Linda Risser, and Oliva, Gina A. Raising the Whole Child: Social-Emotional
Development in Deaf Children, 2016. Website. Retrieved from https://vl2.gallaudet.edu/files/7114/6418/6636/ResearchBrief11_FINAL.pdf