Dixie Martinson (Forum, May 20) wrote a letter advocating the end of oralism in the education of the deaf. She presented a moving argument, albeit with some inaccurate ``facts.'' She ended with her comment, ``As hearing people, we need to respect the needs of communication of deaf people.'' I heartily agree with that comment, if you are willing to listen to all deaf people. I am profoundly deaf. Listen to me and respect my needs also, as an oral deaf person.
Everyone, hearing or deaf, needs to understand that there is a continuum of communication options, ranging from signing in American Sign Language all the way to oral methods. I understand the arguments for ASL, and concur that there are many deaf children who prefer and do indeed benefit from this method of communication.
It is wrong to force choices on a deaf child that frustrate them and don't meet their needs. But it is also wrong to state that oralism is always a frustrating choice and doesn't meet anyone's needs. I am here to tell you, I value my communication choice. Don't anyone try to tell me that I have to quit speaking and start signing in ASL only.
Of my own free will and choice I am trying to learn sign and ASL, just to broaden my horizons and allow me to open up communications with others who communicate this way. I will also respect other deaf individuals and will never tell them they have to be like me. Pluralism in our society, deaf or hearing, is a valued characteristic, to my way of thinking.
After many years in business, I recently changed careers to be an educator of the deaf. I teach oral deaf children. The research has not proved Dixie's ``facts,'' that oral children read at a 3rd-grade level upon graduation. The research does show that on the average, most deaf children do attain about a 4th-grade level of reading, be they oral or signing. There are exceptions to this rule, and I freely admit that ASL children born of deaf parents whose native language is ASL are sometimes one of them. There are also many oral students who are e
ceptions. I know many highly educated deaf adults, both oral and ASL. Neither method excludes achievement.
Personally, I would like to build bridges between both sides of this argument, so that we can work together, respect each other and not sabotage each other. Can we all work together to improve our education and our options for deaf children? My dream for the future is to be able to answer this question, ``Yes!''
ANN LOVELL
Salt Lake City
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