Rebecca Johnson
7/16/2012
Hurting or Helping: Interpreting In the Classroom
As human beings interaction is an essential part of a person's
development. "Throughout childhood and adolescence peer interaction
is essential for language, cognitive, and social
development" (Grassmeyer and McEvoy 3). Children need to develop and
practice their social skills if they want to become productive
members of society as they get older and go out into the
world. Without well developed social skills people hold themselves
back from many opportunities they could easily obtain. Something
many young Deaf people and parents of a
young Deaf person face is making the decision of how to educate that
person. They must decide if bringing in an interpreter would either
help or hinder the student.
As children get older, the need for social skills becomes more
prominent. "Social success is critical for broader success […]
Social skills are complex and multi-faceted" (Mental Health
Foundation of Australia). When children are young they learn how to
act around others from their parents. These children take this
general knowledge with them to school, where they develop these
skills even more. The young adults learn that not every toy can be
theirs and they must interact with other people they might not
always get along with. These are the basic skills that every child
has to develop to become an effective person in the world. However,
the only way to develop these skills is by interacting with other
people. Someone who is hard of hearing or Deaf, even a child, may
find it hard to communicate with others thus hindering their
development of said skills due to language barriers.
Just as an American feels lost when they go to a different country
and does not speak the countries language, the same thing happens
for a Deaf or hard of hearing child in the classroom. Trying to
communicate can be difficult because there is nothing in common to
go on. This obstacle to interact with others could lead to a lack of
social skills." Social inability can be a lifelong problem.
Therefore it is imperative that social skill deficits be identified
early and addressed in much the same way as we identify and address
children's learning problems" (Lawson). This can become an issue
because as the child gets older, he or she may not have progressed
the in the same ways as his or her peers. Not developing the same as
those around them would only lead to being ostracized more. However,
even if one did develop normally and was not excluded, getting an
interpreter may still not be the best option. "Socially, any
Deaf or
hard of hearing student who is constantly accompanied by an
interpreter may experience difficulty fitting into or identifying a
group of hearing peers" (Parents). Not only could an interpreter
hinder the young adult’s ability to make friends, but the
interpreter could also become a crutch because he or she is the only
person with whom the Deaf person can fully communicate with.
For some Deaf and hard of hearing children getting a Cochlear
Implant or using a speech to text type system, such C-print, may be
better options than using an interpreter. On the other hand if the
young adult or child chooses an interpreter, it can have many
benefits. Interpreters also help the client to understand everything that
is going on around, not just the educator. The risk of being
ostracized still exists, but it is ultimately up to the student
regarding how to react and up to the faculty about how they want to
handle the situation if presented.
No matter the decision the family of a Deaf person makes, it’s a
personal choice. What works for one person may not work for another.
"Peer interaction serves as the foundation for many important
aspects of emotional development such as the development of
self-concept, selfesteem and identity" (Grassmeyer and McEvoy 1).
Parents should make the choice that will allow for the most
communication and comprehension.
References
1. Christine Grassmeyer and Teresa McEvoy. "Classroom Interpreters -
Interpreters and Children
- Fostering Social Interaction". Classroom Interpreting. EIPA
Diagnostic Center. July 6, 2012
<www.classroominterpreting.org/Interpreters/children/Fostering/peerinteraction.asp>
2. Social skills. Mental Health Foundation of Australia. June 14,
2007.
<www.embracethefuture.org.au/resiliency/index.htm?http://www.embracethefuture.org.au/
resiliency/social_skills.htm>
3. Christine Grassmeyer and Teresa McEvoy. "Parents - Considerations
for an interpreted
Education." Classroom Interpreting. EIPA Diagnostic Center. July 8,
2012.
<www.classroominterpreting.org/parents/Considerations.asp>
4. Cindy Lawson. "Social Skills and School." Center for Development
and Learning. Louisiana
Children’s Research Center for Development and Learning. July 9,
2012. <www.cdl.org/
resource-library/articles/social_skills.php>
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