tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37078880.post116257428678106536..comments2007-04-05T13:54:45.123-07:00Juan A. Vietoriszhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04598661160307830378noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37078880.post-1162617426117672742006-11-03T21:17:00.000-08:002006-11-03T21:17:00.000-08:00Hi Alicia.<BR/><BR/>Yes, absolutely! I agree with you! <BR/><BR/>JuanJuan A. Vietoriszhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04598661160307830378noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37078880.post-1162590677966058852006-11-03T13:51:00.000-08:002006-11-03T13:51:00.000-08:00One important point to also be aware of is that at an early age, it is crucial that children acquire a solid language foundation--in any language. Children who are denied access to a full-fledged language during this crucial window of cognitive development often have a very difficult time achieving full literacy in ANY language, including English.<BR/><BR/>For a deaf child, English and other auditory languages very often are not accessible. Lipreading only gives very small bits and pieces, and as you described, simcom tends to be garbled. ASL and other natural sign languages are the only languages that can give full face-to-face access to a visual communicator.<BR/><BR/>If the deaf child has a solid language foundation in ASL or another natural sign language, he/she can then go on to more quickly and easily acquire reading and writing skills in other languages such as English.<BR/><BR/>Research has shown that deaf children of deaf parents who sign and deaf children of hearing parents who sign tend to achieve higher reading/writing literacy rates than deaf children who do not have signing parents.Aliciahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00893201965568134616noreply@blogger.com