Make a sentence with each word and word combination. 2. Read the text “Problems of social adaptation of the deaf and their impact in families”

2. Read the text “Problems of social adaptation of the deaf and their impact in families”. Use dictionary if necessary.

One of the main complaints of deaf children and adults is the isolation they feel from their families and community. Such complaints are no less frequent from deaf people educated in traditional oral programs. We shall demonstrate why the many hours spent acquiring an oral technique do not necessarily establish feelings of closeness between human beings. Closeness comes from exchanges of information and feelings: in short, from understanding and empathy.

But without adequate language, we cannot do these things. This is why deaf people are isolated. They grow in silence, but they must not grow alone. For centuries, the deaf have been one of nature's " experiments" on the effects of cultural isolation. But for all its years, this " experiment" has resulted in little to bring the deaf into the mainstream as equals. The results, when examined honestly, are not encouraging. By early appropriate intervention at the social and educational level today and tomorrow, the deaf child and his family must not continue to be strangers in the same house.

There are practically no professionals who are prepared or who will attempt to deal with the parents' primary need: to discuss, ventilate and understand their feelings toward their deaf child. It is not uncommon for the busy physi­cian or audiologist to feel that his responsibility has been fulfilled once he has established the diagnosis of irreversible deafness. This is only the beginning of the time of parents' greatest need.

When parents have been informed that their child is deaf, the feelings of grief following definite diagnosis must be acknowledged. What actually happens in individual cases after deafness is diagnosed depends upon whom the parent gets for counseling and the age of the child when the advice is given.

It has been almost universally recognized that the early identification and rehabilitation of the deaf child bring the best results. The principal problem lies in the nature of the rehabilitation recommended. The most common advice is the use of early amplification and instruction in oral speech and lip reading.

Once having discovered their child's deafness, parents naturally wish to help the child have what they believe will be a " normal" life. If they are led to believe that methods exist to do so, will eagerly embrace and support them. It is not until too late that the parents come to another painful realizations teaching speech and speech-reading alone will not develop adequate language comprehension.

It is a universal observation of those who have constructed programs for special groups of young disabled children that unless the parents' emotional needs are adequately dealt with, the programs themselves have limited benefit for the children.

 

III. 1. Answer the questions:

1) What brings the feeling of closeness between people?

2) Why do deaf people feel isolated?

3) What do parents feel when they are told that their child is deaf?

4) What is the most common advice for the parents?

 

2. Say whether the following statements are true or false:

1) There are specialists who are prepared to deal with parents’ primary needs.

2) The deaf child and his family are often strangers in the same house.

3) Early rehabilitation brings the best results.

4) Deaf people often feel isolated from the community.

5) The rehabilitation programs can be beneficial for children even when the parents’ needs are not dealt with.

 

3. Give synonyms from the text to the following words:

- loneliness;

- to show;

- to try;

- to tell;

- usual;

- to want;

- small.

 

4. Fill the blanks with the words from the text:

1) Isolation is one of the main …. of deaf people.

2) Closeness between people comes from …. and …..

3) There are practically no … who can help parents to … … their primary needs.

4) … … and … bring the best results.

5) Specialists … programs for handicapped children.

6) Parents ….. to help their hard of hearing children not to feel isolated.