Chapter 12
Education
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All children — deaf and hearing — have a right to education. Children
who get an education have more opportunities to learn about the
world, develop skills, and find jobs. Education is especially important
for deaf children because it allows them to develop their thinking, to
communicate with other deaf and hearing people, and to make friends.
And with the skills they gain, children who cannot hear well will be
able to live productive, independent lives and take part in the life of the
community.
Though this book is mostly for children from birth to age 5, this chapter
includes some important issues about educating older deaf children, to
help parents plan for their child’s education.
Learning begins at home
Learning begins at home, in a child’s infancy, and
continues throughout her life. The family plays
a very important role in helping children
learn. Parents and family members
are the earliest and most important
teachers. At home, a child will learn
to communicate, start thinking, and
begin relating to other people.
Some communities have teachers
and deaf adults who come to peoples’
homes to help parents learn how to
communicate with their deaf child. They show family members activities
they can do together to learn language. (For ideas and activities to help
families teach their children a language, see Chapters 7, 8, and 9.)