From childhood, it is essential to instill sign language.
Highlights:
- “98% of deaf people who are born deaf cannot speak,” Mercedes Obregón, general director of IPPLIAP, a non-profit institution that has served deaf children since 1967, explained.
- The sociocultural model sees deaf people as part of a linguistic community that uses sign language.
- Teaching sign language early is crucial because it accelerates language development, reduces frustration by allowing them to express themselves, increases the bond between parents and children, and enables communication.
- It is essential to recognize that sign language exists and that access to information is a human right.
I approached the door of a primary classroom, and immediately, the children taking the class stopped. They turned to see me with some intrigue and approached the door. Trying to communicate with me, one of them made a sign with his forefinger and thumb around his chin. One of the hearing teachers explained that this would be my sign. Names like Sebastián, Cecilia, Antonio, or Lorena are not significant among deaf people because they are based on sound. For this reason, they have their own signs. These are personal and may be related to some characteristic of the person, as in my case: the beard.
It is hard to believe that just a few decades ago, sign language was not common among the Mexican deaf community for trying to “rehabilitate” them by teaching them Spanish and imposing an oralist methodology on them that wanted to “make them normal.” In other words, it was sought that they acquire the behaviors of a hearing person. This culture, until the 20th century, maintained a dominant position in our country, generating enormous isolation for deaf people by not being able to communicate. As a result, “98% of deaf people who are born deaf cannot speak,” Mercedes Obregón, general director of IPPLIAP, a non-profit institution that has served deaf children since 1967, explained.
Meche’s school uses the sociocultural model, which emerged in the mid-1960s. This perspective sees deaf people as part of a linguistic community that uses sign language. It perceives them as human beings who are part of a different culture. She recounts that when she visited a school in the USA a few decades ago, she realized that in Mexico, we were far behind in educational matters for deaf children. That was how this model was imported to Mexico.
In the nineties, the fight for the rights of deaf people began, strengthening the movement in the USA.
Mercedes Obregón
The education offered by IPPLIAP is a bilingual school model, such as those that teach Spanish and English or Spanish and French. In this case, it consists of teaching sign language as a native language and Spanish as a second language. In this way, an authentic language is obtained, with possibilities for the child to develop other communication skills and be the language of the deaf community.
In recent years, new technologies have been sought to further include the deaf community. Last April, for example, through special vests and with the support of the CIE Foundation, some IPPLIAP students were able to enjoy “Higher power” and “Adventure of a Lifetime,” among other songs by the British band Coldplay, in a concert planned “for everyone.” During the show, Coldplay worked hard so that deaf people could enjoy their music. In addition, the vests had the technology to feel vibrations and appreciate the songs’ rhythm.
At the same time as being a school, IPPLIAP continues to work with deaf students once they leave primary school, investing in education and helping them increase their chances of accessing secondary or higher education. In 2020, they started with the Deaf Youth Program, offering specialized workshops for young people. In addition, during the last 17 years, IPPLIAP has carried out a teacher training program, impacting more than six thousand teachers.
Teaching sign language early is crucial because it accelerates language development, reduces frustration by allowing them to express themselves, increases the bond between parents and children, and enables communication. It is essential to recognize that sign language exists and that access to information is a human right. Society must also discuss this issue so that we are increasingly inclusive. People with disabilities have different channels to interact with the world, but this is so relevant and unique because it helps us appreciate the diversity of people.
