Charles - Michel de l'Épée - wikipedia Charles - Michel de l'Épée This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. ( January 2016 ) Abbé Charles - Michel de l'Épée Founder of the first public school for the deaf ( 1712 - 11 - 24 ) 24 November 1712 Versailles, France 23 December 1789 ( 1789 - 12 - 23 ) ( aged 77 ) Paris, France Alma mater Collège des Quatre Nations, University of Paris The Abbé Charles - Michel de l'Épée ( French : ( ʃaʁlmiʃɛl dəlepe ) ; 24 November 1712, Versailles - 23 December 1789, Paris ) was a philanthropic educator of 18th - century France who has become known as the `` Father of the Deaf ''. Contents 1 Overview 2 The Instructional Method of Signs ( signes méthodiques ) 3 Educational legacy 4 Myths about Épée 5 Published works 6 See also 7 References 8 Further reading Overview He was born to a wealthy family in Versailles, the seat of political power in what was then the most powerful kingdom of Europe. He studied to be a Catholic priest but was denied ordination as a result of his refusal to denounce Jansenism, a popular French heresy of the time. He then studied law but, soon after joining the Bar, was finally ordained -- only to be denied a license to officiate. Épée then turned his attention toward charitable services for the poor, and, on one foray into the slums of Paris, he had a chance encounter with two young deaf sisters who communicated using a sign language. Épée decided to dedicate himself to the education and salvation of the deaf, and, in 1760, he founded a school. In line with emerging philosophical thought of the time, Épée came to believe that deaf people were capable of language and concluded that they should be able to receive the sacraments and thus avoid going to hell. He began to develop a system of instruction of the French language and religion. In the early 1760s, his shelter became the world 's first free school for the deaf, open to the public. Though Épée 's original interest was in religious education, his public advocacy and development of a kind of `` Signed French '' enabled deaf people to legally defend themselves in court for the first time. Épée died at the beginning of the French Revolution in 1789, and his tomb is in the Church of Saint Roch in Paris. Two years after his death, the National Assembly recognized him as a `` Benefactor of Humanity '' and declared that deaf people had rights according to the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen. In 1791, the Institution Nationale des Sourds - Muets à Paris, which Épée had founded, began to receive government funding. It was later renamed the Institut St. Jacques and then renamed again to its present name : Institut National de Jeunes Sourds de Paris. His methods of education have spread around the world, and the Abbé de l'Épée is seen today as one of the founding fathers of deaf education. After Épée 's death, he was succeeded by the Abbé Roch - Ambroise Cucurron Sicard, who became the new head of the school. The Abbé 's signes méthodiques are represented on his funeral monument in the Church of St. Roch, Paris The Instructional method of signs ( signes méthodiques ) The Instructional Method of Signs is a real educational method emphasised using gestures or hand signs, based on the principle that `` the education of deaf mutes must teach them through the eye of what other people acquire through the ear. '' He recognised that there was already a signing deaf community in Paris but saw their language ( now known as Old French Sign Language ) as primitive. Although he advised his ( hearing ) teachers to learn the signs ( lexicon ) for use in instructing their deaf students, he did not use their language in the classroom. Instead, he developed an idiosyncratic gestural system using some of this lexicon, combined with other invented signs to represent all the verb endings, articles, prepositions, and auxiliary verbs of the French language. In English, Épée 's system has been known as `` Methodical Signs '' and `` Old Signed French '' but is perhaps better translated by the phrase systematised signs. While Épée 's system laid the philosophical groundwork for the later developments of Manually Coded Languages such as Signed English, it differed somewhat in execution. For example, the word croire ( `` believe '' ) was signed using five separate signs -- four with the meanings `` know '', `` feel '', `` say '', and `` not see '' and one that marked the word as a verb ( Lane, 1980 : 122 ). The word indéchiffrable ( `` unintelligible '' ) was also produced with a chain of five signs : interior - understand - possible - adjective - not. However, like Manually Coded Languages, Épée 's system was cumbersome and unnatural to deaf signers. A deaf pupil of the school ( and later teacher ), Laurent Clerc, wrote that the deaf never used the signes méthodiques for communication outside the classroom, preferring their own community language ( French Sign Language ). Although Épée reportedly had great success with this educational method, his successes were questioned by critics who thought his students were aping his gestures rather than understanding the meaning. Educational legacy What distinguished Épée from educators of the deaf before him, and ensured his place in history, is that he allowed his methods and classrooms to be available to the public and other educators. As a result of his openness as much as his successes, his methods would become so influential that their mark is still apparent in deaf education today. Épée also established teacher - training programs for foreigners who would take his methods back to their countries and who established numerous deaf schools around the world. Laurent Clerc, a deaf pupil of the Paris school, went on to co-found the first school for the deaf in North America and brought with him the sign language that formed the basis of modern American Sign Language, including the signs of the ASL alphabet. Some deaf schools in Germany and England that were contemporaries of the Abbé de l'Épée's Paris School used an oralist approach emphasising speech and lip reading, in contrast to his belief in manualism. Their methods were closely guarded secrets, and they saw Épée as a rival. The oralism vs. manualism debate still rages to this day. Oralism is sometimes called the German method, and manualism the French method in reference to those times. The Paris school still exists, though it now uses French Sign Language in class rather than Épée 's methodical signs. Located in rue Saint - Jacques in Paris, it is one of four national deaf schools -- the others being in Metz, Chambéry, and Bordeaux. Myths about Épée Even now, Épée is commonly described as the inventor of sign language or as having `` taught the deaf to sign ''. In fact, he was taught to sign by the deaf. De l'Épée categorized and recorded French signs so they could be taught to others in order to be used in education, especially about the Christian faith. Published works -- ( 1776 ). Institution des sourds et muets, par la voie des signes méthodiques ( Deaf mute Institution, by Means of Systematic Signs ) ( in French ). Nyon l'ainé. Retrieved 30 December 2015. -- ( 1784 ). La véritable manière d'instruire les sourds et muets, confirmée par une longue expérience ( The true manner of instructing the deaf and mute, confirmed by long experience ) ( in French ). Paris : Nyon l'aîné. Retrieved 30 December 2015. L'Ouvrage que je présente au Public n'est proprement qu'une seconde édition de celui qui a paru en 1776, sous ce titre : Institution des Sourds et Muets, par la voie des Signes méthodiques, & dont il ne reste plus d'exemplaires. The work which I present to the public is nothing other than a second edition of the one which came out in 1776 under the title ' Institution des Sourds et Muets, par la voie des Signes méthodiques ', which is completely sold out. He also began a Dictionnaire général des signes, which was completed by his successor, the Abbé Sicard. See also List of Roman Catholic scientist - clerics References Jump up ^ Desloges, Pierre. 1779. Observations d'un sourd et muèt, sur un cours elémentaire d'educationdes sourds et muèts, Paris : M. l'Abbé Deschamps ( Chapelain de l'Église d'Orléans ), Amsterdam and B. Morin. Further reading L'Abbé de l'Épée by Ferdinand Berthier Lane, Harlan. When the Mind Hears : A History of the Deaf. New York : Random House, 1984. Catholic Encyclopedia article Sign language List of sign languages List by number of signers Language families Sign languages by family Afroasiatic Mofu - Gudur Arabic Sign Egyptian Kuwaiti Libyan Qatari Unified Yemeni Iraqi -- Levantine Iraqi Levantine Arabic Jordanian Lebanese Palestinian Syrian Possible Emirati Saudi Omani Australian Indigenous Language Families Pama -- Nyungan Eltye eltyarrenke Iltyeme iltyeme Rdaka rdaka Manjiljarra Warlmanpa Warramunga Mudburra Ngada Umpila Western Desert Western Torres Strait Islander Yir Yoront Yolŋu Diyari Jaralde Kalkutungu Pitha Pitha Warluwara Mirndi Djingili Jarrakan Miriwoong E. Trans - Fly Eastern Torres Strait Islander Worrorran Worora Kinship Banzsl Auslan Papua New Guinean BSL Northern Ireland Sāmoan Maritime NZSL South African Swedish Finnish Finland - Swedish Portuguese Swedish Zhōngguó Shǒuyǔ Chinese Shanghai Shanghai Hong Kong Macau Francosign Proto - LSF Algerian Catalan Valencian Chilean Estonian French Irish Australian - Irish Libras Lithuanian Romanian Swiss - German Amslanic American Black ASL Protactile BIM Bolivian Burmese Cambodian Costa Rican Dominican Greek Cypriot Jamaican Kuala Lumpur Panamanian Philippine Puerto Rican Quebec Singapore BISINDO Jakarta Yogyakarta Francophone African Ethiopian Chadian Ghanaian Guinean LaSiMa Moroccan Nigerian Sierra Leonean Austro - Hungarian Austrian Czech Hungarian Slovak Ukrainian Russian Bulgarian Georgian Latvian Moldovan Mongolian Russian Yugoslav Croatian Kosovar Serbian Slovenian Yugoslav Old Belgian Flemish French Belgian Danish Danish Icelandic Malagasy Norwegian Dutch Dutch Gambian Italian Italian Tunisian Mexican Mexican Honduran Viet - Thai Hai Phong Hanoi Ho Chi Minh Thai Germanosign German Luxembourgish Polish Shassi Indo - European Armenian Women 's Indo - Pakistani Sign Bangalore - Madras Beluchistan Bengali Bombay Calcutta Delhi Nepali North West Frontier Province Punjab - Sindh Japanese Sign Japanese Korean Taiwanese Original Thai Sign Chiangmai Hai Phong Old Bangkok Meemul Tziij Highland Maya Nohya Paraguayan - Uruguayan Sign Paraguay Uruguay Plains Sign Talk Hand Talk Anishinaabe Cheyenne Cree Dane - zaa Diné Nakota Niitsítapi Tsuu T'ina Plateau Ktunaxa Secwepemc Providencia -- Cayman Sign Provisle Old Cayman ( Guyanese ) Paget Gorman Namibian Kentish Old Kentish Chilmark Chilmark Martha 's Vineyard Isolates Afghan Al - Sayyid Bedouin Albanian Amami Oshima Armenian Plaa Pag Huay Hai Na Sai Atgangmuurniq Belizean Bhutanese Bökyi lagda Bribri Brunca Bura Chatino Cuban Diné Family Dogon Ecuadorian Eritrean Enga Ghandruk Ghardaia Guatemalan Guinea - Bissau Henniker Hoailona ʻŌlelo Jhankot Jumla Ka'apor Kajana Kafr Qasim Kata Kolok Kenyan Somali Keresign Kisindo Konchri Sain Lyons Macedonian Maltese Magannar Hannu Mardin Mauritian M'bour Mossi Mozambican Mumu kasa Nicaraguan Old Costa Rican Ottoman Pasa kidd Penang Persian Peruvian Rennellese Rwandan Sandy River Salvadoran Spanish Tebul Trinidad and Tobago Turkish Ugandan Venezuelan West African Adasl Burasl Mofu - Gudur Nanabinsl Yiddish Yoruban Zambian Other Ethiopian languages Laotian languages Sri Lankan languages Sudanese languages Tanzanian languages ( 7 + ) International Sign By region Sign languages by region Oceania Australia Auslan Australian - Irish Eltye eltyarrenke Iltyeme iltyeme Rdaka rdaka Manjiljarra Warlmanpa Warramunga Mudburra Ngada Umpila Western Desert Western Torres Strait Islander Yir Yoront Yolŋu Hawai'i Haoilona ʻŌlelo Sāmoa & America Sāmoa Sāmoan Aotearoa New Zealand NZSL Solomon Islands Rennellese Asia Bengal Bengali Cambodia Cambodian China Chinese Indonesia Indonesian Kata Kolok ( Benkala, Balinese ) India Alipur Bengali Indo - Pakistani Naga Iran Persian Israel Al - Sayyid Bedouin Ghardaia Israeli Kafr Qasem Yiddish Japan Amami Oshima Japanese Korea Korean Laos Laotian Malaysia Malaysian Penang Selangor Mongolia Mongolian Nepal Ghandruk Jhankot Jumla Nepalese Philippines Philippine Saudi Arabia Saudi Singapore Singapore Sri Lanka Sri Lankan Taiwan Taiwanese Tibet Bökyi lagda Thailand Bangkok Chiangmai Thai Pasa kidd Vietnam Vietnamese Africa Algeria Algerian Ghardaia Ghana Adamorobe Nanabin Kenya Kenyan Mali Tebul LaSiMa Nigeria Bura Magannar Hannu Senegal Mbour Somalia & Djibouti Somali South Africa South African Tanzania Tanzanian Uganda Ugandan Zambia Zambian North America Plains Sign Talk Canada American Protactile Blackfoot Cree Ojibwa MSL Quebec Atgangmuurniq Plateau Mexico Chatino Mayan Mexican United States American Black American Protactile Blackfeet Cree Cheyenne Ojibwa Keresign Martha 's Vineyard Navajo Navajo Family Sandy River Valley Henniker Central and South America Argentina Argentine Belize Belizean Bolivia Bolivian Brazil Libras Ka'apor Cayman Old Cayman Chile Chilean Colombia Colombian Provisle Costa Rica Bribri Brunca Old Costa Rican New Costa Rican Ecuador Ecuadorian Guatemalan Guatemalan Mayan Honduras Honduras Nicaragua Nicaraguan Paraguay Paraguayan Peru Peruvian Sivia El Salvador Salvadoran Old Salvadoran Uruguay Uruguayan Venezuela Venezuelan Europe Armenia Armenian Austria Austrian Belgium Flemish French Belgian United Kingdom British Croatia Croatian Denmark Danish Netherlands Dutch Estonia Estonian Finland Finnish France Ghardaia French Lyons Germany German Greece Greek Hungary Hungarian Iceland Icelandic Ireland Irish Italy Italian Kosovo Kosovar Lithuania Lithuanian Luxembourg Luxembourgish Macedonia Macedonian Northern Ireland Northern Ireland Norway Norwegian Poland Polish Portugal Portuguese Russia Russian Slovenia Slovenian Spain Catalan Spanish Valencian Sweden Swedish Switzerland Swiss Turkey Mardin Turkish Ukraine Ukrainian International International Sign Makaton Monastic Signalong ASL Grammar Idioms Literature Profanity Name signs Extinct languages Chilmark Diyari Jaralde Kalkutungu Henniker Sign Language Martha 's Vineyard Old French Old Kent Plateau Sign Language Pitha Pitha Sandy River Valley Sign Language Warluwara Linguistics Grammar ( ASL ) Bimodal bilingualism Cherology Handshape / Location / Orientation / Movement / Expression Mouthing Sign names Fingerspelling American British ( two - handed ) Catalan Chilean French Hungarian Irish Japanese Korean Polish Russian Serbo - Croatian Spanish Ukrainian Writing ASL - phabet Hamburg Notation System Stokoe notation Stokoe notation SignWriting SignWriting si5s si5s ASLwrite ( ) Language contact Contact sign Indian Signing System Initialized sign Manually coded English Manually coded language in South Africa Manually Coded Malay Mouthing Paget Gorman Sign System Signed Dutch Signed French Signed German Signed Italian Signed Japanese Signed Polish Signed Spanish Signing Exact English Tecknad svenska Bilingual -- bicultural education Manually coded language Media Films ( list ) Television programmes ( list ) Persons Jabbar Baghtcheban Johanna Berglind Pär Aron Borg Thomas Braidwood Laurent Clerc Abbé de l'Épée Roger Fouts Valerie Sutton Thomas Gallaudet Abbe Sicard William Stokoe Pierre Pélissier Organisations Association of Visual Language Interpreters of Canada International Center on Deafness and the Arts Mimics and Gesture Theatre World Association of Sign Language Interpreters Miscellaneous Baby sign language CHCI chimpanzee center ( Washoe, Loulis ) Open Outcry Legal recognition Military hand and arm signals Monastic sign languages Tactile signing Tic - tac ( betting ) ^ a Sign - language names reflect the region of origin. Natural sign languages are not related to the spoken language used in the same region. For example, French Sign Language originated in France, but is not related to French. ^ b Denotes the number ( if known ) of languages within the family. No further information is given on these languages. BNF : cb120149003 ( data ) GND : 119000180 ISNI : 0000 0001 1020 5614 LCCN : n82132705 NDL : 00620960 SNAC : w6tb2b4d SUDOC : 028280709 VIAF : 7401731 Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Charles-Michel_de_l % 27Épée&oldid = 823042884 '' Categories : 1712 births 1789 deaths 18th - century Roman Catholic priests Burials at Église Saint - Roch Educators of the deaf French educational theorists French Roman Catholic priests People from Versailles Roman Catholic activists Hidden categories : Articles needing additional references from January 2016 All articles needing additional references Articles with hCards All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from December 2015 CS1 French - language sources ( fr ) Wikipedia articles with BNF identifiers Wikipedia articles with GND identifiers Wikipedia articles with ISNI identifiers Wikipedia articles with LCCN identifiers Wikipedia articles with SNAC - ID identifiers Wikipedia articles with VIAF identifiers Talk Contents About Wikipedia Deutsch Eesti Español Français Bahasa Indonesia Italiano ಕನ್ನಡ Latina Magyar 日本 語 Polski Português Русский Slovenščina Svenska Українська 7 more Edit links This page was last edited on 29 January 2018, at 23 : 21. 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Question: who was the french priest who founded the first school for the deaf
Answer: Abbé Charles-Michel de l'Épée