For us, it was common sense to try our native language first. If it hadn't worked, we would have moved to a different option. The norm for these deaf high school graduates is to read on a fourth grade level. American Sign Language is beautiful, but its syntax is very different from that of English, and it is without a written form. These facts present obstacles to becoming fluent in English.
Education is the great equalizer in a society, and the most important gift to give a child.
In our country, English is the language of the majority. The abilities to maneuver and feel comfortable in the dominant culture and to possess excellent communication skills if possible are extremely helpful in one's life. We wanted these opportunities for our child. It is well recognized the window of opportunity to develop any language is the first five years of a child's life. Caitlin is happy, tenacious, and enjoys life.