Dr. Marilyn Daniels, the most prolific researcher in this field, has methodically and painstakingly molded an effective argument for enabling children with normal hearing to become full participants in language and communication with their family and peers at younger age through the use of sign language. Citing benefits in reading, spelling self-esteem, and expression of emotions. W. Winfield McChord, Jr., Executive Director, American School for the Deaf Dr. Daniels enthusiasm and knowledge is expertly put forth and is a convincing argument to learn and teach sign language. The heightened cerebral activity when sign language becomes part of the communication signal is so impressive that one feels that by NOT being able to sign, one is handicapped. M.D. Dancing with Words will become the basic text for teachers and parents interested in teaching sign language to their hearing children.
Readers can select chapters to read and chapters to ignore since each chapter stands alone.
I am sure that sooner or later all will want to read all of this well written thoroughly documented text. This book examines the educational instruction of the deaf individual from its Benedictine beginning to its present condition in Gallaudet University. It has been acclaimed by the Executive Driector of the American School for the Deaf as the most important treatment of deaf education and its history to be published in his 33 years as an educator of the deaf .