Basic Tenets of MCE 1. Acquiring good English is difficult for a deaf child. Acquisition of English involves knowledge of lexicon-, syntax, and morphology. Normal input must precede normal output. Speech reading is ambiguous and difficult and does not provide sufficient input.
Sign language is easier to see than speech reading or finger spelling.
Knowledge of English structure is more important than ability to spell words. The structure of English may be easily represented in sign language. It is easier to sign all parts of a sentence than sign some parts and fingerspell others. Any specific sign must mean one and only one thing. English should be signed as it is spoken, including idioms.