Some people asked me to discuss the @ACLU tweet on language deprivation so a brief thread incoming.

My bona-fides? I have been deaf since infancy and "language deprivation scientist" is literally in my twitter bio. I've also published a few things.

1/? https://twitter.com/ACLU/status/1291859191750111237

Uncontroversial facts:

1. Language is an essential part of being a healthy, happy human.
2. Language is a foundational part of human development.
3. Signed languages are equal to spoken languages in every aspect that matters.

2/?

Uncontroversial facts (cont.):

4. Language is "food" for the early developing human brain (brains develop differently based on timing and experiences of accessible language)
5. Most deaf children are born into hearing families that do not know a signed language.

3/?

These uncontroversial facts set the stage for the centuries-long epidemic of language deprivation in deaf communities around the world that continues today.

4/?

There is generally no difference between hearing and deaf brains at birth. Why then do deaf people demonstrate worse outcomes in school, health, social development, and general everyday life starting in early childhood?

5/?

The answer starts with 1. Alexander Graham Bell (yes that guy), 2. being born into a hearing, non-signing family, and 3. the Early Hearing Detection & Intervention system (EHDI).

6/?

(very) Long story short-AG Bell's mission was integrating deaf children into hearing society by teaching only speech and preventing use of sign language (oralism). The guy set up an organization that continues to spread his 1800s beliefs today under guise of "parent support." 7/?

Long story even shorter-the pervasiveness of oralism, essentially anti-signed language beliefs, throughout 20th century coupled with a nice dose of paternalism, ableism, etc heavily influenced the medical field (hello cochlear implants) and establishment of the EHDI system 8/?

Today, most babies in USA are screened at birth for hearing loss. But when a baby is found deaf, parents are sent onto a path in the medical system where they are groomed to focus on speech, and (in)directly warned not to use signed language (see @mauldin_laura's work) 9/?

Here's where some factors converge-human brain biology is expecting accessible language, and cochlear implants/hearing aids do not restore anywhere close to full hearing. So 1800s beliefs are trying to exert their will on natural human development through modern technology 10/?

So as the baby's brain develops without fully accessible language before and after cochlear implants, it has a negative cascade effect on every other aspect of development. What in our everyday lives, starting as a child, doesn't rely on some form of language use? 11/?

Many deaf children aren't getting effortless language acquisition at the critical time that it's most needed. The expectations become so skewed that parents are excited their child might speak dozens to hundreds of words by the time they are 5, instead of knowing thousands. 12/?

The kicker? For a while now, we have had research suggest deaf kids who sign from birth are on par with their hearing peers, and now EVEN WITH COCHLEAR IMPLANTS. It is uncontroversial that signed language use protects healthy deaf brain development. 13/?

So why does oralism persist? It's complicated and beyond this thread. Money has a huge influence. There is a professional ecosystem convincing parents from birth to make their child as hearing as possible, and for whom signed languages are existential threats. 14/?

It is also difficult to connect the dots (unless you're in the deaf community). Consequences of language deprivation generally don't really become obvious until later years. By then, deaf children are out of the EHDI system and newly identified children have replaced them. 15/?

The @ACLU tweet (while amazing) doesnt go far enough. It's not simply discrimination. Our history and research constantly validating our experiences is why so many deaf people say oralism is child abuse. We see the everyday consequences in our community. /end

/PS This is why grassroot legislative efforts like LEAD-K are so important. There is zero accountability to ensure deaf children are hitting timely signed/spoken language milestones before they go into kindergarten. The oralist reaction to LEAD-K? Shock and indignation of course.