A restaurant owner in town calls the kids from the deaf school "retards" because they talk (and look) funny. Are some of them in fact r-tarded?
2007-07-29 08:41:50 · 13 answers · asked by Anonymous in Education & Reference ➔ Special Education
Hmmm... and the restaurant owner is an ignorant twit, but I don't believe that makes all restaurant owners ignorant twits! I think its clear that deaf is not equated with retarded. Just like there are mental disabilities in the hearing world, there are times when it shows up in the non-hearing world. They talk funny because some have never heard what speech sounds like, as for looking funny, that too shows up in the hearing world!
2007-07-31 07:47:32 · answer #1 · answered by Joanne D 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I have been a Teacher of the Deaf for over 4 years and yes, some of my students have additional disabilities...that include mental retardation...and even autism. Not all, but some are in this category.
Deaf kids talk "funny" because they do not hear sounds as we hear them....and some hear sounds through amplification equipment that distort the normal clarity of all speech sounds. This impacts deaf speech. If they can't hear how speech sounds are made, how can they produce them in a way we can all clearly understand?
I personally take offense to this restaurant owner and wish he would educate himself as to why these lovely children "talk funny".
As far as looking funny, when a child is born premature....there are more chances to have deformities...which causes the deafness (bones not properly formed in the ear canal) and other areas of the body to not properly develop....making them "look funny". What an ignorant adult you have contact with.
2007-07-29 13:46:56 · answer #2 · answered by Lovin' Life As Mama & Wife 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
first off... "retarded" is not politically correct.
second... we learn to talk and make sounds based off of what we hear. imagine if you could not hear a sound that someone else made... then you have to guess how to mimic it. now... you can't hear the sound that you are making... how will you know if you get it right?
it is possible for someone with mental retardation or mental impairment to be deaf... but just because someone is deaf, does not mean they have a mental impairment. most deaf people are just as intelligent or more intelligent as the average "normal" person.
2007-07-29 11:11:27 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
I am a speech therapist.
It's very, very hard to learn to talk when you can't hear. Do you think you could learn to speak a foreign language that you never heard just by reading my lips? It's an amazing thing to be able to learn speech when you can't hear it.
Deaf speech is distorted, because the speaker can't hear to compare his speech to our speech. Many deaf and hearing impaired people work very hard to keep their speech good enough for other's to understand.
People who are developmentally disabled (retarded) sometimes has low muscle tone, and this causes their speech to be distorted. Often they, too, have to make a lot of effort to be able to talk clearly.
Deaf/hearing impaired people do NOT have low muscle tone (muscle weakness). But to some people their speech sounds like the speech of a developmentally disabled (retarded) person's speech. Deaf people may not lift up the back of the roof of the mouth (soft palate) when they talk, so they get that nasal sound to their speech. A developmentally disabled person might have nasal speech due to weak muscles that make it hard or impossible to lift the soft palate.
Deaf people can be genius, regular intellect, or "retarded" just like someone with regular hearing.
Someone can be judged as funny looking and be a genius, have a regular IQ, or be "retarded."
It's ignorant to assume someone's IQ based on limited information.
It's REALLY ignorant to call people mean names, especially over something the person can't control! No excuse for this man.
One of my kid's was born gifted (high IQ). I always taught him, "It's better to be a nice person than a smart person. Being smart is something you are born with; being NICE is a CHOICE."
2007-07-30 06:56:28 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
"Retardation" as you call it, is as much a handicap as deafness. Though many mentally challenged individuals act abnormal to you and me, not all are deaf. The same applies to deaf people as well. What you have there is a resturant manager who's a biggot or ignorant of his or her facts. And though pointing this out may cost you a job, not pointing it out will cost you more. Self respect and integrity, not to mention the continued degridation of handicapped people in general. Wouldn't you agree?
2007-07-29 09:00:39 · answer #5 · answered by jefferydaume 1 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Neither............
Hearing challenged/deaf it has NOTHING to do with their ability to learn just as being blind only challenges the the person to learn .
The only person that is Retarded is the restaurant owner. Apparently he lacks the intelligence for learning.
Some of them could be mentally challenged as well as deaf.
2007-07-29 08:49:50 · answer #6 · answered by LucySD 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That is ridiculous. The term "retarded", now outdated, refers to an inability to learn. Deaf children and adults are about as learning disabled as a person whose walks on crutches. If a person, who has no hearing, had never heard a sound in their life, has developed the ability to make sounds, form words, or carry conversation, even if it sounds awkward to our well used ears is accused of being unable to learn...well, whose the idiot? Its not the person who persevered in the face of a challenge. Its the fool who fails to recognize another's triumph!
2007-07-29 09:07:27 · answer #7 · answered by butmom26 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That is sooo wrong. Iam Deaf have been whole life...
Being deaf makes us same as you but just cant hear...the one who thinks deaf are dumb .....are the dumb ones. Why people are always thinking this I dont know. People who dont speak english sound funny when they say things...Deaf dont use English we use American Sign language...People have no respect for other people...and this is why Deaf hate hearing people!
2007-07-30 09:09:34 · answer #8 · answered by Deaf fairy 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
First of all, deaf people are not retarded. People seems they are just because they are not like normal people, where they can't hear. Deaf people are exactly like normal people except for that they cannot hear. thats it
2007-07-29 08:52:25 · answer #9 · answered by happy.girl 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There is a chance that a person from any population can be mentally challenged, but being deaf doesn't have anything to do with it.
I feel sorry for that man -- well, more sorry for the people that have to listen to him.
2007-07-30 10:04:15 · answer #10 · answered by Judy K 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋