Reading and Deaf Researchers

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By Jean F. Andrews

Portrait of John Bulwer

John Bulwer, 17th c linguist who proposed a manual alphabet for the Deaf

Since I’ve been in higher education, I’ve seen an increase in numbers of graduate students who are deaf apply to deaf education programs. I have also seen the increase in the hiring of professors who are deaf in different institutions where I have worked. The topics of their research papers are typically related to Deaf culture, and to the use of ASL and fingerspelling in the teaching of reading. If literacy is to improve, it will take deaf researchers to provide us with insights on how to use ASL and fingerspelling to teach English reading.

Jean F. Andrews is a Reading Specialist and Professor of Deaf Studies/Deaf Education at Lamar University.

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