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Deaf Studies for Educators: History and Film in the Deaf Studies Curriculum

Deaf Studies for Educators
History and Film in the Deaf Studies Curriculum
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table of contents
  1. Cover
  2. Title
  3. Copyright
  4. Contents
  5. Language Disclaimer
  6. Foreword to the Reissued Edition
  7. Acknowledgments
  8. Deaf Studies: A Framework for Learning and Teaching Keynote Address
  9. Deaf Studies in the ’90s: Meeting a Critical Need
  10. The World According to (the) Deaf: The Place of ASL Literature in a Comprehensive Deaf Studies Curriculum
  11. Developing a Deaf Studies Curriculum Guide for Preschool–Eighth Grade
  12. History and Film in the Deaf Studies Curriculum
  13. Roadblocks in the Development of a Bilingual/Bicultural Program: Theory vs. Reality
  14. Colors of ASL … A World Expressed: ASL Poetry in the Curriculum
  15. Deaf Studies at MSSD
  16. Deafness and Deaf Culture as Curriculum Components
  17. Incorporation of Deaf Entrepreneur Role Models in Deaf Studies Curriculum
  18. American Sign Language Literature: Curriculum Considerations
  19. A Model Program for Integrating Personal Identity and Group Affiliation for Multiple-Minority Deaf Students
  20. Teaming Up for Units and Deaf Kaleidoscope
  21. Some Sociological Implications of Deaf Studies
  22. The Role of Deaf Identity in Deaf Studies
  23. The Acquisition of American Sign Language by Deaf Children With Deaf or Hearing Parents: Implications for Curriculum Development
  24. A Need in Deaf Education: American Sign Language Artistic Expression
  25. The Sound of One Hand Clapping: Performing Arts and Deaf People
  26. An Interactive-Interaction Bilingual/Bicultural Program Model
  27. Culture Across the Curriculum
  28. American Sign Language Literature Series: Research and Development
  29. Deaf Studies: The Next Step
  30. Conference Schedule

History and Film in the Deaf Studies Curriculum

John V. Van Cleve and John S. Schuchman
(Abridged Version for Proceedings)

The last 10 years have seen the development of historical studies of the American Deaf community and the initiation of deaf studies courses with historical content. An historical approach to deaf studies allows students to understand themselves within the context of a continuous past. They learn how others like themselves have overcome social and educational obstacles and popular stereotypes of deafness and how deaf Americans have built a community that puts them at the forefront of deaf leadership in the world. A curriculum embodying these ideas can be constructed around the new scholarship, and it can be made appealing to students.

The presentation demonstrated that the careful showing and discussion of films offers a useful method to integrate deaf history into deaf studies. Film has the advantage of attracting student interest and of showing graphically how images of deaf people have been created—and are being created—in the popular media.

Five films clips were presented. Each was accompanied by a narration of the film’s historical context and a discussion of books that help provide historical meaning for the topics, offer ideas for discussion in class, and help explain the manner in which deaf people and deafness are presented in each of the films.

Clip #1:From Preservation of the Sign Language (1913), a film made by the National Association of the Deaf. It showed George Veditz, twice NAD president, talking about the necessity for saving American Sign Language for posterity in the face of oralist opposition to signing and the decreasing number of Deaf teachers in residential institutions.

Books discussed with it:

Nora Groce (1985), Everyone Here Spoke Sign Language: Hereditary Deafness on Martha’s Vineyard

Richard Winefield (1987), Never the Twain Shall Meet: Bell, Gallaudet, and the Communication Debate

Clip #2:From Killer Cure (1926). This Stan Laurel silent film showed the use of deafness for humorous effect and also depicted a residential institution.

Book discussed with it:

John V. Van Cleve & Barry A. Crouch (1989), A Place of Their Own: Creating the Deaf Community in America

Clip #3:From The Story of Alexander Graham Bell (1939). This film was about the inventor of the telephone and prominent advocate of oral education for deaf children. Segments presented the portrayal of Mabel Hubbard Bell, Alexander Graham’s deaf wife, and George Sanders, a young deaf boy whom Bell instructed in speech.

Books discussed with it:

Robert Bruce (1973), Bell: Alexander Graham Bell and the Conquest of Solitude

Jack Gannon (1981), Deaf Heritage: A Narrative History of Deaf America

Harlan Lane (1984), When the Mind Hears: A History of the Deaf

John V. Van Cleve & Barry A. Crouch (1989), A Place of Their Own: Creating the Deaf Community in America

Clip #4:From Johnny Belinda (1948). This film portrays a deaf woman who is raped and bears a child, and is then befriended by a kindly hearing doctor. The segment shown illustrates sign language used in the film.

Book discussed with it:

John S. Schuchman (1988), Hollywood Speaks: Deafness and the Film Entertainment Industry

Clip #5:From Children of a Lesser God (1986). Parts shown were used to illustrate the lead character’s place on the fringe of the deaf community and to introduce the topic of deaf actors and actresses.

Books discussed with it:

Bernard Bragg (1989), Lessons in Laughter: The Autobiography of a Deaf Actor

Jack Gannon (1989), The Week the World Heard Gallaudet

About the Presenters

Dr. John V. Van Cleve is professor of history at Gallaudet University and chairman of the department. He is co-author, with Barry A. Crouch, of A Place of Their Own and editor-in-chief of the Gallaudet Encyclopedia of Deaf People and Deafness. He teaches both undergraduate and graduate classes on the history of the American deaf community.

Dr. John S. Schuchman is professor of history at Gallaudet University. He is the author of Hollywood Speaks. The son of Deaf parents, he teaches courses on the history of deaf people in the media.

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