Deaf Again Assignment # 1 : Introduction , p. iii – Chapter 6, p. 57
1. If it was you in the hospital when Sherry Drolsbaugh came in ready to give birth,
what would you do? What steps would you take to ensure that fair and
accessible care is provided? What should YOU as the medical care facility be
held accountable for?
2. Chapter 2 mentions the "Diagnostic Crisis" of deafness - describe the
ramifications for a hearing family having a deaf child. What were the
messages and/or psychological implications that the author received? Mark
lived with his deaf parents, but his hearing grandparents made all the
decisions. His deaf parents were afraid to use sign language with
Mark. Why? Why didn't they stand up for Mark and insist that he use sign
language? Why were they not empowered?
3. Mark had terrible experiences with audiology tests, and worked really hard in
his speech classes. Why was it so important to him to have good speech and
to prove that he could hear well? How did he feel when he “failed” the
audiology tests and couldn’t speak well enough to sound like a hearing
person?
4. Why did he feel like it was his fault when he was unable to keep up in school
and at home? Why did he not tell his grandparents how he felt? Why did he
not stand up for himself?
5. Chapter 6 deals with Mark confronting several important issues during this part
of his life. Pick one issue that you find disturbing and/or thought-provoking
and explain in several sentences how this particular one affected you.
Deaf Again Assignment # 2: Chapter 7, p. 58 - Chapter 9, p. 132
1. How was Mark’s experience with his deaf grandparents different from his
experience with his hearing grandparents? Describe 3 distinct dynamic
differences. What did his experiences with his deaf grandparents make him
feel about himself?
2. What did you learn about the critical age for a Deaf child's language
development? Why does Mark support teaching ASL to deaf children?
3. Despite Mark's initial reaction towards cochlear implants, what does he have to
say about this issue today? What cautionary message does he give?
4. Give 3 examples as to what made Gallaudet University unique for Mark in regard
to his social and academic experiences on the campus.
5. Mark discusses how in Gallaudet, there are problems trying to accommodate
every student who enters the school. What are some of the issues that
Gallaudet as a university face?
Deaf Again Assignment # 3: Chapter 10, p. 133 – Epilogue P. 185
1. When Sherry, Mark’s mom, visited his class on the “Psychosocial Aspects of
Deafness”, she learned about the two attitude dimensions. Identify and
describe the two attitude dimensions in your own words.
2. Why do you think the deaf kids at the mainstreamed schools were able to read
age-appropriate materials, while deaf kids of the same age at the deaf
schools were behind?
3. In what way were the kids from the mainstreamed program at a disadvantage as
compared to the kids at the deaf schools?
4. What did Mark identify as the “bottom line” when it comes to the education of
deaf children?
5. What did Chris Hahn mean when he said “the cure for deafness is our deaf
children”?