A Final Frontier Can Deafhood Pedagogies
Revolutionise Deaf Education ?
Dr. Paddy Ladd.
CSD, Fremont
October 2013
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2. Structure of Presentation
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Background to New Book.
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Background to Research Project.
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Initial Findings.
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Brief Comparisons with Indigenous Peoples’ Pedagogies.
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Pro-tem Conclusions and Implications.
© 2013 Dr. Paddy
Ladd
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3. Underlying Principles

The book examines some of the ways that Sign
Language Peoples (SLPs) make a contribution to
human knowledge.

Without consideration of these (and other minority)
contributions, the academic world doesn’t have a full
understanding of what it means to be human. (Parallels
with Baumann and Murray – ‘Deaf Gain’ concept).

Hence the book title : ‘Seeing Through New Eyes –
Deaf Pedagogies and the Unrecognised Curriculum’.
© 2013 Dr. Paddy
Ladd
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4. Overall Perspectives

250 years of Deaf education, many philosophies and methodologies tried.
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But one remains unexplored – Deaf educators’ own pedagogies !
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A number of articles exist, mainly in USA/UK, but no full-length study it seems.
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This itself is an indication of how Deaf education has been colonised.
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Deaf educators can only gain qualifications by following non-Deaf pedagogical criteria.
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Yet Deaf children’s poor results suggest that the concept of ‘qualified teacher of the Deaf’ is
still problematic.
Attention is deflected by blaming deafness itself / parents / children / sign languages.
Our research findings suggest that training curricula need to be ‘stood on its head’ – that the
praxis of Deaf educators should form the basis for hearing educators’ qualifications.
© 2013 Dr. Paddy
Ladd
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5. Existing Studies (i)
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Time does not permit a full listing or description of these, but notable
examples include :
UK - NUD 1987, Silo 1996, Webster and Heineman-Gosschalk 2000,
Santini 2001, Smith and Sutton-Spence 2005, Collins 2007.
USA – Mather 1987 (and more), Bahan 1989, Schleper 1997, Erting 2001,
Morgan 2004. Peterson and Kennedy 2004.
New Zealand – McKee 2005.
Brazil – Goncalves 2010.

Please feel free to draw my attention to other examples !
© 2013 Dr. Paddy
Ladd
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6. Existing Studies (ii)
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The information contained in these studies is of
immense value.
Most focus on one aspect of Deaf pedagogies.
However, there are few signs that ‘the system’ has
taken the information on board.
Thus there is an urgent need to bring these together,
examine their relationship to each other, and attempt
to synthesise and summarise the findings.
My own research was conducted without reference to
these, so that it would not be influenced by them.
© 2013 Dr. Paddy
Ladd
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Background to STNE
Research Project

Broad perspective - examine how SLPs teach and transmit their cultural
heritage to the next generations of Deaf people, maximise their potential in
preparing them for living in both Deaf and hearing worlds.

In summary- study identifies and presents a formal frameworking for Deaf
and Deafhood pedagogies as used with Deaf children.

Research took place between 2003 and 2005 in the UK and the USA.

Co-researcher Donna West as a hearing teacher was crucial for the project
– knowledge of hearing education standards and practices, commitment to
Deaf children (West 2012), able to see much that I would have missed.

Findings are (slowly, alas !) being written up for the 300+ page book.
© 2013 Dr. Paddy
Ladd
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8. Deaf Culture and Deaf Education
(i)
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The research identified 6 developmental stages in Deaf
educators praxis with Deaf children. Plus a concept that
seemed to underpin them all – cultural holism.
Simply put, this is cyclical – the Deaf cultural heritage from
older Deaf generations for us to accept responsibility to ensure
a better life for the community - and then encourage Deaf
children to carry that forward to next generations.
This includes encouraging positive interaction with the
‘hearing world’ and dealing with its own demands, aiming for
maximal citizenship in both societies.
© 2013 Dr. Paddy
Ladd
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9. Deaf Cultures and Deaf Education
(ii)

A simple basis for comparison - Hearing teachers of hearing children are very familiar with
their own language and culture (though there can be big gaps / biases in what they know
regarding class, gender, and other ethnicities).

This cultural knowledge is the bedrock for their own pedagogies. To some extent, they are
practising a (limited) version of cultural holism.

But when they come to educate Deaf children, they are often unable to use those pedagogical
skills - because they are dealing with a different language and culture.

They have not yet been trained properly, partly because nobody has yet researched Deaf
culture well enough to collect the information and spell it out to them.
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Deaf [not ‘deaf’] educators have much information – but it has not yet been
understood/respected. The work they undertake and achieve is so immense that it amounts to
an Unrecognised Curriculum. However, much of what we identified has not really been
consciously recognised by Deaf educators themselves yet.
Important to recognise that some hearing teachers do utilise some of these strategies.
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© 2013 Dr. Paddy
The 6 ‘Stages’ of
Deaf Pedagogies
(Because of time constraints, this is just the briefest of introductions
to an immense collection of data.)
A characteristic of cultural holism is that each of these ‘stages’ overlap.
1.
Developing the ‘cognitive engine’.
2.
Teaching an appreciation of modalities.
3.
Creating a safe cultural environment.
4.
Accelerating language development.
5.
Identifying Deaf peoples’ ‘place’ in the world.
6.
Teaching how to live in both Deaf and hearing ‘worlds’.
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© 2013 Dr. Paddy Ladd
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Developing The
‘Cognitive Engine’ - ages 0 – 5
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Basic concept – to generate cognitive development : -
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Crucial importance = attention-getting strategies.
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‘Pulling the light cord’.
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Identifying ‘gaps’ in knowledge.
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Explaining basic concepts – names, relationships.
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Supplying information.
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Emphasising cause and effect.
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Promoting / modelling thinking skills.
© 2013 Dr. Paddy Ladd
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12. Teaching an Appreciation of
Modalities – ages 0 -5
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Appreciation of visuality – face, gesture etc as
larger frame within which sign language
occurs.
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Appreciation of tactility/physicality.
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Appreciation of spatiality
© 2013 Dr. Paddy Ladd
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13.
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Creating a Safe Deaf Cultural
Environment - all ages
Although this applies to all ages, it is especially important in the early
years.
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Emphasising classroom etc as ‘Deaf space’.
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‘Warm up/warm down’ strategies.
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Safety in freedom of expression.
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Engagement and connection with each child as an individual – includes
language register adjustment and psychological adjustment.
Eye contact and the ‘wide-angle lens’.
© 2013 Dr. Paddy Ladd
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14. Accelerating Language
Development - ages 7- 11
Although this happens throughout the children’s education, it seems there is
acceleration at this stage.
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Process is ‘natural’, visual (‘like fish in water’).
Crucial multi-level role of stories and ‘micro-stories’ (for information /
creating empathy / etc.)
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Importance of performance via demonstration.
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Principle of ‘BSL first, English later’.
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Teaching appreciation of basic sign linguistics.
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Creative sign and play with language.
© 2013 Dr. Paddy Ladd
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15. Identifying “Deaf Peoples’ Place
in The Worlds” - ages 5 - 11
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Establishing existence of Deaf identity.
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Situating that vis a vis concept of ‘Hearing’.
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Explaining existence of ‘two worlds’.
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Initial explanations of Deaf community, Deaf as ‘family’.
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Utilising Deaf community members from outside the school, plus out of
school activities.
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First stages of ‘Deaf Studies’.
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First stages of ‘Deaf Culture’ awareness.
© 2013 Dr. Paddy Ladd
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16. Teaching how to live in ‘Deaf’
and ‘Hearing Worlds - ages 7 – 18
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Morality/spirituality issues.
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Discipline and Encouragement.
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Wisdom and freedom of thinking (‘Deaf-smart’)
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Survival strategies – ‘think for yourselves’.
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Rights of Deaf children
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Counselling and problem-solving.
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‘Information’ as a key concept.
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Micro-Storytelling as ongoing strategy.
© 2013 Dr. Paddy Ladd
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17. More examples of Cultural Holism
(i)
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37 values, skills and strategies identified. Some
examples include :
High expectations of Deaf children. Hard work
required !
Encouraging observation and introspection.
Encouraging support of each other (‘teach-eachother’)
Deaf bluntness – accepted by children because they
know they are loved.
Use of ‘Relevance’ - meaningful experiences used
for learning.
© 2013 Dr. Paddy Ladd
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18. More Examples of Cultural Holism
(ii)
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Flexibility / improvisation skills of Deaf
educators.
Repetition and reinforcement of learning.
Use of drama / performance skills.
Different timing and pace from hearing
teachers – sometimes information requires
extra time, sometimes very rapid indeed.
Ability to rapidly adjust to each child’s needs
whilst keeping class engaged.
© 2013 Dr. Paddy Ladd
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19. The Greatest Challenges

Identifying a frameworking structure which can best
organise these 6 stages and 37 values / skills /
strategies !
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Which ones are primary – ‘chicken and egg’.
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Best categories and classifications.
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Thus the book can only be a first step towards
identifying the framework.
© 2013 Dr. Paddy Ladd
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20. Additional Features of the Book
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Identifying obstacles which stand in the way of recognition of
Deaf/Deafhood Pedagogies.
Presenting an initial history of Deaf educators – focus is
mostly on France, UK and USA.
Synthesising previous research with these findings.
Attempting to identify differences between ‘Deaf Pedagogies’
and ‘Deafhood Pedagogies’.
Identifying parallels with other minority pedagogies.
© 2013 Dr. Paddy Ladd
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21. Parallels With Other Minority
Pedagogies
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Main examples examined in book – AfricanAmerican/Caribbean, Indigenous People (eg. Maori
and Native-North American.)

There is much we can learn from how minorities
approach education, but I focus here on the ‘political’
dimension in order to show how far Deaf education is
from ‘big-picture’ thinking.

To save time here, I will use 6 slides from the superb
work of Dr. Marie Battiste of Canada.
© 2013 Dr. Paddy Ladd
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Perspectives and Pedagogies for
Aboriginal Education
Dr. Marie Battiste
© 2013 Dr. Marie
Battiste
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23. Cognitive Imperialism
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Built on imperialist knowledge and
damaging assumptions
Reflected in privileging of colonial
languages, discourses, knowledge, practices,
Euro-Anglo cultural origins, protocols
Creates ‘othering’ and ‘different’
Inflicts soul wound on Indigenous peoples
and on the land
© 2013 Dr. Marie
Battiste
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24. Decolonizing Awareness
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Every teacher/researcher/student has been a
victim and beneficiary of the same
educational system.
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Few persons are privileged with the
knowledge of how to achieve a
decolonized education.
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We all must become critical learners and
healers within a wounded space.
© 2013 Dr. Marie
Battiste
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25. Decolonization: Two-Prong
Project
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Deconstruction:
Exposing political, moral and theoretical
inadequacies of colonialism and culturalism in
education.
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Reconstruction:
Transforming education and unleashing
the potential of students in global diverse
knowledge societies
© 2013 Dr. Marie
Battiste
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Deconstruction
 Develop awareness and critique of Eurocentric,
colonial bias and its racialized negative discourses
and values and its effects on everyone
 Examine laws, policies, history and differential
treatment and resources of Aboriginal peoples
 Address intergenerational trauma, cognitive
assimilation, loss of languages, past and present
negativities and traumas, including lateral violence,
internalized racism
© 2013 Dr. Marie
Battiste
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27. Reconstruction
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Help students to see value and benefits from
Indigenous knowledges in their lives and
education: science, humanities, and visual
arts, etc.
Aim for theory and practice to heal present
and past traumas
Provide ways to reconstruct, reclaim, restore,
renew Indigenous presence, identities,
knowledges, and self-determination.
© 2013 Dr. Marie
Battiste
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28. Comments on Battiste etc
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Those of you who have studied my work will recognise parallels, including the
concept of ‘Deaf Reconstruction’.
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Parallels between SLP and Indigenous Peoples have also been explored by
Batterbury, Ladd and Gulliver (2007), and Ladd and Goncalves (forthcoming).
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The work of Maori researchers (eg. Smith 1990, Pohatu 2005) is even more
powerful - it reaches beyond education. Time does not permit discussion of this.
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These texts show us how limited Deaf education discourse is, how far it is from the
real ‘big picture’. This is because Deaf education is still a highly colonized field.
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But it is up to us to meet these challenges head-on, and to do so quickly, before
eugenics destroys our peoples !
© 2013 Dr. Paddy
Ladd
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29.
Research and Deaf Education.
“ Today native nations properly insist on their right to
determine who conducts research among them, and to
what end – a principle that is fully acknowledged and
embraced by working anthropologists.”
Brown (2003) p.xi.
How far is Deaf Education from such a perspective
being recognised and acted upon ??
© 2013 Dr. Paddy
Ladd
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30. Some Warnings and Further
Food for Thought

Vital not to romanticise Deaf teachers – not equally motivated, skilled.

Some Deaf teachers will be less aware of importance of class, ethnicity etc issues. Also may
complacently rest on traditional ideas of Deaf culture, D/d assertions etc unless Deafhood dimensions
are taught and studied.
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Recognise that ex-mainstreamed Deaf teachers have limited understanding of Deaf cultures.
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Minimal research exists about how best to teach English – Deaf pedagogies need time to develop these.
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Relationships with hearing teachers and educational systems require attention, plus Deafhood
awareness training for both Deaf and hearing.
Such training underlies development of “Deafhood Pedagogies”.
Further research on Deaf pedagogical equivalents for college teachers/youth workers/counselling and
mental health/SL teaching etc is necessary and would be very enlightening.
© 2013 Dr. Paddy
Ladd
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31.
‘Global Deafhood’
and Deafhood Pedagogies
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Perhaps the most exciting aspects of the research are :
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The findings are remarkably similar to those found in the existing
research - very little conflicting data.
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Potentially the most exciting finding – that Deaf educators in different
countries use similar strategies without having any contact with each
other !
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Although we must be very careful about generalising, there does seem to
exist some degree of ‘global Deafhood’.

What might be the significance of this, not only for Deaf Studies, but for
the world – and thus for eugenics ??
© 2013 Dr. Paddy
Ladd
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Seeing Through New Eyes –
Deaf Pedagogies and the Unrecognised
Curriculum
Paddy Ladd
© 2013 Dr. Paddy
Ladd
(Forthcoming,
god willing !)
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32.
Thank you for watching !
Email feedback,
enquiries to
pad.ladd@bristol.ac.uk
© 2013 Dr. Paddy
Ladd
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