Show fl J L C r 1 11 By BERT BOYACK By BERT BOYACK Reid C. C Miller Assistant Professor Supervisor Curriculum Curriculum Cur Cur- and Certification r 11 Deaf Education at the University University University Uni Uni- of Utah Departments of Speech Pathology and AudiologY Audiology Audiology Audi- Audi and Sand Speech Education East 1350 North ful fut During the past year there has been considerable conY controversy controversy con con- Y in the state of Utah t as well wen as worldwide regarding regard regard- ing the method of oC educating deaf people PROFESSOR Reid C. C Miller Miller Miller Mil Mil- ler returned a little more than thana a week ago from Crom an extensive extensive extensive exten exten- sive Study Abroad tour of Europe which he conducted conducted conducted con con- ducted for Cor teachers principals principals principals pals superintendents speech pathologists and audiologists The tour was a comparative tive survey of the educational and other services provided for the deaf deaC in selected European European European Euro Euro- countries HIS GOAL as director of the tour was my intention to get an overview of oC the situation of oC method of approach approach approach ap ap- ap- ap in educating the deaf worldwide At the same time I participated in the International International International Congress of oC Deaf Education Education Education Edu Edu- cation in Stockholm He gleaned much first hand information which can be used as extra ammunition stored for the friendly conflict now in progress over which method is best for Cor deaf children Oral or Manual FOR THE past year there has been considerable rocking rocking rocking rock ing of the boat regarding the present system and methods methods methods meth meth- of teaching the deaf in f Utah Professor Miller explains One approach is the PURE ORAL where deaf deaC children are taught to speak and to read lips in order to communicate communicate communicate com com- in this hearing world The other opposing viewpoint is referred to as MANUAL or TOTAL COMMUNICATION COMMUNICATION COMMUNICATION COM COM- approach which utilizes the language of signs and finger spelling This Tills viewpoint vie says that the deaf are d different by their very t handicap and therefore why J J must they be forced to liV live nr- nr in the hearing World at best with difficulty when the they might feel more comfortable living in the world of their own deaf deaC community and the language of oC signs and J finger spelling THEY OFTEN fail Cail to comprehend comprehend com corn the end effect this I 7 has upon their offspring who are usually normal hearing e children Yet if the oral lane language language language lan lan- guage of the land is not masi mast mas- mas i t i how then can they f r achieve a decent standard of life if the language oral aswell as aswell aswell well as written are not mastered mastered mastered mas mas- Professor Miller emphasizes t i that it is difficult indeed r l' to master the written language without the oral counterpart the form of our very thinking think think- 1 J. J ing process j REID became interested in inthe inthe the education of deaf chilt children children chil chil- t dren quite by a accident c c ide n t through the due process of I involvement of teaching in inthe J I the elementary school f. f Y r ir ES S R lF J REID C. C MILLER After Alter twelve years of teaching teach ing he was convinced that thai most children who were underachievers un un- could be moti motivated motivated to excel if individual differences and emotional emotion al psychological blocks could be bei discovered diagnosed an and i overcome THROUGH his determination to help these children and involvement involvement involvement in in- on curriculum committees committees com corn in the Portland Ore City Schools he had the opportunity opportunity op opportunity op op- to experiment with several ideas for Cor unlocking young minds Some startling progress was experienced with several groups which resulted in an offer of a very generous grant for Cor me to study in the area of special education I became became became be be- came intrigued with the special special special cial learning problems peculiar peculiar peculiar to deaf and became determined determined determined de de- to work in that area since deafness has been described described described de de- de- de scribed by most informed persons persons persons per per- sons as being the greatest single handicap of all man man- kind It is the handicap of communication all other blindness physical impairment impairment impairment impair impair- ment etc are only hardships in comparison HE TOOK a leave of absence absence absence ab ab- sence from his school district district district dis dis- and with his family established es established established es- es himself in New York City to study for or his MA in Special Education for Cor the Deaf and to intern at the Lexington School for the deaf He received his degree from Columbia University and returned returned returned re re- turned to Portland where he taught the advanced department department department depart depart- ment at the Hosford School hool for the deaf THROUGH his activities at Hosford he became well acquainted acquainted ac ac- with several deaf children from Crom Utah who were attending Tucker-Maxon Tucker Oral School for Cor the deaf a private private private vate school of oC wide acclaim for Cor excellence in sp speech ch language language language lan lan- guage and academic achieve achieve- ment He found Cound that the parents parents' of the Utah children were sending their children to the private school rather than the public educational school in Utah because the school was teaching Total Approach and they felt Celt a need for Oral Approach and they were willing to pro provide ide the 1200 tuition plus board and room to get this method of oC education education education edu edu- cation for Cor their children THROUGH agitation of the |