By the age of two, hearing children perceived their…
““By the age of two, hearing children perceived their parents’ deafness well enough to know automatically that they must use gestures with their parents and other deaf people. If the children talked at all, their voices had an unusual quality and they exaggerated their mouth movements. These same children immediately shifted gears, speaking in “normal” voices, with hearing people.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Children of deaf parents instinctively learn visual communication, then adjust to spoken language when interacting with hearing people
In simple terms: Deaf children use gestures, then shift to spoken speech with hearing adults
Key Takeaway
Recognize and support multimodal communication in early development
Themes
communication
development
inclusion
Mood
empathetic
thoughtful
Type
educational
inspirational
When to use this quote
- early childhood education
- family counseling
- speech therapy
- interpreter training
Key Concepts
language acquisition
neuroplasticity
social integration
Questions to Reflect On
- How does early visual communication affect later speech?
- What supports smooth transitions between modalities?
A Different Perspective
Children may experience identity conflict between deaf and hearing cultures