--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The oralists believe in speaking and…" description: "\"“The oralists believe in speaking and lipreading without ever signing; and the manualists are pro-signing in American Sign Language (ASL).”\" — Lou Ann ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa8/lou-ann-walker-11436_sign-language_the-oralists-believe-in-speaking-and-lip_2035333.jpg" --- # The oralists believe in speaking and lipreading without… ![“The oralists believe in speaking and lipreading without ever signing; and the manualists are pro-signing in American Sign Language (ASL).” quote by Lou Ann Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa8/lou-ann-walker-11436_sign-language_the-oralists-believe-in-speaking-and-lip_2035333.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa8/lou-ann-walker-11436_sign-language_the-oralists-believe-in-speaking-and-lip_2035333.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa8/lou-ann-walker-11436_sign-language_the-oralists-believe-in-speaking-and-lip_2035333.jpg) > ““The oralists believe in speaking and lipreading without ever signing; and the manualists are pro-signing in American Sign Language (ASL).”” [Lou Ann Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-ann-walker/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote contrasts two approaches to communication within the Deaf community: oralists who avoid signing and manualists who embrace ASL. **In simple terms:** Two groups differ on using speech versus sign language. Key Takeaway Understand diverse communication preferences. Themes communication deaf culture language identity Mood thoughtful neutral Type informative analytical When to use this quote - educational settings - family interactions - public services - media representation Key Concepts speech sign language inclusion Questions to Reflect On - What communication method works best for you? - How can both approaches coexist peacefully? A Different Perspective Debates may overlook individual needs and hybrid methods. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [American Sign Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-sign-language/) [Lipreading](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lipreading-3191293/) [Lipreading Signing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lipreading-signing-3759265/) [Oralists Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oralists-believe-3759263/) [Sign language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sign-language/) [Signing Manualists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/signing-manualists-3759264/) ## Related quotes > [“Like virtually all schools for the deaf at that time, the Indiana State School emphasized oral skills: speaking and lipreading.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-ann-walker/like-virtually-all-schools-for-the-deaf-at-that-time-the-indiana/) [Lou Ann Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-ann-walker/) > [American Sign Language is my native tongue. That's the first thing that I learned to communicate with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-raci/american-sign-language-is-my-native-tongue-that-s-the-first-thing/) [Paul Raci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-raci/) > [The seed for my novel 'Half Brother' was planted in my mind over twenty years ago, but didn't germinate until late 2007 when I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-oppel/the-seed-for-my-novel-half-brother-was-planted-in-my-mind-over-twenty/) [Kenneth Oppel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-oppel/) > [“Perhaps best known is the case of Koko, the gorilla to whom the Gorilla Foundation taught American Sign Language. Koko learned more than a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-robinson/perhaps-best-known-is-the-case-of-koko-the-gorilla-to-whom-the/) [Ken Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-robinson/) > [“And what do you know, John's hands flew through the positions of ASL in various l-got-this combinations. "Is he deaf" the guy behind the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-ward-2/and-what-do-you-know-john-s-hands-flew-through-the-positions-of-asl/) [J. R. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-ward-2/) > [“One study hints that it could, though more work needs to be done. Kids with normal hearing took an American Sign Language class for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-medina/one-study-hints-that-it-could-though-more-work-needs-to-be-done-kids/) [John Medina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-medina/) > [I can see that 'Switched at Birth' is attracting audiences because of the diversity and the American Sign Language as well. 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The writing is very innovative, and the show's producers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-shenton/switched-at-birth-has-an-amazing-cast-including-an-oscar-winner-and/) [Rachel Shenton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-shenton/) > [Chimpanzees are incredibly intelligent. They can learn more than 400 signs of American Sign Language. They have memories for spatial distribution, like numbers on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-goodall/chimpanzees-are-incredibly-intelligent-they-can-learn-more-than-400/) [Jane Goodall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-goodall/) > [“If you want to communicate with an ape, try communicating about these topics. Just remember to keep it simple. You may be surprised. Boyce…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-d-cummins/if-you-want-to-communicate-with-an-ape-try-communicating-about-these/) [Denise D.Cummins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-d-cummins/) ## More by Lou Ann Walker > [“From 1963 through 1965, a nationwide epidemic of rubella—German measles—caused thousands of women to deliver babies who were handicapped in some way:”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-ann-walker/from-1963-through-1965-a-nationwide-epidemic-of-rubella-german/) [Lou Ann Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-ann-walker/) > [“there are signs that are parodies of actual objects and that retain a cleverness even for deaf people. Indeed, these signs are to sight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-ann-walker/there-are-signs-that-are-parodies-of-actual-objects-and-that-retain-a/) [Lou Ann Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-ann-walker/) > [“I was the only student she’d taught who’d actually known any deaf people. Most of the students in my courses were there because they’d…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-ann-walker/i-was-the-only-student-she-d-taught-who-d-actually-known-any-deaf/) [Lou Ann Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-ann-walker/) > [“It was like the old joke: the operation was a success but the patient died. Theories and goals of education don’t matter a whit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-ann-walker/it-was-like-the-old-joke-the-operation-was-a-success-but-the-patient/) [Lou Ann Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-ann-walker/) > [“One story was about a deaf man who was driving in the country, when safety bars were lowered across the road at a railroad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-ann-walker/one-story-was-about-a-deaf-man-who-was-driving-in-the-country-when/) [Lou Ann Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-ann-walker/) > [“Mom turned to me, puzzled. 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