--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I learned to sign and speak at the…" description: "\"When I learned to sign and speak at the same time, the whole world opened up to me. That's the beauty of encouraging kids who are deaf to use whatever ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/718/marlee-matlin-7644_beauty_when-i-learned-to-sign-and-speak-at-the_2393822.jpg" --- # When I learned to sign and speak at the same time, the… ![“When I learned to sign and speak at the same time, the whole world opened up to me. That's the beauty of encouraging kids who are deaf to use whatever it takes to communicate.” quote by Marlee Matlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/718/marlee-matlin-7644_beauty_when-i-learned-to-sign-and-speak-at-the_2393822.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/718/marlee-matlin-7644_beauty_when-i-learned-to-sign-and-speak-at-the_2393822.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/718/marlee-matlin-7644_beauty_when-i-learned-to-sign-and-speak-at-the_2393822.jpg) > “When I learned to sign and speak at the same time, the whole world opened up to me. That's the beauty of encouraging kids who are deaf to use whatever it takes to communicate.” [Marlee Matlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlee-matlin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Learning sign and speech together expands personal horizons and highlights the value of diverse communication methods for deaf children. **In simple terms:** Using multiple ways to communicate opens opportunities. Key Takeaway Embrace all communication tools. Themes inclusion disability rights education Mood inspired hopeful Type advocacy educational When to use this quote - classroom teaching - family support groups - public awareness campaigns Key Concepts communication diversity empowerment social integration Questions to Reflect On - How can we ensure each child’s preferred method is respected? - What barriers still limit communication access? A Different Perspective May overlook individual preferences for certain methods. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beauty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beauty/) [Communicate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communicate/) [Deaf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deaf/) [Deaf Use](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deaf-use-5971077/) [Deafness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deafness/) [Encouraging](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/encouraging/) [Kids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kids/) [Kids Deaf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kids-deaf-5971075/) [Learned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learned/) [Me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/me/) [Opened](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opened/) [Same](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/same/) [Sign](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sign/) [Sign Speak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sign-speak-5971076/) [Speak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speak/) [Takes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/takes/) [Takes Communicate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/takes-communicate-1550851/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/up/) [Use](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/use/) [Whatever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whatever/) [Whatever it takes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whatever-it-takes/) [Who](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/who/) [Whole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whole/) [Whole world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whole-world/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [World Opened](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-opened-1304993/) ## Related quotes > [...it takes TWO to communicate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/it-takes-two-to-communicate/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [I don't want to be the passively alert vegetable in the corner that takes in everything but can't communicate, which I think would suck…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-judt/i-don-t-want-to-be-the-passively-alert-vegetable-in-the-corner-that/) [Tony Judt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-judt/) > [I like to say that the greatest handicap of deafness does not lie in the ear, it lies in the mind. I hope that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlee-matlin/i-like-to-say-that-the-greatest-handicap-of-deafness-does-not-lie-in/) [Marlee Matlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlee-matlin/) > [All I can say is I've been reading the lips of bleeped-out words, angry baseball players, and stoned-out rock stars on awards shows for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlee-matlin/all-i-can-say-is-i-ve-been-reading-the-lips-of-bleeped-out-words/) [Marlee Matlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlee-matlin/) > [I'm not really deaf; I just faked it to win the Oscar KIDDING.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlee-matlin/i-m-not-really-deaf-i-just-faked-it-to-win-the-oscar-kidding/) [Marlee Matlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlee-matlin/) > [I began acting on stage when I was 7 years old. 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I can drive, I have a life with four kids, I work on TV, I do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlee-matlin/the-only-thing-i-can-t-do-is-hear-i-can-drive-i-have-a-life-with-four/) [Marlee Matlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlee-matlin/) > [I hope I inspire people who hear. Hearing people have the ability to remove barriers that prevent deaf people from achieving their dreams.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlee-matlin/i-hope-i-inspire-people-who-hear-hearing-people-have-the-ability-to/) [Marlee Matlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlee-matlin/) > [There are many deaf people who couldn't imagine living in a marriage without someone who doesn't speak their language. For me, I believe that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlee-matlin/there-are-many-deaf-people-who-couldn-t-imagine-living-in-a-marriage/) [Marlee Matlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlee-matlin/) > [Im in my mid-30s, Ive won an Oscar, I have four children. You figure out if my deafness has adversely affected my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlee-matlin/im-in-my-mid-30s-ive-won-an-oscar-i-have-four-children-you-figure-out/) [Marlee Matlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlee-matlin/) ## More by Marlee Matlin > [Looking back now, thinking about that moment in the lights, with my heart pounding, Oscar in my hand, all I can say is I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlee-matlin/looking-back-now-thinking-about-that-moment-in-the-lights-with-my/) [Marlee Matlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlee-matlin/) > [I'm tired of seeing listings of programs I want to watch that aren't closed captioned. And I'm tired of looking for the symbol on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlee-matlin/i-m-tired-of-seeing-listings-of-programs-i-want-to-watch-that-aren-t/) [Marlee Matlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlee-matlin/) > [We had a dog, Apples. 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For me, I believe that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlee-matlin/there-are-many-deaf-people-who-couldn-t-imagine-living-in-a-marriage/) [Marlee Matlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlee-matlin/) > [Watch me when people say deaf and dumb, or deaf mute, and I give them a look like you might get if you called…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlee-matlin/watch-me-when-people-say-deaf-and-dumb-or-deaf-mute-and-i-give-them-a/) [Marlee Matlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlee-matlin/) > [YouTube is akin to having my own network.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlee-matlin/youtube-is-akin-to-having-my-own-network/) [Marlee Matlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlee-matlin/) > [I hope I inspire people who hear. Hearing people have the ability to remove barriers that prevent deaf people from achieving their dreams.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlee-matlin/i-hope-i-inspire-people-who-hear-hearing-people-have-the-ability-to/) [Marlee Matlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlee-matlin/) > [I learned to speak first, and then to sign. I have never really known what it was like to hear, so I cant compare…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlee-matlin/i-learned-to-speak-first-and-then-to-sign-i-have-never-really-known/) [Marlee Matlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlee-matlin/) > [It was ability that mattered, not disability, which is a word I'm not crazy about using.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlee-matlin/it-was-ability-that-mattered-not-disability-which-is-a-word-i-m-not/) [Marlee Matlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlee-matlin/) > [“Social justice is for everyone, including people with disabilities.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlee-matlin/social-justice-is-for-everyone-including-people-with-disabilities/) [Marlee Matlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlee-matlin/) > [The only thing I can't do is hear. I can drive, I have a life with four kids, I work on TV, I do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlee-matlin/the-only-thing-i-can-t-do-is-hear-i-can-drive-i-have-a-life-with-four/) [Marlee Matlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlee-matlin/) [Explore all 89 Marlee Matlin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlee-matlin/) ## More Beauty quotes > [We do not want nowadays temples of worship and outward rites and ceremonies. What we really want is an Asram. We want a place…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabindranath-tagore/we-do-not-want-nowadays-temples-of-worship-and-outward-rites-and/) [Rabindranath Tagore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabindranath-tagore/) > [How could anybody confuse truth with beauty, I thought as I looked at him. Truth came with sunken eyes, bony or scarred, decayed. 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