Do some preliminary research on what interests you about the target culture and describe how this topic relates to language. Do you need any special vocabulary or linguistic knowledge to engage this topic? If so, have you included objectives in your learning plan to engage this topic?
I am interested in the current challenges faced by the Deaf community, primarily when it comes to cochlear implants and the conversations surrounding the ethics of it. 9 out of 10 Deaf infants are born to hearing parents. When that happens, most hearing parents are unprepared. They do not have the resources and flexibility to start taking ASL or to intermingle with the Deaf community. These challenges for the hearing parents, combined with increasing technological advancements, have led to a rise in the trend of getting cochlear implants. This topic is related to ASL because the argument of Deaf communities is that getting cochlear implants greatly reduces the probability of a Deaf child learning ASL or associating with the Deaf community. This means there is a massive loss of ASL speakers in the newer generations. Moreover, for the few kids that do take up both English and ASL, it creates a group of hybrid individuals that neither fit in with the hearing community nor within the Deaf community. This leads to the erosion of the Deaf identity. Given these potential consequences, Deaf communities argue that hearing parents should not be allowed to decide on cochlear implants for their kids. They believe that the kids should be allowed to grow up to an age where they can make that decision themselves. Currently, kids as old as 10-12, months can undergo cochlear implant surgery with the parents’ consent. Given the sensitive and incredibly personal nature of this issue, I will need more insights into the attitudes and values of the Deaf community to further engage this topic. I will also need to expand my understanding of audism and oralism. Audism is referred to the attitude of superiority based on one’s ability to hear. Oralism is referred to the push to teach Deaf students to speak- arising from attitude of superiority based on one’s ability to speak/use their mouth. The issues of audism and oralism are frequently raised by Deaf communities when it comes to cochlear implants. So, understanding the history and background on these issues will allow me to understand the perspective of Deaf communities better. In conclusion, I will probably not need any special vocabulary or linguistic knowledge to engage with the issue of cochlear implants. I will just need to proceed with caution and sensitivity given the fact that these are not my lived experiences. As a hearing person, I might try to empathize, but I will never truly understand the extent of challenges that Deaf people face. This mindset will be critical for my research endeavor.
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