-I just finished sending several emails to people who are involved in deafness, sign language, and/or deaf education in China. I'll let everyone in blogland know the results of this effort as soon as I hear back.
-I have a large stack of books that I have gathered from various libraries about sign language. I just finished the first one, a book about the development of a deaf community and sign language in Nicaragua. Judy Kegl, a researcher involved in Nicaraguan Sign Language has made the assertion that NSL developed in a school for the deaf from nothing within a very short period of time. Laura Polich, the author of the book I just finished reading, challenges that view. She claims that the emergence of NSL was in fact a very long process, starting in the 1940's when the first school for the deaf was established in Nicaragua. Polich claims that a system of gestures and home signs developed at that school and was passed down to the present. She also claims that the influence of outside sign languages (ASL, Swedish Sign Language) may have played a role in the development of NSL. Why exactly NSL developed from a system of gestures to a full blown sign language in such a rapid period of time (late 1980's to early 1990's) and not before, she cannot answer.
-I finally received my copy of the book "Deaf Children in China." I'll be reading it soon.
-Several professors who are involved in my study abroad program came to my home university to meet with my class. I was unable to make the meeting, so I sent an email detailing what I will be researching. The purpose of the meeting was to allow us (the students going to China) to discuss our research topics. Upon return to China, the professors will take the information and help us find advisors and research contacts. I have pasted the email below:
"I tried to trade Thursday for Friday, but no can do. Let me know if we will have class on Friday.
Here's a short summary of what I would like to do as a research project.
Communities of deaf and hard of hearing people are found in many parts of the world. In the United States, there is a large deaf/hard of hearing community that uses American Sign Language as their primary mode of communication. Members of this community often see themselves as part of a Deaf Culture; having their own language, stories, and traditions. While studying in Chengdu, I would like to conduct a research project focusing on the prevailing view of deafness in China, and how this is reflected in deaf education. With this as my research topic, I will be looking into deaf identity (how deaf children and adults view themselves and their place within society), language and culture.
I have already contacted a consultant with the Hilton/Perkins Program, an organization that establishes and runs schools for the blind. Their website lists the Chengdu School for the Deaf and Blind as one of their model school programs. I was given the email address of a preschool teacher who teaches in the school for the blind (the school for the deaf and the school for the blind are on the same campus). I will be emailing her to find out who the best person to contact is at the school for the deaf.
I have also found a website for the Chengdu Children's Welfare Institution. It appears that the Institution's main focus is to work with mentally retarded children and orphans in need of special education. The website also has a gallery of photos, one showing a deaf child receiving speech training. I'm not sure how helpful this lead will be, but will be looking into it. On their website they list an address for the Institution in Chengdu. The website is here:
For some more background on this topic, I've provided a link to an article in the current issue of "American Annals of the Deaf." You will need to access this article from a UW linked computer, or sign in first.
Alison Callaway has written a book titled "Deaf Children in China."
There are several other people I have yet to contact, including Yang Jun Hui, a researcher involved in Chinese Sign Language. Her website is here:
I've attached the bulk of this email as a Word document. Let me know if I can provide anything else. I hope this gives the faculty from Sichuan some good background information."
I realize my research updates aren't very interesting. Sorry.
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