Deaf not Broken
Loving your children and being willing to do anything for the can be as easy as learning to talk to them. If you literally don’t speak the same language we can help you bridge the gap.
Welcome to 'ASL Parenting'
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We believe in the limitless potential of deaf children. We are passionate advocates for the idea that American Sign Language (ASL) is a vital cornerstone in nurturing this potential.
Empowering Deaf Children and Their Parents
With 90-95% of deaf children born to hearing parents, it’s crucial for these parents to understand the profound impact that ASL can have on their child’s life. If you are hoping that hearing aids or cochlear implants will restore your child’s hearing and negate their deafness, there is a small chance, but in almost all situations of severe hearing loss, these tools are ineffective. Currently, 40% of deaf children receive cochlear implants as babies, but 47% of those abandon them later. ASL offers a reliable alternative and complements other communication methods. Whatever hopes you have for your child’s success now and into the future, it is possible, but your baby will need you, and they will need you to ‘speak’ their language.
Education
The Power of ASL
As parents ourselves we understand that you would never knowingly neglect your child, but we also know that nationally only 22% of hearing parents will try to learn ASL. We aim to raise this number because ASL is not just a language; it’s the basis for everything that deaf children will learn in the future.
School Options
Sending your deaf children to the neighborhood schools with their siblings, friends and neighbors is a good way to foster their connection with the local community. These days75% of deaf kids are in mainstream schools instead of Residential Schools for the Deaf, of those 55% are using ASL interpreters in their local K-12 school.
Education Plan
ASL empowers them academically and socially, creating an inclusive environment. The more access they have to their native language, the better off they will be. Think of how we all studied English every semester of every year of our entire education. Many deaf children will NEVER have a sign language class, they will have to pick up what they can on the fly, unless you advocate for them in their Individual Education Plan with their schools.
Exploring your child's world will be an amazing adventure!
We're here to help you share it with them
Start Learning NowWe understand that this can be overwhelming, giving birth to a child that uses a foreign language, but you are not alone. 3.6% of the U.S. is Deaf (11,948,400 people) and every one of them has parents, siblings and extended families that are going through this with you. Your best chance at helping them find their way to success and independence as functional and happy members of society is to embrace their deafness and learn how to communicate with them and fight for them in their early years.
The Stakes are High
Deaf children face unique challenges, with consequences that extend into adulthood.
There is a hope that your child will be able to learn to read lips, speak and read English proficiently, but without ASL as their foundation language there is little chance of success. As the statistics are now, with almost no families learning ASL and communicating at home and no ASL classes at school there is no foundation to build 2nd language skills off of. Consequently, deaf students are 2 to 3 times less likely to finish high school.
Of those who do seek employment, only 1/2 will choose to be actively employed.
We believe that active parent involvement with ASL can break this cycle.
90-95% of deaf children are born to hearing parents (Roughly 11,350,980 children)
11,350,980
deaf kids in hearing families
80% of parents of deaf children won’t learn to sign, leaving the child under-developed (Roughly 19,117,440 adults)
19,117,440
Parents that don't sign
Only 22% of hearing parents will learn ASL. Extended family is even lower.
2,779,360
Parents who Sign at Home
55% of deaf kids use ASL in K-12 schools with Sign Language interpreters (6,571,620 students).
6,571,620
Use ASL in school
Our Mission
At “ASL Parenting”, we strive to foster awareness and understanding. We are committed to empowering deaf children through ASL and fostering a sense of belonging, identity, and achievement. Our goal is to help parents become active partners in their child’s growth and development.
Get Involved
Join our cause, explore our resources, and be part of a community that values the potential of deaf children. Let’s change these statistics and create a world where deaf children are given every opportunity to thrive.
Together, we can ensure that every deaf child reaches their full potential through the beauty and power of American Sign Language. Join us at ASL Parenting and make a difference today