Please respect our culture!
See more: Teaching Hearing Subjects: 12 things you should know
What is ‘normal’ in Deaf culture, may not be normal in hearing culture. Or: in some hearing cultures. In some hearing cultures, for instance, it is not polite to make eye contact. In some cultures, men and women cannot touch each other. In some cultures, hearing people use a very ‘round about’ way to talk about certain things. In some cultures, it is impolite to say ‘no’.
As a teacher, you must be aware of these cultural differences. Not just the differences between Deaf culture and Hearing culture, also: the cultures of the different nationalities in your class.
What might work:
- Explain how something is done in Deaf communities, then ask how this is different from what the hearing students in your class are used to. Ask your students to demonstrate the differences; maybe ask them how Deaf people in their country do this.
- Show respect. You want hearing people to respect Deaf culture? Then please teach this, by being a good example yourself: show respect for the cultures of your hearing students.
