Friday, October 26, 2007

What about cognitive development for children with disabilities?

In class we talked about NSL, the Nicaraguan Sign Language or also called in Spanish, Idioma de Señas de Nicaragua (ISN). This new sign language is different and unique, which was created by young deaf children who grasped their own concepts from their community and translated into pidgin home like forms and gestures. Although NSL was created only for young children, there was some adult intervention in shaping young deaf children's basic word concepts and meanings. Now a more challenging task is to help and show concepts and word meanings to deaf-blind children. Here we can recreate a story of how a child might develop concepts. " The story goes like this: Four blind men touch an elephant. The one who touches the trunk says, “An elephant is like a thick wiggling vine.” The one who touches an ear says, “No, an elephant is like a big leathery fan.” The one who touches the body says, “No! An elephant is like a big brick wall!” And the one who touches the tail says, “How could you all be so wrong?! An elephant is like a hanging, swaying rope!”(Miles and McLetchie. 2004, p 1). These two author gives us an introduction of concept development and how important is to not only direct these kids with concepts, but to enter into a relationship with them and try to understand their concepts and their world. This is important because based on how we perceive concepts we perceive our world; therefore in creating a more useful and meaningful way to redirect these children to acquire concepts, the more useful skills they will get.
The authors also make a remark on how important positive relationships are for heightening a child self-concepts and social concepts. For a child who has these disabilities takes longer time to get concepts right about their own environment. Then it is important to be aware about our own unconscious reactions and criticism and or negative remarks. Some of the techniques they suggest are to show tactual close up of things and describe them accurately, demonstrate actions before asking the child to do, document children concepts, how they understand this concepts and how the way they express themselves, so it could be useful to other kids.

As adults we transmit the knowledge of language, concepts and communications and these kids needs even more guidance and patience in assessing them with any need they want. There are places where they attend, but every single person they get in touch with are person who would lead them to get more sense about themselves and their own word. Be mindful and thoughtful in what we consciously or unconsciously redirect children in gaining language, self concept and meaning in their world.

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