Oxford Handbook of Deaf Studies, Language, and Education [0195149971]

Oxford Handbook of Deaf Studies, Language, and Education [0195149971]



Oxford Handbook of Deaf Studies, Language, and Education (Psychology) Hardcover – March 27, 2003
by Marc Marschark (Editor), Patricia Elizabeth Spencer (Editor)

In Plato's cratylus, which dates to 360 B.C., Socrates alludes to the use of signs by deaf people. In his Natural History, completed in 79 A.D., Pliny the Elder alludes to Quintus Pedius, the deaf son of a Roman consul, who had to seek permission from Caesar Augustus to pursue his training as an artist. During the Renaissance, scores of deaf people achieved fame throughout Europe, and by the middle of the 17th century the talents and communication systems of deaf people were being studied by a variety of noted scientists and philosophers. However, the role of deaf people in society has always been hotly debated: could they be educated? Should they be educated? If so, how? How does Deaf culture exist within larger communities? What do advances in the technology and the genetics of hearing loss portend for Deaf communities?
In this landmark volume, a wide range of international experts present a comprehensive and accessible overview of the diverse field of deaf studies, language, and education. Pairing practical information with detailed analyses of what works, why, and for whom, and banishing the paternalism once intrinsic to the field, the handbook consists of specially commissioned essays on topics such as language and language development, hearing and speech perception, education, literacy, cognition, and the complex cultural, social, and psychological issues associated with individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing. Through careful planning, collaboration, and editing, the various topics are interwoven in a manner that allows the reader to understand the current status of research in the field and recognize the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead, providing the most comprehensive reference resource on deaf issues.

Written to be accessible to students and practitioners as well as researchers, The Oxford Handbook of Deaf Studies, Language, and Education is a uniquely ambitious work that will alter both theoretical and applied landscapes. It surveys a field that has grown dramatically over the past 40 years, since sign languages were first recognized by scientists to be true languages. From work on the linguistics of sign language and parent-child interactions to analyses of school placement and the mapping of brain function in deaf individuals, research across a wide range of disciplines has greatly expanded not just our knowledge of deafness and the deaf, but of the very origins of language, social interaction, and thinking. Bringing together historical information, research, and strategies for teaching and service provision, Marc Marschark and Patricia Elizabeth Spencer have given us what is certain to become the benchmark reference in the field.

Editorial Reviews
Review

"This handbook is a 'must have' resource for researchers, educators, linguists, clinicians--indeed, for anyone involved in studying or affecting the lives of deaf children and adults. The range of topics is outstanding, the chapters cover both historical and contemporary work, and the writing is lucid. It will soon be difficult to imagine how the field ever managed without it!" --Lynn S. Liben, Distinguished Professor of Psychology, The Pennsylvania State University

"A visit to bookshelves in search of material relating to deaf studies can often be disappointingMarschark and Spencer have now delivered a long overdue and much-needed comprehensive review of the current state of deaf studiesThis work may well stand for years as essential reading in the study of deaf education."--CHOICE, J.A. LeClair

"The Oxford Handbook of Deaf Studies, Language and Education is a resource that recognizes the physical condition of deafness and the social, cultural and linguistic reality of Deaf life. The diverse group of contributors represents the cross-discipline perspectives and interconnected issues that inform and shape deaf studies today. This handbook will serve as a source of information for those in the field, students and families. I applaud the editors for compiling such a comprehensive and timely tool."--I. King Jordan, President, Gallaudet University

About the Author
Marc Marschark, Professor at the National Technical Institute of the Deaf at Rochester Institute of Technology; and Honorary Professor of Psychology, University of Aberdeen. Patricia Elizabeth Spencer, Research Professor in the Department of Social Work, Gallaudet University.

Product Details

Series: Psychology
Hardcover: 528 pages
Publisher: Oxford University Press; 1 edition (March 27, 2003)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0195149971
ISBN-13: 978-0195149975