CASLI Deaf Culture 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What does the term 'Deaf gain' refer to in Deaf culture?
- The financial benefits Deaf people receive from government programs
- The unique cognitive and cultural advantages that come from being Deaf (Correct answer)
- The process of learning to use hearing aids effectively
- The academic achievements of Deaf students in mainstream schools
Correct answer: The unique cognitive and cultural advantages that come from being Deaf
'Deaf gain' is a concept coined by H-Dirksen Bauman and Joseph Murray that reframes deafness as a form of human diversity that brings unique cognitive and cultural contributions.
Question 2: Which organization, founded in 1880, made a resolution that significantly impacted sign language use in Deaf education?
- National Association of the Deaf (NAD)
- World Federation of the Deaf (WFD)
- Second International Congress on Education of the Deaf (Milan Conference) (Correct answer)
- American School for the Deaf
Correct answer: Second International Congress on Education of the Deaf (Milan Conference)
The 1880 Milan Conference passed a resolution declaring oral education superior to manual methods, leading to a widespread ban on sign language in Deaf schools that lasted nearly a century.
Question 3: In Deaf culture, what is the significance of 'Deaf residential schools'?
- They are considered inferior to mainstream schools
- They serve primarily as a last resort for families who cannot afford other options
- They have historically been the primary transmitters of Deaf culture and ASL (Correct answer)
- They focus exclusively on developing oral communication skills
Correct answer: They have historically been the primary transmitters of Deaf culture and ASL
Deaf residential schools have historically been the primary sites where Deaf culture, ASL, and community traditions are passed from generation to generation.
Question 4: What is 'audism' as defined within Deaf cultural studies?
- The belief that Deaf people are musically gifted
- A form of discrimination based on one's ability to hear or behave as a hearing person (Correct answer)
- The study of audiological conditions affecting hearing
- Government policies supporting hearing aid distribution
Correct answer: A form of discrimination based on one's ability to hear or behave as a hearing person
Audism, a term coined by Tom Humphries in 1975, refers to the notion that one is superior based on one's ability to hear or to behave in the manner of one who hears.
Question 5: Which of the following best describes 'code-switching' in the context of Deaf-hearing interactions?
- Switching between different programming languages when writing software
- Adjusting communication style and language depending on the audience (Correct answer)
- Turning hearing aids on and off in different environments
- Using a different signed system depending on the topic discussed
Correct answer: Adjusting communication style and language depending on the audience
Code-switching in Deaf-hearing contexts refers to adjusting one's communication modality, language, or cultural norms based on whether one is interacting with Deaf or hearing people.
Question 6: What does the 'big D' vs. 'little d' distinction in 'Deaf/deaf' signify?
- The degree of hearing loss, with 'big D' indicating total deafness
- Cultural identity vs. audiological condition — 'Deaf' signals cultural membership, 'deaf' refers to the physical condition (Correct answer)
- Educational placement, with 'Deaf' indicating residential school attendance
- The age of onset, with 'Deaf' meaning born deaf and 'deaf' meaning acquired later
Correct answer: Cultural identity vs. audiological condition — 'Deaf' signals cultural membership, 'deaf' refers to the physical condition
The capital 'D' Deaf refers to cultural and community identity, while lowercase 'deaf' refers simply to the audiological condition of not hearing.
Question 7: What is the role of humor and storytelling in Deaf culture?
- Humor is generally discouraged as it can trivialize the Deaf experience
- Storytelling and humor are central cultural practices that reinforce community identity and transmit cultural values (Correct answer)
- Humor is mainly used as a teaching tool in Deaf schools
- Storytelling is primarily used to help Deaf children learn English literacy
Correct answer: Storytelling and humor are central cultural practices that reinforce community identity and transmit cultural values
Storytelling and humor — including ASL puns, classifier stories, and Deaf jokes — are vital cultural practices that strengthen community bonds and preserve cultural identity.
CASLI Deaf Culture 2
What does the term 'Deaf gain' refer to in Deaf culture?