Activity
Deafness: Wired for Sound (Book)
Est. Time: 2 Weeks Reading/45 Minutes Class Time
Objective
Gain a better understanding of the challenges of being deaf and the varying attitudes toward cochlear implants.
Synopsis
Beverly Biderman recounts her journey through progressive hearing loss, which resulted in profound deafness by the time she was 12 years old. In a candid and no-nonsense style, she describes in detail the trials, frustrations, and exhaustion of adapting to a hearing world, both with and without a cochlear implant.
For Your Information
To learn more about hearing impairments, visit:
- Deafness and Hearing Loss (Center for Parent Information and Resources)
- Hearing Loss in Children (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Activity
Read the following book and be prepared to discuss the questions below in class.
Title: Wired for Sound: A Journey into Hearing (1998)
Author: Beverly Biderman
Publisher: Trifolium Books Inc. • Toronto
- What caused Beverly’s progressive hearing loss?
- What is a cochlear implant?
- Why is Beverly uncomfortable when people overly compliment her good speech and her achievements?
- In the author’s opinion, why do many Deaf individuals shun cochlear implants?
- Beverly decided to forgo having biological children so as not to risk having a child who is deaf. Explain your thoughts and feelings about her decision.
- In your opinion, would it be easier to have and lose your hearing or to never have it at all? Explain.
