Living in the In-Between: Children of Deaf Adults
Bill RossOak
Hearing children of Deaf parents often find themselves moving between worlds. Frequently growing up in a society that is culturally and linguistically different than that of their home. Their ability to hear puts them in a unique position; that of a native, but not a member of the Deaf community. Ironically, these natives do not always gain mastery of the culture or language used by the majority culture or Deaf culture…they grow up in-between worlds. The children who experience this phenomenon are referred to third culture kids as children raised in a culture other than their parents’ or the culture of another “country” for a significant part of their early years. Are they bicultural and bilingual – sometimes, but not always. How do they identify themselves…as hearing, as Deaf or CODA? Come to this facilitated forum to discuss, to share, and to understand that one size does not fit all! This workshop often provides a platform for others who have grown up abroad but return to their country of citizenship, expatriates, and so many others.
