Heather Cooke
Biography
Hello! My name is Heather Cooke. I am married with a three year old daughter and an 8 month old son. My family is fabulous. We enjoy playing outside together—exploring nature, tending to our garden, spending lazy days at the river, and just being together.
I have never stopped going to school. Right out of high school, I was encouraged to accept an interpreting job. From that beginning, I have continued to acquire and work on my skills while on the job, while continuing my college education. I have found that the more times I go through a specific grade—whether it is Eighth Grade or Pre School, the more I learn about the world, myself, sign language and interpreting. Much of my happiness in life comes from the whole learning experience—for myself, and for those I am surrounded by and work with.
My personal interests include artistic expression in the form of painting and drawing, beading, quilting, and music. Although I have yet to acquire the skills to play, our home is filled with lots of different stringed instruments and drums. I love to attend small music festivals and shows, and my husband is especially addicted to filling our home with loads of great CDs!
Resources
Deaf Education and Parenting
The Silent Garden: Raising Your Deaf Child by Paul Ogden
The Silent Garden provides parents of deaf children with crucial information on the greater possibilities afforded their children today. Deaf since birth, Paul Ogden, a professor, offers parents a firm foundation for making the decisions necessary to begin their child on the road to realizing his or her full potential. This encouraging book first helps parents to address critical concerns right away, such as how to communicate with their child. It then guides parents on issues such as what type of school their child can attend, what kinds of professional help are beneficial to the family, and what technological alternatives are available. Case studies and interviews with parents of deaf children help reassure parents that they can prepare their child for a full, productive life.
National Association for the Deaf http://www.nad.org/
National Association of the Deaf (NAD), established in 1880, is the oldest and largest constituency organization safeguarding the accessibility and civil rights of 28 million deaf and hard of hearing Americans in education, employment, health care, and telecommunications. Programs and activities include grassroots advocacy and empowerment, captioned media, certification of American Sign Language professionals; certification of sign language interpreters; deafness-related information and publications, legal assistance, policy development and research, public awareness, and youth leadership development.
Gallaudet: Early Education
http://edf.gallaudet.edu/diversity/BGG/Early%20Education/TEST/MYWEB/web%20page.htm
This site is designed to help hearing parents of deaf children learn more about American Sign Language (ASL), Early Education Programs, and Deaf Culture.
Deaf Culture
Sound and Fury http://www.pbs.org/wnet/soundandfury/culture/
SOUND AND FURY documents one family's struggle over whether or not to provide two deaf children with cochlear implants, devices that can stimulate hearing. As the Artinians of Long Island, New York debate what is the right choice for the two deaf cousins, Heather, 6, and Peter, 1 1/2, viewers are introduced to one of the most controversial issues affecting the deaf community today. Cochlear implants may provide easier access to the hearing world, but what do the devices mean for a person's sense of identity with deaf culture? Can durable bridges be built between the deaf and hearing worlds? Find out.
Deaflink.com http://www.deaflinx.com/culture.html
Which is Correct: Deaf, deaf, hard of hearing, or Hearing Impaired?
How many Deaf people are in the United States?
DEAFology 101: Deaf Culture as Seen Through the Eyes of a Deaf Comedian
Must-Read Booklist about the Deaf Community and much more!
Deaf in America: Voices from a Culture by Carol Padden and Tom Humphries
American Sign Language—ASL
ASL Browser http://commtechlab.msu.edu/sites/aslweb/browser.htm
American Psychological Association http://www.apa.org/monitor/apr98/amer.html
Until recently ideas about how best to teach language to deaf children were based more on strong feelings than science. Some psychologists hope to change that. They’re stepping in to provide a scientific base to the long simmering debate: Should deaf children be taught American Sign Language (ASL) first and then be taught English—an option known as bilingual education? Or should they be taught English only?
The ASL Access Video Collection www.aslaccess.org
Go to your closest public library and
ask for 200 ASL videos!
We are Friends through Sign Language