Inner Lives of Deaf Children: Interviews and Analysis

by Patricia Elizabeth Spencer, Patricia Elizabeth Spencer, I. King Jordan

Now available in paperback; ISBN 1-56368-289-3

256 pages, Hardcover

First published May 15, 2001

Reviews

[Sarah Katz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. I read this book for a novel I’m writing. It’s mainly a series of transcribed interviews with deaf and hard-of-hearing children growing up in the 1980s or 1990s, with intermittent analysis from the author, Martha Sheridan, a social worker who taught at Gallaudet University. She offers considerable analysis at the end, too. It is such a fascinating look at what D/HOH kids go through in their *own* words, and there are some patterns in their stories, too. I’m so glad I discovered this gem, which has given me a lot of ideas for my novel. I can’t wait to read her second book, in which she interviews the same kids when they’re teenagers!

[Dru · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading about how she did her research with Deaf children, seeing the different responses. Considering this was published in 2001, a lot has changed since then- but it’s still beneficial to see what came up then versus now. This includes our current understanding of various factors to consider when working with deaf youth.

[Hailey Hudson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this as research for the novel I'm writing and it was FASCINATING. Kept me up too late.