DBI World Conference 2019 Communications stream: Concurrent session 7C Presenter: Caroline Lindstrom Topic: Giving access to a cultural language

1. Giving access to a
cultural language
Caroline Lindström
Special Educator, Mo Gård, Sweden

2. Joint development
The person with congenital deafblindness express
utterances based on bodily/tactile perception
The partner contributes with elements from an
existing cultural language

3. Practices within culture
Different customs around the world
A mismatch because of the different sense
modalities used when understanding the world
Giving access to a cultural language in a
bodily/tactile modality means transforming your
own cultural customs

4. Case study
Martin, born 1999
Ten of his assistants/teachers
Nine filmclips, 2004-2017 (4, 6, 7, 9, 13,18 years)

5. Interacting with your whole body
Body positions
Hand positions

6. General body positions when interacting
with children
Face to face
Nested position
Side by side

7. Body positions with Martin over the
years
4 years – 9 years (2003 -2008)
Nested two party
Side by side two party
9 years – 18 years (2008 – 2017)
Face to face two party
Nested, and face to face with a third
person
Side by side two party with a
peripheral third person
Face to face two party with a
peripheral third person
Side by side three party

8. Reflections
Which body positions are you using together with
persons with congenital deafblindness?
Do you know if the choice of body positions has
changed in a long-term perspective?

9. Hand over hand
Hand over hand with two hands
Hand over hand with one hand
Hand over hand in a dialogue position
Hand over hand in a three party

10. Development of hand over hand with
Martin
Between age 4 – 7 (2003 –
2006)
Introducing hand positions
From age 9 (2008)
Hand over hand with two hands
Hand over hand in a three party
From age 13 (2012)
Hand over hand with one hand
Hand over hand in a dialogue
position

11. Reflections
Which hand positions are you using together with
persons with congenital deafblindness?
Do you know if the choice of handpositions have
changed in a long-term perspective?

16. Strategies that have contributed to
Martin’s language development
Various body positions together have been offered over the years based
on Martin's physical ability.
Opportunities to listen and talk tactilely have been offered when he was
little
Different positions with listening- and speaking hands have been used as
continued development
Partners in the periphery have been announced through tactile contact.
A wider social and communicative context has been offered through multi-
party conversation in a tactile form.

17. Transforming visual sign language to a
bodily/tactile modality
Creative use of articulation place
Repetitions and variations of signs

21. Strategies that have contributed to Martin’s
language development
Visual signs have been made available to Martin by adapting
them to a bodily / tactile form
The partner has assumed a creative approach to how they
placed signs on Martin's body in communication with him.
The choice of signs has been based on Martin's interest
A narrative style has been used in communication
The whole body has been the starting point to enhance emotions
Repetitions and variations of signs has been offered
Different pace and variations of rhythms in a bodily / tactile form
have been offered

22. Lecture on You Tube (English subtitles)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfBBADbCsYU&feature=youtu.be
Published article
https://jdbsc.rug.nl/article/view/32574
Book Chapter
If you can see it you can support it (https://nordicwelfare.org/publikationer)
Email me to get the whole thesis:
caroline.lindstrom@mogard.se
Thank you for listening - Want to know
more?