In chapter 3 of Um…there is a paragraph on page 56 that writes about how sign languages have ways of indicating pauses; the language allows for a way to say “um…” just as people without hearing difficulties can do. With this in mind I wanted to learn other aspects of how deaf people use language, including how they learn to actually speak aloud.
Within the deaf community there is a process known as oralism which involves helping the deaf learn to speak out loud. While this process of learning to speak uses the sense of hearing as a fundamental way to learn, those who are deaf obviously do not have this option. Instead they focus on two other senses, sight and touch, and work one-on-one with an instructor. The process involves the student placing their hand on the instructor’s throat while the instructor speaks different words. Through this process the student can learn how the lips move when speaking certain words and also how the muscles in the neck move when speaking.
This process requires a large amount of time and dedication for the deaf person to have a full learning experience. In addition to this hands on method computers are also becoming a useful tool for the deaf as they now have programs which emphasize facial and lip movements as words are flashed onto the screen. This helps the student to learn the movements that words make as well as teaches them to lip read. While not all of the deaf community use these tools or ever learn to speak aloud, for some this is a useful option in communicating with others more easily.
http://www.wisegeek.com/how-do-deaf-people-learn-to-speak-aloud.htm