Geronimo Cardano

by Rebecca Brown
(Hudson Ohio USA)

Geronimo Cardano was my fave because he was the first to realize that deaf people are just as smart as hearing they just cant hear. I think he should have gotten more credit because he worked with his son and made the discovery. I also just thought it was cool that his son could figure it out with out him talking to him explaining how writing worked.

Webmaster Comments:

What a great choice! You're absolutely right! Cardano played a significant role in the history of sign language--particularly in the history of deaf education. Before his theory, people believed that it was impossible for people to learn without hearing and speaking. Cardano was the first to argue that deaf people could, in fact, learn how to read and write without first learning how to speak. He then used the method of writing to teach his deaf son and proved his argument right. This was a huge step in the right direction for American Sign Language! He is a great choice for a favorite! Thank you so much for sharing :)