Review
Ben's Story is more than a mother's account of her experiences with her deaf son. It is the story of the education of deaf children and the changes and problems facing deaf education today. Told in a warm, personal style that avoids excessive sentiment, Ben's Story makes the plight of parents with deaf children real for the reader. At the heart of Lorraine Fletcher's book is the battle raging between educators who favor sign language as the best mode of teaching the deaf and those advocating oral methods. Although Lorraine and her son Ben live in England, this educational conflict is duplicated in the United States. Of the two camps offering conflicting advice about the best way to educate deaf children, Fletcher is clearly in the "sign" camp and makes a persuasive argument for her position. Faced with the problem of finding the right way to educate Ben, who is profoundly deaf, Lorraine explores each issue involved in effective deaf education and attempts to give her son the best possible choices. Ben's Story is certainly a must book for parents with hearing-impaired children. Ben's ultimate triumph is heartwarming and inspiring, but this book should be read by more than just families and friends of the deaf. Educators and lay persons alike-virtually anyone interested in the rights of others-will gain valuable insight into the world of the deaf minority. Recommended for libraries and schools. -- From Independent Publisher
