About the film archive
Learn about the history behind our documentary film archive from the 1940s.
Instead of learning sign-language, deaf children are taught to speak and lip-read so that they might interact with others as easily as possible.
'Until recently deaf children were also dumb because they could not hear any sound to imitate. Now they are sent to special free schools where they are taught to speak and to use what hearing they may have, augmented with hearing aids. This treatment is superseding finger-language. It encourages sufferers to mix more freely with others, and the children grow up as normally as possible.'
(Films of Britain - British Council Film Department Catalogue - 1947-50)
All films are subject to the Creative Commons licence guidelines.
Learn about the history behind our documentary film archive from the 1940s.
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