Deaf Studies Alumni Publish Book Honoring Robert Hoffmeister
Robert Hoffmeister
Deaf Studies Alumni Publish Book Honoring Robert Hoffmeister
A group of BU Wheelock alumni and their colleagues in the fields of bilingualism and Deaf education have teamed up to author a book of essays honoring the work of BU Wheelock associate professor emeritus Robert J. Hoffmeister. Discussing Bilingualism in Deaf Children: Essays in Honor of Robert Hoffmeister covers topics such as bilingual deaf education, teaching strategies for deaf students, signed language assessment, and Hoffmeister’s impact on the field.
Hoffmeister joined Boston University in the late 1970s. He was a pioneer in arguing against the long-held idea that learning and utilizing American Sign Language (ASL) would prevent deaf children from excelling in English.
“Bob was instrumental in the movement to bring ASL back into the classroom,” explains Jonathan Henner (EdD, ’16), who co-edited the new book with Charlotte Ens and Lynn McQuarrie. “Bob continues to be a force for ASL even these days and deserves honor for the work he has done.”
Today, thanks in part to Hoffmeister’s work, BU’s Deaf Education program is one of the only programs in the country dedicated to theoretical and applied research in Deaf Education from a bilingual/bicultural perspective.
“When he joined the faculty at BU, Dr. Hoffmeister immediately transformed the Deaf Education program to adopt a bilingual approach,” says Amy Lieberman, assistant professor and program co-director for BU Wheelock’s Deaf Studies program. “He put ASL at the center of the educational model for deaf children and has had a tremendous impact on the field.”