Teaching language to the deaf in the 17th century: the dispute between John Wallis and William Holder
Presenter: David Cram
Published: November 2012
Age: 14-19 and upwards
Views: 1405 views
Tags: deaf;teach;
Type: Lectures
Source/institution: Royal Society
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In the early years of the Royal Society an acrimonious dispute broke out between John Wallis and William Holder as to which of them had been successful in the ÔexperimentÕ of teaching the deaf child Alexander Popham to speak. Using evidence from the recently-discovered manual composed by Wallis for instructing Popham, this talk will aim to position the dispute in the context of the broader experimental concerns in Royal Society circles, including the schemes for a philosophical language with which both Wallis and Holder were intimately associated. David Cram is Emeritus Fellow at Jesus College, Oxford.
