We've Been Blaming Alexander Graham Bell for Oralism — He Didn't Do It

Vlog | Destiny Yarbro | Aug 26, 2026 | 5 min watch

Video Transcript

The Deaf community blames Alexander Graham Bell for unleashing oralism onto the world. Including me! I have always blamed him.

But the problem is, he didn't start oralism. Nope, not him! In fact, oralism began way before he was born!

0:22 The 1880 Milan Conference

We know that it was at the 1880 Milan Conference that oralism became widespread, meaning schools would no longer teach sign language or teach in sign language. It was banned from 1880 onwards.

0:34 The French Method vs. The German Method

Most of us know about that. Interestingly though, at that conference there were actually two different methods proposed: the "French method" meaning teaching the Deaf to sign and the "German method" which was what we call oralism today. These were the two methods offered.

Now the conference had only one Deaf participant, that's it, and all the others who were hearing decided that oralism would be the preferred model, i.e. the "German method"

1:02 Clip: @MinnaAtSignHow

"In total, 164 delegates came to the conference but only 1 person was Deaf, by the name of James Denison. He was Deaf, the only person there who was Deaf. Meaning 163 representatives were hearing. Hmmm, seems a bit skewed.... At the end of the conference, everyone voted either oralism or manual signing. They collected the votes but when they looked at the numbers, sadly, 160 votes had been submitted for oralism which meant that only four voted for signing. That group of four was from America and the UK, that's it. All the rest of the delegates were from Europe where oralism had been implemented and strongly focused on through the German method."

1:59 Who actually started the German Method? Samuel Heinicke

Now, was the German method started by Alexander Graham Bell? No, it was started by this man, Samuel Heinicke, who set up the first oralism Deaf school in 1778 which was 100 years before Alexander Graham Bell!

2:14 The real origin of oralism: Johann Konrad Ammann

Now, did he invent oralism? No, actually. It started with this man, Johann Konrad Ammann, who was born in Switzerland, moved to Holland where he did one-on-one teaching with Deaf, teaching them via touch on the larynx and feeling mouth positions and the air off the lips. That was his approach but he only did this one-on-one, he never founded any schools.

So it's funny that the "German" method's roots were actually this Swiss man from Holland.

2:45 How oralism shaped Deaf Germany

But the point is, oralism took root in Germany, oralism was forced and became so entrenched from that point on that still today, many older Deaf Germans don't know how to sign because they learned orally. Still today! So that method was entrenched and continued for many generations.

3:02 Clip: WFD / UNESCO

"In 1880, the 2nd International Congress on the Education of the Deaf took place in Milan, Italy. Many see this Congress as symbolic of social change which impacted the lives of deaf individuals worldwide. Sign language has been negatively perceived to the point of being discriminated against. Deaf people were excluded. This congress symbolizes the oppression of Deaf people. We are still living with the effects today, after generations of language deprivation and social marginalization for Deaf people."

But of course the Deaf community is still there and it's quickly building up again so that there is a strong Deaf community there now. And if you want to learn DGS (German Sign Language) you can at InterSign University!

4:01 So is Alexander Graham Bell still to blame?

So is Alexander Graham Bell to blame? Well, yes, I think he still is. He incited oralism, forced oralism here in the United States but is everything his fault? No, not really because it started long before him.

So really you have Johann Konrad Ammann who invited oralism, Samuel Heinicke who set up the first oralism deaf school, and Alexander Graham Bell who spread oralism throughout the USA. So there were many people involved.

4:29 Clip: @FoxStamps

"So that conference started what was called "the dark ages" for the Deaf community. Many Deaf schools stopped teaching sign and Deaf children had to focus on lipreading. Some Deaf students at night would secretly sign together. During that time, people didn't understand that that signing was actually a language. So there was no recognized 'American Sign Language.' Some of my older Deaf friends remember when back in the day they called ASL 'my precious signs'."

Sources:

• The Talking Deaf Man by Johann Conrad Amman (Surdus Loquens, 1692): https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/13014

• Amman, Johann Konrad — Gallaudet University Library, Guide to Deaf Biographies: https://liblists.wrlc.org/biographies/55475

• The Talking Deaf Man – Johann Konrad Ammann (1669-1724) — UCL Ear Institute & Action on Hearing Loss Libraries: https://blogs.ucl.ac.uk/library-rnid/2020/05/14/the-talking-deaf-man-johann-konrad-ammann-1669-1724/

• Heinicke, Samuel — Gallaudet University Library, Guide to Deaf Biographies: https://liblists.wrlc.org/biographies/53699

• History of institutions for deaf education — Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_institutions_for_deaf_education

• The Rise of Oralism — UCL Ear Institute & Action on Hearing Loss Libraries: https://blogs.ucl.ac.uk/library-rnid/2011/11/18/the-rise-of-oralism/

• Regional Variation in German Sign Language: The Role of Schools (Re-)Visited — Project MUSE: https://muse.jhu.edu/article/538080

• German Sign Language — Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_Sign_Language

• 1880 Milan Conference — World Federation of the Deaf: https://wfdeaf.org/unesco-1880/

Video clips used:

• Milan Conference in 1880 Summary — CSD-ASL Corpus: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puq6hQRtxCQ

• Recognition by UNESCO Memory of the World: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=894589152433764

• Deaf History: The Suppression of Sign Language: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYb_QL85cpY

• BSL Lessons: Deaf Education, Milan: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJkxj_HyO1Q

Photos used:

• Johann Konrad Ammann: https://blogs.ucl.ac.uk/library-rnid/2020/05/14/the-talking-deaf-man-johann-konrad-ammann-1669-1724/

• Samuel Heinicke: https://germanculture.com.ua/day/april-10-in-german-history/

• Alexander Graham Bell: https://www.biography.com/inventors/alexander-graham-bell and https://kids.kiddle.co/Alexander_Graham_Bell

• Silencing The Deaf: The Milan Conference, oralism, and deaf erasure: https://aninjusticemag.com/silencing-the-deaf-dd6484233cb?gi=e1cc79d4c823 (Photo of teacher and Deaf children touching her throat to learn to speak — Credit: Paris Review)

• "Milan, Italy 1880" by Mary Thornley: https://deaf-art.org/deaf-art/devia-posters/history/

• James Denison (Source: Société Laurent Clerc): https://www.utahdeafhistory.com/the-deaf-education-history-in-utah.html

• Newspaper clipping: "Milan Conference, Alexander Graham Bell Argues for a Complete Ban on Sign Language": https://2021-2025.state.gov/dipnote-u-s-department-of-state-official-blog/signs-of-diplomacy-international-day-of-sign-languages/

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