Insiders and Outsiders: The Yin-Yang Approach to Understanding
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Insiders and Outsiders: The Yin-Yang Approach to
Understanding
Peter V. Paul
American Annals of the Deaf, Volume 166, Number 3, Summer 2021, pp.
257-261 (Article)
Published by Gallaudet University Press
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1353/aad.2021.0029
For additional information about this article
https://muse.jhu.edu/article/823073
[ Access provided at 28 Feb 2022 09:12 GMT with no institutional affiliation ]Paul, P. V. (2021). Insiders and outsiders: The yin-yang approach to understanding. American Annals of the
Deaf, 166(3), 257–261.
Editorial
Insiders and Outsiders: The Yin-Yang Approach
to Understanding
The title of this editorial was inspired by But Pike was more. As president of the
recent conversations with a few colleagues Summer Institute of Linguistics (now SIL
and spirited exchanges with energetic International) from 1942–1979, his task was
students in my classes and individual to train and equip hundreds of linguistics
meetings. And, oh yeah, it also reflects students to analyze and put into writing
my interest in Daoism—but that’s another any unwritten language in the world. He
story. I provide some background for the expanded SIL’s work to more than 50 coun-
insider-outsider construct by appealing to tries and helped to establish SIL’s academic
the work of a scholar, Kenneth Lee Pike integrity. An author of more than 20 books
(e.g., Headland, 2004). After relating this and 200 articles, Pike was an internationally
construct to my own work, I apply it to recognized linguistics scholar. (“About SIL:
the tenor of a few mathematics articles in Kenneth L. Pike,” 2021)
this issue of the Annals. The intent is to
show that the insider-outsider construct I admit being enthralled by Pike’s scholar-
is important for further dialogue on the ship (move over, Steven Pinker); he is defi-
acquisition of language, literacy, mathe- nitely my kind of scholar, given the range
matics—indeed, any area of inquiry—for of his influence:
children and adolescents who are d/Deaf
and hard of hearing (d/Dhh). Much as in Pike wrote, “As I developed my linguistic
previous discussions of prominent themes principles, I discovered they extended far
in my professional (and, perhaps, personal) beyond language and linguistics. They
life, there will be “something old . . . some- spilled over into areas like anthropology,
thing new . . . something borrowed. . . religion, sociology and philosophy. In fact,
something blue.” (There is an Elvis song for they turned out to be general principles
just about anything in life.) about human nature itself.” (“About SIL:
In my view, the insider-outsider con- Kenneth L. Pike,” 2021)
struct is an outgrowth or a version of the
emic-etic construct, which was coined by In any case, scholars who ascribe to an
Kenneth Lee Pike. I ran across Pike when I emic view describe the workings of a
was discussing the emic and etic concepts culture from the “inside”—that is, ethno-
in my scholarly works: graphically within the culture, interacting
with individuals and participating in the
Dr. Kenneth Lee Pike was the consummate typical events and conversations. A richer
scholar. His pioneer work in descriptive lin- and more complete description is possible
guistics clearly identified him as an adven- if scholars are actually members of the cul-
turous and penetrating thinker. ture, adhering to the customs and speaking
257
00_Paul.indd 257 11/10/21 5:02 PM258 American Annals of the Deaf, Volume 166, No. 3, 2021
the language—however, this is not the only of a scientific objective methodology—
avenue for adequate accounts. In addition, however, this is not always the case (see,
there is a potential for extreme bias. In e.g., the discussions in Paul & Moores,
short, the emic stance is often considered 2012).
the insider’s perspective. Interestingly, Pike coined these terms,
The etic view can be labeled a emic and etic, by using the last four letters
cross-cultural perspective because it aims of two words—phonemic and phonetic. It
for a general or objective rendition. Es- is possible that I have proceeded beyond
sentially, it is a view from the “outside,” the intended meanings of emic and etic—
undertaken by scholars—for example, nevertheless, I believe that I have briefly
psychologists, anthropologists, and lin- traced their influence and expressed the
guists, who are not members of the specific gist of the insider-outsider construct from
culture in question. Whether the etic view my vantage point. Unfortunately, I believe
is actually objective or even completely that, in this day and age, the insider’s view
authentic is certainly debatable. However, is being touted as the most appropriate
in my view, one of the more serious accusa- and, indeed, preferred stance to adopt. Per-
tions is that the etic view might be blatantly haps this can be ascribed to the pervasive
ethnocentric—not to mention racist, sex- influence of identity politics.
ist, and so on—depending on the topic of There is little doubt that there is an
discussion. In essence, the etic construct is insider-outsider tension in education and
part of the outsider’s perspective. research on children and adolescents who
A few of my students and colleagues are d/Dhh. This tension might not be spe-
have argued that the insider’s view is more cifically insiders versus outsiders per se. As
accurate, as well as more sensitive to the noted by Cawthon et al. (2017), the tension
customs, beliefs, habits, mores, etc., of in- might be between internally driven models
dividuals within a particular culture, using and externally driven models. The inter-
a particular language. They seem to think nally driven model attempts to “reflect the
that this is the best way to understand, unique context and characteristics of deaf
among other entities, the acquisition of individuals and deaf education” (p. 369).
knowledge by these individuals. In fact, The externally driven model “is guided by
this view seems to support the construct questions in education as a whole, taking
of multiple epistemologies such as African those questions and applying them to the
American, feminist, Queer, and, in our deaf education context” (p. 369). Cawthon
field, depending on how one defines it, et al. cited one of my works (Paul & Lee,
Deaf Epistemology. 2010) as reflecting “theories and under-
On the other hand, per this perspective, standing developed in the broader research
the outsider’s view is “cold,” “insensitive”— field and pos[ing] questions as to whether
not to mention “incomplete” or in some underlying development processes are
cases “inaccurate.” And, yes, there might be different for deaf individuals” (p. 369). An
accusations of cultural appropriation, colo- in-depth treatment of the focus of my work
nialism, ableism, and, in our field, audism. can also be found in Paul et al. (2013).
Some good examples of these accusations Of course, it is possible for insiders
can be found in the work of Lane (1988, (bona fide members of the culture, etc.)
1992). As mentioned previously, the out- and outsiders (nonmembers of the culture)
sider’s view might be labeled as objective to utilize either internally driven or exter-
or, at least, as one that subscribes to the use nally driven models, or both, in theorizing
00_Paul.indd 258 11/10/21 5:02 PMEditorial 259
and conducting research. Considering these individuals (e.g., Marschark et al.,
the topic of mathematics as treated in 2009; Trezek et al., 2011).
the present Annals issue, one of my col- As noted by Pagliaro and Thom (2021)
leagues. Chongmin Lee, and I conducted in their own article, the articles on math-
research on Deaf middle school students’ ematics in this issue certainly embrace a
comprehension of relational language in range of what I would label as internally
arithmetic compare problems (Lee & Paul, driven and externally driven models.
2019). (Lee, who is Deaf, is competent in Consider:
Korean and in American Sign Language.)
We utilized an externally driven model to The authors also provide insight from their
describe and contextualize our research various perspectives as Deaf, deaf, hard of
findings (e.g., Hegarty et al., 1995; Lewis hearing, or hearing persons. . . (p. 320)
& Mayer, 1987). Not to take away from the
main tenets of the articles in this issue, Lee Although I am not an expert in mathemat-
and I concluded that ics instruction or research, I have no doubt
that my understanding will increase upon
the difficulties DHH students in junior high repeated readings and further study. I also
face are more extensive than arithmetic have no doubt that we need additional re-
conceptual understandings, procedural search on mathematics for the entire range
mistakes, linguistic terminology, or even of d/Dhh children and adolescents with
proficiency in a signed language. DHH stu- diverse communication (oral, sign, cued
dents as shown by their performance in the speech/language) and language (English,
present study simply did not know how to American Sign Language, Spanish, etc.)
“think like a math person” who has a mental needs. There should be no special privilege
representation of relational language embed- afforded to a specific language or commu-
ded in the compare word problems. (Lee & nication; we need to be inclusive in our
Paul, 2019, p. 21) theorizing and research.
My main point in this editorial is that
Our research (Lee & Paul, 2019) certainly there is a need for both internally driven
corroborates the remarks of Pagliaro and and externally driven research and theoriz-
Thom (2021) in the present Annals issue ing. I think I qualify as an insider in some
that success in mathematics requires more respects; however, most, if not all, of my
than just language proficiency; it is also work has focused on externally driven ap-
necessary to emphasize conceptual under- proaches to understand the acquisition of
standing and effective instruction, and to knowledge and to proffering implications
consider a range of demographic factors for practice. I have argued that the devel-
in theory, research, and instruction. In opment of d/Dhh children and adolescents
fact, we concurred with Pagliaro (2010) should be, at least, compared with that of
that more attention should be paid to the typical non-d/Dhh learners—that is, with
“specific and often unique circumstances the development of the larger population
regarding language, experience, and prior of individuals.
knowledge” (p. 166). In essence, there I was reminded of the caveats of ap-
needs to be additional research on the plying only an outsider’s approach by the
metacognitive (executive) functions of d/ article by Henner et al. (2021) that appears
Dhh students—as is the case for under- in this issue. I have argued repeatedly
standing the “reading” challenges faced by that it is critical to include an adequate
00_Paul.indd 259 11/10/21 5:02 PM260 American Annals of the Deaf, Volume 166, No. 3, 2021
sociodemography of d/Dhh learners in without the outsider’s contribution is blind;
theorizing and research, and I am sympa- the outsider’s view without the insider’s
thetic to the use and value of an internally stance is lame.
driven approach. However, this does not Frankly, if Daoism is applicable here,
preclude the use of an externally driven then the insider and outsider views are
model to provide a complete understand- similar to yin and yang. These views are
ing of the acquisition of, in this case, not opposite or contrary forces; they actu-
mathematics knowledge. Understanding ally are complementary and connected. We
and utilizing the findings from the broader cannot have yin without yang, or even yang
field of mathematics and mathematical without yin.
theory involving competent mathematics Peter V. Paul
non-d/Dhh learners is still necessary. Editor
I certainly favor research from a variety of
disciplines (e.g., sociology, psychology) as
exemplified by the articles in this issue. References
Admittedly, the insiders and others who About SIL: Kenneth L. Pike (1912–2000). (2021).
use an internally driven approach might SIL International. https://www.sil.org/about/klp/
argue that we need to focus predominantly kenneth-l-pike
on the use of effective strategies by good Cawthon, S. W., Garberoglio, C. L., & Hauser, P.
deaf, Deaf, or hard of hearing learners. One (2017). Conclusion: Looking to the past and
embracing the future. In S. W. Cawthon &
implication is that the strategies used by
C. L. Garberoglio (Eds.), Research in deaf educa-
good “hearing” learners might not be as tion: Contexts, challenges, and considerations
effective. With respect to literacy, there is (pp. 361–377). Oxford University Press.
some research showing that it might not Headland, T. N. (2004). Kenneth Lee Pike: June 9,
be effective to identify successful strategies 1912–December 31, 2000. In Biographical mem-
of good “hearing” literacy learners and oirs of the National Academy of Sciences (Vol. 84,
pp. 287–304). National Academies Press. http://
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Kelly et al., 2001; also see the discussion in Hegarty, R. E., Mayer, E., & Monk, C. (1995).
Paul et al., 2013). Clearly, as indicated in Comprehension of arithmetic word problems:
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problem solvers, Journal of Educational Psychol-
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mathematic instruction might not have the Henner, J., Pagliaro, C., Sullivan, S. B., & Hoffmeister, R.
desired effect unless they are specifically (2021). Counting differently: Assessing mathe-
tailored to the individual needs of d/Dhh matics achievement of signing deaf and hard of
students. hearing children through a unique lens. Ameri-
I shall leave it up to my readers to decide can Annals of the Deaf, 166(3), 324–347.
Kelly, R. R., Albertini, J. A., & Shannon, N. B. (2001).
if both internally driven and externally Deaf college students’ reading comprehension
driven models are necessary for under- and strategy use. American Annals of the Deaf,
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individuals who are d/Dhh. According Exceptional Children, 55, 7–19.
Lane, H. (1992). The mask of benevolence: Disabling
to Kenneth Lee Pike, both the emic and
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Interdisciplinary Studies, 9(1), 4–23. stepping-stone on the path to mathematics
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