Amman, Johann Konrad

Hearing. Born at Schaffhausen, Switzerland; moved to Holland and practiced as a physician. Became a teacher of the deaf around 1690 when a deaf girl, Esther Collader, was brought to him; he succeeded in teaching her to speak. Amman strongly believed in oral techniques using lipreading and articulation teaching. Published two books on his method, Surdus Loquens (1692) and Dissertation de Loquela (1700); his writings had much influence on later European deaf education, becoming the basis of the later "German system" (i.e., oral-only education). Died at Warmond, The Netherlands.