ASLpah.com | Volume 1, Issue
16, Nov. 2004 | William G. Vicars Ed.D., Editor
Hello ASL Heroes!
Below you will find a few questions and my answers. The questions are from ASL students, interpreters, and instructors.
Dear Bill,I am currently a student at Northwestern Connecticut Community College in Winsted, Connecticut going for my Deaf Studies Major. I recently learned, much to my dismay, that in order to become an interpreter you now have to hold a Bachelors Degree. Is this correct? Is it nationwide?I am an older student, 52 years of age, (but a YOUNG 52). I worked for almost 30 years in the medical field. My first 7 years I worked as an office manager, and the remaining 23 years I worked as an operating room surgical technician. If this new law is in fact true, that means I'll be in school for at least 8 years, since I can only manage 3 classes a semester. Who will want to hire a 60 year old interpreter?I also have a question that I hope you can answer. I will be moving to the Atlanta, Georgia area soon and I cannot find a college who offers the Deaf Studies major. Would you happen to know of one?I am doing very well in school, making the Dean's List my first semester and doing VERY well in my ASL classes. I need your help and hope you can guide me along.Sincerely,Joan Booth
In 2012, applicants who are hearing will be required to have a minimum of a bachelor’s degree in order to be considered a candidate for certification while applicants who are deaf will be required to have a minimum of an associate’s degree.
In 2016, applicants who are deaf will be required to have a minimum of a bachelor’s degree.
Additionally, there will be exceptions to the requirement. Those exceptions will be formulated and publicized no later than 2006.
The following is the text of the motion as approved at conference:
C 2003.05
RID adopt and publicize the following schedule for when all test candidates must have a degree from an accredited institution to stand for any RID certificate:
Effective June 30, 2008, candidates for RID certification must have a minimum of an associate’s degree. Effective June 30, 2012, Deaf candidates must have a minimum of an associate’s degree.
Effective June 30, 2012, candidates for RID certification must have a minimum of a bachelor’s degree. Effective June 30, 2016, Deaf candidates must have a minimum of a bachelor’s degree.
By June 30, 2006, the Certification Council shall establish equivalent alternative criteria allowable in lieu of the educational requirements such as one or more of the following:
Life experience, years of professional experience, years of education (credit hours) not totaling a formal degree.
National Council on Interpreting (In response to motion L
from the 2001 conference.)"
Source:
http://www.rid.org/ntsnews.html.
---------
Joan,
Does this mean you will "have to" have a degree? No. it
simply means that if you want to apply for RID
certification after June 30 2008 you will need a degree.
But RID isn't the only game in town. Some states don't require
interpreters to be certified. Many states offer their own
certification.
I suggest you check with your state's "Division of Occupational
Licensing" to find out what certification requirements may apply to
you.
Best wishes. Take care,
Dr. Bill Vicars
Bill-In the sign under lesson 23 for pass, would that sign only be used as in "pass a test", or would it also be used for "hall pass". Would "hall pass" use a sign like ticket or license, etc.?Thanks,Kim
Have you ever seen the word "teach" as a reflective verb? I hadn't seen that before the other day when one of the interpreters used it at school.
Hi there Bill,I just wanted to write you a little note to give you a sense of what you have given to me (I'll try to keep it short, but in my mind its a long story)...about a year ago I decided it was time to FINALLY learn ASL, something I had been interested in since, well, really since I was old enough to express interest in things! In my search for a tutor I met one of the most wonderful people I have ever known. We took an active interest in one another from the get-go and have had the most loving relationship imaginable since. I feel that I owe some of the success of this relationship to you, personally.Chris (my boyfriend) is not an ASL tutor at all, he is one of Microsoft's growing population of deaf software engineers. Despite this, I recruited him as my tutor and boyfriend. ;) My friends were convinced I had gone crazy, I couldn't even fingerspell and he doesn't speak, how would this work?! I dove headlong into learning to sign via your website (amidst two jobs and being a full-time undergrad) and found myself inspired with every new lesson.Your website is incredible, I feel as if I am being taught by a personal friend. I appreciate so much being able to read about your life, your family, your personal experiences. You are obviously very passionate about what you do and that passion is transferred to your students, whether you know they even exist or not!After a year, I have learned enough sign language to interpret semi-effectively, and definitely enough to sustain a relationship, I have fallen deeply and madly in love with someone with whom a traditional view would not see a relationship as possible, I have become acquainted with Chris' close circle of Deaf friends who aide in my education and whose friendship I hope to cultivate, I have changed my plans for the future to include sign language and learning about Deaf culture in a lead role. These are just a few of the things that sign language, and that your website, have provided me. Thank you Bill, for sharing your knowledge and passion with us fellow autodidacts out there.If there is a wedding somewhere down the road, I hope you would accept an invitation. :DAlso, let me know if you ever teach a class in Seattle!
All the best to you and your family.Molly _____
hello,My name is Becca. I'm going deaf and am really hating it I don't know what to do. I am only in high school so I can't find anything that wont be too hard to learn. Do you teach high- schoolers? Please e-mail me back soon. Thank-you.Sincerely,Becca
**Next, contact the division of "Rehabilitation Services" for your state (sometimes called "Vocational Rehabilitation). Have them evaluate your hearing and "qualify" you for their services. Then ask them to pay for ASL classes in your area. If you are poor, ask them to pay for your hearing aids. When you graduate high school ask the Division of Rehabilitation Services to send you to college and pay your tuition.
**On your next IEP (Individual Education Plan) meeting (with your school's administrators/teacher/counselor/parents), explain to them that you are going deaf (the school should know this already) and that you want it in your IEP that you may request special provisions for certain types of activities and testing. For example, if the school requires a "music class" this requirement should be waived for you and some other course substituted.
Hi Bill,
Allow me to introduce myself; my name is Sandra Amundsen. I have been teaching ASL at different places for the last 7 years in Fremont, Cupertino, and San Jose, California. Recently, I have set up a small business called
"Sandra's ASL Services." I provide private ASL tutoring, ASL noncredit classes, ASL workshops, etc. Some of my former students would like to earn CEUs....I was wondering if you could give me some information on how to set up CEUs for my workshop and class.
The last workshop I had was sponsored by RID and CEUs were offered, but only members of RID can earn CEUs. I have been trying to find resources on CEUs, but unable to do so.
Do you have any suggestions?
Thanks in advance,
Sandra
PS My students love your Lifeprint.com
<<In a message dated 9/20/2004 5:41:13 PM Pacific Daylight Time,
Nagleph3579@cs.com writes:
Dear Bill,
Thanks so much for the great newsletter. I really enjoy receiving it and learn a
lot from it. I do have some concerns about teaching ASL. I recently took a job
in a high school. In the past, I have taken ASL 1 through 6 and interpreting 1
and 2 as well as various workshops concerning ASL grammar. I have been a teacher
for 23 years, not in ASL though. I thought that I was proficient enough to teach
ASL 1,2,3. I use several books including the green book which is my favorite.
The teacher from the year before chose a different curriculum, ABC course in
Sign Language. I also like to use Signing Naturally although it is hard to get
the school district to buy 150 exercise books which are disposable.
This is my problem. There is a Deaf education program in my school There are
several interpreters there who think that my signing skills are lousy although
my signs are just like yours. They think that I should be teaching how they
interpret which is quite a bit different. I am teaching ASL sentence structure
of course, but if my signs are different, they say that I am teaching the
students the wrong way. It is really hard since I have the pictures in the book
and I can imagine if I sign the word "worry" as the interpreters want me to sign
it, the students would say, "That doesn't look anything like the picture. My
signs look exactly like your word, "worry" but I am still criticized for not
signing the same way as the interpreters.
Can you help? There is a shortage of ASL teachers in this area and I am doing my
best to stay current with the latest words and mingling with the Deaf etc. but
it doesn't seem to be enough. I feel like I should not do this job with so much
criticism, but I really enjoy signing and love the school.
Very Sincerely,
Helena Nagle>>
Nagleph3579@cs.com
Hello Helena,
Take a deep breath and smile.
No two deaf people sign alike.
In the hearing world TV and radio constantly expose hearing people to language
samples from other hearing people coast to coast. Broadcast media is the great
equalizer of spoken English. Hearing people in different regions of the country
speak with regional dialects and accents, but in general their language is
relatively consistent.
In the Deaf world there is much less regional interchange. As time goes on, ASL
is also becoming more standardized due to video recording, webcasting, and
related technology. Even though there has been much progress, the fact remains,
ASL is notoriously diverse.
I have a friend. He is a trained radio announcer. As such he has spent years
eliminating from his speech any trace of accent. He has learned to speak in a
way that will cause the least amount of people possible to take note of his
speech. You see, his job is to get people to pay attention to his message, not
his voice.
But the fact remains that if he were to travel to certain neighborhoods in New
York, or “down South” there are people who would feel justified in criticizing
the way he talks.
Now, such criticism wouldn’t bother him. He would merely be amused because he
knows deep down that his speech is impeccable. He has self-confidence.
Now, it seems to me that you have spent a considerable amount of time studying
ASL. You’ve taken classes, attended workshops, and gone to Deaf events.
Such being the case I think it is a fairly safe bet that your signing
skills—while not perfect—are not the real issue here.
The real issue is “public relations.”
Now, I could write at great length on this topic, but it is late and I’ve got
early morning meetings, so I’m simply going to brainstorm a bit, share an
experience where I was criticized and how I responded, and then encourage you to
think in terms of developing your own public relations program.
You might want to:
*Carry around a little notepad. Then every time a critical person starts ragging
on you, whip out your notepad as if you were a reporter and take notes. Thank
him for his time and tell him how glad you are that he shared his opinion with
you.
* Purchase or borrow one of those digital cameras that can record 60 seconds of
video. Record the “criticizer’s version” of the sign and thank him for his time.
* Start a “sign collection.” Borrow ten different ASL books from the library and
find 4 different versions of the sign the criticizer is using. Then when he says
“You should do it this way,” you can smile and say, “Yeah…that’s a great way,
Dr. so and so does it that way too! Dr. Yadda does it this other way, and Dr.’s
Badda Bing and Badda Bum do it this third way. I personally like Dr. Yadda’s
method because it seems to be more consistent with what Dr. Vicars uses on his
website. You know, there is so much variation out there, I try to protect my
students by choosing one solid set of signs and using them for tests and such,
but I always try to show them variations as time allows. I’ll make sure and show
them YOUR variation from now on. Thanks for your suggestion!”
An associate emailed me one day. In her very sweet, humble way, she criticized
my use of a certain sign. She teaches deaf youth. Apparently in their class they
had been browsing my website and came across one of the practice quizzes. The
quiz they found happened to have included a variation of the sign for “single.”
As you may know, that concept can be signed quite a few different ways. A
popular method for signing single uses an “index finger” handshape placed first
on one side of the chin then the other.
This sign is sometimes initialized with an “S.” Initialization simply the
process of using the first letter of the written form of a concept as the
hanshape for the signed form of that concept.
The initialized form of “single” is not used often by deaf people but it is used
to the extent that if you hang out in the deaf community long enough you will
certainly see it. Some people might consider it “Signed English,” but I just
consider it to be an initialized ASL sign that is used more in some areas of the
country than others. Since I want my students to become familiar with a wide
variety of sign forms I include a reasonable number of variations in my lessons
and occasionally on my tests.
Below, for your amusement, I’m going to post my associate’s email and my
response.
Take care.
Bill
A friend interested in signing writes:
<<OH....single...with an "s" and not the first finger on each side of the
mouth. I see....that was a very English type sign. I'm surprised you signed it
that way. Hmm. Interesting. Is that how everyone is signing it now in ASL?
Should I change that? I don't want to be left out of the loop. :)
Smile!! I showed my kids your signs and they thought it was so neat to be able
to pull that up on the web. They also thought it was neat that I knew you. My
kids are 6-8th grade and vary in ability levels from 1st-5th grade in reading
levels. They all enjoy being able to see adult signers. I enjoyed being able to
pull up your site in class. Thanks for the info!! Hope all is going well.
Michelle __________
Deaf Ed Teacher>>
Michelle,
(Please know that I think the world of you and that any defensive tone in this
letter is just my natural inclination to argue ANYTHING from both sides coming
to the fore. Such being the case, I'm not responding to you but rather to the
people that think "one way is the right way" -- which, strangely enough, usually
happens to be their way. )
Now, ...on with the discussion...
If a person were to have gone through the lessons starting with number 1 and
working forward, they would get to lesson two which contained the vocabulary
word "single." Then they'd go to the "single" page, and see the variations.
Please DO go to the page so you can see what I'm talking about:
http://www.lifeprint.com/asl101/pages-signs/s/single.htm [note this link may
change over time]
It takes a while to load because of the graphics, but you will notice that I
also show the "index" finger version of the sign. You asked if that is how
"everyone is signing it in ASL now?"
I've yet to see "everyone" sign ANYTHING the same.
I include the lesser known variations of signs on the quizzes to make sure my
students are thoroughly familiar with a wide range of sign choices. It is an
arguable fact that SOME culturally Deaf signers do sign it with an "S" and I
expect my online students to learn that variation as well as the other
variations.
You said that the "S" version of "single" is an "English type" sign.
My response is: No more so than the signs Aunt and Uncle are "English type"
signs.
There are many, many legitimate, widely used ASL signs that are initialized.
Here are a few for example: Congress, yellow, workshop, whale, Monday, rocket,
ready, semester, nurse, project, system, patient/hospital, law, governor,
elevator...and my favorite: "family."
No one in their right mind, (but plenty in a wrong mind) would be willing to
dispute that "family" is a bona fide ASL sign used by hundreds of thousands of
culturally Deaf people on a regular basis.
But, since initialization is such an easy target to bash, many purists like to
wield their clubs with glee.
ASL is a living language though, and as such is constantly changing and
incorporating new lexicon (vocabulary).
Now, back to the "single" sign--check out:
Costello, E., & Lenderman, L. (1994). Random House American sign language
dictionary (1st ed ed.). New York: Random House.
You will notice that Elaine lists the side to side mini-sweeping motion version
of single as the main version. She lists the initialized version as an
"alternate sign." And she doesn't even mention the "index finger to the sides of
the mouth" version. (Which I DO mention on my page).
Does that "prove" the initialized version is "ASL?"
A man or woman convinced against his or her will, is a disbeliever still.
I could even jump on the other side of the fence and point out that the sign
SINGLE has a non-initialized version that works well, (the index finger to the
sides of the mouth) but the sign AUNT doesn't, therefore "SINGLE"-(initialized)
is NOT as legitimate of an ASL sign as is AUNT. But then again, I could sign,
"MY DAD, HIS SISTER" to mean AUNT though. Obviously, initialized signs for words
like "I" and "WE" are not necessary in ASL. (Unless, perhaps, if you were using
ASL to discuss English, heh.)
But, suffice to say, Elaine--in addition to her own lifetime worth of expertise
gained from interacting with thousands of Deaf people--employed the knowledge
and expertise of over 80 "sign informants," (most of whom are deaf) to ensure
the appropriateness of the content of that dictionary.
So, if one or two, (or 10 or 20) people choose to debate the issue, I suggest
they go debate it with Dr. Costello and her team of 80 sign informants.
As for me, I'll keep including it, and various other (but certainly not all)
initialized signs in my curriculum.
Bill
Hi Dr Vicars
I'm wondering if it's normal to have severe wrist pain when first
starting to learn signing? My dominant hand-wrist is so sore, I can
barely manage some of the signs. Am I signing too "hard"? Or is this a
normal reaction to such novel movements? ...And will pass? What do Deaf
people do when they lose some functionality in the dominant hand?
-Student
If the soreness persists even after you've given your wrist a few days of rest to recuperate then you should see a medical professional.
I grew up with deaf parents and have been studying your course lessons, however I have come across a sign that I am not familiar with, just wanted to ask you...your sign for "rude", I had always known it as : right hand R and slide the right hand with a R down it.. Am I wrong with this sign?
The general sign for RUDE:
DNEvans [3:06 PM]:
Hello,
Bill. You may not remember me, but I contacted you a while back to ask
permission to use some of your photos (from your website) in my workshop
workbook.
BillVicars [3:06 PM]:
hi
DNEvans [3:06 PM]:
Just wanted
to let you know that I taught that workshop two days ago at the Illinois state
conference (IRID) and it got rave reviews
DNEvans [3:07 PM]:
Thank you
for letting me use your pics in the book. That has definitely helped make this a
very popular and effective workshop for me. I'm in your debt. =)
BillVicars [3:07 PM]:
Oh that's
great!
BillVicars [3:07 PM]:
I'm glad it
went well.
DNEvans [3:07 PM]:
Hopefully
it's also generating some traffic to your site.
BillVicars [3:07 PM]:
The more
the merrier. Heh
DNEvans [3:07 PM]:
zactly\
BillVicars [3:08 PM]:
What was
the topic?
DNEvans [3:08 PM]:
Culturally
bound concepts in ASL, what Dennis Cokely refers to as Culturally-Rich Realities
DNEvans [3:08 PM]:
that
particular workshop is called "A Rose By Any Other Name: A Look at
Culturally-Bound Concepts in ASL"
BillVicars [3:09 PM]:
Neat! Is
that published anywhere?
BillVicars [3:09 PM]:
What is
Cokely's title that discusses that?
DNEvans [3:10 PM]:
Basically,
I take participants through the process of realizing that certain words have
taken on "deaf-centered" meanings for interpreters, (deaf, hearing, oral,
mainstream, etc) and that interpreters don't create an effective product when
they render those signs in english that way.
BillVicars [3:10 PM]:
Ah right.
DNEvans [3:10 PM]:
Cokely's
work can be found in the 2001 Journal of Interpretation, titled "Interpreting
Culturally Rich Realities"
BillVicars [3:10 PM]:
My wife
signed the word "stubborn" the other day and the hearing people thought it was
offensive.
BillVicars [3:10 PM]:
They didn't
realize that in our world it carries a wider range of meanings.
BillVicars [3:11 PM]:
Like a
"Toyota engine being 'stubborn.'"
BillVicars [3:11 PM]:
Meaning it
is a "good" engine and won't quit.
DNEvans [3:11 PM]:
Cool
DNEvans [3:11 PM]:
I can
picture that now.
DNEvans [3:11 PM]:
At first, I
was.. "huh"
DNEvans [3:12 PM]:
But after I
signed it for myself, I started laughing cuz it makes perfect sense.
BillVicars [3:12 PM]:
We were
talking about characteristics of Jesus.
BillVicars [3:12 PM]:
The hearing
people didn't like their deity being maligned.
DNEvans [3:13 PM]:
The process
works in the other direction too: English to ASL. Interpreters have assigned a
one word = one sign thing in their minds...
DNEvans [3:13 PM]:
...but this
workshop focuses on common signs DEAF, HEARING, ORAL, INSTITUTE (deaf school),
etc.
BillVicars [3:13 PM]:
I had to
explain to them that my wife meant "perseverance."
DNEvans [3:14 PM]:
<smirks>
DNEvans [3:14 PM]:
I'd say the
sign STUBBORN fits Jesus quite well in several respects. =)
BillVicars [3:14 PM]:
heh
BillVicars [3:14 PM]:
alrighty...well thanks for the update
BillVicars [3:15 PM]:
you keep up
the good work
DNEvans [3:15 PM]:
You bet.
Thank YOU!
DNEvans [3:15 PM]:
Whee are
you located?
BillVicars [3:15 PM]:
Sacramento
BillVicars [3:15 PM]:
Cal State
U. Sacramento
DNEvans [3:16 PM]:
Will you be
at RID next year in San Antonio?
DNEvans [3:16 PM]:
I've
submitted to present this particular workshop there. I'd be honored to have you
in the audience (assuming there isn't a better offering in the same time
slot—laugh).
BillVicars [3:17 PM]:
Don't think
I can swing it. I just moved here a year ago and the expenses are
outrageous...so my wife and I have hunkered down
BillVicars [3:17 PM]:
and set a
goal to pay off the excess debt.
DNEvans [3:17 PM]:
gotcha
BillVicars [3:17 PM]:
So I don't
get out much. (sniff).
DNEvans [3:17 PM]:
=(
BillVicars [3:17 PM]:
But life is
still good.
DNEvans [3:17 PM]:
well, I
think I remember someone saying they wanted me to come to Sac to present...
don't remember whether there was any follow through though.
DNEvans [3:17 PM]:
Ah well...
thanks again and take care. =)
BillVicars [3:18 PM]:
you too
BillVicars [3:18 PM]:
ga to sk
DNEvans [3:18 PM]:
Bye for
now. sk
BillVicars [3:18 PM]:
sksk
Hello, Dr. Vicars,
Thank you for your wonderful web site. I greatly appreciate your time and
talent and expertise you devote to others. My question concerns negative
questions. Recently, I saw a resource that contained an exercise that included
formulating and asking negative questions. The directions asked that a person
sign a sentence that in English would begin: "Isn't .....?".
Ok, this is my confusion. The meaning of the sentence "Isn't your daughter a
dancer?" is very different from the meaning of the sentence "Your daughter
isn't a dancer?".
Yet, in my mind, the second sentence is much more in keeping with the "negative
question".
_________nq____________
Perhaps: YOUR DAUGHTER DANCER NOT? (Your daughter isn't a dancer?)
I am puzzled how the other sentence (Isn't your daughter a dancer?) would
be "written" and signed and to be true to the meaning of a negative question.
To my mind, yes limited as it is, I would construct as follows:
________q__________
Perhaps: YOUR DAUGHTER DANCER? (Is your daughter a dancer?)
I would think using the Yes/No Question structure would be less cumbersome and
be true to the meaning.
What am I missing? I cannot figure out how to construct a good negative
question -- given my understanding of its meaning and at the same time
construct it as the author of this resource is requesting --- sign a sentence
that in English would start "Isn't...?".
I hope that I have stated this in an understandable manner. This resource also
asks readers to do the same with a sentence that in English would start:
"Didn't you.....?". I have the same sort of confusion with this as I described
above.
Thank you for taking time to read my e-mail. I do understand that you cannot
reply to all letters. But, I am hoping!
Sincerely,
Pam
Dear Dr. VicarsI never intended to offend any one. It's a long story about, my Sign Language path. I didn't think going to a Club was necessarily correct either. I didn't know there were sign language clubs.Jeannette----- Original Message -----From: BillVicars@aol.comTo: jsee@fuse.netSent: Wednesday, October 13, 2004 2:10 PMSubject: Re: Newbie
In a message dated 10/13/2004 11:04:11 AM Pacific Daylight Time, jsee@fuse.net writes:Dear Dr. Vicars;Oops! On that Course 1. It was $100.00 course with lifeprint.com. It would be nice to attend your class, especially your Disney excursion, not that I like Disney ,but WOW what an experience! I guess what I am asking about the deaf club is that I looking for interaction with the Deaf/deaf where would be a good place? It did come to me maybe I could volunteer at ST. Rita a deaf school. [might be better ?] I have tried interacting with deaf girl at church with no avail I don't know if it's because she's deaf and not Deaf.Thanks for yourwillingness and perseveranceJeannetteJeanette,Ah, I see. Okay. You are a "self-study" student.A deaf club would be "okay" -- but a sign language club would be better.Deaf clubs are for Deaf people and advanced signers. But it varies. Some clubs welcome new blood and are happy to take hearing people of any skill level. Other groups are more exclusive and just want to sign to each other and not be fish in a tank.Volunteering at St. Rita seems to me the better bet, plus it will look good on your resume.Dr. Vicars
BillVicars [8:05 AM]: How much salt should you put on food?
BillVicars [8:05 AM]: Depends on the person and the food.
Jej38 [8:06 AM]: thank you.
BillVicars [8:06 AM]: Welcome :)
We are supposed to find the signs ourselves, or make something up that
represents the sign. For example, if you were giving your presentation on
firemen, and you didnt know the sign for it, you would have to act out
being a firemen until the class understood the point you were trying to get
across.
I have 2 teachers in this manual communications class. One is an
audiologist and is not fluent is asl at all. She teaches us only about
SEEII, Signed English, and Cued Speech, and Cochlear Implants, and the
History of Deaf Education and their culture. My other teacher is our sign
lanugage lab instructor. She knows more ASL, and I think it fluent for the
most part, but doesn't know everything.
We are supposed to find the signs for ourselves, and as my sign
language teacher is teaching us words from a list, she will skip over words
if they will be used in one of our presentations.
We aren't even being taught ASL, more of a pigeon language. We don't
sign is, are , was, were, but we sign in english order.
I'm really sorry to bother you. I was just wondering if you know when
the sign for pilgrim will be up on your site. I have looked up a lot of
signs on your website and you have no idea how much of a help it has been
for me. Thank you for making the information so accessible.
Ashley, LSU Communications Disorder major, Linguistics minor
In a message dated 10/28/2004 4:06:26 PM Pacific Standard Time, a reader writes:
Good afternoon, Bill
Just finished reading one of your articles in PAH regarding adult learning and I
couldn't agree with you more...Immersion in a classroom just isn't immersion.
I'm struggling with a no-voice Fingerspelling class right now and don't want to
slow down the class with incessant AGAIN AGAIN ...SLOW...signs (nor do I
necessarily want the whole class to know how much I am struggling!)
Fingerspelling is very difficult for me and without the support of my first
language I must be missing over 50% of the content. It's not like I'd need the
damn word voiced every time it is fingerspelled, but until I have some context
(visual / physical / memory) fingerspelling looks like jibberish to me. Even
when I ask the teacher to slow down, it is still too fast. It is so frustrating
for me, I hate to even practice! BTW - my GPA in the ASL curriculum (this is my
7th semester taking ASL classes) is 4.0, until this semester. I have a master's
degree, and I've been in my profession for over 20 years. It isn't like I don't
know how to study / learn.
No - there's no answer I'm looking for. It is just nice to know that there is an
ASL teacher out there who understands Adult Learning theory. I've had Signing
Naturally in ASL I,II, and IV. Pretty much a waste. Luckily, I love the language
and now have transferred into a unit at work where there is a Deaf woman who
kids me about my FS, spells slowly for me until I recognize the hand shape of
the word, and then picks up the pace. How can that be a bad thing in the
learning process? What is all the hype about bi-bi learning and why wouldn't
that method apply to any person over the age of 4 picking up a second language?
Mostly - I appreciate your perspective.
Thanks. Please don't use my name.
Dear student,
I think you hit upon the secret to successful fingerspelling instruction when
you mentioned the idea of "context." Fingerspelling instruction should provide
massive amounts of context.
--Dr. Vicars
Hello Bill,Is there a sign for chess or must it be fingerspelled? I love to play (and I love ASL) and if it's possible that there is one place in particular in the city I live in where non-hearing people go to play chess I'd like to find it someday, but that's assuming that there is a place where they go to play. I just never thought about it until very recently if there is a sign for "chess."Thank you,-Travis
In general, no, there is no sign for chess. At least none that I've seen. It would be fun to go to a Deaf Chess Tournament and ask around for the sign for "chess" to see if any of those guys have such a sign. Let me know if you find a good sign for it someday.
Bill
Hi Bill! I have another question: How do you sign offend. It is not really the same as insult so I hesitate to use that sign as insult suggests intended rudeness and offend can be unintended and maybe even only a difference of opinion. You understand what I am saying? I just want to be clear J when interpreting English words that fall in the same category, yet have different levels of intensity which in reality change the meaning. Thanks in advance for you continuing help J J
Kimberly Ormsby
Lee College
ASL Interpreter
I picked up a book on religious signing and it has the "Lord's Prayer", but it is signed English. Is that the required format when signing to people at church? When signing I felt a lot could be dropped and still maintain the body of the prayer. What is correct? I know there is some poetic license in worship signing, but what about the other, just signing text?
Also, let me point out that ASL does not "drop" concepts. Nuances of meaning are incorporated into ASL via inflection of signs and non-manual markers. Changes in your facial expressions and to the size, speed, direction and orientation of your signs create very real changes in meaning. Thus certain concepts have changed form but have not been dropped.
Hi Dr Bill,I was wondering if you or your wife could help me help a deaf young lady here in Kokomo. She is deaf and 9 months pregnant, and the Rescue Mission (a place that helps young ladies in trouble) has contacted me to help her. I really want to be able to help her. She need a baby cry signaler or something to help her be aware of her baby's need. What did your wife use? Is there anyone who will fund this for her? I really would appreciate your help and advice ASAP.Sincerely,Sarah
Fisher-Price Sounds 'n Lights Monitor
$19.93
The Sounds 'n Lights monitor delivers superior communication of baby's call. It features concentric arcs of light that make it easier to see baby's call from a greater distance. From Fisher-Price, Model No. 79636.
Radial light display gives a superior communication of baby's call
Concentric arcs of light have a bolder, more visible glow so Mom can see her baby's call more clearly and from a greater distance
New contemporary housing design for both transmitter and receiver
2 channels to reduce interference
AC/DC operations
On/off with volume control
Low battery indicator
From Fisher-Price, Model No. 79636
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