[Sca-cooks] Deaf, ASL poll

[Olwen the Odd]

> > > so how many deaf, friends of deaf, grew up around
> > deaf, or know sign
> > language types are ON this list anyway?
> > > Kirsten
>
>My sister-in-law (who used to teach special needs
>children, and now is a professor teaching teachers)
>used ASL in her classroom.
<<<big ol snip>>>
>Given a lifelong history of illnesses effecting my
>hearing, including a current cold/bacterial infection,
>I pretty much expect to spend my elderly years with
>little or no hearing and am yet again mulling the idea
>of learning ASL sooner rather than later.
>Personally, I think ASL should be offered as a foreign
>language credit in high school and college.  More
>useful than the German my eldest child studied.  Our
>local HS is the county school for deaf and hearing
>impaired.  A summer school ASL class is offered so
>that more kids are able to communicate with the deaf
>students, but it's just a 6 week course.
>
>Bonne

Those short semester courses are ok as long as you practice.  Otherwise you
just forget.  If you sign at home when you are talking to your dog or cat or
on the phone (in front of the mirror) then you remember the words/signs.
Otherwise don't bother.  I know some sign.  When I am forced to use it I can
recall more and more.  I have hearing issues.  Tone and pitch, directional
and some functional hearing loss.  I read lips alot.  Try to match what I am
reading with all the noises in the air around me.  Sometimes it is just
static and I can't pick out a single thing to follow.  Lots of times folks
think I'm ignoring them or am rude.  Makes me feel bad sometimes.  For me
though, unless I am dealing with someone who is deaf or knows ASL, there is
no reason for me to use/remember it cuz it isn't helping me to hear them if
they don't sign back!
Olwen

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