Posting #5: Chapters 19-21

Ch.19:

This chapter was a little difficult for me to understand. I had never heard of Total Communication (TC) before. The definition that The Conference of Educational Administrators Servicing the Deaf (CEASD) came up with helped me develop a better understanding of it. The CEASD defined Total Communication as “a philosophy incorporating the appropriate aural, manual, and oral modes of communication in order to ensure effective communication with and among hearing-impaired persons” (pg.127). It was also said to be the “right of the deaf individual to have easy access to a wide spectrum of useful forms of communication” (pg.127).

I thought that the approach Edward Miner Gallaudet took with using the Combined Approach, using ASL in the classrooms with optional oral classes, was a great approach because they were given a choice.  I liked the fact that deaf students were given the opportunity to attend speech classes but it was not mandatory since not everyone found it beneficial.

I also had never heard of “Simultaneous Communication” (Sim-Com). I learned that it was “a method of signing while talking” (pg.128). Sim-Com, which is combining speech while talking, can be incorrect at times because it can cause people to leave out or forget signs. In TC “the emphasis is undoubtly on speech” (pg.128). Both Sim-Com and TC use speech but the difference is that Sim-Com allows the use of sign language while speaking.

The “Bilingual-Bicultural Approach” (Bi-Bi) is when there is “ASL in the classroom to teach English” (pg.129). This again focuses on speech and English with the help of using a few signs from ASL which is very similar to Sim-Com because of the use of the signs. It differs from TC because it is not just speech.

I find it understandable that people often confuse the three since they all have similarities in the fact they all allow speaking, just Sim-Com and Bi-Bi allow the use of ASL signs as well.

Ch.20:

I think that all universities should offer and accept ASL as a foreign language requirement.  Dr.Sherman Wilcox comments and says that some people do not consider ASL as a foreign language because “they had faulty preconceptions” (pg. 131). He says that, “there is no written literature in ASL, but there could be. ASL can be written. Writing systems have been designed for ASL but the community of ASL users hasn’t accepted them yet, and maybe never will” (pg.132).

 I think in a way we do have written ASL, I consider that to be glossing. ASL should be a physical language accompanied by Glossing. I don’t believe that English can be its written form because of the difference in syntax and grammatical markers. Glossing is one effective way to accomplish this in a written form. He compares ASL to Navajo because Navajo did not have a writing system for many years until a man created one, which is what could happen in ASL. I’m so glad that WKU does offer and accept ASL as a foreign language. Dr. Sherman Wilcox brought up a very valid point when he said, “many languages are used only in this country and still are accepted as a foreign language” (pg.131). Just because there is not a formal written form of ASL does not mean that it should not be considered a foreign language.

Ch.21:

The only interaction I have had with a deaf person in a public place was during my Deaf Culture Events and when trying to talk with one of my deaf acquaintances. This chapter discusses how sometimes when you try to help or interpret their conversations they “are going to resent it, and may react with embarrassment and annoyance (pg.135). How sometimes these acts can be “seen as patronizing, perpetuating an offensive stereotype of Deaf people as helpless and vulnerable” (pg. 135). During my interactions I never was trying to help interpret, instead they were teaching me so they were not annoyed instead they were excited to teach me.

I can see why a deaf-person might find someone offering to interpret or help them offensive in a public place. They are just deaf; they are just as intelligent if not more because they have had to learn to make up for one of their senses. A hearing person may think they are doing the right thing when really a deaf person is capable of communicating. “They can manage quite nicely by using simple signs that hearing people can understand, or writing notes” (pg. 137). In class we discussed how some deaf people keep a little notebook and a pen on them for such circumstances. Justin, whose parents are deaf, also shared that his dad does this. Compared to just small everyday things, I think that in case of an emergency it would be different if you tried to help. I think in that case it would be appreciated instead of looked at as embarrassing or patronizing.

Posting #4: Chapters 16-18

Ch. 16:

Before I read this chapter I knew that there were home video courses in ASL. In our class we use a DVD program that goes along with our workbook. I really enjoy this because it is a way for me to make sure I am practicing the signs correctly when I am outside of the classroom and “you can go at your own pace” (pg. 115). In that case I think that the video courses available for ASL may be beneficial but there are also some negatives. I learned that “Multimedia programs are costly” (pg.116). This could be a negative thing for someone trying to learn ASL who already due to financial reasons could not take an ASL course. For those interested in purchasing a video course I agree that it would be better to try to check one out one from a local library before purchasing it. This way you can make sure you like it and see if it will be beneficial to you. Another alternative they suggested for learning ASL is that “community colleges and agencies offer beginners’ Sign classes in a noncompetitive atmosphere” (pg.117). This would be a good alternative for those who do not learn well by home video courses.

This chapter also briefly talks about how some people have a hard time understanding words that have multiple signs. I read that “Different teachers favor different signs” (pg. 116). To me this made perfect sense and made me think back to accents discussed in Chapter 10.

Ch. 17:

I found this chapter very interesting because I had never heard of Pidgin Sign English before. I then discovered that it was a “blend of American Sign Language and American English signs” (pg.119). Some find this a comfortable way to communicate.  The main idea I learned from this chapter was on the first page when it said, “Pidgin Sign English, in other words, is a method of communication-not a distinct language as such- that uses signs borrowed from ASL in a basically English word order, but with some grammatical characteristics of ASL” (pg.120).

I then began to wonder if I have seen Pidgin Sign English (PSE) used before. Not every deaf person knows ASL so I began to question if some interpreters use PSE as a way to use signs from pure ASL but with the English syntax in order to help people understand. Later on it said “Hearing people rarely get to see ‘pure’ ASL being used in their presence. What they take for ASL may actually be PSE” (pg.121). After reading this I am going to pay extra attention to the interpreters at my church to see if they are using “pure” ASL or PSE, I am going to do this by watching their syntax and seeing if they sign in the English order or if they put the time or the topic first like the syntax used in ASL.

Ch. 18:

This was a good chapter for me to read because it will help me obtain the goal I set for myself after reading chapter 17, which was to be able to tell if an interpreter or signer is using ASL or signed English. I learned about the sign-language continuum which shows the populations of certain types of sign language users. It was stated in the chapter to “think of a broad arc” (pg. 123). In order to picture this better I made myself the scale below.

Pure EnglishàSigned Englishà Pidgin Sign EnglishàPure ASL

Before taking ASL 1, I was on the far left side of the scale. I knew a few signs but not enough to communicate. When I signed up for the class I was thinking the class was going to be Signed English. Now after being in my ASL class for a little over half a semester, I realize the huge difference between Signed English and Pure ASL. Pure ASL, which is what our teacher is teaching us, in my opinion, is harder than signed English because it is a whole different language. There are differences between the two such as facial expressions being used as grammatical markers and even the basic syntax. I agree when the authors state that, “ASL has a different flow, a different ‘look’ from Signed English” (pg.124). I think the difference in sentence structure is what gives ASL a different look.

 I also think that because I expected my ASL 1 class to be like Signed English is one of the reasons I mouth out everything I sign, which can be confusing since the syntax is different. This chapter really helped re-emphasize for me the difference between ASL and Basic Sign Language.

Posting #3: Chapters 14 and 15 plus review of the Quiz on Chapters 1-15

Ch.14:

                This chapter on fingerspelling really helped me. I have been feeling the same way that Roger Mindel described in his letter. I feel that I am slow at fingerspelling but I know that it will also take lots of practice. I agree with the authors when they said that, “It’s important to know how to form your letter correctly and clearly…” (pg.105). I knew my alphabet coming in to ASL, and I thought that the quicker you were at it the better you were. I was proven wrong the first day of class. I realized that a left handed person had taught me when I was right handed so I ended up having to learn to switch over to my dominate hand. I also had been trying to work on my speed and I hadn’t been forming the letters correctly. I am so glad we ended up going over the correct way to fingerspell in class.

                 I found the paragraph on practicing your fingerspelling during “captive time” very ironic. They suggested that “You can use any duration of ‘captive time’ (such as a bus or taxi ride, solo waiting, watching a boring TV program or a string of commercials, a visit to the Laundromat, or finding yourself at the tail end of a long checkout line) to run through the alphabet a few times” (pg.106).   I had learned the alphabet from a friend when I was in middle school while on a bus ride to a field trip.

                I also had never heard of doing exercises to strengthen your fingers. I didn’t know that you could check out physical-therapy books or could improve by “using a spring-tension gizmo specifically made for strengthening the hands” (pg.106). That idea had never occurred to me.

                In the very last part of the chapter I read that, “As always, the best advice is to get real-life practice- with others. If you have any friends who are native or veteran ASL users, and who are patient, go for it” (pg. 107). I have found this to be very true. I have learned this by attending the Deaf Culture Events. Not only is it real-life practice but I find that I am always learning new signs just from our casual conversations.

Ch.15:

The opening sentences of this chapter really hit home for me. It says, “We believe that all children should learn how to fingerspell, at the very least while they’re preschoolers or in first grade” (pg. 109). One of the many reasons that I wanted to learn ASL was to teach my own kids someday later on. I use to babysit two kids who were taught some signs when they were toddlers. I always found that super helpful as a babysitter because it was a way for them to clearly communicate with me even before they could really talk.

I found all the different reasons why fingerspelling is helpful very interesting. Such as using it underwater! That really could save your life. Also being able to use it when you’re supposed to be silent like “at a play, movie, assembly, or religious ceremony where whispering isn’t convenient” (pg.110).This is true for quite the opposite circumstance as well like loud concerts. There are more ways to apply fingerspelling than just in a classroom.  What I learned from this chapter was just how applicable fingerspelling can really be.

Ch. 1-15 Quiz

I ended up missing two questions on the quiz. I missed number 6 on if various writing systems besides textbooks were used in ASL and I said false because I wasn’t thinking about all the books written on ASL I was thinking of just like an ASL dictionary. I also missed number 10 asking if the ILY sign had been widespread since WWII and I said yes because I knew it had been around for quite some time but I should have remembered that President Jimmy Carter used it and that is when it began to grow in popularity. Overall I think that I comprehend the reading and I have found that I enjoy reading the book.

Posting #2: Chapters 11-13

Ch.11:

I really enjoyed reading this chapter on signs regarding ethnicity and nationalities. In class we just learned the ASL signs for female and male. In the very beginning of this chapter the author explained how these signs came to be. “The traditional explanation is that the ‘female’ signs reflect the old-fashioned, typically feminine gesture of tying bonnet-strings while ‘male’ signs reflect the likewise old-fashioned, typically masculine gesture of tipping a cap” (pg. 93). I had never thought about how these signs came to be but when I read that I thought it was very creative. I guess some could find it offensive but back then that portrayed the difference in roles among men and woman so that was very neat.

It was discouraging to read about the sign for Black and Africa because it was a slam against their race. I understand how some find the use of this sign to be offensive, I would as well.  “The graceful new sign for Africa represents the shape of the continent, and keeps facial profile out of it” (pg.94). I was very glad to hear that and think that is how it should be.

When I came in to sign language I had always learned the “Oriental slanted eyes” sign. It is good to know that there are new signs for the Korean, Chinese, and Japanese. In class we were taught the sign for China and I found it weird that it was a movement straight across your chest and down. After reading this chapter I now realize that “The new Chinese sign indicates a traditional side-fastened Chinese jacket” (pg.94). I was surprised to read that many Jews still use the old sign because so many people found it offensive since it seemed to be similar to the sign for greedy. I wouldn’t want to use that sign, even though they say it is “Simpler and quicker” (pg.95).

It is important for languages to change over time to respect the values and traditions of different cultures. I loved in the last paragraph of this chapter when the authors state that, “All signers can participate in the process of re-creating a language that reflects modern sensibilities, cultural sensitivity, and respect for diversity” (pg.95). That is a good goal for every signer to strive for when learning and communicating in ASL.

Ch.12:

Tammy Kirk made a very valid point when describing why she wants to know more sign language. Kirk said, “If I see someone like that who needs help, I want to be able to help them” (pg.97). I also felt this way but more in the way of communicating with a deaf person in general. That is one of the many reasons I decided to take ASL. All through high school I would watch this girl who was deaf sign to her mom in church and I thought sign language was so neat. She taught me a few signs and I really enjoyed learning a way to communicate to her.

Some places to go to learn more sign language could be at the library. “The library may also be able to point you towards local resources, such as community sign-language classes, Deaf clubs, or organizations” (pg. 97). The internet and some textbooks are also valuable resources. I think it would be a good idea for someone interested in learning sign language to find DVD’s or CD’s online. We have a DVD in our Signing Naturally Workbook and I find it very helpful to see the signs practiced outside of class as well.

                This chapter also discusses “Signing Space” which “extends from the top of the head to the waist, and from shoulder to shoulder. When communicating with another deaf person, make sure to give her enough space to sign freely and to get a clear view of your signs. Signers tend to stand a bit further away from each other than hearing people do while talking. A comfortable distance-at least an extended arm’s length- ensures good readability” (pg.98). I noticed this when I attended my first Deaf Culture Event at CiCi’s pizza last month. When standing most signers were spaced far apart. When the signers were sitting at the tables they would be more pushed back from the table to allow more hand movement. This helped me as a beginning signer to capture all of their body language in order to understand what they were saying. When I sign I think I use a really small signing space just because I am not as comfortable yet with ASL. Also I’m not really use to touching my body while communicating. It is a lot different than English and is much more expressive. I think that with more time and practice I will be able to master the concept of “signing space”.

Ch.13:

The most popular sign people know in sign language is “I love you”. I didn’t realize that President Jimmy Carter contributed to the popularity of this sign in the United States. “Carter was photographed flashing the ILY to a group of Deaf people on the sidewalk. These photos, front-page-style, were published in the national media” (pg. 101). To an extent you could say that ASL and English are similar in the fact that both languages could be considered commercialized through the use of the national media.

I also thought that the story about the deaf couple getting help on the side of the road using this popular sign seemed unreal. It seemed so farfetched but I am glad the deaf couple was able to get help. Further in the reading the authors state, “In the process, an intimate, tender sign has lost most of its original force and virtually all significance. What was once a charming and concise way to say ‘I love you’ now means “Hiya’ “ (pg. 102). I agree with this statement, I think that a lot of people use the sign too often because it is the only sign they are familiar with. My theory was confirmed when I read later on that when people learn the sign for ILY, “they’re okay with deaf people, they’re safe” (pg.103). I think people using the sign as a way to break the language barrier has caused the sign to lose a lot of its meaning. I understand why some deaf people would find this to be annoying.