Summer Blog # 1: Enable

Deaf people and sign language are sometimes displayed by the media. For this blog posting, I want you to view how the media portrays Deaf people. I have selected three commercials. These commercials all use sign language as their primary communication method. I want you to watch there commercials and think about what message they are sending about Deaf Culture and Deaf people. Do you feel these commercials show the strengths of Deaf people and their language? Who were these commercials for? Did they reach both the hearing world and deaf world? Which commercial do you think portrayed the best image of Deaf people and their culture? Which do you think portrayed the worst? Support your responses. Watch the Pepsi commercial "Bob's House", the Chinese Pantene Commercial and the Thailand Toothpaste commercial (located on the YouTube links to the right). For the Thailand Commercial view:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yeAhnagJdcA
and for the Chinese Pantene Commercial view:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opOQlA0LVqo which of these commercials do you feel are based on Deaf folklore. In Deaf folklore being deaf allows the person to triumph or succeed. As a result of their deafness they are able to overcome an obstacle. How does this commercial portray that being Deaf allows triumph rather than defeat?

Feel Free to add any comments and questions that you wish. This blog is designed to be used for a class discussion. All comments, opinions, thoughts, ideas, and questions are welcome. Be sure to read all students postings and to comment on those as well. You must respond to at least 2 students.

Monica