Giving and Recieving Directions in ASL

Directions are not easy for ASL students to learn. I have provided you with clips of students giving directions. I have also included the clip I showed in class so you may view it again to help you develop your directions siging skills.

Practice signing how to get to these locations for Friday. (use our room as your starting point)
-Library
-Somers Lounge
-Mail room
-Chapel

Please ask each other questions about the clips as well as any questions you may have in regards to giving directions in ASL. The clips include a range of skill levels, keep in mind what components make good directions when using ASL.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9gi1fBl_kI&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XMFDPQPiE4&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1HwHVKIvko&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQc2qR_cf1c
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-F9hONoo_iU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9gi1fBl_kI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5ocbOgj0Gg

Remember:

*landmarks (Deaf people tend to sign directions more like women do!)
*indexing as well as signing LEFT and RIGHT
*facial grammar for near and far
*using classifiers A and 5
*Move body as you are explaing directions
*starting point
*use body
*explain where not to go

Cochlear Implants-From a Deaf Perspective

Can you imagine having a baby that was born deaf and have no knowledge of what to do or even how to deal with their deafness. When a child is born deaf, most hearing parents have no knowledge of sign language or that there is even a culture that exists. Parents are often devastated beyond belief and consumed with grief. They want their child to hear as they do, they want to sing them lullabies, they want read books to them, they want them to know their name, and they want them to talk. They fear they will never be able to bond properly with their child because a huge barrier is standing in their way, communication. They research for something to give their child the ability to hear.

We are seeing more and more deaf children being implanted with cochlear implants and oral methods being focused on rather than sign language and exposure to Deaf Culture. Often times, these parents are persuaded not to use sign with their children, as it will hinder their auditory and speech training. The Deaf community sees this as a tragedy and not allowing the child to know their true identity as a Deaf person.

When a baby is born deaf to Deaf parents, there is celebration and often relief. Learning your child is hearing, can be as devastating for deaf parents as it is when hearing parents learn that their child is deaf.

Cochlear implants are controversial for obvious reasons. The Deaf community does not like to see members of their community not to be given their right to be who they believe they truly are, Deaf.

Please watch this clip and post your comments. Be warned this video clip may cause very strong emotions. Please feel that your comments, whatever they may be are safe here and I wish you to discuss your feelings, thoughts, and opinions freely.

My Son Is Deaf, Finally! (Subtitled)comments.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YN5Fdz1En0&NR=1&feature=fvwp

Stateschools for the Deaf

While watching the film in class called, "Children of a Lesser God," you were exposed to a stateschool for Deaf children and teenagers. Stateschools are so important to the Deaf Community as well as the Culture. These schools are like the Mecca of Deaf Culture. Yet, parents have more options now, and so therefore we are seeing more Deaf children attending public schools which result in lower enrollments in stateschools and therefore these schools are being shut down.

What is happening? Accommodations are being offered.
Accommodations such as sign language interpreters, notetakes, and Deaf and Hard of Hearing teachers are placed for equal participation in their classrooms. In the past, these accommodations were not an option so parents had no choice but to send their children away.

Now with the options parents have, mainstreaming is becoming increasingly popular. However, mainstreaming deaf children can be very difficult because the may experience isolation and feel very different among their hearing peers. With the core of Deaf Culture and ASL stemming from stateschools, these children are not exposed to a very important part of who they are and their identities as a Deaf person.

The options are not easy for parents to pick from. Sending your child away to live at school at a very young age; is very hard. I have been faced this very decision with my own daughter. She is currently placed in a public school and has all the accommodations she needs. She has a Deaf mom and Deaf pride is very much a part of who she is. She identifies as Deaf and is proud of that. However, interactions among her peers are difficult. She does experience isolation at school regardless of how hard everyone tries to include her. It is difficult as her mother knowing this and I often feel guilty that I have made the choices I have. I know what she feels because I was mainstreamed. But family is what I wanted her to experience and know, just as my parents wanted for me. She came to me at the age of 5 with no knowledge of what a family is or what it even means. So I made the decision that I did. However, this does not mean that she will always be in the public school setting. She may go to the Minnesota Deaf School in time. We will just have to wait and see.

Information from:
http://www.msad.state.mn.us/index.aspx

Please browse their website as well.

Here is a little information about The Minnesota State Academy for the Deaf.

"Building our Future Together"

The Minnesota State Academy for the Deaf (MSAD) enrolled its first student in 1863 and takes pride in a rich tradition of serving the educational, social and emotional needs of deaf and hard of hearing students throughout the state of Minnesota.

Located on a beautiful 40-acre campus in the community of Faribault in southeastern Minnesota, the campus features historic limestone buildings nestled among mature oak and maple trees along a circular drive.

Mission Statement
The Minnesota State Academy for the Deaf in collaboration with students, families and school districts creates a comprehensive, learning and signing community in a residential environment. MSAD prepares deaf and hard of hearing students to reach their fullest potential by promoting communicative, intellectual, social, physical,
and emotional development in every
aspect of its programs

Residential Program
The Residential Program offers a multitude of learning opportunities to enhance personal growth and development. Through teaching and by guiding; our students receive support which enables them to build and strengthen self confidence and independence. We take pride in our safe, healthy and positive homelike atmosphere where family values are highly respected.

After school socialization offers an opportunity for students to establish and nurture peer relations. The bonds and friendships that are formed will often last throughout adult life. Sportsmanship and teamwork are emphasized in our activities. The staff provide a variety of activities to meet each students personality. Some of our intramural activities include; volleyball, flag football, softball, dodgeball and kickball. In cooperation with Faribault Community Services and under the guidance of our Athletic Director the residential staff coach flag/cub football and volley ball. We have staff certified to train in Firearm Safety, ATV Safety and Snowmobile Safety. A craft room area and weight/exercise rooms are available to all students. Our Semi Independent Living Program offers an opportunity to participate in an apartment living experience. In this program we teach basic living skills such as laundry care, grocery shopping, cooking and housekeeping. “Create a Family” dining occurs weekly. The family structures that have been created are diverse and include varying ages and gender. Our goal is to encourage table etiquette, responsibility and sharing.


In support of the academics program the dormitories have established consistent daily study time routines. In addition; we are proud to offer the Clarence and Elizabeth Sommer Education Center. This area; located in Frechette Hall and staffed by licensed teachers, is available Mon-Thurs 3:30-9:30PM. The Center also includes a computer lab equipped with cutting edge computer hardware and software.


Dormitories are open on return days at 5PM. They are closed on weekends at the end of the school week. You may refer to the MSAD Student Handbook for additional information regarding dormitory rules or guidelines. Further inquires can be directed to Kathy Wente, Residential Hall Director, 507-384-6670 (voice) or 507-412-5108 (VP)

Here is an example of a statschool for the deaf that is located in Washington D.C. it is called, Model Secondary School for the Deaf. Below is a video of the school.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvcc8gpiHF8

What would you do if you were faced with this decision as a parent? (I understand this may be hard as many of you are not parents, but try to look into your future a bit and answer this or think of your parents and discuss what you think they would do)

Which school would you prefer to attend if you were Deaf? Think about it in a different perspective, as a hearing person would you want to go to a Deaf school? What would you feel there? Ponder on these questions and post your comments. Please feel free to post any other comments you may have to each other or to me as well. If you have a question in your post be sure to list that in the beginning like this.

I HAVE QUESTIONS BELOW
Happy Learning!

Deaflympics!

This week we are learning sport signs in ASL and we are approaching the olympics! I thought this was the perfect time to introduce you to the Deaflympics.

The information is directly taken from:
http://www.disabled-world.com/sports/deaflympics/taipei-2009/

The latest entry figures for the Taipei Deaflympics, which will take place from Sept. 5 to 15 2009. ICSD has confirmed that 3985 athletes from 81 countries have already entered to compete in 20 sport events.

2801 people have signed up to become volunteers, and are currently going through training at Taipei Municipal University of Education and National Taipei University of Education. Plans are in the works to also recruit 50 international volunteers to help out with the competition.

The Deaflympics started in 1924 and is the fastest growing multiple sport event in the world. It is a place where deaf people come together and celebrate their differences and compete for gold on an equal playing field against other deaf athletes.

In 2009 more than 3000 athletes from over 65 countries will compete. The Deaflympics comes under the umbrella of the IOC but are run by Deaf people for the Deaf.

The first World Games for the Deaf had under 200 contestants from ewer than ten countries; modern Deaflympics events feature thousands of deaf and hard of hearing athletes from multiple countries.

President Ma Ying-jeou said that hosting the Deaflympics will not only thrust Taipei onto the international stage and provide an excellent opportunity to introduce Taiwan to the world, but increase international community's understanding of the country. "I hope that next year with the Kaohsiung City hosting the 2009 World Games in July and Taipei City hosting the Deaflympics in Taipei in September, Taiwan will once again be on the international stage and let the world know that Taiwan will never be absent from major international sporting events," Ma said at an event to mark the beginning of the one-year countdown to the 21st Deaflympics.

The international sports event for people who are hearing impaired will be held in Taipei from Sept. 5-15, 2009.

"Through the Deaflympics, we hope everyone can get to see the modern and rich culture of Taipei City," Ma added.

To highlight the significance of the event, the president began his speech using sign language to say "I am Ma Ying-jeou, and I’ll take part in the 2009 Taipei Deaflympis." He received loud applause from the audience.

Named host city for the 21st Summer Deaflympics in 2003, Taipei is the first city in Asia to host the Deaflympics games, marking a historic milestone for the hosting of international sporting events in Taiwan.

Noting that the theme of Deaflympics is "Equality through sports," Ma said athletes should have the spirit to "fight to the end and never give up" just like Taiwanese taekwondo Olympian Su Li-wen, who fought to the last minute and nearly won a bronze medal despite painful and crippling injuries.

Su, along with two Taiwanese Olympic bronze medalists Chen Wei-ling and Lu Ying chi, also attended the countdown event to call on the general public to take part in the 2009 Deaflympics.

International film stars Jackie Chan and noted actress Lin Ching-hsia were also at the activity.

Action star Chan told the audience that he has one deaf ear after falling down from a tree while shooting a movie in Yugoslavia in 1987. But he has overcome the inconvenience of losing hearing in one ear.

"Never give up and you will be the winner," he said.

After singing the theme song of the 2009 Deaflympics "Power in Me," Ma, Chan and other participants at the event together activated a 365-day-countdown clock and wished for a smooth and successful games.

Around 4,000 athletes from 80 countries are expected to take part in the 2009 Taipei Deaflympics. They will compete in 20 sporting categories.

The Deaflympics date back to 1924 when the first Summer Deaflympics were held in Paris, France. In 1995 the Games received official recognition by the International Olympic Committee. Today, 96 national deaf sports federations are members of the International Committee of Sports for the Deaf.

The Deaflympic games are more than simply athletics and sports. They provide an arena for Deaf people to meet, communicate, network and socialise with other Deaf people. This social interaction is seen as a vital part of the games.


Please comment on the information that I provided you as well as the videoclips below.

Opening Ceremony

http://videos.disabled-world.com/video/186/deaflympics-opening-taipei-2009

Jackie Chan and Deaf Olympics

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqFZc5eRAMc&feature=related

Here is the official website for the Deaflmpics
http://english.2009deaflympics.org/bin/home.php

Deaf President Now

Gallaudet University was the site of a student-led protest that today is called Deaf President Now, or simply, DPN. But DPN was more than a protest. It also was a unique coming together of Gallaudet students, faculty and staff with the national deaf community—all bound by clear and defined goals.

From 1864-1988 Gallaudet was ran by hearing Presidents. It was not until 1988 that the students protested to have a Deaf President. There were three candidates for President. Two candidates were Deaf and one was hearing. The hearing candidate was elected president. Her name was Jane Zimmerman, and she had no knowledge of ASL!

The Deaf President Now (DPN) supporters believed that the time had come for a deaf person to run the world's only university for deaf and hard of hearing students. When this didn't happen, the result was a protest whose effects are still reverberating around the world today.

DPN was remarkable not only for its clear sense of purpose, cohesiveness, speed, and depth of feeling, but also for its ability to remove the barriers and erase the lines that previously separated the deaf and hearing communities. In addition, it raised the nation's consciousness of the rights and abilities of deaf and hard of hearing people.

Watch this news clip and comment on your thoughts, reactions, and feeling you have.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Ov3c9V1a-E

Discussion #8: Helping Others

The purpose of this blog is to help each other with your ASL stories. Please provide questions you may have. This is a great opportunity to receive and provide help outside of class. Please provide thorough information to your classmates. You may wish to direct them to additional resources, pages in the text book, and/or provide them with helpful suggestions and thoughts. Be sure to use aslpro.com and aslbrowser for assistance if you need to.
Be sure to post your questions and respond to others by Thursday 12:00am.
Here are some things to think about:

1. Do you have all of the requirements completed (remember that topic statement!)
2. Do you need help with a word that you just cannot think of how to sign it? Remember one word may be mulitple signs and an entire sentence may be only one or a few signs.
3. Are you incorporating mime, body language and facial expression to enhance your story or to take the place of things you are uncertain how to sign?
4. Do you use classifiers correctly? Do you have enough?
5. Do you need help with sentence translations?
6. Are you in the need of a signing partner to critique your story?
7. Are you becoming the characters in your stories?
8. Is your story too short? Do you need suggestions how to lengthen it?
9. Is it too long? Do you need suggestions what to omit?
10. Do you need to have someone double check anything?

Discussion #7: Shared Reading

Reading is such an important time of our lives. When we were children, we often had our parents read our favorite books before bed. Can you imagine not being able to read to your children, not being able to share this very special bonding experience, and not be able to instill the importance of reading? Hearing parents with Deaf children are faced with just that.

Gallaudet University created a very important reading program for hearing parents and their Deaf children. it is called, Shared Reading. This program gives parents the proper tools to read to their children in a language that they can understand, ASL. By using ASL they are incorporating language with written text that will allow children to see the story as well as begin their reading skills.

I have included here the 15 principles for reading to Deaf Children. I have also included a video of a signer reading in ASL. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmbpJpI6Uko

Read these principles carefully and watch the video provided and think how this will help you develop your story for class. Please comment on how this will help you in your story process.

15 Principles for Reading to Deaf Children
"The single most importantactivity for building theknowledge required for eventualsuccess in reading is readingaloud to children." National Academy of Education Commission on Reading 1985
The ultimate authorities in reading to deaf children are deaf adults. Comparative studies of deaf children with hearing parents and deaf children with deaf parents show that deaf children with deaf parents are superior in academic achievement, reading and writing, and social development (Ewoldt, Hoffmeister, & Israelite, 1992). Hearing parents and teachers can learn from the read aloud strategies used by deaf parents. The following 15 principles have been identified based on research that examined deaf parents and deaf teachers reading to deaf children.

The Principles
Deaf readers translate stories using American Sign Language.
Deaf readers keep both languages visible (ASL and English).
Deaf readers are not constrained by the text.
Deaf readers re-read stories on a storytelling to story reading continuum.
Deaf readers follow the child's lead.
Deaf readers make what is implied explicit.
Deaf readers adjust sign placement to fit the story.
Deaf readers adjust signing style to fit the story.
Deaf readers connect concepts in the story to the real world.
Deaf readers use attention maintenance strategies.
Deaf readers use eye gaze to elicit participation.
Deaf readers engage in role play to extend concepts.
Deaf readers use ASL variations to sign repetitive English phrases.
Deaf readers provide a positive and reinforcing environment.
Deaf readers expect the child to become literate.