Advice please!

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Feather_130

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Hi,

As I've said in other posts I'm a lifeguard in a town with a big deaf population. And we have a few deaf people who I have direct contact with very often. There is one guy in particular that I need to communicate with several times a day. But the problem is I don't know any ASL and he doesn't know how to read lips. I find this incredibuly frusterating as I can never seem to get my point across clearly. However I can't imagine what it's like for him to be working with 30 lifeguards who can't understand what he's trying to tell us. But my question is... what should I do? I looked into getting into an ASL class but they aren't running until the fall. I get discouraged everytime I try and explain something to him. It kind of drives me away because I'm trying but it's just not working. Does anyone have any advice?

Has anyone else been in a situation like this? On one side or the other.

I find communication barriers extremely frusterating and I feel like for me to not be able to communicate with someone at the pool is putting their safety in jeopardy. I can't correct unsafe behavior because I don't know how to explain it in ASL. I feel like anyone at the pool who can hear is safer and then if you can't hear your safety is compromised because I can't even ask someone who's injured whats wrong. And this is the case with most of the other lifeguards who don't know ASL as well. Do you think that we should have manditory ASL training...at least the basics. To be safe??? And not just for lifeguards but for doctors, nurses, paramedics...ect? Just a thought.
 
It's good that you're trying. If he's not trying, then that's his problem... not yours. Some deaf people refuse to cooperate with hearing people. Sorry about that. :(
 
the only soultion u can have right now is, to find a deaf club in yr area and ask them for their help in this to make this a communication unbarrier. its always sticky at best, and i hope u ll find some soultion. I always make sure everyone wants to be included in communication and i try to make EVERY effort, we have a summer class going on for ASL and thats a good thing here in hawaii im suprised theres none in ur area for the summer and i think there should be a class or two, see if u can find an teacher OR a Deaf person who is willing to volunteer thier time to help teach all the life guards and it could be benficial for u
and the person involved
 
You can also try to look around locally and see if you can find any private ASL tutors who may be willing to teach you ASL in private lessons. I'm pretty sure there are some out there.
Like what Javapride said -- deaf clubs. That's a good place to start and go from there. Hope this helps!
 
The finger and sand solution

Finger and sand is as good as pen and paper for beach lifeguards.

Richard
 
Oh my, he sounds a jerk and immature! It seems to me that he likes to give you hard time, thats all. at least you can bring the pad note and pen. if he can't read then he must be something else. I hope things will get easier on you soon.
 
Nesmuth said:
Finger and sand is as good as pen and paper for beach lifeguards.

Richard
Click to expand...


I agree with him.. Use the fingers to write on the sand... There's no pockets on the bathing suit for pen and papers.

Good luck
 
It's good that you're trying. If he's not trying, then that's his problem... not yours. Some deaf people refuse to cooperate with hearing people. Sorry about that.
Click to expand...

What if this guy brings up a silly lawsuit? You know how it is nowaday.

Feather, what does this guy do that you need to try to communicate? Maybe we can figure out what the problem is from his behavior?
 
Boy, you people don't notice that this is a frigging old post! I just wasted my time...great.
 
Solution... bring a little notepad & pen/pencil, or just use ur finger to write something in the sand... try to find deaf clubs, meet deaf people, ask them to help u to find ASL classes around the area, or have them teach you sign language. it'd be good to learn basic sign language at first, like ABC, to start with, then move on to different level of communication, so u can communicate with deaf people faster and full.. He's not even trying to communicate with you, He should at least try to find a way to talk with u, like paper & pen, or writing in sand. a lot deaf people use paper & pen as their life line, a way for them to get through in hearing world, communicating with hearing people, even if hearing people doesnt speak clearly, or have no patient, etc etc.
 
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