Besides moving around a lot my ability to learn sign language has been a struggle. We just moved to Colorado and a lot of the words are signed different. I have taken courses but haven't had much luck in the teacher department. I have been to deaf socials but between my bad signed English and struggle to understand anything besides church signs I wasn't accepted. I am now officially legally deaf but total verbal but unable to communicate other than that. I am getting depressed because I had hoped to be able to sign before I lost my hearing and now it is to late. Anyone have any advice?
Frustrated late in legally deaf
- Thread starter akima
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dereksbicycles
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I'm in Chicago and often go to Deaf Social Nights in Michigan. I see that some signs out there are different than Chicago. It was kind of awkward at first. You should be fine.
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I am not Deaf but almost all of my learning of asl has happened without sound. I've had mostly Deaf teachers, and I've read alot, watched DVDs without sound, and gone online for other (silent) resources. I am learning at a good pace this way. I don't think it's too late to learn just because you're Deaf now. I think it's well worth continuing to try. I also think that the more comfortable you get with ASL in general, the easier it is to adjust to regional (and other) differences.
Hang in there and good luck!
Hang in there and good luck!
I do think a lot of deaf people learned ASL when they were deaf. I mean think of those who were born deaf or became deaf at an early age, by the time they were old enough to learn sign, they were already deaf. And they learned. So it's not too late, lots of people never even had a chance to hear, and yet they learned. So why can't you?
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Please try to find an ASL (not "sign language") instructor, and learn ASL from scratch. It might be a little awkward at first but in the long run you'll be better off.
Stay away from signed English, SEE or any generic "sign language" classes--it will only confuse you.
True ASL instruction should be consistent enough across the country for you to learn the language. The few regional sign differences should not be stumbling blocks to learning.
Remember, you are learning signs for concepts, not English words.
Stay away from signed English, SEE or any generic "sign language" classes--it will only confuse you.
True ASL instruction should be consistent enough across the country for you to learn the language. The few regional sign differences should not be stumbling blocks to learning.
Remember, you are learning signs for concepts, not English words.