kmarie2513
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- Oct 5, 2013
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You're right. My bad. Sorry for asking. I was definitely not looking for a deaf person JUST to learn ASL. It IS true that you won't get good at it unless you have a deaf friend. But what I wanted was an ACTUAL friend. Lots of them. BUT...being a hearing person (as well as the fact that everything is so sensitive)...I don't know how to become ACTUAL friends. There aren't too many deaf people in my area and there aren't a bunch of classes or even just interpreters to learn from...which is why I'm teaching myself. I WON'T meet a deaf person naturally. I HAVE to seek them out and THAT is what they assume is me being disrespectful. Without their help, I can't learn very good. But without having learned good, I can't talk to them to become ACTUAL friends. So, it all seems pretty hopeless. I can't try to help the deaf community and teach my family and friends without first coming across as rude. And that sucks. I think that even saying I want to "help" in the deaf community is considered rude since I don't think people want you to think of them as needing help. Not that I meant it that way, but like I said, everything is so sensitive. I just don't know what I'm supposed to do. But at least now I know not to ask questions. Again, sorry for offending.
Can you help me figure it out from the point of view of a deaf person?
That's a good reason to quote the person you are trying to instruct.
Amylynne I read your post and liked the detail in it.
First I must tell you why I am on this site. I am a 68 year old male, retired, and mentoring at a Middle School (my wife was a nurse at that same school for many years). Just by chance I sat down by two 7th grade girls who happened to be deaf (I did not know that at the time and it would have made no difference anyway).
Both of them are shy but one is very! shy. I believe both are just as "smart -capable" as any other kid in that school. Unfortunately they have been segregated to some place I'll call "other". I want to overcome that.
I need help with accomplishing the following (if the approach is different from a deaf person's point of view - if not, then the approach is the same as with a hearing person).
How do I help them overcome shyness?
How do I help them speak louder (part of shyness, I think)?
How do I get them to say "no" or "I don't understand" or "say that again"?
How do I get them to be more proud of what they accomplish?
I expect them to do everything the other kids do. I don't expect them to half-complete tasks and it to be OK (even if the teacher assigns a lesser task). I expect full compliance, just as is expected from all the other kids.
How do I do this stuff?...
And if you say something stupid, don't delete it. That's just annoying to the rest of us who come along later.
That's a good reason to quote the person you are trying to instruct.
I just constantly feel like I am missing something. There is some door I have not checked that will get them to say "help me with this project because I don't understand it". They seem to indicate understanding and everything is OK and I learn later they have no idea what to do. At that point their frustration comes to the surface very fast and they shut down even more.
...both of them said they liked a boy who is sitting about 10 feet away. He is hearing. He is a pretty good looking kid and I can certainly understand their attraction ....