Hearing steadily getting worse, learn ASL now?

[allcaps]

I'm 26, and as of this moment I can hear well enough to talk to familiar people so long as I'm paying attention and there isn't a ton of background noise. But if they're facing away from me, or there's background noise, or music, or a TV on, then I might as well not even be listening. This is in contrast to a couple years ago where I could hear most people fine so long as I knew I was being spoken to. And a few years before that where I just found myself wanting to turn the volume on the TV up.

I'm pretty confident that in a couple years I'm going to need to be leaning in really close to people with my head turned to hear them, and after that I'll either be unable to hear conversation or I'll need hearing aides. I have a feeling that I'm going to end up totally deaf before I'm 40. My doctor pretty much says, "oh well, it happens. When it gets to the point you need them we can get you fitted for hearing aides". I tried one of the ones he had there, and it sound like listening to people talk through am radio. I'm already not a fan. I probably won't have a choice in a few years, but I digress.

As fortune would have it, my wife's mother knows asl, though not fully fluently, as part of her previous teaching job where she worked with deaf children. My wife is fully supportive of learning it if I want to or need to.

Should I be putting serious time into learning it now? While I'm still able to hear relatively well? I know it's possible I'm overreacting, but I just have a feeling my ears are going to get worse and worse until they're useless. I don't want to be kicking myself later where I'm trying to learn, but can barely understand anyone; thinking, "this should would be easier if I could hear the teacher".

This post is rambling and too long. I'm sorry. I'm nervous and scared. I've been thinking about this a lot lately.

 

[Reba]

I recommend you and your wife starting learning ASL now. That's great that she wants to learn it with you. Hubby and I are both hearing, and we learned ASL together--it was nice having a study buddy available every day.

Verify that the classes are truly ASL (not just "sign language"), and if at all possible, get a Deaf instructor, or at least a CODA instructor. When you practice, try to stay "voice off." Finally, but importantly, try to get involved socially with your local Deaf community.

Best wishes to you on your journey.

 

[Reba]

p.s.

. . . "this should would be easier if I could hear the teacher"....

Umm, no. If you get an ASL instructor worth his or her salt, there shouldn't be anything for you (or any other students) to hear--the class will be taught voice off.

 

[StevieMont927]

p.s.


Umm, no. If you get an ASL instructor worth his or her salt, there shouldn't be anything for you (or any other students) to hear--the class will be taught voice off.

I've never had an ASL teacher verbally speak to me. This is a very true statement.

I firmly believe that it's never too soon to start learning ASL (and I'm glad I've started, because I'm noticing I turn the TV up, music up, my phone volume up, and I should really see an audiologist).

It's great that your wife is so willing to learn with you. I wish you the best in your studies.

 

[Angel1989]

I definitely think you should learn ASL now. I went deaf overnight, no warning at all. I wish I would have had the chance to learn it before I absolutely needed it.

 

[aweet_princess198925]

I'm the same way. Not completely deaf but I lost my hearing pretty quick. I'm learning Asl but know one else in my family is so I really have no one to talk to so I just stay to myself.

 

[whatdidyousay!]

p.s.


Umm, no. If you get an ASL instructor worth his or her salt, there shouldn't be anything for you (or any other students) to hear--the class will be taught voice off.

When I was learning ASL my teacher was deaf and voice off and she was able to express herself very good using facial expressions .

 

[allcaps]

We've decided we're going to enroll as a pair in an ASL class at our local community college.

We debated on possibly having her learn cued speech as opposed to both of us learning ASL, since really if I was just able to understand what she was saying I can speak back, but we decided we'd rather "go all the way" and just learn proper ASL together. We spoke with the teacher at an open house night at the community college and got a quick rundown of the most common things people find easy/hard about learning it, and at least to get started it doesn't seem so intimidating.

He said that most of what makes it hard for most people is not having anyone to practice with outside of class, and that if we both learn and practice/sign every day it should be a breeze to get started, and to build from there. He said so long as we were diligent about learning vocabulary and practicing every day, learning and using the grammar as part of the class will be much easier. He stressed that motivation is key, but if we're both in it to win it, we shouldn't have any problems with the course or learning in general. He is not deaf, but said the class is 100% voice off.

Do any of you have any general feelings about how difficult it is to learn?

 

[Reba]

We've decided we're going to enroll as a pair in an ASL class at our local community college.

Great! Don't forget, you can save money by sharing your text book/DVD's.

We debated on possibly having her learn cued speech as opposed to both of us learning ASL, since really if I was just able to understand what she was saying I can speak back, but we decided we'd rather "go all the way" and just learn proper ASL together. We spoke with the teacher at an open house night at the community college and got a quick rundown of the most common things people find easy/hard about learning it, and at least to get started it doesn't seem so intimidating.

You can always learn how to cue later. There's no rule that says you can't know both cuing and ASL.

He said that most of what makes it hard for most people is not having anyone to practice with outside of class, and that if we both learn and practice/sign every day it should be a breeze to get started, and to build from there. He said so long as we were diligent about learning vocabulary and practicing every day, learning and using the grammar as part of the class will be much easier. He stressed that motivation is key, but if we're both in it to win it, we shouldn't have any problems with the course or learning in general. He is not deaf, but said the class is 100% voice off.

Do any of you have any general feelings about how difficult it is to learn?

It depends on a variety of factors. Motivation, how much time you practice, and how you free up your mind are big factors. When I say "free up your mind" I mean rid yourself of any resistant attitudes. Don't compare ASL to English, don't worry about how you look--just go with the flow.

My Hubby started to learn sign as a hearing 40-something. He's not fluent but converses easily (voice off) with Deaf people, even receptively. I think a lot of it is because he's not self-conscious about signing.

Watch "CODA Brothers" on youtube.

 

[StevieMont927]

Great! Don't forget, you can save money by sharing your text book/DVD's.


You can always learn how to cue later. There's no rule that says you can't know both cuing and ASL.





It depends on a variety of factors. Motivation, how much time you practice, and how you free up your mind are big factors. When I say "free up your mind" I mean rid yourself of any resistant attitudes. Don't compare ASL to English, don't worry about how you look--just go with the flow.

My Hubby started to learn sign as a hearing 40-something. He's not fluent but converses easily (voice off) with Deaf people, even receptively. I think a lot of it is because he's not self-conscious about signing.

Watch "CODA Brothers" on youtube.

I find that just going at it helps. This is all very good advice. I've been studying (intensively) for 2.5 years now (had some familiarity with it before, though, but not much), and people are surprised sometimes at what level I'm in (officially).

The key thing is to try your best, and to try to not worry about looking perfect or fluid, or trying to impress people.

I'm hoping the best for your journey, and I'm glad you're learning with your wife!!!