How to improve receptive skills?

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jasin

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I need some ways to improve my receptive skills. I am deaf, but my receptive skills are pretty lousy as I went to a hearing school. Also, I learned American sign language late in life.

I should of gone to a deaf school instead of my parents trying to make me hearing with oral, hearing aids, and all them ear surgeries. None of this is my fault though really since its how I was raised and my parents didn't know any better.
 
jasin said:
I need some ways to improve my receptive skills. I am deaf, but my receptive skills are pretty lousy as I went to a hearing school. Also, I learned American sign language late in life.
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I was in the same shoes as u were when I first started learning ASL at the age of 25 (10 years ago)...I think it took me 5 years to get my receptive skills mastered. Just keep hanging out with deaf signers as much as u can.
 
shel90 said:
I was in the same shoes as u were when I first started learning ASL at the age of 25 (10 years ago)...I think it took me 5 years to get my receptive skills mastered. Just keep hanging out with deaf signers as much as u can.
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I already taken up Asl 101-103 and got half way through 201 before the college canceled the class as a result of there not being enough students in the class.
 
jasin said:
I already taken up Asl 101-103 and got half way through 201 before the college canceled the class as a result of there not being enough students in the class.
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Even after going up to ASL level 5 classes, I still wasnt fluent both expressively and receptively enough for the real world..it took my years at Gallaudet university to get fluent like I am now.

Learning via socializing is better than ASL classes, in my opinion. Yes, ASL classes are a great way to get a head start but to become completely fluent, best to immerse yourself.

My husband never took an ASL class (he is hearing) and never met a deaf person before until he met my former roommate in 2002 and he started hanging out with us. Now, he is fluent even though he signs more SEE.
 
shel90 said:
Even after going up to ASL level 5 classes, I still wasnt fluent both expressively and receptively enough for the real world..it took my years at Gallaudet university to get fluent like I am now.

Learning via socializing is better than ASL classes, in my opinion. Yes, ASL classes are a great way to get a head start but to become completely fluent, best to immerse yourself.

My husband never took an ASL class (he is hearing) and never met a deaf person before until he met my former roommate in 2002 and he started hanging out with us. Now, he is fluent even though he signs more SEE.
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That makes sense. :) By the way, I am trying to get into Ntid. Ntid has a lot more of the things that I am looking for in a college.
 
jasin said:
That makes sense. :) By the way, I am trying to get into Ntid. Ntid has a lot more of the things that I am looking for in a college.
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Sure, that is what education is for? Fitting our needs, right?...I am not saying Gallaudet is the answer for everyone but it was for me. :)

Good luck!
 
shel90 said:
Sure, that is what education is for? Fitting our needs, right?...I am not saying Gallaudet is the answer for everyone but it was for me. :)

Good luck!
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I agree with your statements 100%.
 
jasin said:
I need some ways to improve my receptive skills. I am deaf, but my receptive skills are pretty lousy as I went to a hearing school. Also, I learned American sign language late in life.

I should of gone to a deaf school instead of my parents trying to make me hearing with oral, hearing aids, and all them ear surgeries. None of this is my fault though really since its how I was raised and my parents didn't know any better.
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Same here...i wish I had gone to a Deaf school too!!! Boy, when I became fluent in ASL, I became soooo MAD at my parents for raising me oral only..Now I am not mad at them anymore but at the stupid oralists who brainwashed them. My parents didnt know any better either. *sighs*

i feel so blessed that I took that ASL I class. It was a HUGE life changing experience for me and turned my life around for the better. :)
 
shel90 said:
Even after going up to ASL level 5 classes, I still wasnt fluent both expressively and receptively enough for the real world..it took my years at Gallaudet university to get fluent like I am now.

Learning via socializing is better than ASL classes, in my opinion. Yes, ASL classes are a great way to get a head start but to become completely fluent, best to immerse yourself.

My husband never took an ASL class (he is hearing) and never met a deaf person before until he met my former roommate in 2002 and he started hanging out with us. Now, he is fluent even though he signs more SEE.
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I agree. Fluency does not come out of a classroom. The problem with a classroom is you have a bunch of students at the same level signing away, and one needs to sign with a more fluent signer to improve their skills. The classroom is great for getting the basics and building a vocabulary, but until one actually gets out in the real world and starts using those skills in real life situations, fluency is difficult to develop.
 
jillio said:
I agree. Fluency does not come out of a classroom. The problem with a classroom is you have a bunch of students at the same level signing away, and one needs to sign with a more fluent signer to improve their skills. The classroom is great for getting the basics and building a vocabulary, but until one actually gets out in the real world and starts using those skills in real life situations, fluency is difficult to develop.
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There was a deaf girl in my asl 1 class many years ago. I learnt Numbers from here. She was very helpful. But yes, most of those classes were all hearies with a hearing teacher.
 
jasin said:
There was a deaf girl in my asl 1 class many years ago. I learnt Numbers from here. She was very helpful. But yes, most of those classes were all hearies with a hearing teacher.
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Yes, every now and then you will run into a student that is advanced in a class. It is always helpful to the other students when that happens. Its good you had that experience.
 
Improve your rececptive skills: do what almost all hearing people do in public...stare at us deafies while we are carrying on a conversation.

(Just kidding - don't do that...it is rude, but so many people do that - stare. I just pretend I'm a movie star and move on.)

Lots of really cool ASL media out there to use...some are weird, some are funny, some are downright stupid...watch 'em all! ;)
 
deafbajagal said:
Improve your rececptive skills: do what almost all hearing people do in public...stare at us deafies while we are carrying on a conversation.

(Just kidding - don't do that...it is rude, but so many people do that - stare. I just pretend I'm a movie star and move on.)

Lots of really cool ASL media out there to use...some are weird, some are funny, some are downright stupid...watch 'em all! ;)
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umm i'm not a hearie, but ok.
 
My receptive skills are just plain rotten! But then again I am only a meager ASL beginner. :ugh3:
 
AquaBlue said:
My receptive skills are just plain rotten! But then again I am only a meager ASL beginner. :ugh3:
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Receptive skills usually come later than expressive. Its not unusual at all. Don't be too hard on yourself.
 
deafbajagal said:
Lots of really cool ASL media out there to use...some are weird, some are funny, some are downright stupid...watch 'em all! ;)
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Agreed, watch everything you can. YouTube has tons of signing videos for free and you'll get to see a variety of signers, which I think is very important for improving reception. (Of course they're not all of the best quality but there are lots of good ones.) Or try Googling "deaf vlog" (a vlog is a video blog) and watch whatever you like there.

This is, of course, aside from face-to-face interaction.
 
Are there any apps out there for improving receptive skills? I use the fingerspelling practise tool on lifeprint.com regularly; is there something like that for signs?
 
Bottesini said:
aslpro.com has a section called "Quiz me" where you can practice that.

ASLPro.com Home
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I'm wondering if you can stream any of the storytelling videos that are out there? I used to rent them for my son. They are stories told in pure ASL. They are great for receptive skills, because they really help you to just relax and concentrate on the ASL and perceive it without going through all of the English translation that hangs people up.
 
Yes, ASLPro is good. I was thinking more along the lines of being able to see signs in succession, as in a story that you can play from slow to fast...
 
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