Just wondering.....

I grew up in the 70's and 80's with delayed speech and language issues and an IEP. If ASL or sign languages weren't part of the consciousness for deaf children, it certainly wasn't considered for someone who was assumed to hear, after some testing in school <my parents originally thought I was deaf which was why the school "hearing tests", but don't know if any mild or minimal HL was missed> . I've always been a strong visual person and good with body language and have strong intuition at times.

I'd love to learn more ASL and don't feel self-conscious about it, I've always been "different" in many ways <never fit that 'normal' WDYS! brought up>.


I've been in both official Special Ed and "reject" classes. For me, things did change when I went to an arts-oriented high school that was very small, and most students there were very serious about careers in performing or visual arts. There happened to be some "out" GBLTQ staff and students also and that also helped me as I came out as bi actually just after high school.

The only sports team there was a tennis team and nobody was that interested in that as part of any "school culture".
it wasn't a high school I was "tracked" to go into, since it wasn't my neighborhood school. But I knew that if I went to my neighborhood school, things would be so, SO much worse than they already were, for me, physically and emotionally. I honestly didn't know if I would live.
So I petitioned my parents to let me audition for that arts high school instead, which was much farther away.

The first day of high school I was literally terrified of being attacked like I had been all through my previous schooling. I was afraid to look at anybody as I'd learned - and had tried to be- invisible. Looking at someone could make you a target. Nothing scary happened and I was amazed.

I know for many it doesn't get better til they leave school altogether, or go to a college of their choice, far from where they started.
 
SilverRoxy said:
I am ASL user. I have no problem understanding the videos. I am surprised that most of you don't know ASL.
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Fluent ASL user. No issues with the videos. I too am surprise so many don't know ASL. I started becoming deaf at 19 and immediately started learning ASL (now age 45).

I live in a rural part of MA. Everything is at least an hour drive (even the grocery store). I find it worth the drive to go to deaf events to stay in touch with my deaf friends.
 
In response.. I do not know ASl very well. I have tried to learn it however given that I was mainstreamed. I understand SEE better. I can pick up some things but only if there is speech present when signing as well. I am a mess.
 
MelissaWatt said:
In response.. I do not know ASl very well. I have tried to learn it however given that I was mainstreamed. I understand SEE better. I can pick up some things but only if there is speech present when signing as well. I am a mess.
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:wave:...you're not a mess....I understand ASL more clearly if the person is moving their mouths at the same time....I'm not fluent but I know enough to converse with other defies.
 
rockin'robin said:
:wave:...you're not a mess....I understand ASL more clearly if the person is moving their mouths at the same time....I'm not fluent but I know enough to converse with other defies.
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My lip reading has diminished some. I have been working on it with my hubby by taking my aids out at night ant having a conversation with him before we go to bed of the night. ASL is hard for me to convert because of how I learned in school. Mainstreaming can be a good but bad thing. Even though I live some what near Galludet University in DC, I have not met very many here who do sign ASL. Does that make any sense to you ? When I do sign with what I know in exact english .. to my deaf friends in California, they understand me and laugh cause they love me. They know I went to school not a deaf school to learn.
 
rockin'robin said:
How many of us members know ASL...and can understand the videos in ASL?
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rockin'robin said:
Wow...90 views...but not 1 comment or post.....:hmm:
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I am sorry I miss what post were you talking about? What's 90 views but not one comment on them?

I don't like a very fast speed ASL post? It need time for me to grasp what they are talking about. I am very good reading at ASL on videos if slow or accurate ASL videos.

I had never learned to talk or read lips at all until I was in the mainstream elementary school. I had speech therapy and hungry to the words in books. I love reading books. But when I tried to lipread, it was very frustrating and keep getting lost, even if I used the books to help me understand what the subjects were about. I hate lipreading. I had to suffered through both elementary and high school. I can lipread if someone signed. I don't want cue speech. Ugh!

After I graduated from mainstream high school, I learned how to sign ASL (Ameslan back then) and I love it so that I can understand what the Deaf Communities were making conversation and learning on many of the topics or subjects in community colleges.

So I really understand 100% of ASL video, not the too fast ASL video.
 
I too, am surprised how very few know ASL - I thought this is a DEAF site :giggle:

I don't know a sl either - I should learn, it is practical for anyone with hearing loss to know. but I am simply too lazy, ooops..

Fuzzy or should I say - Lazzy... lol
 
I am bsl but same aplys when in London it was fine.I did find it sad when I went to any deaf things for instance place called City Lit have had deaf stuff going on and it became them and us sort of thing with oral and bsl.the signers just turn backs on oral.I think life be harder if not know sign.i don't have do much husband picks up my meaning just doing few signs.i not most perfect bsl but do make life easier.my daughter still do mackton she never be able have conversation but she signs the noun has difficulty explains I had to do it with her at time it helped me and I went on do bsl.my lip reading is not best get head ache if concentrating to long but bsl with lip reading got no problems.I met people like me sudden deaf we went rehab but everything was aimed at not signing people my age at the time 30just verbal. How live life as deaf.at 30 I was encouraged so went on do bsl I spendt days hours with the everyday people who signed only.i know enough for every day needs but certainly have difficulty fast one on level,4/5 lot of deaf would they university leval like Beb and rr don't be to fast be in my comfott zone.it 1.30am I got try sleep or talk more
rubbish than usual.i love be in room with rr Beb and bot I at there level bot proberly better I think we have little problems..Would I be laten deaf at 30 I don't think so.
Wdys could you done asl after school I would find it hard in your position
 
What?

rockin'robin said:
Late deafened myself...only 2 years at NCSD and was not allowed to sign in class...so I learned ASL in the dorms...or I would not have any communication/friends at all....

Glad I did....and the more I watch ASL videos the more I understand....
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Why wouldn't they allow you to sign in class? How are you supposed to communicate and learn?
 
bitner90 said:
Why wouldn't they allow you to sign in class? How are you supposed to communicate and learn?
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All the teachers were hearing....I only had 2 deaf teachers...one for basketball (and he did not speak at all)...and 1 teacher for Algebra, who was verbal/sign (HOH)....

Very few teachers were fluent with ASL....mainly wrote on the black board, mouthed the words they were saying...along with some finger spelling. And I seemed (at the time) to be one of a kind...(losing my hearing overnight)...but was still vocal...I was "encouraged" to speak at all times...or lose the ability to do so....So there you go!...and today, I'm still vocal and totally deaf.

4 floors in the dorm (for girls only)....at NCSD (North Carolina)...we did have deafie supervisors and some hearing too. At that time, No Blacks or Blind students were there....

So I learned ASL in the dorms with the other girls.
 
That sad thing rr the very people who should learn don't.i in same position with my sibs in fact my daughter and me been written out mothers Will because we are how we are my half brother in States learned ASL just for me when I visit only thing I bsl he thought all countries did it same,
it must been hard not being allowed learn sign life been so much easier for whole family if had...I was in right place right time to learn bsl.
 
Jane B. said:
As I posted in a thread that got off on phones it is largely a matter of location, location, location. This is particularly true of ASL as you need someone that also knows it to sign with. It seems quite a number of us are in areas where this is not available. See post #10 in this thread for more about me.
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That's true. I didn't think about that. My parents live in a country far away from big stores. I had never encountered a deaf person there. I can't imagine living somewhere that does not have services for the Deaf. I feel bad that most people (deaf and hearing) on this forum will never feel close to Deaf people.
 
I know ASL. No problems understanding. Have been trying to find more people on here to just chat and get to know (not ASL/interpreting students, although I don't mind helping).

Sent from my XT1254 using AllDeaf App mobile app
 
ASL ninja master level: serial-and-deadly-inadvertent-eye-poker.
 
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