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JanatheShort

JanatheShort

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So I have been on AllDeaf for a while now, and I have seen a million people saying "Oh I want someone to practice ASL with me!"

I know that you all have to be very tired of that request!!

That left me with a bit of a problem, however, because I haven't found the Deaf Community (if there is one) in my city. I can't travel to Deaf events in Vincennes or Indianapolis often because my husband and i share one car.

I thought, :hmm: what can I do to make sure I don't learn signs incorrectly?

Then I had an idea!

What if I record a Youtube video of me trying to sign the new words I use. Then, I could put a link here... and maybe someone would check my signs?

Would any of you be willing to do that?
 
Don't wait for the boat to pick you up in middle of water. Go on. Start your own Deaf get together in your area.
 
That sounds like a neat idea! I'm just learning, really too, but I'd be interested to follow your new signs and others' comments.

I live in a big city now, but where I am from there were no Deaf people, as all of us deaf and hoh were raised orally, so there was no one to meet with. Good luck with your progress!!!
 
I think it's a good idea but it'll be really slow. Consider:

You sign.
Fluent signer corrects you.
You sign back trying to emulate the correction.
Fluent signer says, "not quite, move your hand more like this."
You sign back, and ask "how about now?"
Fluent signer says, "There! You've got it!"

Done face to face or over video chat, 30 seconds.

Done with each of you taking it in turns to upload videos to Youtube (or you following typed instructions), much much longer.

Can you video chat? It would be a lot faster and flexible for you and the person helping you.
 
metalangel said:
I think it's a good idea but it'll be really slow. Consider:

You sign.
Fluent signer corrects you.
You sign back trying to emulate the correction.
Fluent signer says, "not quite, move your hand more like this."
You sign back, and ask "how about now?"
Fluent signer says, "There! You've got it!"

Done face to face or over video chat, 30 seconds.

Done with each of you taking it in turns to upload videos to Youtube (or you following typed instructions), much much longer.

Can you video chat? It would be a lot faster and flexible for you and the person helping you.
Click to expand...

Yes, I would love to do video chat! I just didn't think any of the fluent ASL users would want to do that. :)
 
Wirelessly posted (Blackberry Bold )

What resources are you currently using to learn ?

One of the best video dictionary websites is www.aslpro.com

Also there are lots of good dvds available through DawnSignPress.
 
In addition to what Anij said, Lifeprint.com :)ily: Dr. Bill!) is great because he has both a dictionary (with videos) and structured lessons for you to try. It's the primary source of my learning for the time being.

Also, if you have an iPhone or iPad you can get an app called Sign4Me which uses a 3D character (who looks like he escaped from The Sims) who will sign or fingerspell anything you want, from any angle you want, at any speed you want. My partner and I love it as it's a pocket dictionary if we're out somewhere and want to try describing what we're seeing or doing in ASL.

I also also saw a site that would give you a fluent tutor via Skype but I think it was $15 an hour so I didn't bother writing down the address.
 
Contact your state (or nearest big city)'s Association of the Deaf and they may know who you can be in contact with or how to announce something and get the right people there. I know a group of interpreters/Deaf people/ASL students used to do semi-regular "sign & dine" events around here. That would be a pretty low-key and easy to organize event if you can connect with the right people. You wouldn't need to rent a room, just stake out an area of a low-key restaurant. People buy their own food/drinks, so there isn't any cost to you.
 
Also look under "meet-up" in your local area. Do a search under the meet- up for "deaf" or " asl." You might find something that way. There are hundreds of different meet-up groups, with a huge variety of interests, so I would think there would be some that involve ASL.
 
JanatheShort said:
How would someone start a Deaf get together?:hmm:
Click to expand...

Someone here locally to me, just asked a bunch of people on FB, then after a bunch of positive response she created a facebook page and now we meet twice a month. It is mainly a Deaf Coffee chat, but she has now decided she also wants to do something more and a few of us asked about newbies to ASL being able to learn from some of the "seasoned" ones. We have at least 3-4 ASL teachers in the group. I thought it would be good for those of us who didn't know much ASL and also the students.
 
I have one deaf friend, and I asked her if she knows any other deaf people in town I could meet, and she says she only knows of two (and she doesn't get along wtih either of them).
The state school for the deaf is about 90 miles from me. I'm wondering if it would be too weird for me to call and offer to volunteer there once a month. I'd be willing to do behind the scenes stuff- stack, fold, collate, cut, staple, whatever, just for the chance to watch sign language in action from the background so to speak.
 
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