Reading was a way to learn about subjects...I mean, even if you're hearing, it helps to have some form of reference in school--hence the large amounts of money spent on textbooks.
Your reading abilites?
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Reading was a way to learn about subjects...I mean, even if you're hearing, it helps to have some form of reference in school--hence the large amounts of money spent on textbooks.
kashveera
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Yeah, and unfortunately thats where half my money goes...buying textbooks for university, they are damn expensive, like around R600 bucks, or if you convert it to your currency, about $86 per book, for me its a lot!!
Kashveera
Ur exception. It failed me and I am reading fourth grade level, it is proved that already and I am not only one cuz I knew many deaf people read below me and many of them were oralists.
kashveera
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But don't despair...carry on trying, you never know when your reading skills may just improve!!
All the best!!
Kashveera
Don't let that discourage you...
Liza
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Floating standard perpetuated by some educators is one of some serious problems in Deaf literacy, next to having inferior complex (Oh, I can't possibly be smart and learn English!)... to bluntly put it. But anyone can do it, if they can work on adapting to personal challenges!
Gallaudet University offers remedial classes for english as well as math. I know this because I was a part time lab tutor for a few years. I am sure there are resources in local areas, too.
I do have a 4th grade level of knowledge in the norwegian language, so I know how folks feel about having that much knowledge in english even though they are very fluent with another language like ASL!
Just remember, if you think knowing little english doesn't make you smart.. think again! Think about the ones who are clever with english... they are still dumb in some things. Think of President Bush!
Just remember that a language does not measure your IQ, OK? It is just the psychological side that makes us think we are dumb and that we can't master a language! Our capability/willingness to learn from our mistakes and experience are what truly measures our intelligence IMO.
I feel so strongly about this.
Gallaudet University offers remedial classes for english as well as math. I know this because I was a part time lab tutor for a few years. I am sure there are resources in local areas, too.
I do have a 4th grade level of knowledge in the norwegian language, so I know how folks feel about having that much knowledge in english even though they are very fluent with another language like ASL!
Just remember, if you think knowing little english doesn't make you smart.. think again! Think about the ones who are clever with english... they are still dumb in some things. Think of President Bush!
Just remember that a language does not measure your IQ, OK? It is just the psychological side that makes us think we are dumb and that we can't master a language! Our capability/willingness to learn from our mistakes and experience are what truly measures our intelligence IMO.
I feel so strongly about this.
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I'm a bit skeptical that bosses would prefer a high school drop out with 10 grade education vs a high school grad with a fourth grade literacy level. I have only my own personal obseration but it's been my experince that a worker with a degree is preferred to one without one. Have you read any wanted ads lately?
My ablity to read didn't get me a perment job but it certainly got my co-worker a job despite being so illiterate that she could not even read the word bad in large letters. She was hearing too.
If skills and education were all that is needed, I wouldn't run across so many confused job seekers.
There's more to getting a job than just literacy and numberate levels. Witness Prez Bush. It's clear he doesn't have a good command of English yet he's the President.
My ablity to read didn't get me a perment job but it certainly got my co-worker a job despite being so illiterate that she could not even read the word bad in large letters. She was hearing too.
If skills and education were all that is needed, I wouldn't run across so many confused job seekers.
There's more to getting a job than just literacy and numberate levels. Witness Prez Bush. It's clear he doesn't have a good command of English yet he's the President.
Ha ha ha Liza, and I have a first grade knowledge of the Norwegian language! But it helped me through my trip in Norway this recent summer.
I think what many people forget the most is how they can change their attitude and perspective on the situation and make it a much better situation for them. Many deaf people I know think that English is just too hard for them, so they simply give up. For me, I am always loving to learn new words and my language skills (French, German, Danish and Norwegian) have helped me to figure out the little nuances of the grammar and wordings. I also take the time to reread my postings to make sure my verbs and subjects agree and so forth.
I don't think that "college level" is something that one should think to be the best level. What I believe instead is that as long as the person is able to express his thoughts and feelings in a coherent way, then he can be much better than so-called Masters Degree graduate who probably had no idea what he was writing about on his dissertation.
I think what many people forget the most is how they can change their attitude and perspective on the situation and make it a much better situation for them. Many deaf people I know think that English is just too hard for them, so they simply give up. For me, I am always loving to learn new words and my language skills (French, German, Danish and Norwegian) have helped me to figure out the little nuances of the grammar and wordings. I also take the time to reread my postings to make sure my verbs and subjects agree and so forth.
I don't think that "college level" is something that one should think to be the best level. What I believe instead is that as long as the person is able to express his thoughts and feelings in a coherent way, then he can be much better than so-called Masters Degree graduate who probably had no idea what he was writing about on his dissertation.
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Agreed.
I remember my shock in Gally honors when my English teacher told the class she wasn't interested in perfect English as this wasn't a grammar course. She said we were to write essays in a coherent way. I should note here that not all of the honors students had perfect English.
Athough I have a good vocabulary, I prefer to write simply so others can understand. Besides, I can't spell. :P
If you IM me, you'll notice that I make a lot of grammar errors. That's because proofreading takes time and IMs don't allow for much proofreading.
I think I could read Spanish at a first grade level. That's enough to read a menu in Spanish. However, I have no idea how to write a grammatically correct sentence in Spanish.
This will suprise many here but I do not know the grammar rules of English. I remember my little sister had to explain what a helping verb is to me.
You got it... Sometimes my bf would point it out to me that I made a grammatical blunder, and then I would think about it. Sometimes when I speak German fluently, it does affect my English, influencing the words to be arranged in a more German order. Sometimes I have to reread and try to read it as if I was an American. I have to admit that I do like to keep the German order here and there in my English, as I see it as my own way of speaking, despite whatever people may think.
Liza
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Kuifje, yes, I do agree with you that it's pretty important to be understood. However, it also brings up another point for me: Should we please everyone by leaving out certain words and phrases? What's stopping people from asking about the new words and phrases? Isn't it a good thing to expand knowledge through exchanges?
For example - I really prefer that the norwegian deaf people do not use international sign language to communicate with me. I want them to expose me with the full range of norwegian sign language so I can learn and pick up more signs! It is frustrating when I feel like the norwegians dumb down their signing - because they are underestimating my ability to learn and to pull my own weight in a conversation. As a result I don't have much of a conversation with many norwegian deaf people... everyone practices that floating standard in so many ways, and it is frustrating
I feel like *if* I use easier words I enable others to stay at that level instead of giving them the opportunity to learn something new. It should not be viewed as an unwanted thing but could be and should be viewed as a gift. Additionally, it is not really a problem if I am asked to explain what I mean. That is an obligation everyone has as a participant in every shared discussion and exchange, IMO.
In conclusion, I'd rather write the way I want to because I know it IS an opportunity for others to learn something new if any; no one should feel ashamed about learning something new at all. I never, never mocked or made fun of the ones I were tutoring in English years ago. Why should I do that today? They knew I were on their side. We all never stop learning, anyway!
Yes, there are some people who use "big" words to show off or just to practice their usage... that's absolutely fine to me! Practice makes perfect!
Ah! The only times that it would be rude and downright dirty rotten IF they refuse to explain what they mean AND make people feel dumb about not knowing these things. That is something I personally do not support. Those people are arrogant and not the ones I would want to socialize with. The ones who patronize me by dumbing down their language for my "benefit" should know that the road to hell is usually paved with good intentions. I've been guilty of that in the past, of course. How else did I know about the road to hell? Just because I refuse to caretake (enable) people today, it doesn't mean I look down at them at all. Trust me.
For example - I really prefer that the norwegian deaf people do not use international sign language to communicate with me. I want them to expose me with the full range of norwegian sign language so I can learn and pick up more signs! It is frustrating when I feel like the norwegians dumb down their signing - because they are underestimating my ability to learn and to pull my own weight in a conversation. As a result I don't have much of a conversation with many norwegian deaf people... everyone practices that floating standard in so many ways, and it is frustrating
I feel like *if* I use easier words I enable others to stay at that level instead of giving them the opportunity to learn something new. It should not be viewed as an unwanted thing but could be and should be viewed as a gift. Additionally, it is not really a problem if I am asked to explain what I mean. That is an obligation everyone has as a participant in every shared discussion and exchange, IMO.
In conclusion, I'd rather write the way I want to because I know it IS an opportunity for others to learn something new if any; no one should feel ashamed about learning something new at all. I never, never mocked or made fun of the ones I were tutoring in English years ago. Why should I do that today? They knew I were on their side. We all never stop learning, anyway!
Yes, there are some people who use "big" words to show off or just to practice their usage... that's absolutely fine to me! Practice makes perfect!
Ah! The only times that it would be rude and downright dirty rotten IF they refuse to explain what they mean AND make people feel dumb about not knowing these things. That is something I personally do not support. Those people are arrogant and not the ones I would want to socialize with. The ones who patronize me by dumbing down their language for my "benefit" should know that the road to hell is usually paved with good intentions. I've been guilty of that in the past, of course. How else did I know about the road to hell? Just because I refuse to caretake (enable) people today, it doesn't mean I look down at them at all. Trust me.
Miss-Delectable
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Agree with you, girl.
Although I had to chuckle at the memory of writing to you MIL and told her that you're having ... with us gals on a boat!
Goes to show that no matter how bad or good we are at languages; language itself can make it tricky for us to speak or write perfectly as they can often have two meanings and such.
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I had to take the Praxis test for my teaching certificate and there are 3 tests in the Praxis One test which are reading, writing, and math. The reading test was rated at the college level and I only missed 2 questions out of 80 questions so I am using that to identify my current reading level.
When I was in high school, I always tested at 1 grade level above for reading comprehension but did poorly in vocabulary. It showed that I have good reading strategies of figuring out the meanings of the text but when the words are in isolation, I struggled. I am sure I am a lot better now but it was an interesting constrast of both skills.
Anyways, my mom said she read to me since I was a baby and as soon as I learned how to read, I started reading on my own. I cant go to sleep without reading for at least 30 minutes. I love to read.
When I was in high school, I always tested at 1 grade level above for reading comprehension but did poorly in vocabulary. It showed that I have good reading strategies of figuring out the meanings of the text but when the words are in isolation, I struggled. I am sure I am a lot better now but it was an interesting constrast of both skills.
Anyways, my mom said she read to me since I was a baby and as soon as I learned how to read, I started reading on my own. I cant go to sleep without reading for at least 30 minutes. I love to read.
Liza
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Agree with you, girl.
Although I had to chuckle at the memory of writing to you MIL and told her that you're having ... with us gals on a boat!
Goes to show that no matter how bad or good we are at languages; language itself can make it tricky for us to speak or write perfectly as they can often have two meanings and such.
:Oops: Hey.. you have to admit I showed you gals a good time on the boat!