I was just wondering if anyone else is teaching sign language right now and what made you start? I learned sign language in high school OK, about 16 years ago, but hey, its like riding a bike, right ) I actually considered becoming a sign language interpreter after high school, but for some reason didn't. I ran into the teacher's helper at the store a few months ago and it got me interested in teaching it to the kids and refreshing my skills. So I went to the library and got a bunch of books. They learned to fingerspell first. Each day we review fingerspelling and then we work on 5 words a day. We review each word (I keep a list of what we have learned, and have kind of made it where we can make small sentences with what we learn). For excample, they can do the old Barney I love you song with what they know. They know 30 words so far, and I add words based on what they are interested in "saying" next. We will continue these lessons and eventually take formal lessons at our local deaf action center, to get them more fluent. But I definately wanted to lay the groundowrk while they are young. They are so excited I am actually suprised at how much I am remebering as we go along.
That sounds like fun. I have a book on sign language that we were given years ago, but we never really dug in. Maybe that would be something different we could work on this summer.
I am also doing sign language but nothing near that indepth, im gnna take some of ur ideas... sounds great!
We have an interpreter at our church who is currently teaching a weekly class we are taking. We also use The Joy of Signing occasionally, but I prefer to use www.aslpro.com to see things signed so that I'm not trying to give motion to a sign that I have only seen on paper. That site has quizes, too. My kids are 14 and 11, so they are learning on more of an adult level so the website is working well for us. There was another site I know someone posted a while back that has step-by-step video lessons for a complete course.
No. I started learning sign language about 35 years ago, when Deaf showed up at church. I've taken classes from several diffent sources, including college-level interpreter training classes (though I am absolutely NOT an interpreter!!!), was once certified to teach Deaf children, and worked at the Ohio School for the Deaf as a house mother. All that said, I'd be scared to teach ASL to my children. I know just enough to know how much I DON'T know. I would want them to have an understanding of it AS A LANGUAGE, not just a bunch of vocabulary. At the same time, we have a very-qualified lady who teaches it at the co-op. I was the "adult volunteer" in her advanced class last year, and she's a VERY good teacher. But it bugs me to pay someone to teach what I should be able to teach my kids myself. MY problem, I know, but....
We did a little sign ASL in grammar grades, taught them little simple sentences and the ABCs they have that down as far as saying their name, friends, etc, conversational stuff that would help them communicate if needed. That is about it. I think I would rather dd take it at college level, I told her so. My ds' first words were signed because his nursery worker on Sundays taught the babies how to say Please and thank you in sign.
Just with little ones. I haven't done it as a language. I have used it to benefit language skills. I took a couple a classes in the past and have used and taught basic signing to kids and parents, but only as a way to improve spoken language.
Very good point, Jackie. Our instructor is teaching us communication, not just vocabulary. She is also educating us on deaf culture and how much it varies from "mainstream." We've learned so, so much. I think it has inspired us to learn more and to appreciate our hearing all the more.
I would like to learn it and use it as a Language with my family one day. I really like ASLuniversity from lifeprint.com as complete curriculum 100% free and really very good for middle school and up or anyone interested in learning it.
I'll check that out, Gizzy! Brooke, it would drive my mom crazy, because when I worked at the Deaf School, I knew several hearing people who grew up in a Deaf home. I would tell Mom that so-and-so was hearing, but was culturally Deaf. She had no concept at all of what that meant! There are things that are perfectly acceptable in the Deaf community that hearing people just shake their heads at.
Furling the brow while signing questions was very diffucult for me since the hearing community sees it as a rude gesture. Thanks, gizzy, for posting that info. I'll look into it!
Thanks, Brooke and Gizzy for the websites. Those will help out a lot I saved them to my favorites and will use them when needed. I know I will not be able to teach them everything they need to know, but this is just the beginning of our learning process. I am teaching them correct hand placement and the importance of lip reading and that it is a whole language, not just cute little signs for them to make up. We will eventually take classes, but I wanted them to get the basics down befor I exposed them to paying classes
I'm doing sign language flash cards with dd6. We tried some beginning spanish but she kept getting tongue-tied and frustrated. She likes the sign language, though. She's impressed by what she can sign.
