ASL... as close to a universal language as it gets?

As a child, from my first exposure to ASL, I wondered why we didn't all learn sign language. Why wasn't it offered in public schools as an Elementary English class or even later as an elective? It seemed to cross all language and hearing barriers; as at that time, I was unaware of Spanish SL, Japanese SL, etc. or any other kind of signed language like SEE or Pigeon.  It appeared to be the PERFECT language! Everyone could communicate and I thought that would be great! Here below is yet another testimony of why it may still be a valid idea today!

What are your thoughts?

 

The Many Faces of the Users of Sign Language

Posted by John @ Signing Savvy on Sunday, November 25, 2012 as General Interest

About a year and a half ago, I came across a young man having problems in one of my schools.  He was about five years old and like any other five year old boy, he was a bit stubborn.  But, unfortunately, he was also known to be a bit of a “flight risk” from the classroom.  We will call him Alex.
Alex isn’t deaf.  I don’t even think he is hard of hearing.  Alex is a very bright young man….a bright young man with Downs Syndrome.  Because of the Down’s, Alex has a lot of trouble with his expressive communication skills.  He can hear everything anyone is saying to him, and he really enjoys interacting with others he comes across.  He is a very affectionate boy.  But up until a year and a half ago, Alex had no real way to communicate back to others what he wanted to say. He made noises here and there but other than gestures, his full thoughts were not being conveyed well and his frustration with communication was evident.

Thankfully Alex’s teacher had previously worked as a speech therapist in a Deaf and Hard of Hearing classroom and she suggested Alex be placed in a DH/H classroom setting where he would be submersed in sign language and he would have continual access to those who used it. Alex picked up on the concept of signing almost immediately.  His signs, much like baby signs are often approximations of the true ASL sign, but they are definitely understandable.  His command of language shows remarkable purpose and thought.

Today it is AMAZING to see Alex sign with his teachers, interpreters and his peers.  He has a schedule and knows exactly how to use it and the purpose behind it, even making suggestions of ways to add to his schedule so that it is more complex and inclusive to his needs.  He is reading everyday words that are a part of his schedule.  His mother and the staff that work with him are so happy with Alex’s progress.  “He has become a MUCH happier boy now that he can effectively communicate his wants and needs.”  Adds one member of his educational team.  His mother’s comment, “Our home life is night and day different and the frustrations, although still there at times, are so much less than what they were before Alex had a voice through sign language.” This comment brought a tear to my eye and a lump in my throat.

These are the people we created Signing Savvy for, the people who need a voice and those who work with them. We know there are others out there like Alex who may not be Deaf or Hard of Hearing but are still walking the earth “without a voice”.  If you know anyone who fits into this category, please don’t hesitate to suggest the introduction of sign language to them.  You may dramatically change their life forever!

Alex’s face is distinctly different than your typical Deaf or Hard of Hearing child, yet one thing is very much the same…..the smile when he is communicating.

Did you see this one??? Deaf Kid Kills Friend With Cochlear Implant: Cold Case Episode from 2008 just re-aired this week.

You can read a synopsis of the episode and a deaf person's review here; but, what do you think about these issues? CI's later in life vs. as an infant/toddler?; CI wearers as part of Deaf culture?; Deaf and Hearing as couples? Share your views please, and share this blog with your friends too~ Thank you.

When the science lab confirms Andy Rierdan's blood traces on a piano at his former high school, Lt. Stillman reopens the case of the 17-year-old deaf boy, who had disappeared in December 2006 from his high school campus. While the police search the campus for Andy's body, the team questions Andy's family and friends. The inquiries reveal that Andy was a popular boy at school: a party boy and a straight-A's student. His parents tell the police that he was a cheerful and outgoing guy and was proud of his people, the deaf community.

One day, Andy met Emma Walker, a young hearing girl who was to teach piano in the school, as part of a court order for driving under the influence of alcohol. After a first rough meeting, the two became friends and had a liking for each other. However, Leah O'Rafferty, a schoolmate of Andy's, became jealous because she considered him her boyfriend. When Andy said that she was misunderstanding things, that the two of them couldn't be more than friends, she took it badly.

Leah admits she was hurt by Andy's refusal but also Carlos, Andy's best friend, did not approve of Andy and Emma's friendship. According to Carlos, Emma convinced Andy to get an artificial ear implant, a cochlear. He once saw them together at the piano since Andy was very good in playing piano. They were interrupted by Emma's father who was furious that Andy was close friends with his daughter. Despite his fiery temperament, Mr. Walker denies ever having hurt the boy, also providing a strong alibi for himself.

Mr. Walker directs the police to the headmistress of Andy's school for deaf children, Dean Vivien Harden, who from the very beginning had shown full cooperation with the police offering to be their interpreter. The detectives ask for an explanation of a secret email she had sent Andy. She reveals that she had mediated a meeting between Andy and his parents who had come to know that he wished for a cochlear in order to hear again. His parents did not approve of the ear operation as, for them, this was like betraying his people. As a consequence, Andy had promised to break up with Emma and to never mention a cochlear operation again.

Meanwhile, the cops find Andy's body buried in the campus' playgrounds. Next to his remains, they also find a cochlear and understand that Andy had gone ahead anyway. When questioning Emma, the team discovers that she had spoken again to Andy and convinced him to go for it, leaving him the key to the piano room.

From the clinical reports, the detectives discover that the operation had been authorized by his father so they get back to his parents. Andy's father wanted his son to be happy even if that meant losing him, so he signed the papers. While about to leave the Rierdans, detective Vera, who had been studying sign language, sees that the two were talking about Carlos. To his questions, Mr. Rierdan answers that Carlos actually talked Andy in to it.

The detectives call Carlos to their police station to question him. Rush pushes him to the breaking point and he confesses in tears that he had killed his best friend with a sudden blow from behind while he was playing piano, because he was scared to be left alone.

 Worth seeing over and over again

10

By DominicanSin3, Mar 25, 2010

I absolutely loved this episode.



But as a deaf person some of the reviews are alittle far fetched. I think there is too much expectation on the show being medically accurate and forgetting it's only an hour long show. I think that people also forget that every deaf person's experience is different so how can anyone say that deaf people aren't like that or deaf people aren't like this?



I often encounter daily hearing people who think I should automatically know how to read lips so that was pretty much on point. I also encounter the same attitude that was displayed in the episode. I wear hearing aids and am not a native signer b/c I grew up oral and sometimes the attitude I get from the congenital deaf community or those who have been signing for a long time (or even sometimes from hearing students at my school who sign fluently) is that they don't want to be bothered by people like me. Now that is not to say that this is the attitude of all or even most. I have found most are very patient with me and accept me but unfortunately that elitist attitude is present and the producers did a good job of showing this. It is also a reality that some hearing people do want deaf people to conform to them. I think people forget way back when that people would actually take their children to a priest for holy water hoping that deafness was a curse. And cochlears are a big issue in the deaf community. Someone also mentioned about the cochlear process. I think you have to keep in mind once again this is only an hour show they can't possibly be 100% accurate when it comes to such an extended process. It was also mentioned that ASL can't be learned from a book--not 100% true. Yes it is best to have deaf interaction but I grew up oral and I first started teaching my self ASL from the very same book Vera had (Signing for Dummies). And anyone who doubts that the deaf can play the piano is mistaken. Many great composers were deaf. Like I.King Jordan said, "Deaf can do anything, except hear!" If you all can't get over litte inaccuracies that don't really break the story then you will never see the true beauty of this episode.

Overall this episode was as accurate as possible within the time frame and gave an accurate portryal of various perspectives on the deaf community.