Does anyone else know sign language?

MoochNNoodles

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I know a little bit and can understand more than I know how to sign back. With my job I have clients off and on with hearing impariments, and recently 2 that are deaf. The first one I could understand great and she could read my lips very well. The second has English and a second language on top of her deafness, so we've needed an interpreter to help us. So all of this has made me think I really need to improve my signing skills a lot!

What I'm looking for I guess is maybe some book type resources or video suggestions??? I know it's not the best way to learn, but a start.....

I know I could sign up for classes locally....but the problem is.....my mother is the teacher! And we work together too! So I guess I'm somewhat embarassed for after all this time suddenly deciding I need to learn to sign. Occasionally she'll teach a class for me at work to my students to teach them some signs and things about communicating with the hearing imparied, and it's just kind of awkward for me to ask her to teach me. Mom and I are close, but I guess I'm not ready to ask her. On top of that, my co-worker (who actually just went to another job but I've known her forever) and her daughter both sign. Her daughter actually just graduated last year and is a guide for the deaf and blind. So there is another person I'm not ready to have start teaching me....
 

gingersmom

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I know the alphabet and the words to most of the chorus of "You Light up my Life."



I think if you look up American Sign Language on the net you'll find lots of good info.
 

oscarsmommy

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Originally Posted by GingersMom

I know the alphabet and the words to most of the chorus of "You Light up my Life."



I think if you look up American Sign Language on the net you'll find lots of good info.
I know a little bit too but not enough to help. I have to Down's boys in my room at the daycare and they understand sign more than the english language so I don't understand them much either. I know how it feels though
 

snosrap5

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Both of my sons had two years of Sign language in high school as a foreign language. They really enjoyed it and have actually had a chance to use it real life.

My third son is starting his first year this fall. Get the book. It's a place to start.
 

lokismum

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Yes, I can sign. I know that the Canadian Hearing Society has a lot of great resources - even a dictionary! I took classes through them - not sure what you might have where you are but I'm sure there are resources somewhere.
 

lakeriedog

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I am fluent in ASL, both my parents and all of my step parents are deaf, but I didn't learn to sign fluently as a child because my parents mostly spoke to us. They went to the Alexander Graham Bell School for the Deaf in Cleveland back in the days when the deaf were discouraged from signing and pressured into becoming "oral". Anyway they never expected us to learn to sign...

I took college level sign language classes for about three years, and was able to whiz right through all of my classes because I already "knew" and understood the signs.

There are quite a few good sign language resources on the internet and books which are great to just learn words, but that won't help you develop conversational skills. If you have the time, I highly recommend taking ASL at your local community college.
 

pamela

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Originally Posted by lakeriedog

There are quite a few good sign language resources on the internet and books which are great to just learn words, but that won't help you develop conversational skills. If you have the time, I highly recommend taking ASL at your local community college.
I am deaf and am fluent in ASL myself.
Another thing I'd like to recommend is spend time with deaf people who signs ASL. That's the best way to pick ASL up.

Here's some links that you might want to check out. I have not had time to check them out throughly but at the first glance, they look good...
http://www.lifeprint.com/
http://www.aslpro.com/

You can also order ASL dvds/videos online....

It's great that you want to learn more so you can communicate more effectively with your clients!!


Good luck!
 
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MoochNNoodles

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Originally Posted by lakeriedog

If you have the time, I highly recommend taking ASL at your local community college.
That's where my mother teaches at sometimes. If not there, at the adult education center and on the base also..... The nearest place other than taking one of her classes is about an hour away. She's the only one in the area that does any teaching. Even interpreters come from a good bit away.


I'm going to check out the links everyone has posted and start from there. Maybe once I can get some down on my own I'll feel better about going to my mother for instruction.
 

catsallover

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You might want to just get a textbook and start there. I took one class at college, and one at church. The teacher at the church class took us to a deaf church to immerse us in sign language for a few hours, and it was amazing! They were all so helpful, kind and understanding as we were learning their language. It was kind of like people talking about learning a language while visiting a different country, if only for a few hours. Sink or swim, so to speak
Maybe you could find somewhere like that to help you along? Just brainstorming a bit here
. I love sign language; one of these days I want to learn more (as I remember a minimal amount, unfortunately
).
 

natalie_ca

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Why be embarrassed? If she teaches it ask her to teach you too. I think it's great that you want to learn to communicate with the hearing impaired without having to resort to pen and paper.

Nothing to be embarrassed about at all.

I learned sign language several years ago because my brother worked with a man who is deaf, as is his wife. Their daughter isn't and she used to interpret at times.

We felt it important to learn their "language" so that we could communicate with them more effectively.
 

fwan

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my parents are deaf, but aparently i sign differently than normal people... but dont ask why!! its because we have lived all over the place


When I go back to australia i am going back to the deaf clubs, maybe you can look one up in your area, they usually have lunches or bbq's on the weekend to catch up!

my parents always spoke to me, but now as an adult i think i need to learn it atleast one language perfectly incase i do have deaf children.
 

mirinae

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Both my parents worked with deaf people, and they taught my sister and I a few things. Also, in university a knew a woman whose parents were both deaf, and she taught us all how to say things we wouldn't use in polite company.
I also know all the words to "It's a Wonderful World."

One of my friends has a one-year-old daughter that they're teaching sign language to, the belief being that she will learn to articulate her needs sooner because it's easier for her to make hand signs than it is to speak. So far, she's been able to express her desire for juice, but that's about it. I'm not sure how consistent her parents are being with this, but it's something I would like to try with my own children. (I am told, however, that the sign language you teach to children for the purposes of encouraging earlier speech is not the same as ASL -- I don't know for sure, though.)
 
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MoochNNoodles

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Originally Posted by Natalie_ca

Why be embarrassed? .
because for years and years she'd sign to me and I'd fuss back at her.....
Shoulda let her teach me then.....
Originally Posted by Mirinae

One of my friends has a one-year-old daughter that they're teaching sign language to, the belief being that she will learn to articulate her needs sooner because it's easier for her to make hand signs than it is to speak. So far, she's been able to express her desire for juice, but that's about it. I'm not sure how consistent her parents are being with this, but it's something I would like to try with my own children. (I am told, however, that the sign language you teach to children for the purposes of encouraging earlier speech is not the same as ASL -- I don't know for sure, though.)
That's actually Mom's latest undertaking, teaching infants and toddlers to sign. She does have a good friend who she initially taught to sign, who has taught her son to sign. Basically they have taught him signs for specific things he can relate to, like ball, boat, airplane etc. But the big once is 'potty'!!! Then things like more, milk, etc. Mom said she was talking with the director of a daycare and they are actually having problems getting some kids to talk instead of just sign! When Mom's friend has worked with her son, he was taught to say and sign. I really like the idea of them learning to sign so young. I'm sure my mother will have my kids signing better than me if I don't get going....and they'll be talking about me behind my back!
 

hakishiroom

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I know ASL.

My partner is a CODA (Child of Deaf Adults) both of his parents are deaf as were his father's parents.

He taught at the Deaf and Blind School here in SC for two years and his mother actually lives with us!

It took a lot of practice but I can sign pretty fluently now - the hardest part is understanding what the other person is signing...or at least for me it is!!!

Harry is actually directing a play at the moment called 'The Taste of Sunrise' that will be signed and spoken at the same time.
 
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