{A} and I have been going to class, together!! An American Sign Language course was being offered really close by, and {A} and I both were really interested. It was being offered by a woman very educated and fluent in ASL, who among many other services, occasionally signs the entire mass at our parish as well as surrounding parishes, for those attending the mass, who may be hearing impaired, and sign. We’ve been mesmerized in watching her so beautifully interpret the mass. In addition, I grew up with a deaf cousin, and so in my childhood I always witnessed my aunt and cousin signing a lot, as well as my cousin and his friends. It intrigued me and planted the urge to learn to sign, and read signing, way back then.
We as a family have always been interested in learning to sign as well, for various reasons, and have learned quite a bit on our own. Mostly we have taught ourselves ‘words’, through books, and videos. When the babies were about 6 months old, we discovered Signing Time videos, and knew it would be very beneficial to help the babies communicate with us, before they were actually developmentally able to speak- and it proved to be a very helpful decision! It cut down on lots of whining and crying, because they were able to communicate their needs and wants to us very early on. Plus, we just found it fun to learn!
When this in-depth course that was offered came to our attention, {A} and I really grabbled with making a final decision to take it. We knew it was a big commitment (bigger than we knew), and some things would need to be re-arranged on our calendar. It’s a fairly long course, and the classes are at night. {A}’s biggest deterant, in her words, was “I just like to be home with my whole family at night.” And I understood how she felt, as I too just don’t like to be out at night, away from my family. (Ok…usually during the day too. lol. But nightime especially). But eventually we decided that the benefits outweighed the sacrifices, and we may never have such a convenient opportunity again! Plus, it was all the more enticing to be able to learn together in a class, where I was not her teacher, but her fellow classmate.
I have to tell you; it has been a joy taking this class with my daughter! I enjoy spending time with her anyway, and in this case, we are learning together in a whole new way. But also, I can’t help but feel so proud of her. This is generally an adult course (as it turns out), so she is the only kid in a class of all grown ups. But she is holding her own, and then some! She has been committed and responsible, and all of the adults, as well as the instructor, have been quite impressed with her ability to manage this class so well, despite her age, right along with them.
The course is 12 weeks long, once a week, with 2 hour classes. Doesn’t sound too bad, right? But there is hefty homework, we weren’t counting on! It is very interactive, which I was not counting on, either. There is no ‘hiding in the back’ or slipping by in any way. While we are all, as a class, learning to sign lots and lots of vocabulary words, our instructor wisely makes us put every word in a sentence. For homework every week, we first need to study all we learned in class that week, as well as prior weeks. Secondly, we each need to come up with 10 sentences every week on our own, which we then each have to verbally speak, and then sign, for the entire class! So we are learning a LOT, very rapidly, and are already able to sign complete communications.
One might wonder our reasons for even wanting to take an ASL course. But we have a whole list of reasons we see as really valuable benefits, and here are some of them:
First of all, ASL is considered a second language. So just in the scope of education and credits, it counts. {A} has also been extremely eager, even determined, to learn Latin, so she will begin studying that foreign language in September as well.
Second, ASL a worthwhile skill as a second language to have, socially, in the event we come to meet or know anyone who is hearing impaired, and signs. To be able to communicate with them, through their language, would be very nice to be able to offer them, and would show them that some people in the hearing community want to be able to communicate with them enough, to have learned the means to do so.
In terms of home schooling, it is important for {A} to know how to prepare and make public presentations, and speak clearly and informatively in front of a group of people, in an organized and prioritized way. Just as in formal school where she would need to give oral reports and presentations in a classroom setting, she is acquiring more experience and skills to do that, in taking this course. Granted, we were not aware when we signed up, that this would be required of us, but it’s definitely a valuable experience for her in that way as well.
As hearing people, being able to communicate with ASL also gives both of us skills that we will then be able to serve our community with. For example, we would be able to volunteer our skills in assisting interpretation between a hearing impaired person, and a hearing person with no ASL skills, for any number of instances such as appointments or other important needs of communication, or even in social conversations.
Further more, having taken this course, and having ASL communication knowledge could be a favorable asset for {A} on college and job applications, or resumes. Depending on the field of work she decides to go into, being able to communicate in ASL could be a benefit that lends itself well to her chosen profession at any given point in time. It may even come in handy in my own profession, as I am always meeting new clients.
So there are some long term benefits for both of us. In the meantime, as we take this course, it is requiring {A} to be disciplined and committed to more studies and useful knowledge. It has been an enjoyable experience for her, to know I am required to complete and perform everything she is! So we’ve been having lots of fun together having ‘sentence showdowns’, and preparing ourselves and each other for our classes.
Naturally, education is part of our daily every day family life anyway, and even the ‘trickle down’ education is something we are accustomed to seeing as well. All we teach {A}, or in some cases in her independent studies, she in various ways may ultimately teach the little ones about that which she has learned — just naturally in conversations that take place in their experiences together as siblings. She happens to know more as the oldest child, and loves to tell them or show them about lots of things, and they are never short on questions! So with ASL, {A} and I need to take the time where we can, to study, and of course the little ones are all around. They often watch us, try to copy us, or have their noses in our book with us, trying to sign the diagrams they see. They want to learn too! This is only building on all of the words they already know how to sign, many of which we still use when it is convenient to do so, such as in mass, or across a big lawn or distance when shouting would be rude and draw unwanted attention.
So wish us both luck in completing this course, preferably with flying colors! While we are having fun, it is indeed challenging, in time and effort. In the end we’re sure we will be proud of what we accomplished, together, and feel like the skills we have aquired and new language we are able to communicate will not only benefit us, but possibly at some point in time, serve others who are hearing impaired.
Hoping to blog again soon! I was supposed to get some work done tonight, but it’s looking pretty late for that now! I hope you enjoyed this post, and reading about our mother/daughter adventure in this ASL class.