Wednesday, March 19, 2008
I just wanted to say that I really enjoyed class tonight!! I am absolutely fascinated with the deaf community. Thanks to Jenna (hope I spelled it correctly) for coming into class and talking to us. I will be the first to admit that I take for granted all the wonderful things that the Lord has blessed me with. I love to listen to music and tonight on my way home, with my radio on, I thought about how it hard it would be if I couldn't listen to it...how my world would be effected if I lost my hearing or my sight. So I commend all of the people who carry on such successful lives with these issues (I do not want to say disabilites because I am almost sure that the deaf community does not consider themselves disabled and I do not either!).
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When we were watching the video and the man was talking about how hearing people think of what they can't do, the first thing that I also thought of was music. I understand that Deaf people can still feel vibrations and enjoy music in some ways, but it's hard for me to comprehend not hearing music the way that I do. I was glad Jenna came, too. It made it easier to understand some of the issues the Deaf community faces when it was coming from someone who was able to share her own experiences that she went through.
Jessica, My name is spelled with only one N if you wanted to know for sure. :) Don't feel bad, everybody who had just met me always spells my name Jenna or even sometimes Genna, Gina, Jenny, and etc. ANYWAY, it was great to talk to you all last night. I always enjoy coming to Cathy's class. I started coming last semester and I plan to keep coming until Cathy gets sick of hearing the same story over and over again. :-P
Speaking of music, don't think that deaf people don't enjoy music or appreciate it the same way you do just simply because we can't hear it the same or at all. I know some deaf people who probably love music more than you all do. Once I had a next door neighbor in the dorms who had subwoofers in every corner of her dorm room. I was sick with the flu one night and wanted to go to bed earlier and I could not sleep because my wall next to my bed was vibrating so badly from my next door's music and my wall wasn't even part of their room at all. What I'm trying to say, we enjoy music differently. It doesn't matter if we're deaf, we still enjoy it as much as you do! My favorite music is those with a lot of beat and no lyrics. Techno mostly. We or most of us NEVERRRRR hear/follow the words. I can hear them talking or singing but to enjoy the music its not about listening extra hard to follow the words with my cochlear implant but the feeling of music or the general sound. Some deaf people like rock because its hard or harsh and fast. Some like pop because its fun and easy to follow and some like rap because .. I don't know they all have their own preferences and reasons. ACTUALLY I have a couple videos to show you all! Must watch! Very cool!
First one is Sean Forbes, he graduated from RIT where I went and got into music industry himself and this is his first published music video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fsSpbAV3lQ
and some kid I don't know took a Marilyn Mason (I can't spell his weird name as weird as himself) song into ASL .. VERY COOL:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=AaAmlhzELpw
I just wanted to agree with Jessica on how awesome class was last night. I was sad when it was over!!
Jena,
I enjoyed your visit! Thank you for making the time to come talk to us! I watched the video, "Where'd You Go" and I loved it! What a beautiful song. The other one was cool to watch too, but I agree with you--Marilyn is one weird dude! LOL Best of luck to you in everything you do!
Jena, I wanted to ask you, how much hearing do you have with your implant? Do you prefer to be signed to or spoken too? Is this typical for those with cochlear implants? Thanks for posting the videos. They were neat. I also wanted to ask you, or Mrs. White a question. I have no background in sign language at all but it is my major (DHH elementary education/special education). I WANT to learn and I WANT to be a good signer but I feel like I will never get there unless I start getting involved more with the Deaf community now before I graduate. So my question is, do either of you know of any programs in Richmond for Deaf children? An after school program or a babysitting program? Sports program? Anyplace that I can go and just practice signing and immerse myself. Let me know what you both think. Thanks again Jena, it was great to meet you.
Abbey,
Last time when I had my hearing test taken the audiologist gave me about 75-85% of what a normal hearing adult would hear.
When I'm communicating with others, I prefer to use whatever the other person(s) uses for receiving communication. If I'm speaking to a room full of hearing people with only 1 deaf person I will speak and sign at the same time like I did in class this week. If everybody is deaf and they don't rely on voice, I'll just sign alone. So it depends on who I'm talking to, not what I like.
Is it typical with those with CIs? It depends. I met a bunch of really young children about 2 or 3 years ago with cochlear implants (all implanted before 2 years old) and they do not know one single sign. I assumed (and made an ass out of myself) and started signing to a few of them and one of the girls said "oh you know how to sign?!?! Thats so cool! I want to know how!" This group of students I met will be going through school orally and I think they will succeed just as fine in "normal" situations because they were implanted early and they were trained early enough for their brains to learn what sound is. Their voices sound absolutely normal. I had a hard time telling which was deaf and which was a hearing sibling of a student. Those who got CIs later or did not get one are typically and I emphasize TYPICALLY not the same. NOT ALWAYS. I was implanted at 6. I consider myself VERY lucky. I know several others who were implanted at 4 and don't have skills that I have and I know several others who got implanted much later around pre-teens or young adults and did soooo well with it. I had a classmate once who has been deaf or hard of hearing at least for all of her life and got implanted just last summer and she takes notes like yourselves now in class. I gawk at her for the entire 2 hours instead of paying attention in class. OK I'm exaggerating but you get the idea. I admired her ability to listen and take notes from a very very very fast speaking teacher. But to the point, most of people I have met with CIs typically do better with speech if they had it at a much earlier age than later. They have different preferences for communication. They can be uncomfortable signing because it makes them look strange or they can be uncomfortable speaking because they dont feel confident in their voices. Many different people and many different preferences and many different reasons. I'm just one of a kind like everybody else. But typically those who had similar situations as I did will do what I do.
Want to learn how to sign beautifully? Hang with us. There are plenty of fun young adults to hang out with *hint hint!* HAHA I'm just pulling your leg. Seriously, the best teacher is through friends or being around crowds of deaf people and you'll eventually pick up. Actually why don't you look for some classes that has deaf students in them and just follow them and watch the interpreter as much as you can. For your major I'm pretty positive you'll find some deaf students in a few of your required classes. Smack me if I'm wrong. There's also social groups that a lot of people enjoy going to to meet up with friends, acquintances, and etc. We do not have a large deaf community here in central Kentucky so those socials are really great for us to get together and be ourselves in our own silent world. We meet every first and third Fridays of every month at Fayette Mall in the food court. First Fridays are always more crowded than the third. There are several more but I can't think of any more from the top of my head right now. If you ever want to join me with my deafies, just beep me up and I'll be more than happy to have a new person join us. One quote I always say, "the more, the merrier." As for a program for deaf children in Richmond, I don't know. You could always ask your advisor, teachers, and etc. In Lexington, there are deaf program schools you could go and volunteer working with their students: Dunbar - High school, Beaumont - middle school, and Rosa Parks - elementary.
Sorry I rambled on for so long, I had so much information and I had to give it all out! Y'all can still ask more questions and I'll be more than happy to answer. I'll try to keep them shorter next time!!! :)
I also want to thank Jena for coming to class last Wednesday. I love listening to guest speakers tell about their lives. The topics in class were very interesting and I learned a lot.
I also enjoyed that class. It was nice to hear what Jena went through first hand because it really gives you a feel of what you should and shouldn't do for your students. I also really enjoyed the video. I'm going to try and find it somewhere to rent or borrow because I really would like to see the entire video.
I still need it this week...but after that I am willing to check it out to anyone who would like to see it. I purchased it from PBS for $60.
thanks jena...that was really great information you passed on and you totally answered my questions...i might take you up on the get togethers...thanks again!
I really hate that I had to miss this! unfortunately it couldn't be helped...stupid stomach flu!! ARG
I loved class last Wednesday too! My major is deaf ed and I am completely fascinated with everything that has to do with the field. I definitely did not want class to be over that is how much I enjoyed it.
To Jena-Thanks for explaining about music. I understand it a lot better than I did before. I also really enjoyed the Sean Forbes video...it was beautiful.
By the way, it was funny how you mentioned hanging out with people who are Deaf to learn sign. My friends and I were talking the other day about how much more sign language we pick up from talking to friends who are Deaf than just by going to asl class. I guess it's because we're able to put what we've learned into practice. Plus, I always get nervous in class. Any tips on having more confidence in signing?
Talk to yourself in the mirror or sign along with a song in the car all the time. Whatever thoughts you have when you're in the bathroom or bedroom, sign it out loud. I know it looks silly but it helps the practice. If you truly want to improve, then do it, silly or not. Don't think too hard about what sign you're supposed to do for that word or expression. ASL is greatly a very gestured language so use your body language and face expressions. A lot of people use more of those 2 than sign language itself to tell a story sometimes. Personally I would suggest not to videotape yourself until you're comfortable with your signing. Videotapes make me nervous watching myself and I have been signing all of my life and I'm sure it does for many others too. Leave it to the interpreters in training. As for class, like I said, don't think too hard about what sign, hand movements, gesture for a certain phrase. Just go with the flow. If you don't know or can't remember the sign for it, just spell it. I spell probably 1/4 to 1/3 of my words. Spelling is also very important in ASL and practicing. I had this GREAT website for practicing reading fingerspelling and I LOST IT! I loved going there playing with it to see how fast I can read. It had different speeds and skin colors and all that. It was so cool. If you could find a website like that use it. Practice all you can inside and outside the classroom if you're serious about learning the language. One last thing, take it one at a time. No one expects you to learn 50 words in 1 hour. Take your time, you'll pick up and your "vocabulary" will grow.
Thanks so much for the suggestions. And I don't care to look silly as long as it works. : )
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