TESTIMONIAL FROM A CURRENT STUDENT:
RaVen is an experienced ASL coach and a talented teacher. She is very thorough in how she assesses her students' skills and how she gives specific feedback, using a variety of techniques. She has lots of great ideas and is also flexible and willing to work with students on specific things they want to focus on. She has helped in a variety of areas: fingertalking, classifiers, facial grammar, storytelling, etc. I have benefited tremendously from RaVen's coaching. I highly recommend her to anyone wishing to improve their ASL skills!
~Holly Prideaux
Graduate ASL Interpreter of PCC SLIP
~Holly Prideaux
Graduate ASL Interpreter of PCC SLIP
About me...
Deaf since birth, I've gone to Model Secondary School for the Deaf at the age of fifteen and learned sign language fluently in three months and with great pride embraced Deaf Culture. To my surprise, I was rewarded with a certificate stating "Best Rookie of the Year".
After graduating MSSD- I went to NTID (National Technical Institute for the Deaf) at Rochester, NY for a year but decided social work was not my forte and transferred to Gallaudet University in Washington DC.
It was there from my Deaf peers who all taught me hard core ASL (American Sign Language). Now I can say it's funny - back then I didn't understand nor appreciated their guidance. For a while, my Deaf peers refused to let me finish my signed awkward sentences until I copied (copycat) them exactly and thanks to them, I've grown to appreciate ASL even more.
Since 1995, wanting to fully understand its own grammar rules, I began studying ASL linguistic and mentored from various ASL teachers and attended many ASLTA workshops in the NW earning certificates.
I also took specific courses that help me improve my mentoring skills for those with learning challenges.
Still not satisfied, I earned three certificates and became a Master Tutor from Clackamas Community College.
I also work for Convo Relay evaluating their pre-employment ASL interpreters. It's been a great honor to work with this DEAF OWNED company! Soon I may work for a sign language interpreting agency. Life is good!
On the creative side, I've acted in several theaters or Deaf plays such as the demanding leading role of Sarah in
Children of a Lesser God and my director stated in her Theater Appreciation class - out of nine other local professional plays in Portland city - her class voted me as the best actress in Portland. That says a lot coming from a hearing audience not fluent in ASL. You may also get a glimpse of me in Mr Holland's Opus movie.
As an avid nature & animal lover, I go hiking as much as I can during warm sunny weather.
I support Rewilding - to learn more go to: http://www.urbanscout.org/ & read all of Derrick Jensen's books.
My other passion is learning foreign sign languages whenever I travel and meet international Deaf folks.
I am also learning to use this great language hunting skills or techniques that is like playing fun games to learn foreign languages from my mentor, Willem Larsen.
To read more about it go to: http://www.languagehunters.org/
After graduating MSSD- I went to NTID (National Technical Institute for the Deaf) at Rochester, NY for a year but decided social work was not my forte and transferred to Gallaudet University in Washington DC.
It was there from my Deaf peers who all taught me hard core ASL (American Sign Language). Now I can say it's funny - back then I didn't understand nor appreciated their guidance. For a while, my Deaf peers refused to let me finish my signed awkward sentences until I copied (copycat) them exactly and thanks to them, I've grown to appreciate ASL even more.
Since 1995, wanting to fully understand its own grammar rules, I began studying ASL linguistic and mentored from various ASL teachers and attended many ASLTA workshops in the NW earning certificates.
I also took specific courses that help me improve my mentoring skills for those with learning challenges.
Still not satisfied, I earned three certificates and became a Master Tutor from Clackamas Community College.
I also work for Convo Relay evaluating their pre-employment ASL interpreters. It's been a great honor to work with this DEAF OWNED company! Soon I may work for a sign language interpreting agency. Life is good!
On the creative side, I've acted in several theaters or Deaf plays such as the demanding leading role of Sarah in
Children of a Lesser God and my director stated in her Theater Appreciation class - out of nine other local professional plays in Portland city - her class voted me as the best actress in Portland. That says a lot coming from a hearing audience not fluent in ASL. You may also get a glimpse of me in Mr Holland's Opus movie.
As an avid nature & animal lover, I go hiking as much as I can during warm sunny weather.
I support Rewilding - to learn more go to: http://www.urbanscout.org/ & read all of Derrick Jensen's books.
My other passion is learning foreign sign languages whenever I travel and meet international Deaf folks.
I am also learning to use this great language hunting skills or techniques that is like playing fun games to learn foreign languages from my mentor, Willem Larsen.
To read more about it go to: http://www.languagehunters.org/
My darling hearing service dog in training, Ziggy, a Patterdale Terrier.
He knows over 50 signs!
ASL Scrabble Potluck
I also love to play Scrabble and usually host a free once a month ASL Scrabble Potluck.
It usually last up to 3.5 hours - one hour to dine & chat in ASL (no voicing) & 2 hours to play.
This is a great opportunity to practice your ASL skills while having fun playing a game and interacting with other different signers. No voicing is allowed.
It's my way of giving back to the ASL community!
Anyone learning ASL are welcome to join. I'd need 3 to 8 players to schedule one month in advance - email me to reserve a seat.
We'll then decide on a day, time, and menu for the potluck.
Click HERE for Longmont ASL Scrabble Club schedule for 2014.
It usually last up to 3.5 hours - one hour to dine & chat in ASL (no voicing) & 2 hours to play.
This is a great opportunity to practice your ASL skills while having fun playing a game and interacting with other different signers. No voicing is allowed.
It's my way of giving back to the ASL community!
Anyone learning ASL are welcome to join. I'd need 3 to 8 players to schedule one month in advance - email me to reserve a seat.
We'll then decide on a day, time, and menu for the potluck.
Click HERE for Longmont ASL Scrabble Club schedule for 2014.
