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 16 and learned sign language fluently in three months and embraced Deaf (ASL) 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 the basics of hard core ASL (American Sign Language).
In 1995, wanting to fully understand its own grammar rules, I began studying ASL linguistic, Deaf Studies and mentored from various ASL teachers and attended many ASLTA workshops in the NW earning many certificates for over seven years. Became an expert in helping ASL students who learn differently - those who were getting Ds and Fs from other ASL teachers began to get As and Bs when under my tutelage.
Still not satisfied, I earned three certificates in becoming a professional tutor level I & II, and Master Tutor from Clackamas Community College. Being a Master Tutor allows me to train tutors in how to become a professional (particularly in) ASL tutor.
I am also certified twice to be an ASL Evaluator and Mentor.
At last, I took an ASLPI test from Gallaudet University and earned an ASLPI 4 Level rating.
I worked for Convo Relay evaluating their pre-employment ASL VRI interpreters.
Also evaluate for various sign language interpreting agencies nationwide & organizations that hire employees who sign. Worked five years at CSCC - Columbus State Community College as an ASL Lab Instructor.
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. I was pleasantly surprised & grateful. 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.
With my Deaf ASL Literature teacher's approval & strong encouragement (Patrick Fischer) who loved my homework assignment - you can see me in YouTube for signing an unique ABC story about our environment at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDbBt24dZ6Q
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 TPR (Total Physical Response) techniques that is like playing fun games to learn foreign languages from my mentor, Willem Larsen.
To read more about it go to: http://languagehunters.org/
ASL is my passion and passing my knowledge to those who want to learn to become fluent in it for whatever reasons gives me the greatest joy. We are preserving Deaf Culture through ASL.
My darling hearing service dog, Ziggy, a Patterdale Terrier.
He knew over 68 signs!
_
Updates:
Ziggy Sequoia was tragically murdered on Saturday, May 8 2021 from an illegally speeding white pick up truck driver who smashed into him. It has broken my heart and the cops closed the case quickly due to no witnesses of seeing license plate information. I tried to hire a detective and she too could not track down the driver.
It's a shame of how antiquated Ohio State Laws regarding to hit and run - they consider injuring or killing an animal or a pet as a "piece of property". However, if a driver hits and runs away from injuring or killing a human child/person, it's a crime. Then get this, if a person knowingly hurt or kills a police dog or police horse, it's a crime. Columbus City of OH also ignored my pleas to put down speed humps in the alley road and 15MPH signs. My goal is to round up thousands of people whose pets or service dogs were murdered from speeding hit and run drivers. This has to change. They have to be accountable for their cruel actions.
I miss Ziggy so much - I have cried every single day since May 8th (It's now Aug 8th, 2021)... I suffer from CPTSD - Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). It was horrible thing to witness of what happened to my precious Ziggy who was still full of life, energetic, clear minded and still healthy. It was NOT HIS TIME to go.
I miss you my sweet Ziggy... My heart is forever shattered.
Wait for me at the rainbow bridge... Love you always...
Ziggy Sequoia was tragically murdered on Saturday, May 8 2021 from an illegally speeding white pick up truck driver who smashed into him. It has broken my heart and the cops closed the case quickly due to no witnesses of seeing license plate information. I tried to hire a detective and she too could not track down the driver.
It's a shame of how antiquated Ohio State Laws regarding to hit and run - they consider injuring or killing an animal or a pet as a "piece of property". However, if a driver hits and runs away from injuring or killing a human child/person, it's a crime. Then get this, if a person knowingly hurt or kills a police dog or police horse, it's a crime. Columbus City of OH also ignored my pleas to put down speed humps in the alley road and 15MPH signs. My goal is to round up thousands of people whose pets or service dogs were murdered from speeding hit and run drivers. This has to change. They have to be accountable for their cruel actions.
I miss Ziggy so much - I have cried every single day since May 8th (It's now Aug 8th, 2021)... I suffer from CPTSD - Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). It was horrible thing to witness of what happened to my precious Ziggy who was still full of life, energetic, clear minded and still healthy. It was NOT HIS TIME to go.
I miss you my sweet Ziggy... My heart is forever shattered.
Wait for me at the rainbow bridge... Love you always...
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 invite 3 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.
Columbus, OH ASL Scrabble Club schedule is postponed until Covid-19 and its variant is over. Be safe!
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 invite 3 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.
Columbus, OH ASL Scrabble Club schedule is postponed until Covid-19 and its variant is over. Be safe!
