Hi my ASL Friends,
Hope you’re all enjoying your spring season. I am so happy spring is finally here –we do need the rain here though– those of you from Oregon, please send some here? ;)
Now that April is here --- I’ve some new news to share and more ASL tips to keep you on your toes:
1. Newsflash: Due to Hashimoto’s disease - Dr Geronimo clearly told me I have to rest and take it easy. So we agreed that I am to take 1 week off at the end of each month. Starting this month, I will not be available to tutor from April 23rd to the 29th. Every month, the last week will be "closed". I know some of you will be disappointed, and I apologize, but the rest will enable me to continuing helping you all in the other three weeks. Thank you for your understanding. The schedule is the same of Monday to Thursday from 10am to 6pm MST.
2. DVD movie The Hammer is finally out! (Amazon) - The Hammer is based on the true story of the first Deaf NCAA Wrestling Champion and UFC Fighter, Matt "The Hammer" Hamill.
Here is my feedback about it-
http://www.amazon.com/The-Hammer-Russell-Harvard/dp/B005TTEFXK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1333336922&sr=8-1
I actually met Matt Hamill a few years ago at a Deaf Expo in the NW – he has a pub and offers training to any Deaf people interested in learning martial art or even self-defense skills in Utica, NY.
Let me know what you think of the film.
3. New DVD called RSVP to improve your receptive finger talking skills is now out from Dawn Sign Press:
http://www.dawnsign.com/product_details.php?item_id=176
4. ASL Tip of the month:
When you’re telling a story that has dialogs or action – most of the time it’s necessary to set up the environment first – just like a stage prop designer – the audience will understand and be entertained if you show interesting visual clues.
Setting up the environment, which seems tedious for novice signers will actually save a lot of time and energy in the long run. Describing a simple room or a simple landscape or an interior of a vehicle usually takes about 5 to 8 seconds and then it’s dialoging in combination of miming the actions of the characters.
Role Shifting – When you have two characters dialoging with each other – imagine you’re having an out of body experience and slipping out of your body & slipping into the body of the second character and taking over his/her body and act out *hir actions or dialogs. Then when it’s the other person’s turn – pretend to slip out of hir body and slip into the first character’s body and act out hir actions/dialogs.
This takes some getting used to in becoming deft in switching roles very quickly.
Start simple with short dialogs or short actions & then work your way up. Remember to add interesting and unique facial expression for different people/animals/plants, etc.
Practice this short story in ASL below:
Person 1: (Kathy) Standing on a sidewalk, complains, “It’s so hot today! I need a cold drink!”
Person 2: (Vesta) facing in front of Kathy, agrees, “Yes! Let’s go to Wendy’s & grab iced tea.”
The two girls walk across the street and enter Wendy’s burger joint.
The end.
Purpose of describing environment saves the signer’s time and energy as well as making the story flow smoothly while making it visually entertaining and interesting to watch instead of word for word choppy looking English signs strung together.
5. Sad news: a famous Deaf artist named Chuck Baird died last month - to learn more about him and see his clever art work go to: http://www.signingsavvy.com/
6. Fun tidbit: did you know that Charlie Chaplin had a best friend who was deaf!?
Granville Redmond - he was a silent actor and a painter. I hope to buy one of his posters someday - I love collecting artwork from talented Deaf folks from the past or the present.
http://www.granvilleredmondgallery.com/
Well, you all now have a great spring season and enjoy the outdoors while you can!
Cheers,
RaVen Sequoia
ASL Master Mentor
Hope you’re all enjoying your spring season. I am so happy spring is finally here –we do need the rain here though– those of you from Oregon, please send some here? ;)
Now that April is here --- I’ve some new news to share and more ASL tips to keep you on your toes:
1. Newsflash: Due to Hashimoto’s disease - Dr Geronimo clearly told me I have to rest and take it easy. So we agreed that I am to take 1 week off at the end of each month. Starting this month, I will not be available to tutor from April 23rd to the 29th. Every month, the last week will be "closed". I know some of you will be disappointed, and I apologize, but the rest will enable me to continuing helping you all in the other three weeks. Thank you for your understanding. The schedule is the same of Monday to Thursday from 10am to 6pm MST.
2. DVD movie The Hammer is finally out! (Amazon) - The Hammer is based on the true story of the first Deaf NCAA Wrestling Champion and UFC Fighter, Matt "The Hammer" Hamill.
Here is my feedback about it-
http://www.amazon.com/The-Hammer-Russell-Harvard/dp/B005TTEFXK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1333336922&sr=8-1
I actually met Matt Hamill a few years ago at a Deaf Expo in the NW – he has a pub and offers training to any Deaf people interested in learning martial art or even self-defense skills in Utica, NY.
Let me know what you think of the film.
3. New DVD called RSVP to improve your receptive finger talking skills is now out from Dawn Sign Press:
http://www.dawnsign.com/product_details.php?item_id=176
4. ASL Tip of the month:
When you’re telling a story that has dialogs or action – most of the time it’s necessary to set up the environment first – just like a stage prop designer – the audience will understand and be entertained if you show interesting visual clues.
Setting up the environment, which seems tedious for novice signers will actually save a lot of time and energy in the long run. Describing a simple room or a simple landscape or an interior of a vehicle usually takes about 5 to 8 seconds and then it’s dialoging in combination of miming the actions of the characters.
Role Shifting – When you have two characters dialoging with each other – imagine you’re having an out of body experience and slipping out of your body & slipping into the body of the second character and taking over his/her body and act out *hir actions or dialogs. Then when it’s the other person’s turn – pretend to slip out of hir body and slip into the first character’s body and act out hir actions/dialogs.
This takes some getting used to in becoming deft in switching roles very quickly.
Start simple with short dialogs or short actions & then work your way up. Remember to add interesting and unique facial expression for different people/animals/plants, etc.
Practice this short story in ASL below:
Person 1: (Kathy) Standing on a sidewalk, complains, “It’s so hot today! I need a cold drink!”
Person 2: (Vesta) facing in front of Kathy, agrees, “Yes! Let’s go to Wendy’s & grab iced tea.”
The two girls walk across the street and enter Wendy’s burger joint.
The end.
Purpose of describing environment saves the signer’s time and energy as well as making the story flow smoothly while making it visually entertaining and interesting to watch instead of word for word choppy looking English signs strung together.
5. Sad news: a famous Deaf artist named Chuck Baird died last month - to learn more about him and see his clever art work go to: http://www.signingsavvy.com/
6. Fun tidbit: did you know that Charlie Chaplin had a best friend who was deaf!?
Granville Redmond - he was a silent actor and a painter. I hope to buy one of his posters someday - I love collecting artwork from talented Deaf folks from the past or the present.
http://www.granvilleredmondgallery.com/
Well, you all now have a great spring season and enjoy the outdoors while you can!
Cheers,
RaVen Sequoia
ASL Master Mentor
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