HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYONE!
Here's a cute photo of my hearing service dog in training, Ziggy, in his first Halloween's costume. He _hates_ the hat with the bat ears. :D
So I had to quickly snap pictures before he'd take it off with his paws. Managed to snap with his tongue sticking out. Awww, right?!
Here's a cute photo of my hearing service dog in training, Ziggy, in his first Halloween's costume. He _hates_ the hat with the bat ears. :D
So I had to quickly snap pictures before he'd take it off with his paws. Managed to snap with his tongue sticking out. Awww, right?!
I often get asked a lot in how ASL students can feel comfortable signing or interpreting in front of others as they advance themselves.
ACCEPT where you're at and always challenge yourself to do better. There's always going to be someone who is better than you and someone who is worse than you.
Really do your best. Keep at it.
Old advice, but true:
PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE. And I mean practice signing & reading signs everyday.
Accept constructive feedback & memorize new habits.
Start small, if you can make 20 small improvement in one week, you're already on the roll to a great progress.
GOOF UPS are allowed - make fun of yourself which will make people laugh with you and not at you. Some of the funniest goof-ups came from signed conversations my best Deaf friend and I.
An example - being very tired, I mistakenly signed 'stuck' (HS: V) on my forehead when it should have been on my throat - the sentence was "My mind was stuck." We froze for a few seconds staring at each other and burst out laughing of how appropriate it actually was --- from a "compound sign" - instead of 2 signs, it's now narrowed down to one - we've used it since. From the Deaf Community, it's not advisable for hearing folks to invent "fake" signs just for the hell of it. Too many hearing professionals that uses sign language, often invented fake signs and it wormed through the Deaf Community thus creating a lot of confusion between the Deaf children and the Deaf adults wondering where such signs came from. My point is to laugh at your silly signing errors --- do not waste even one second of criticizing or getting angry at yourself -- that precious energy needs to pour into focusing learning ASL. No silly emotional-mental-flagellating is allowed.
STAGE FRIGHT - if standing in front of a group of people or classmates or an audience or even signing with a Deaf person makes you nervous - start small - try to practice signing in front of one classmate who is at the same fluency level as you. Make sure your classmate is not hyper-critical or a know-it-all-that-really-doesn't-know-what-s/he-is-talking-about - best if the classmate or a Deaf fluent ASL signer is patient, encouraging and be your best moral cheerleader. Then work up with a study-group - practicing casually... take turns and see that everyone occasionally goofs up. If necessary, you may (I am not a doctor, so ask a licensed naturopathic doctor first) want to try homeopathy that can reduce your jitteriness.
HIRE AN ASL TUTOR - Sometimes we need a neutral ASL tutor who we feel SAFE to practice with until fluent. When others create blockage with your learning - hiring an ASL tutor you feel comfortable with will help increase your comfort level at your own pace. Once you grow a pair of ASL-wings, you're then ready to jump off the cliff and keep on flapping (trying) your best. A little encouraging nudge can go a long way. :)
ACCEPT where you're at and always challenge yourself to do better. There's always going to be someone who is better than you and someone who is worse than you.
Really do your best. Keep at it.
Old advice, but true:
PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE. And I mean practice signing & reading signs everyday.
Accept constructive feedback & memorize new habits.
Start small, if you can make 20 small improvement in one week, you're already on the roll to a great progress.
GOOF UPS are allowed - make fun of yourself which will make people laugh with you and not at you. Some of the funniest goof-ups came from signed conversations my best Deaf friend and I.
An example - being very tired, I mistakenly signed 'stuck' (HS: V) on my forehead when it should have been on my throat - the sentence was "My mind was stuck." We froze for a few seconds staring at each other and burst out laughing of how appropriate it actually was --- from a "compound sign" - instead of 2 signs, it's now narrowed down to one - we've used it since. From the Deaf Community, it's not advisable for hearing folks to invent "fake" signs just for the hell of it. Too many hearing professionals that uses sign language, often invented fake signs and it wormed through the Deaf Community thus creating a lot of confusion between the Deaf children and the Deaf adults wondering where such signs came from. My point is to laugh at your silly signing errors --- do not waste even one second of criticizing or getting angry at yourself -- that precious energy needs to pour into focusing learning ASL. No silly emotional-mental-flagellating is allowed.
STAGE FRIGHT - if standing in front of a group of people or classmates or an audience or even signing with a Deaf person makes you nervous - start small - try to practice signing in front of one classmate who is at the same fluency level as you. Make sure your classmate is not hyper-critical or a know-it-all-that-really-doesn't-know-what-s/he-is-talking-about - best if the classmate or a Deaf fluent ASL signer is patient, encouraging and be your best moral cheerleader. Then work up with a study-group - practicing casually... take turns and see that everyone occasionally goofs up. If necessary, you may (I am not a doctor, so ask a licensed naturopathic doctor first) want to try homeopathy that can reduce your jitteriness.
HIRE AN ASL TUTOR - Sometimes we need a neutral ASL tutor who we feel SAFE to practice with until fluent. When others create blockage with your learning - hiring an ASL tutor you feel comfortable with will help increase your comfort level at your own pace. Once you grow a pair of ASL-wings, you're then ready to jump off the cliff and keep on flapping (trying) your best. A little encouraging nudge can go a long way. :)
Here are some great videos I want to share that you may find educational or entertaining - enjoy!
Yosemite has a video of a ranger signing!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXZZVTNYky4&list=PL6ZSJ3ZhnpLy-vOu5_d0GIZA7n_RFZz3C
Updated information on Certified Deaf Interpreter (CDI) Requirements:
desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DoU1Y8TvMpP0%26feature%3Dyoutu.be
Superior Deaf Story Teller - Terry's newest video:
http://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=plpp&v=1XjBixXqz9I
Microsoft computer program that can translate sign language:
http://videos.komando.com/watch/4117/viral-videos-watch-microsoft-translate-sign-language-into-text
Deaf Passenger Seeks Captions in Airlines:
http://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/flights/2013/09/28/airlines-deaf-entertainment/2811259/
For ASL Interpreting students to get a glimpse of hilarious seasoned ASL experiences: (Rated R)
http://terp-life.tumblr.com/
Fun entertainment by a Deaf Comedian/Story teller,
Mary Beth Miller: "A Little Bit At a Time"
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=y2HOBtU-bfA
Quiz:
Q: RaVen became an ASL Tutor by:
1) taking a Career Aptitude Test in MSSD in 1987.
2) a Deaf teacher named Dino who spotted her hidden talents in her 20's.
3) Picking up a library book on becoming a Master Tutor.
4) Took ASL Master Tutor workshops.
Answer in next month's blog!
I will have a guest who asked me to post his article up, and it will show up in Nov's blog. I won't spoil the surprise, so you'll have to wait a few more weeks! Until then, ta ta!
Yosemite has a video of a ranger signing!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXZZVTNYky4&list=PL6ZSJ3ZhnpLy-vOu5_d0GIZA7n_RFZz3C
Updated information on Certified Deaf Interpreter (CDI) Requirements:
desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DoU1Y8TvMpP0%26feature%3Dyoutu.be
Superior Deaf Story Teller - Terry's newest video:
http://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=plpp&v=1XjBixXqz9I
Microsoft computer program that can translate sign language:
http://videos.komando.com/watch/4117/viral-videos-watch-microsoft-translate-sign-language-into-text
Deaf Passenger Seeks Captions in Airlines:
http://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/flights/2013/09/28/airlines-deaf-entertainment/2811259/
For ASL Interpreting students to get a glimpse of hilarious seasoned ASL experiences: (Rated R)
http://terp-life.tumblr.com/
Fun entertainment by a Deaf Comedian/Story teller,
Mary Beth Miller: "A Little Bit At a Time"
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=y2HOBtU-bfA
Quiz:
Q: RaVen became an ASL Tutor by:
1) taking a Career Aptitude Test in MSSD in 1987.
2) a Deaf teacher named Dino who spotted her hidden talents in her 20's.
3) Picking up a library book on becoming a Master Tutor.
4) Took ASL Master Tutor workshops.
Answer in next month's blog!
I will have a guest who asked me to post his article up, and it will show up in Nov's blog. I won't spoil the surprise, so you'll have to wait a few more weeks! Until then, ta ta!
Excellent notes & sentence samples on ASL Conjunction
http://www2.bakersfieldcollege.edu/tmoran/ASL%20Conjunctions.pdf
Neat blog from at home school ASL teacher, Rochelle Barlow, who compiled a great 18 MORE THINGS TO NEVER SAY TO A DEAF PERSON:
http://rochellebarlow.com/2013/09/18-more-things-to-never-say-to-a-deaf-person/
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