Well, today was my first sign language class at Columbus State Community College. Talk about intimidating from the get-go! Oh my gay stars, I felt like running out of there as soon as I found out I was the only man in the class! Then, I saw our instructor is deaf herself and needed an interpreter to speak to us. If that wasn't enough, she was signing one hundred miles an hour. I couldn't keep up. I caught some of what she was signing, but I had to rely on the interpreter to get it all. This is the first day of class and already I was scared to death!
Well, my fears were quickly put to rest when I found out that almost no one in the class knew any sign language. I know sign fairly well, but not enough to carry a decent conversation. So, I'm ahead of the game a bit, which is nice. Anyway, the instructor turned out to be a very easy-going woman who signed over and over that learning sign should be fun. So we spent the class time playing games involving gesturing, not signing, to get us used to looking at our hands and faces. We split up into teams of 4 and tried to guess the name of everyday objects written on 3X5 cards that we were given earlier. Those were fun games! One of the rules was not to sign, but one of my words was "book", so I did the sign for book. I got teased by the teacher a bit, which was funny, but she said that for some words, the sign is simply what anyone would gesture to refer to the object. Hmm..cool!
The coursework isn't going to be that bad, and there are lots of opportunities to sign with partners in the class or deaf tutors who can help in a lab room. But what is most exciting is a class camping trip October 17-19 at Hocking Hills(a beautiful place to camp and hike). This trip is called "Silent Weekend" . We are to only sign or gesture the best we can while on this trip--NO speaking is allowed. This has been going on for about 20 years and there will be students there from all stages of learning ASL, plus deaf volunteers to help us with anything we need. While there, we're going to the Circleville Pumpkin Show. That will be fun, but we are still not supposed to speak while at the Show. Our instructor signed that we will learn more that weekend than in all this quarter about signing, emoting the signs, and gesturing. I would love to go. I have to get a tent and a few things first, so wish me luck. I really want to go to this thing. It's not mandatory, but I think it would be fun and so educational. I really shouldn't miss it.
Throughout the quarter, though, there will be all kinds of events posted where we students can "meet and greet" with the deaf community here in Columbus. So, I'm sure I'll be going out a lot. I love signing and want to excel at it!
So, while in class, I was signing to the instructor a bit and the gal sitting beside me said she was jealous I knew so much sign language. I said that I didn't really know that much, but you know what? I think I do and don't realize it. Hmmm..well, kudos to me, I guess!
Here is a great website I found for learning sign. Check it out if interested:
http://commtechlab.msu.edu/sites/aslweb/browser.htm
Have a great day!
1 comment:
That trip sounds like fun! What a great way to get students involved and interested, plus help them get to know one another.
I remember in college I spent an afternoon not speaking for a communication disorders class, and it was tough! I had to write notes to people. Their reactions were interesting. A couple of people talked louder and slower than normal. Some were not fazed at all. And I remember there was drama of some sort and I was desperately trying to communicate with Chelle but it was so slowwwwwww to have to handwrite all that. Nowadays we probably would have typed it out on a laptop! :)
Good luck with your class, Matty. It sounds like it could be fun!
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