Quote:
Originally Posted by mbenson5
Hi there to you all! First of all, thank you so much for sharing your information. Your information has been so valuable to learning about this culture and some things I've never even thought of. 
My question this week is: how did you manage communication when you went to school? I guess I am assuming public school like I went to, but now that I think of it, I don't remember any people who were deaf where I went to school. I graduated with a class of 120, so that should tell you something about my rural origins...  What I am wondering is if you had an interpreter, if you attended a school specifically for the deaf, or if you were able to lip read? Thanks again for your willingness to share!!
Melissa  |
Hi, Melissa: I went to (hearing) private school and am in (hearing) private college. I have an interpreter for classes, discussions, and most meeting with professors. I didn't have interpreters for starting college - I didn't want attention and wanted college to be "perfect". But I had the worst time. Lots of discussion groups with everyone sitting in the circle - no way to readlips most of times and I didn't want to ask for repeats. New vocabularly in science classes. The only class I got a good grade was math. Lab was ok but class with lab was bad too. After bombed mid-terms, I asked for help - painful but needed. I was more embarassed with bad grades than asking for help.
I wear bilateral HAs and do lipread when possible, but it is not enough for classes and so tiring when close attention to discussion is needed. If I just lipread I would fail.
Before college I got notes from some teachers (Social Studies, Biology, and English for example). Others let me work at my pace and I could get ahead of the class on my own (math, physics, chemistry). When I was younger I had an interpreter who also was the teacher's aid. She worked with me for years. For the last few years she wasn't with me. All my teachers knew about my HoH. I sat up front (don't mind). They tried to speak while looking at me and wrote outline of the class on the board. Most taught straight from books and I could get all or almost by reading. It is a small private school (your class was bigger) with small classes and great teachers. My parents met with me each teacher at the start of each year. A few teachers knew some signs. One knew a lot because of a HoH/deaf grandson.
I also had tutors for some classes like English and my mom (English college professor) helped. One of my sisters and brothers also helped learning homework. I was lucky with friends and school was easier with them. Throughout school I took speech therapy, even now. I hated hated hated it when young. Still hate it sometimes, but it helps with new college vocabularly. I get new vocabularly from some professors at the start or before classes and work in ST. It was so helpful when learning taxonomy - domain, family, phyla etc. for Biology. I never would pronouce "Drosophila melanogaster" (= fruit fly) without ST and will never pronounce "peculiar" right even with the ST.
. I always meet with professors before/at beginning of classes. I took Summer School when younger - not fun but helpful - and in the first two college summers. I am waived for the foreign language requirement. I also plan on graduating in 5 years not 4.
HTH.