Hi, I'm Elaine. I'm hearing. I'm learning ASL.
I started becoming interested in learning ASL when I took a free 'intro to baby signs class' from a local nonprofit family resource center. I signed up for more classes and started signing with my infant foster son. It helped us bond and I really enjoyed it. So we bought the Signing Time videos and learned more. I had some friends who were very supportive of baby signing but there were also a lot of people who said I was going to delay my son's speech and/or who were otherwise critical. Apparently, most foster parents do not sign with their babies. Lots of people were suspiscious of the signing. I didn't expect that.
Anyway, my son is now 2 and we're going to adopt him. He speaks very well and signs a little too. He gets excited when he sees ASL. For example, I can sign a letter and he will tell me what it is. And when we watch Switched at Birth, he pays attention (unusual for a toddler, you know?). I decided it was time for him to get more socialization and for me to get more time to myself so he goes to a preschool twice a week while I'm taking my first ASL course at a local community college. I know very little about deaf culture and don't have any deaf friends (yet). So, I'm learning a bit about that in this class, too, although the teacher and all the students are hearing.
I don't know how far I will/can take this. Hearing friends keep suggesting that I become an interpreter but I know if that happens it will be a long ways off. And I'm not sure I want to do that anyway. I just know that I am enjoying learning ASL for now.
Hi
I started becoming interested in learning ASL when I took a free 'intro to baby signs class' from a local nonprofit family resource center. I signed up for more classes and started signing with my infant foster son. It helped us bond and I really enjoyed it. So we bought the Signing Time videos and learned more. I had some friends who were very supportive of baby signing but there were also a lot of people who said I was going to delay my son's speech and/or who were otherwise critical. Apparently, most foster parents do not sign with their babies. Lots of people were suspiscious of the signing. I didn't expect that.
Anyway, my son is now 2 and we're going to adopt him. He speaks very well and signs a little too. He gets excited when he sees ASL. For example, I can sign a letter and he will tell me what it is. And when we watch Switched at Birth, he pays attention (unusual for a toddler, you know?). I decided it was time for him to get more socialization and for me to get more time to myself so he goes to a preschool twice a week while I'm taking my first ASL course at a local community college. I know very little about deaf culture and don't have any deaf friends (yet). So, I'm learning a bit about that in this class, too, although the teacher and all the students are hearing.
I don't know how far I will/can take this. Hearing friends keep suggesting that I become an interpreter but I know if that happens it will be a long ways off. And I'm not sure I want to do that anyway. I just know that I am enjoying learning ASL for now.
Hi
