Hi everyone! One of my students is also taking ASL and goes to a local deaf chat partly for her class. I overheard her discussing this with another student and decided to pop in and see what it was all about. Now I'm usually going and trying to pick up ASL by immersion when I go.
My left ear doesn't work all that great, especially not high frequencies. It isn't permanent, in theory it is fluid build up, but so far nothing has made it go away. We're expecting our firstborn child now and my brother's little girl (less than 1 year old) just had tubes installed so I'm a little nervous for our own. I don't have a hearing aid, but since around Christmas I've had a bit of sinus congestion trouble and my hearing seems to be worse. Maybe I should be nervous for myself.
One thing I've already noticed is that sometimes when I don't quite hear what people say I get embarrassed and smile and nod. Then I find myself doing the same thing at deaf chat - kind of just giving up trying to keep up. Some of the deaf people there sign so fast! Does anyone have any suggestions on trying to reduce this character flaw?
Regarding the ASL, I'm not taking any classes or anything, just trying to pay attention at chat and pick up a few more signs each week. Sometimes I'll ask a colleague who is taking ASL classes to go over a few things and one of the other hearing ASL students at deaf chat gave me a CS book (Complete Idiot's series iirc) that I've been reading. Is it rude if the majority of my ASL learning comes from MEANS - fingerspell at deaf chat?
Anyhow, thanks for being here and I hope I'll be made aware gently if I'm close to crossing the line of being rude.
My left ear doesn't work all that great, especially not high frequencies. It isn't permanent, in theory it is fluid build up, but so far nothing has made it go away. We're expecting our firstborn child now and my brother's little girl (less than 1 year old) just had tubes installed so I'm a little nervous for our own. I don't have a hearing aid, but since around Christmas I've had a bit of sinus congestion trouble and my hearing seems to be worse. Maybe I should be nervous for myself.
One thing I've already noticed is that sometimes when I don't quite hear what people say I get embarrassed and smile and nod. Then I find myself doing the same thing at deaf chat - kind of just giving up trying to keep up. Some of the deaf people there sign so fast! Does anyone have any suggestions on trying to reduce this character flaw?
Regarding the ASL, I'm not taking any classes or anything, just trying to pay attention at chat and pick up a few more signs each week. Sometimes I'll ask a colleague who is taking ASL classes to go over a few things and one of the other hearing ASL students at deaf chat gave me a CS book (Complete Idiot's series iirc) that I've been reading. Is it rude if the majority of my ASL learning comes from MEANS - fingerspell at deaf chat?
Anyhow, thanks for being here and I hope I'll be made aware gently if I'm close to crossing the line of being rude.