New hearing member having gone to school for deaf 30+ years ago

M

Midwest Bonsai gardener

New Member
Joined
May 21, 2018
Messages
14
Reaction score
8
Hi everyone. Over 30 years ago I went to a private school for the deaf 6,7, and part of 8th grade. Through circumstances my family moved and I was sent back to public school in another state. I have only used sign language sporadically. But for 2 years I have unsuccessfully tried to reconnect with deaf culture. I live in the Chicago burbs now and have reached out to 2 deaf social organizations through email and didn't receive any response. At 44 years old I find I miss deaf culture. I miss using sign language although I only used English syntax. By now I'm sure I've lost the ability to follow sign language at conversational speed. Any ideas how I can reconnect? My interests are all things horticulture and I'm active at my church. Also I'm a widower and I have a 10 yr old son. Any suggestions will be appreciated.
 
hi, maybe you can look for classes offered in your community for ASL. some hospitals and other places may offer free or low cost classes. you can also try community events for the deaf by googling that. theirs sites like sign savvy, lifeprint and aslpro.com that can help with words and common phrases. hope that helps some
 
Mrs. Incredible said:
hi, maybe you can look for classes offered in your community for ASL. some hospitals and other places may offer free or low cost classes. you can also try community events for the deaf by googling that. theirs sites like sign savvy, lifeprint and aslpro.com that can help with words and common phrases. hope that helps some
Click to expand...
Sorry for the delayed response. I remember probably 95% of how to make signs. I was fluent 30 years ago. It's actually sight recognition that I struggle with. I was hoping to find people I can participate with conversation with. Funny predicament but I need re-acquaint myself with what sign language looks like coming from a person other than myself. When I was in high school I had the privilege of teaching a 6 year old deaf boy from China sign language who had never used structured language a day in his life.
 
OK I'm curious... the title says hearing member-- but you said you attended a private school for the deaf for 3 years? How was that possible as most (if not all) schools geared to the deaf, ASL or oral even, accept only students who have a measurable hearing loss?
 
Well hearing impairments run in my family. My ear canals were so mishapened when I was young that every audiologist test I took when the headphones were placed over my ears they pushed my ear canals closed. My grandfather, my mom, and her twin sister all had corrective surgery. By the time I was 16 my ear canals had opened enough that I didn't need surgery. As for my mom she is completely deaf on her left side and has about one third hearing in her right side. The school I went to was called the American Christian Academy For the Deaf in the mid 80s in a small town in Marion Pennsylvania. It was a small school with only about 12 kids. So there you have it. I actually went on to serve in the military in the 90's which was fun explaining to my childhood friends who are deaf when I caught up with them on FB.
 
Midwest Bonsai gardener said:
Well hearing impairments run in my family. My ear canals were so mishapened when I was young that every audiologist test I took when the headphones were placed over my ears they pushed my ear canals closed. My grandfather, my mom, and her twin sister all had corrective surgery. By the time I was 16 my ear canals had opened enough that I didn't need surgery. As for my mom she is completely deaf on her left side and has about one third hearing in her right side. The school I went to was called the American Christian Academy For the Deaf in the mid 80s in a small town in Marion Pennsylvania. It was a small school with only about 12 kids. So there you have it. I actually went on to serve in the military in the 90's which was fun explaining to my childhood friends who are deaf when I caught up with them on FB.
Click to expand...
Do you have familial atresia/stenosis?
 
I'm sorry I don't know the name of the condition. I do have spinal stenosis in my neck and really bad arthritis. 10 years ago my spinal surgeon said I've got the neck of someone in their late 70's I'm not even 45 yet. I know for my mom the bones in her inner ear grew together and are fused together. The one inner ear surgery was to remove them. The recovery was so bad she chose not to have the other ear done.
 
Hi - I'm new here and in the opposite position. I've been HOH since I was a teenager but know nothing about deaf culture. I have otoschlerosis, failed surgery in one ear left me deaf with progressive and now moderately severe loss in other ear. I manage with hearing aids but I'm struggling now....I've tried to cope on my own, in denial for years. I'm here to learn more about the community, get information and for support.... trying to decide if/how ASL would help me....
 
Well speaking from my own experience when I was 12 and found myself in a new school trying to fit in and learning a new language it was wonderful. All the people around me were incredibly understanding. It gave me insight into another world. I guess considering it's been 30 years since I've participated in deaf culture and I'm looking to reconnect with that part of me says how meaningful it is. Definitely get involved in deaf culture because there is strong empowerment found within it.
 
EmiC said:
Hi - I'm new here and in the opposite position. I've been HOH since I was a teenager but know nothing about deaf culture. I have otoschlerosis, failed surgery in one ear left me deaf with progressive and now moderately severe loss in other ear. I manage with hearing aids but I'm struggling now....I've tried to cope on my own, in denial for years. I'm here to learn more about the community, get information and for support.... trying to decide if/how ASL would help me....
Click to expand...

I'm here to communicate with the deaf/hoh community and would love to get to know you more and maybe help you too. I taught beginners ASL several years ago and there is an app we can use to communicate thru video that would help also. I LOVE ASL! It's been a passion of mine and I'm learning alot online too.
 
Midwest Bonsai gardener said:
Hi everyone. Over 30 years ago I went to a private school for the deaf 6,7, and part of 8th grade. Through circumstances my family moved and I was sent back to public school in another state. I have only used sign language sporadically. But for 2 years I have unsuccessfully tried to reconnect with deaf culture. I live in the Chicago burbs now and have reached out to 2 deaf social organizations through email and didn't receive any response. At 44 years old I find I miss deaf culture. I miss using sign language although I only used English syntax. By now I'm sure I've lost the ability to follow sign language at conversational speed. Any ideas how I can reconnect? My interests are all things horticulture and I'm active at my church. Also I'm a widower and I have a 10 yr old son. Any suggestions will be appreciated.
Click to expand...

I would love to get to know you more and maybe we could help each other out. I used to teach beginners asl several years ago but I'm looking into advancing it and I'm doing alot of lessons on lifeprint.com but I would like to meet someone that would like to do some video chats to help with my communication. I'm also active in my church and I've been asked to do a patriotic song in asl for our 4th of july service.
I'm new to this site and not familiar with it just yet but I saw your post and it gave me hope that there may be someone that I could help and who could also help me at the same time.
 
Born2sign&dance said:
I would love to get to know you more and maybe we could help each other out. I used to teach beginners asl several years ago but I'm looking into advancing it and I'm doing alot of lessons on lifeprint.com but I would like to meet someone that would like to do some video chats to help with my communication. I'm also active in my church and I've been asked to do a patriotic song in asl for our 4th of july service.
I'm new to this site and not familiar with it just yet but I saw your post and it gave me hope that there may be someone that I could help and who could also help me at the same time.
Click to expand...
I would be interested in such an endeavor but at the moment I only have internet access through my phone. One of the many cascades of unfortunate circumstances.
 
Back
Top