A Question...

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WendyMay

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Hello, I am new to this list. I am in Elementary ASL 1 at my community college. I have a Deaf teacher. He is very good. I am taking Elem. ASL 2 this Summer (hopefully with the same teacher), and am then going into the Deaf Studies/Sign Language Interpreter Option in the fall semester.
Anyway, I was searching online for some help/info on how to learn to "see" when I found this site. I'm not asking about SEE (the "language?" I don't know much about that), but rather how to visualize in ASL. My tendency is to think in English and translate it to ASL. Also, I am completely at a loss when trying to understand (visualize) directions, i.e., asking how to get to the library and understanding how to get there from what someone signs. Also, I don't "see" a chair when I sign it; I think of it in English... I think, "Chair," then I sign. I feel that it is very important for me to be able to visualize/see if I am going to learn ASL well. I very much want to be fluent in ASL. So, any ideas, suggestions, or advice is welcome and deeply appreciated. :confused:
Thank you,
Wendy
 
:dunno: I sign sometimes in my sleep,
For me, ASL comes first. Even when I am
singing I can visualize myself signing it in my head.
I am very vocal, our deaf community in Windsor is
very small. Next to nothing actually. I actually only
have one deaf friend here, all the rest are hearing (sighs).

The deal is, you gotta try and put ASL first as if
this is your first language. Before you think in english
think in ASL. Get a lot of exposure. Be around the deaf community.
We are patient, and trust me we are tolerant too LOL.
If you need a hand, we will be glad to sit down and help you out.

There is also an online ASL dictionary.
I can find it for you. But when you speak, sign.
It goes hand in hand if you are learning to use ASL.
Connecting ASL to your english words, will help you if
you use both. Just remember we don't use and, and the..
etc. So it's not exact english. :angel:

I hope that helps. :dunno:
 
Thanks, Heart2Sign. Are you Deaf? It must be hard on you to have only one Deaf friend out there. There is a (non-Deaf, Deaf, and HOH) Deaf/ ASL community at my college, and I am blessed to have the opportunity to be able to tutor with my Deaf teacher (Scott) and a Deaf tutor (Anne) there. There is also a church about 45 minutes from me that has an ASL translated service, a Deaf Bible Study and other events sponsored by the Deaf Ministry (such as Move night every month). I am trying to find more Deaf/HOH people in my own town, as the traveling is hard on me, financially. There is a Deaf church around here somewhere, but it is not of my denomiation (Sp?). Not to mention, I am a member of another church.
Anyway, your words do encourage me, and I thank you for putting the time in to writing your message to me. I was beginning to wonder if my question was somewhat offensive to the members of this list because I had not received any replies until now (I had this post elsewhere and have gotten no replies for days). I imagine it's not an easy question to answer.
I know you (the Deaf Community) are patient; I have experienced it first-hand many, many times. I absolutely love the Deaf Community, and I love ASL. Being around Deaf people is exceedingly more enjoyable to me than being around hearing people, and I am only in Elementary ASL 1 (ending in about 3 weeks).
There is a great online ASL dictionary/learning website. They actually teach ASL in context! It is www.lifeprint.com . They even have a fingerspelling tool.
Again, thank you for your help, and forgive my rambling... :hug:
Wendy
 
The ASL teacher at the school for the deaf has been holding a workshop all week for students who are learning ASL. One of the projects he had them due this past Tuesday, was to go to the Mall (they go with another student as a Mentor), they will go up to a salesperson and start signing to them, turning off their voices, as these students are hearing. The Mentors found this to be very fascinating, as it not only enhanced the student to improve in their signing, it also brings awareness to the hearing community, that they need to learn to sign too, as there are so many deaf people that shop,but find it hard to communicate with hearing sales associates. I know this may not be in line with what you were talking about in your thread, but, I thought I would add this in, as I thought that was amazing.
 
Hi CODAchild,
That does seem amazing. I wouldn't dare to go alone to do anything like that (I'm very shy), but I can definitely see how that would be a good learning experince. Maybe they'll do something like that with my class further along in our studies. Thanks for your input. Maybe I'll even suggest it to one of my teachers... hmm... you've got me thinking :)
Wendy
 
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