ASL Video Clip about the Internet video clips Without Subtitles

Obiwan100 said:
This has been a debate that causes deaf people to not get (sort of) hired at any kind of job if their English isn't understandable. Perhaps this is why I have conflicted feelings.
Click to expand...
Well, I don't. :) Even DHH people with impeccable English skills still encounter job search, hiring, and retention difficulties. Granted, there is some element of truth in what you say, but I'm in the camp that DHH people should have the opportunity to master both languages.
 
Obiwan100 said:
Actually, I think I'm just more of wondering why deaf people aren't inclined to use English more than ASL since ASL confuses the hearing world when used in the "so called" written form (I know ASL does not have a written form)
Click to expand...

I agree with Eyeth that bilingualism is ideal. I don't think the problem is with ASL itself, though, but rather how ASL and/or English are taught to deaf kids, whether in a mainstream program or deaf school. (I apologize for repeating myself since I've mentioned this in other threads.) It's absolutely clear that fluency in both languages is perfectly possible, so the problem isn't with the languages, it's with culture, society, education, etc.

I know this sounds like I'm waffling. On the one hand (yeah yeah, ha ha) I totally understand that culturally Deaf people identify strongly with ASL and have an aversion to English because it represents the majority/oppressor culture. On the other hand, deaf people ARE a minority in an English-speaking country, and it is ridiculously hard to get ahead in a country or culture where you don't use the language proficiently. And I get that it's really hard to reconcile the two, which is why people are against bilingualism.

I guess I see it purely from a linguistic standpoint, which is that it's always good to know as many languages as possible.
 
Interpretrator said:
I agree with Eyeth that bilingualism is ideal. I don't think the problem is with ASL itself, though, but rather how ASL and/or English are taught to deaf kids, whether in a mainstream program or deaf school. (I apologize for repeating myself since I've mentioned this in other threads.) It's absolutely clear that fluency in both languages is perfectly possible, so the problem isn't with the languages, it's with culture, society, education, etc.
Click to expand...

Hooray, someone understands! I've been trying to explain this concept to people for years, but they never seem to get it. Then again, often it's because they're deaf educators and don't want to accept the possibility that their students struggles are due in part to their own inept signing abilities.
 
ayala920 said:
Hooray, someone understands! I've been trying to explain this concept to people for years, but they never seem to get it. Then again, often it's because they're deaf educators and don't want to accept the possibility that their students struggles are due in part to their own inept signing abilities.
Click to expand...

Are you referring to how ASL is sentence structured or how some teachers have no idea how to sign specific words or explaining things to the deaf students?
 
Obiwan100 said:
Are you referring to how ASL is sentence structured or how some teachers have no idea how to sign specific words or explaining things to the deaf students?
Click to expand...

I mean deaf educators who are completely inept signers. I work with two women who readily admit that they can't sign for shit, but they feel that they're capable of instructing deaf, ASL-using students.
 
Yeah, I saw that a lot when I was doing interpreting in schools. One tool that did seem useful in an elementary school where I interpreted often was having a Deaf assistant in the classroom. Even though she was just an aide, the students often turned to her first with questions and problems. The real teachers were mostly just disciplinarians, and the Deaf assistant was the one who helped the kids.
 
Etoile said:
Yeah, I saw that a lot when I was doing interpreting in schools. One tool that did seem useful in an elementary school where I interpreted often was having a Deaf assistant in the classroom. Even though she was just an aide, the students often turned to her first with questions and problems. The real teachers were mostly just disciplinarians, and the Deaf assistant was the one who helped the kids.
Click to expand...

That's EXACTLY what happens at my job. Our deaf TA is more of a teacher than our actual teachers are. In fact, one of our teachers (a nice, but incredibly lazy woman) actually had the TA teach several of her classes.
 
ayala920 said:
That's EXACTLY what happens at my job. Our deaf TA is more of a teacher than our actual teachers are. In fact, one of our teachers (a nice, but incredibly lazy woman) actually had the TA teach several of her classes.
Click to expand...

I have seen that happen at mainstream schools too. It is not right or fair to the interpreter but at least the Deaf kids get a better education from the interpreter than from the teacher so that is the good thing to think about. :) :thumb: :angel:
 
Back
Top