Miss-Delectable
New Member
- Joined
- Apr 18, 2004
- Messages
- 17,160
- Reaction score
- 7
http://www.contracostatimes.com/ci_6708696?source=most_emailed&nclick_check=1
Debora Jamison was always fascinated with deaf people, especially Helen Keller.
The Oakley resident had already mastered American Sign Language by the time she met her husband, Matt Jamison, who is deaf. The couple of nearly 16 years said their relationship was destined.
In their first year of marriage, Debora Jamison was working at a deaf center, socializing with deaf friends and attending a deaf church. Now she operates a home preschool that teaches American Sign Language to youngsters, and her family has cared for several deaf or hearing-impaired foster children.
"It was something that was always in my heart," Debora Jamison said of her connection to the deaf community.
The Jamisons, who already had two children of their own, said that it was also fate that they adopted now 5-year-old Tyler who is hearing-impaired. When he was 8 months old, Tyler came to the Jamison clan as a foster child but they didn't know of his hearing problem.
"He connected with the family right away," Debora Jamison said of her youngest child.
The foster children and the preschoolers, whether or not they're hearing-impaired, have enriched lives in the Jamison home. Recently, they decided to expand the preschool called Kidz Klub to 14 children.
"We have learned a lot. We have experienced a lot and the children have taught us a lot," Matt Jamison said through sign language.
Their oldest child, Zack, learned to sign before he could talk. This form of baby communication with parents is often called hand babbling, Matt Jamison said.
"If a baby is taught sign language in the first year, they can communicate to parents before they develop a voice," he said.
Last week at Kidz Klub, circle time was a lesson in signing various fruits, colors and phrases. The children moved their hands swiftly in a peeling motion to sign "banana," and then they signed a variety of produce as Debora Jamison held up pieces from a fruit bowl.
Oakley mom Teresa Veatch said her 2-year-old hearing-impaired son, Andrew Rivera, benefits from the supportive and structured environment at Kidz Klub.
"It definitely will help him in the long run as far as his communication skills," she said. "It is a caring environment. It is very nurturing and a positive learning atmosphere."
Together, the toddlers often sing and sign nursery rhymes like "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" in perfect unison. During snack time, the children are required to sign courteous gestures such as "please" and "thank you."
"Children who sign early and are in deaf homes, they learn to read faster," Debora Jamison said.
At age 17, Matt Jamison learned to sign through an interpreter and endured 17 years of speech therapy. He said the biggest misconception is that all deaf people can read lips, but only a small percentage can do so.
"Sign language is my preferred mode of language," he noted, even though he can read lips. "It is a beautiful language."
People also don't realize that only 10 percent of deaf children are born to deaf parents, according to Matt Jamison. He has taught American Sign Language for a dozen years and half of those were through Los Medanos College.
Some of his former students have pursued jobs as interpreters.
"The greatest thing is to see my students sign with me and other people," Matt Jamison said. "It is fun to see how taking my class changes people's lives."
He plans to cut back on teaching now to help with the preschool and coach Zack in sports. Kidz Klub also is planning some classes for parents to learn how to sign.
The Jamisons hope that the growing popularity of sign language will continue to break down communication barriers for the deaf population.
"It means they have a desire to get into my deaf world and understand me," Matt Jamison said.
For more information on Kidz Klub, contact the Jamisons at 925-418-5581.
Debora Jamison was always fascinated with deaf people, especially Helen Keller.
The Oakley resident had already mastered American Sign Language by the time she met her husband, Matt Jamison, who is deaf. The couple of nearly 16 years said their relationship was destined.
In their first year of marriage, Debora Jamison was working at a deaf center, socializing with deaf friends and attending a deaf church. Now she operates a home preschool that teaches American Sign Language to youngsters, and her family has cared for several deaf or hearing-impaired foster children.
"It was something that was always in my heart," Debora Jamison said of her connection to the deaf community.
The Jamisons, who already had two children of their own, said that it was also fate that they adopted now 5-year-old Tyler who is hearing-impaired. When he was 8 months old, Tyler came to the Jamison clan as a foster child but they didn't know of his hearing problem.
"He connected with the family right away," Debora Jamison said of her youngest child.
The foster children and the preschoolers, whether or not they're hearing-impaired, have enriched lives in the Jamison home. Recently, they decided to expand the preschool called Kidz Klub to 14 children.
"We have learned a lot. We have experienced a lot and the children have taught us a lot," Matt Jamison said through sign language.
Their oldest child, Zack, learned to sign before he could talk. This form of baby communication with parents is often called hand babbling, Matt Jamison said.
"If a baby is taught sign language in the first year, they can communicate to parents before they develop a voice," he said.
Last week at Kidz Klub, circle time was a lesson in signing various fruits, colors and phrases. The children moved their hands swiftly in a peeling motion to sign "banana," and then they signed a variety of produce as Debora Jamison held up pieces from a fruit bowl.
Oakley mom Teresa Veatch said her 2-year-old hearing-impaired son, Andrew Rivera, benefits from the supportive and structured environment at Kidz Klub.
"It definitely will help him in the long run as far as his communication skills," she said. "It is a caring environment. It is very nurturing and a positive learning atmosphere."
Together, the toddlers often sing and sign nursery rhymes like "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" in perfect unison. During snack time, the children are required to sign courteous gestures such as "please" and "thank you."
"Children who sign early and are in deaf homes, they learn to read faster," Debora Jamison said.
At age 17, Matt Jamison learned to sign through an interpreter and endured 17 years of speech therapy. He said the biggest misconception is that all deaf people can read lips, but only a small percentage can do so.
"Sign language is my preferred mode of language," he noted, even though he can read lips. "It is a beautiful language."
People also don't realize that only 10 percent of deaf children are born to deaf parents, according to Matt Jamison. He has taught American Sign Language for a dozen years and half of those were through Los Medanos College.
Some of his former students have pursued jobs as interpreters.
"The greatest thing is to see my students sign with me and other people," Matt Jamison said. "It is fun to see how taking my class changes people's lives."
He plans to cut back on teaching now to help with the preschool and coach Zack in sports. Kidz Klub also is planning some classes for parents to learn how to sign.
The Jamisons hope that the growing popularity of sign language will continue to break down communication barriers for the deaf population.
"It means they have a desire to get into my deaf world and understand me," Matt Jamison said.
For more information on Kidz Klub, contact the Jamisons at 925-418-5581.
