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Speaking with hands instead of words, University students learned American Sign Language (ASL) through a course that focuses not only on helping students develop their skills, but also gaining a better understanding of the deaf community.
School of Communication and Information co-adjunct professor Charlotte Karras started teaching American Sign Language at the University in the summer of 1990, when she was asked to share her abilities with University students.
Although Karras has partial hearing as a side effect from a childhood disease, she said she does not let her disability get in the way of her teaching. She sees her disadvantage as a benefit to expand her knowledge about sign language on a collegiate level.
"I wear two hearing aids and can talk to the class with no problem," she said. "Without my hearing aids, I am almost deaf. I have to lip-read, hear with my hearing aids and watch facial and body expressions."
Although her winter and summer session courses usually fill to capacity, Karras was skeptical of the idea of students flocking to join her ASL classes when she first began teaching.
"In a way, I was nervous because I did not know how the students would react to learning sign language," she said. "Six weeks is a short time to learn sign language, but the students did quite well and a few went on to
Interpreter Training Program to become sign language interpreters."
Britany Martin, a Rutgers-Newark senior, is not deaf but decided to take Karras's winter session course to expand her knowledge of the language she experienced as a child in Sign Choir.
"I was really amazed at how many lawyers and doctors are out there that are deaf," Martin said. "I plan on becoming a lawyer myself, and I believe that having this sign language background will allow me to converse with all my clients, deaf or hearing."
Karras said the courses are beneficial to both the deaf and hearing for certain professions as well as just for general knowledge of the language.
"I think sign language classes are good to have around on the college campus," said Isabel Rodriguez, a Rutgers-Newark sophomore. "Many institutions such as schools and churches need sign-language interpreters. Whether students are interested in linguistic or therapy, sign language is a good skill to have."
Rodriguez hopes not only to learn sign language for her own personal fulfillment, but also to communicate with her cousin who suffers from severe hearing loss.
"I think this class opened up all of our eyes to see how people communicate with this disability, and I think they were more interested in learning how to communicate with the deaf people," Martin said.
Karras has been using sign language since she was 10 years old and wants students to engage in her passion of signing by taking ASL classes or joining groups that support the deaf community.
"[The class] inspired me more to learn about sign language, and I would recommend ASL to other students," Martin said. "ASL is another language, like Spanish or French. I think that more people should be knowledgeable about the deaf community and all the accomplishments they have."
Speaking with hands instead of words, University students learned American Sign Language (ASL) through a course that focuses not only on helping students develop their skills, but also gaining a better understanding of the deaf community.
School of Communication and Information co-adjunct professor Charlotte Karras started teaching American Sign Language at the University in the summer of 1990, when she was asked to share her abilities with University students.
Although Karras has partial hearing as a side effect from a childhood disease, she said she does not let her disability get in the way of her teaching. She sees her disadvantage as a benefit to expand her knowledge about sign language on a collegiate level.
"I wear two hearing aids and can talk to the class with no problem," she said. "Without my hearing aids, I am almost deaf. I have to lip-read, hear with my hearing aids and watch facial and body expressions."
Although her winter and summer session courses usually fill to capacity, Karras was skeptical of the idea of students flocking to join her ASL classes when she first began teaching.
"In a way, I was nervous because I did not know how the students would react to learning sign language," she said. "Six weeks is a short time to learn sign language, but the students did quite well and a few went on to
Interpreter Training Program to become sign language interpreters."
Britany Martin, a Rutgers-Newark senior, is not deaf but decided to take Karras's winter session course to expand her knowledge of the language she experienced as a child in Sign Choir.
"I was really amazed at how many lawyers and doctors are out there that are deaf," Martin said. "I plan on becoming a lawyer myself, and I believe that having this sign language background will allow me to converse with all my clients, deaf or hearing."
Karras said the courses are beneficial to both the deaf and hearing for certain professions as well as just for general knowledge of the language.
"I think sign language classes are good to have around on the college campus," said Isabel Rodriguez, a Rutgers-Newark sophomore. "Many institutions such as schools and churches need sign-language interpreters. Whether students are interested in linguistic or therapy, sign language is a good skill to have."
Rodriguez hopes not only to learn sign language for her own personal fulfillment, but also to communicate with her cousin who suffers from severe hearing loss.
"I think this class opened up all of our eyes to see how people communicate with this disability, and I think they were more interested in learning how to communicate with the deaf people," Martin said.
Karras has been using sign language since she was 10 years old and wants students to engage in her passion of signing by taking ASL classes or joining groups that support the deaf community.
"[The class] inspired me more to learn about sign language, and I would recommend ASL to other students," Martin said. "ASL is another language, like Spanish or French. I think that more people should be knowledgeable about the deaf community and all the accomplishments they have."