Hearing people learning ASL

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ScubaGuy

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Hey everybody I am new here but I have been kinda lurking but I was just kinda wondering a few things. I am hearing and have been taking ASL a couple years.

How do deaf people feel about hearing people learning ASL?
To me it would seem that it allows for better communication and most of all a better understanding for the hearing people of the deaf culture. Before I started my ASL classes I will admit that I oblivious. But now with taking ASL and going to RIT for 5 years I have exposed myself to the deaf culture and have a much much better understanding.

Do deaf people ever feel "used" from having hearing people practice their ASL with them?
Unfortunatly now that I have graduated and moved back to NJ I don't have the chance to just walk around a meet people. Because of that I fear that I will lose any of the ASL that I have learned. I would love to meet some deaf/HH people in the area. But please don't get me wrong, I don't want to just meet people just to pracice my sign but because I really want to be a part of the deaf culture I have been living in and around at RIT. I want to meet new people and make friendships.

I am sure I will have more questions. Thank you very much!!!

-matt
 
If someone is genuianely interested in learning ASL and about Deaf culture, I think that rawks! It really doesn't matter what your hearing status is...matter of fact there are many "almost Deaf" (CODAs) as well as hearing people who are Deaf b/c they use ASL as a primary language due to things like tracheostomies or apraxia. I'm "inbetween" (severely hoh) so sometimes I get told that I am more hearing then deaf :sure: by hardcore militants.
The one thing I DON'T like is when little brainless teenyboppers get into ASL b/c like u no it's sooooooooo fun to learn it! It's like Lisa Frank and Britney Spears u no?
 
I think it's great for hearing people to learn ASL. It helps improve communication with other deaf people as well as general learning experience. I'm hard-of-hearing, but can speak orally. However, my signing skills came in handy many times while working at Blockbuster Video. There was this customer who came frequently but seemed obvious that he never experienced a deaf employee working there. When he came up to me, he kept looking down as if he knew he wouldn't understand what I was saying. I knew he was deaf by how he talked to his wife when he walked in. I got his attention and started signing to him. He was thrilled to see that I could talk to him. From that point on, he would come to me for questions knowing that I'm the only person there who could understand and communicate with him. Sadly, I left the store years ago. He was a nice guy. Anyway, not only does it come in handy for moments at work... but anywhere. It could be some hot chick you want to chat with. It could be an emergency situation. It could a co-worker. It could be anything! :thumb:
 
I find it wonderful to see hearing people learning and using ASL, because it makes me feel involved with them in communication. So no, it doesn't offend me or anything like that, except if that person kept bugging me for no apparent reason, that bugs me. I am very patience and willing to help others to learn ASL if they want to. I do not jump in and teach out of the blue. If they come to me and ask me what the sign for that and this, I help them. I enjoy doing that. :thumb: Do I make sense here? If not, PM me. :D
 
I think its cool. What else can you say? :) I feel flattered when someone at the grocery store signs "thank you" when I'm all done paying and stuff.

Its nice but I really hope that people who DO know ASL dont hide it when a deaf person is around. I heard this story (true or false, i cant remember, nor remember who told me) but this couple was standing at a register at a grocery store, talking about their intimate details on what they were going to do that night. About 10 mins later the cashier says "oh I know sign language." And the couple were embarassed. I dont go lipreading people for the hell of it, just because I can (ok maybe but thats different.. lol) :)

Kudos to your desire to learn! :grouphug:
 
I think it's great for hearing people to learn ASL
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Yes, and who knows? Maybe when those hearing people have kids, if their kids turn out to be dhh the parents will be more openminded about exposing their kids to ASL. I have noticed that younger families tend to be more acceptting of their dhh kids learning ASL. They still may send their kid to an oral school or make them have speech training, but nowadays it's with the goal that the kid themselves will make the decision as an adult how to commuicate.
 
VamPyroX said:
I think it's great for hearing people to learn ASL. It helps improve communication with other deaf people as well as general learning experience.
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Yes, it is great. But the sad fact is that not even enough deaf people learn ASL. It’s far more important that the oral deaf learn ASL before hearing people do.
 
I just wish that I had more of a chance now to meet d/hh people. At school it was great and easy. But now I don't know of any deaf clubs or anything in the northern NJ area
 
ScubaGuy said:
I just wish that I had more of a chance now to meet d/hh people. At school it was great and easy. But now I don't know of any deaf clubs or anything in the northern NJ area
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Some members here are from New Jersey. Ask around, I'm sure you'll find some. ;)
 
But the sad fact is that not even enough deaf people learn ASL. It’s far more important that the oral deaf learn ASL before hearing people do.
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How true. There are some hearing parents who are perfectly OK with their orally trained dhh kid learning ASL and being involved in Deaf culture (they just wanted their kids to have access to good speech therapy before the language window closed) but far far far too many hearing parents still want their dhh kid(s) to be oral deaf adults with no exposure to ASL/Sign and Deaf culture, b/c the parents are still stuck in the "healthy normal" "I want a designer child" mindset. I see that changing slowly but surely....and who knows? Maybe with the advent of my generation (first generation to be totally mainstreamed) we'll have more parents choosing to expose their deaf and even mildly hoh kids to ASL. Quite a few of the "healthy normal" parents are people who never really had day to day exposure to real life dhh people.
My generation sees dhh (and other disabled) folks as just the same as them...(except they can't hear) whereas older generations saw disabilty as "inabilty" or viewed disabled people as objects of pity.
 
I think it's always great when one wants to learn ASL or whatever the sign language they're keen to learn. A short time ago thuis year, my sister and her hubby went to learn AUSLAN. And I was pleased as a punch coz we've had more fun talking etc.. :)

But I wish that people don't let their usage of ASL or whatever got to dust.
 
I think its great. In fact, I try to encourage them to keep their spirits up cuz i hate to say this but some deaf people dont want to talk to hearing people to "help" them with their ASL. I created a group at school so hearing can learn about deaf and practice ASL. They are so interested and eager to learn, they just need someone to teach them and encourage them.
 
I think it's good to social with hearing that are willing to learn sign language and deaf culture, helps to communicate without depending on paper and pen. It can be also fun, too also a chance to meet more hearing people on their side, too. It also helps me to feel confident with hearing people. :D
 
I am currently teaching ASL for the children, teenagers, and adults in most of the communities.
Its a great expericence, and now I am going to be a teacher, which I will be paid to teach. I am excided about it.. :)
 
It s cool to know there are hearing people are interested into learning ASL. when I went shopping, someone came up to me and said "I know sign language" orally.. i was like Huh.. I sign to that person in ASL, "How are you? what s your name ? " that person freaked out and said that s too fast.. then walked away.. that turned me off big time!!!
It s very nice to see someone who is fluent in ASL and involved with deaf culture.. that s very nice feeling to know someone will help you out in hearing world there!
 
GeorgiaDeaf said:
It s cool to know there are hearing people are interested into learning ASL. when I went shopping, someone came up to me and said "I know sign language" orally.. i was like Huh.. I sign to that person in ASL, "How are you? what s your name ? " that person freaked out and said that s too fast.. then walked away.. that turned me off big time!!!
It s very nice to see someone who is fluent in ASL and involved with deaf culture.. that s very nice feeling to know someone will help you out in hearing world there!
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I agree with you. I also think that it's great when people attempt to learn sign language. It's hard these days when we've got a growing deaf population and singling ourselves out because we can't communicate with other people. The other thing I agree with is how people use it wrong. I hate it when people come up to me saying "Oh, look, hey, I know sign language! Look... *signing slowly*" Like every other human being, I don't need people showing it off. If they want to sign or talk to me, fine. If not, fine. Perhaps, they just have a hard time understanding the correct way to approach us or they were just too excited that they learned it and have an urge to show it off. Heh!
 
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