Miss-Delectable
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Monday Chat: Woman teaches others sign language » TCPalm.com
Robin Peterson, 46, was born in New Jersey but grew up on New York City and on Long Island. Deaf since infancy, Peterson attended Lexington School for the Deaf for two years but then graduated from public school. She has a bachelor's degree in graphics from the National Technical Institute for the Deaf at Rochester Institute of Technology, and a master's degree in deaf education from Hunter College in New York City. She is president of Handtalkers at the Sign Language Center for the Treasure Coast, serves on the board of directors of the Deaf & Hard of Hearing Services of the Treasure Coast Inc., and is secretary of the Treasure Coast Hearing Loss Association. She is married and has lived on the Treasure Coast since 2003.
Q. How old were you when you realized you were deaf?
A. When I was 2 years old, my parents noticed I wasn't responding to them. My older sister had always taken me over to my parents when they called my name, but then she entered kindergarten and wasn't around. My mother realized I wasn't responding when she called and took me to an audiologist and learned I was profoundly deaf.
Q. Do hearing aides help you?
A. In the beginning, yes. But in the last 15 years it got progressively worse and I couldn't hear anymore.
Q. So, your achieving a master's degree in deaf education grew out of your life and understanding of the problems of the deaf?
A. Yes.
Q. What is important for hearing persons to know when they meet someone who is deaf?
A. The deaf person should say they are deaf. Then you look right at them and speak normally, so they can read your lips. Do not talk loud or open your mouth wide because it makes it harder to read your lips. If you know sign language you can talk that way.
Q. Lip readers actually are reading the shape of your lips?
A. Yes, but also your face and body language. Eyebrows can say a lot showing a question, surprise, anger or happiness.
Q. The people you teach, are they deaf or hearing?
A. I have taught classes for deaf school children, but also people who are hearing but have a need to communicate with deaf people, or even some who just want to learn another language. Or they want to become sign language interpreters. I have taught hearing people at the college level, also privately or in groups.
Q. Are there several forms of sign language?
A. Yes. There is American Sign Language (ASL); Sign Exact English (SEE); and, Pidgin Sign Language (PSL). The last is a combination of the other two.
Q. How many deaf people are there on the Treasure Coast?
A. It is difficult to count them because there are different levels of hearing loss, but there are a couple of hundred.
Q. How do deaf people communicate over telephones?
A. I have a videophone with a screen. When the phone rings, the screen comes on and a sign language interpreter translates what a person says. I respond and the interpreter talks to the other person. This system is available free to deaf people.
Q. Are there other sign language teachers on the Treasure Coast?
A. Yes. There is one at the college and there are others, but I am the only deaf certified sign language teacher with a master's degree.
Q. Are there enough sign language interpreters on the Treasure Coast?
A. That is the problem. There are not enough certified sign language interpreters to serve in schools, hospitals and courts, and to interpret at public events. That's why I am teaching because there is a great need. They can make pretty good salaries, $30,000 to $40,000.
Q. How would one become certified?
A. They can contact me at 866-552-1479 or at handtalkers@aol.com. They can also go online. Go to the URL line and type in Registry Interpreters for the Deaf and that will provide even more information on how to become certified.
Robin Peterson, 46, was born in New Jersey but grew up on New York City and on Long Island. Deaf since infancy, Peterson attended Lexington School for the Deaf for two years but then graduated from public school. She has a bachelor's degree in graphics from the National Technical Institute for the Deaf at Rochester Institute of Technology, and a master's degree in deaf education from Hunter College in New York City. She is president of Handtalkers at the Sign Language Center for the Treasure Coast, serves on the board of directors of the Deaf & Hard of Hearing Services of the Treasure Coast Inc., and is secretary of the Treasure Coast Hearing Loss Association. She is married and has lived on the Treasure Coast since 2003.
Q. How old were you when you realized you were deaf?
A. When I was 2 years old, my parents noticed I wasn't responding to them. My older sister had always taken me over to my parents when they called my name, but then she entered kindergarten and wasn't around. My mother realized I wasn't responding when she called and took me to an audiologist and learned I was profoundly deaf.
Q. Do hearing aides help you?
A. In the beginning, yes. But in the last 15 years it got progressively worse and I couldn't hear anymore.
Q. So, your achieving a master's degree in deaf education grew out of your life and understanding of the problems of the deaf?
A. Yes.
Q. What is important for hearing persons to know when they meet someone who is deaf?
A. The deaf person should say they are deaf. Then you look right at them and speak normally, so they can read your lips. Do not talk loud or open your mouth wide because it makes it harder to read your lips. If you know sign language you can talk that way.
Q. Lip readers actually are reading the shape of your lips?
A. Yes, but also your face and body language. Eyebrows can say a lot showing a question, surprise, anger or happiness.
Q. The people you teach, are they deaf or hearing?
A. I have taught classes for deaf school children, but also people who are hearing but have a need to communicate with deaf people, or even some who just want to learn another language. Or they want to become sign language interpreters. I have taught hearing people at the college level, also privately or in groups.
Q. Are there several forms of sign language?
A. Yes. There is American Sign Language (ASL); Sign Exact English (SEE); and, Pidgin Sign Language (PSL). The last is a combination of the other two.
Q. How many deaf people are there on the Treasure Coast?
A. It is difficult to count them because there are different levels of hearing loss, but there are a couple of hundred.
Q. How do deaf people communicate over telephones?
A. I have a videophone with a screen. When the phone rings, the screen comes on and a sign language interpreter translates what a person says. I respond and the interpreter talks to the other person. This system is available free to deaf people.
Q. Are there other sign language teachers on the Treasure Coast?
A. Yes. There is one at the college and there are others, but I am the only deaf certified sign language teacher with a master's degree.
Q. Are there enough sign language interpreters on the Treasure Coast?
A. That is the problem. There are not enough certified sign language interpreters to serve in schools, hospitals and courts, and to interpret at public events. That's why I am teaching because there is a great need. They can make pretty good salaries, $30,000 to $40,000.
Q. How would one become certified?
A. They can contact me at 866-552-1479 or at handtalkers@aol.com. They can also go online. Go to the URL line and type in Registry Interpreters for the Deaf and that will provide even more information on how to become certified.