New ASL class I took!

dogmom

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 1, 2009
Messages
8,594
Reaction score
237
*below is longer cuz I included more information, just so you know ahead of time to decide to read-

Well, I want to share my excitement and surprise on something that happened last night - my husband and I took a class together - and it was an ASL class, at a church. I've variously taken ASL classes for some years, as we can afford, but always by myself.

Background to understand for newbies reading - hub oral deaf/hoh and I'm hoh. Hubby adopted, 16 yr. old birth mother had German Measles so he has Rubella Syndrome..raised Hearing in a small very homogenous rural community. He was the only deaf child in the schools in his community most of the time. He is also extremely literal, sequential, has a hard time thinking "holistically" or in concepts, gets fixated on things. Also has a lot of emotional background issues with formal religions and has always avoided going into any places of worship. Never before did he go to an activity in any kind of religious place with me.

So as for me i have learning disability and auditory processing issues and don't do well with multi-step directions. alot of times my husband helps me get to new places, especially at night. I was raised in a very urban environment and didn't learn to count money or tell time til high school and learned to drive in my early 20's for my first post-college job; learned to drive on the freeway/Interstate a few months ago because last year we moved from the urban area I was born and raised in, to a more rural area in a different county. I had to get a job and the job ended up being back in the city where we left from. So I was driving on country roads an hour to get to work, before I learned to drive on the freeway.

I don't do well with maps though I have improved, and rely on my vision to understand and process things.

So last night was the first night of this ASL class at the church - and my husband offered to drive me the first time. It was cold so he wondered if he could come into the building instead of waiting in the car.
So we went in and he thought he might sit in the classroom in back. But people welcomes him in and we all sat together and he took part in the class - given all the details I mentioned, I was soooo surprised!

The class is taught by a Deaf couple who are church members; one of them is CDI. There will be some Deaf coffees too - I'd been looking for some in this area!

So I'm very happy:thumb: and wanted to share!
 
Awesome!!! Looking forward to reading more of your experiences with ASL classes. :)
 
Awesome!! I'm always looking for positive experience from ASL classes. Thank you for sharing!!
 
Thank you for sharing your experience. :)
 
:wave: Botti, Travis, Reba, Frisky and Derek!

:ty:for reading! The syllabus includes many games and activities, like the other classes I've had with Deaf instructors.

there was a social and hub actually suggested we practice before we left, and he wanted to go -with-me...it was supposed to be Sunday night. Some additional friends of the instructors were supposed to host because the instructors had a previous comittment. So hub and I showed up and no one came. I had confirmed address and stuff so thought, maybe something changed or something happened. Oh well- I was happy and shocked again that my husband went with me. I found out the hosts <instructors friends> forgot to host it. Oh well, I think there's others.

Tonight is the class again. This morning my husband wanted to practice the alphabet with me. I emailed him at work later to remind him because I wasn't sure if he remembered< alot of other things going on lately>, if he would be able to drive or if he thought to join us again, or what. Well, guess what- he emailed me back and said we're going together<!>

I'm just really amazed....he has a VERY hard time with change<he has some Spectrum-related traits and that's one>, and his difficulty with places of worship <as described in previous post>, and his very oral and hearing upbringing...wow. Just...wow.

:)
 
I am happy to you :) Great are happy to see ASL exciting :) cheer thumb up :) awesome that is great!
 
I'm sorry that there was a mix up about the first social but I hope that you will both be able to attend future ones. It should be fun practicing your new skills outside of the classroom. :)
 
:) Reba, yeah it will be good to do that. I attended some socials when I lived in the city and enjoyed them very much.
 
Did you guys went to class last night?? how was it? sorry about the events but soemtimes it does happen in our local area too.
 
:wave:Frisky, sure those kinda things do happen.

we did go on Wed. night and had fun! Hubby says he guesses he is now committed to taking the class, before - after the first time - he wasn't sure.
This Wed. we had several games including one where there were various colored small pictures of various people on a handout, wearing different things and with different styles and ethnic backgrounds. One person picked a character from the paper that someone else would have to guess who they were thinking of, and try to guess by describing what that person could be like <hair color, long hair, wearing scarf? etc>

There was also a time for a question and answer session about culture and language. Many of the people in the class are very new to anything about Deaf.

Last night hubby and I gonna watch tv. When he watches he adjusts his digital HA's and put on headphones since he can't really use the captions. So we don't really talk or interact while watching tv. Often the dogs are out with us when we're watching and they end up playing or laying next to us; hub -'M' - sits in the recliner and each dog lays on each side of him and chews on chew toys. Sometimes I have raw bones or frozen stuffed Kong for them
<for anyone not familiar, Kong= http://www.petco.com/product/2324/KONG-Dog-Toy.aspx.....we have the biggest Black ones for my bigger dogs>If I do that, then I have to get up and get them ready and 'M' has to take off the headphones and re-adjust the HA's <which are very old and not working well and therefore hard to make work right or re-adjust and so he doesn't like doing that in the middle of a show>

So last night I decided to get some food-stuffed Kongs from the freezer and the girls <dogs> could go in their crates and chew on the Kongs while we watched the program. For the first time, I could actually fingerspell:
KONG to hub to let him know what I was going to do.:D
 
Last edited:
last night was the last class for now, but the teachers are going to send us emails about Deaf socials. It was a great class with many activities. My hub said he would probably take it again if they offer! :D
 
Awesome that your hub and you did enjoy the ASL class. Of course it isnt easy to start with meeting Deaf people like that. BUT you guys can do is to meet one Deaf person at a time when you guys get chance. There are more events coming up.:D
 
:wave: I did go to some Deaf socials before when we lived in a different area. It was always fun
you're right, bet there will be more, Frisky:)
 
Back
Top