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Teacher makes connection | IndyStar.com
As her students intently watched, Linda Bellville's body lurched forward, and her face showed shock, bewilderment and exasperation.
All the while, Bellville uttered not a word. Instead, her hands quickly moved in a series of gestures to describe getting hit from behind in a minor traffic accident that evening.
The scene demonstrated not only Bellville's command of American Sign Language, but her passion for teaching it to others. The retired math teacher leads a signing class at Brownsburg Public Library and works as an interpreter at the Ben Davis Ninth Grade Center in Indianapolis' Wayne Township.
"I'm so blessed to have two careers that I love doing," said Bellville, 62.
Bellville knows about hearing loss, having experienced it herself. The Brownsburg resident wears dual digital hearing aids and began learning sign language several years ago.
She calls her hearing loss, which began in infancy, moderate to severe. With the help of her hearing aids, "I can hear enough to be able to carry on normal conversation," said Bellville, who can also lip-read.
Bellville, who taught in Brownsburg schools for 15 years, retired from teaching in 1999. She began working as a volunteer deaf interpreter at Cornerstone Christian Church in Brownsburg about a decade ago.
That role led to a new full-time position this year as a student interpreter at Ben Davis Ninth Grade Center. Assigned to a single deaf student, Bellville accompanies the student to each class, interpreting spoken words of teachers and fellow students.
"When a deaf student can easily communicate with the other students, it definitely helps them socialize," said Bellville. "When the communication improves, socialization improves."
Ben Davis art teacher Beth Hall said Bellville's services are invaluable.
"She's the link between the student and their disability and the world. They miss everything that they don't see; imagine the miscommunication," she said.
Having worked with Bellville for two years, Hall said she is amazed by the interpreter's energy and skill.
"It's almost like miming," Hall said. "She tries to express through her facial expressions while she's signing what I express through the tone of my voice."
"I don't know if all interpreters do that, but . . . she's very good at it."
That skill is what Bellville tried to teach last week to the 10 students who attend her sign language class at the Brownsburg Public Library.
"Those who hear with their ears really have to train their eyes to listen," said Bellville.
Co-teacher Christine Besinger, who was declared profoundly deaf three years ago, summed up their work.
"I enjoy teaching other people to communicate," said the Brownsburg resident.
Sign language grammar and vocabulary also are taught during the 10-week sessions.
Student Tracy Elliot, 38, is in her second session and said the class has had a profound impact on her and her family.
Due to chronic sinus problems, Elliot often loses her voice for three to four days at a time. The frustration of not being able to communicate with her family during those episodes led her to seek a new way to talk.
Although her husband, Todd, doesn't know sign language, Elliot said she has learned to convey her thoughts silently.
"It's taught me to act-out words so he can understand me," said the Brownsburg resident.
That kind of learning is what drives Bellville.
"It makes it fun to teach when the students get all excited and they're laughing and having fun and they're into it. I like seeing people catch that joy," she said.
As her students intently watched, Linda Bellville's body lurched forward, and her face showed shock, bewilderment and exasperation.
All the while, Bellville uttered not a word. Instead, her hands quickly moved in a series of gestures to describe getting hit from behind in a minor traffic accident that evening.
The scene demonstrated not only Bellville's command of American Sign Language, but her passion for teaching it to others. The retired math teacher leads a signing class at Brownsburg Public Library and works as an interpreter at the Ben Davis Ninth Grade Center in Indianapolis' Wayne Township.
"I'm so blessed to have two careers that I love doing," said Bellville, 62.
Bellville knows about hearing loss, having experienced it herself. The Brownsburg resident wears dual digital hearing aids and began learning sign language several years ago.
She calls her hearing loss, which began in infancy, moderate to severe. With the help of her hearing aids, "I can hear enough to be able to carry on normal conversation," said Bellville, who can also lip-read.
Bellville, who taught in Brownsburg schools for 15 years, retired from teaching in 1999. She began working as a volunteer deaf interpreter at Cornerstone Christian Church in Brownsburg about a decade ago.
That role led to a new full-time position this year as a student interpreter at Ben Davis Ninth Grade Center. Assigned to a single deaf student, Bellville accompanies the student to each class, interpreting spoken words of teachers and fellow students.
"When a deaf student can easily communicate with the other students, it definitely helps them socialize," said Bellville. "When the communication improves, socialization improves."
Ben Davis art teacher Beth Hall said Bellville's services are invaluable.
"She's the link between the student and their disability and the world. They miss everything that they don't see; imagine the miscommunication," she said.
Having worked with Bellville for two years, Hall said she is amazed by the interpreter's energy and skill.
"It's almost like miming," Hall said. "She tries to express through her facial expressions while she's signing what I express through the tone of my voice."
"I don't know if all interpreters do that, but . . . she's very good at it."
That skill is what Bellville tried to teach last week to the 10 students who attend her sign language class at the Brownsburg Public Library.
"Those who hear with their ears really have to train their eyes to listen," said Bellville.
Co-teacher Christine Besinger, who was declared profoundly deaf three years ago, summed up their work.
"I enjoy teaching other people to communicate," said the Brownsburg resident.
Sign language grammar and vocabulary also are taught during the 10-week sessions.
Student Tracy Elliot, 38, is in her second session and said the class has had a profound impact on her and her family.
Due to chronic sinus problems, Elliot often loses her voice for three to four days at a time. The frustration of not being able to communicate with her family during those episodes led her to seek a new way to talk.
Although her husband, Todd, doesn't know sign language, Elliot said she has learned to convey her thoughts silently.
"It's taught me to act-out words so he can understand me," said the Brownsburg resident.
That kind of learning is what drives Bellville.
"It makes it fun to teach when the students get all excited and they're laughing and having fun and they're into it. I like seeing people catch that joy," she said.