Transferring to Ohio School for the Deaf?? Questions re: TRUE philosophy

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iaskedalice09

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Hello,

As many of you know, I am a BIG proponent of bilingual education among the Deaf. My parents and I have been discussing and we have decided to let me go to Ohio School for the Deaf (OSD) and live in the dorms, and I would go home on the weekends (sometimes, depends on gas). ANYWAY...

I am just concerned that if I go I want it to be true voice-off ASL. Though English is my first language, ASL is easier for me to pick apart, not to mention it keeps me engaged :) I *really* want to go to Indiana SD, but my parents are adamant about not giving up their guardianship, even if the people to whom I am entrusted are relatives. So...OSD is the only option. We can't afford St. Rita's and I really don't like some of the teachers.

So...is OSD truly voice-off ASL? From a first-hand experience? I should be going up soon but I am just curious......
 
My son attended St. Rita, and the experience I have with OSD is mostly social experience when their students and St. Rital students played soccer or basketball against each other. I can guarantee you, when the OSD students and the St. Rita students were together in the dining hall, or on the basketball court, or on the soccer field, it was pure ASL between them! Hands flying everywhere!

As far as them sticking to a strictly bi-bi educational atmosphere, I do know that they are moving that direction, but don't know that they have completely revised at this point.
 
Wow...........I am GREEN with envy! I really wish I'd known about the option to attend a School for the Deaf, in high school. It's too bad you can't attend ISD....it's supposed to be pretty good. Actually...........have you brought up the possibilty of attending MSSD? It's an excellent Deaf school....it even offers Spanish and French!
Not sure what OSD is like academicly. However, there always seems to be a significent number of "academic" deaf kids there. You could also, opt for mainstreaming in some areas (most deaf schools do mainstreaming) I hope your experiance is good. I know some Deaf Schools tend to be kinda crappy due to having a lot of MR kids or kids who had late exposure to language.
 
Hi Jill,

Yah, I have noticed that SRS kids *can* sign ASL...it's just a matter of who supervises them. i.e., if it is a Deaf adult, or CODA, or someone fluent in ASL and is OK with it...they sign ASL. But if they are with a primarily English person, they sign English. They're quite flexible and patient.

Deafdyke, Yeah, I *really* want to go to ISD for the honours classes and the very good programs there as well as the booming social life. I am thinking about asking them about MSSD but I don't have a lot of information on it. Will search.

What do you mean by mainstreaming? I am mainstreamed since pre-K with no interpreter. I am academic, but I also utterly lack a social life...hopefully OSD, or wherever I go, will have a good balance. *smile*
 
iaskedalice09 said:
Hi Jill,

Yah, I have noticed that SRS kids *can* sign ASL...it's just a matter of who supervises them. i.e., if it is a Deaf adult, or CODA, or someone fluent in ASL and is OK with it...they sign ASL. But if they are with a primarily English person, they sign English. They're quite flexible and patient.

Deafdyke, Yeah, I *really* want to go to ISD for the honours classes and the very good programs there as well as the booming social life. I am thinking about asking them about MSSD but I don't have a lot of information on it. Will search.

What do you mean by mainstreaming? I am mainstreamed since pre-K with no interpreter. I am academic, but I also utterly lack a social life...hopefully OSD, or wherever I go, will have a good balance. *smile*
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I agree. My own son code switches like that, and I have noticed that the majority of SRS kids do it, as well. Indicates that they are getting good language foundattions, and learning appropriate social skills.
 
I don't know the education of OSD because I graduated from St. Rita (late 70's). I only hope that they do have Bi-Bi education fully. I don't know which teachers you don't like as the teachers I know in the past might not teach there now. I wanted to go to St. Rita for the education alone and I didn't even know any teachers there before I went there. I think learning to get along with other people (difficult people or not) is good as you will be holding down a job. I wish you the best of luck in getting the best education you can get.

Jillio, I do code switch depending on who I am talking to. I often found myself using my voice if I knew I am talking to a hearing person even that person knows sign language. It is my habit of mine.
 
Buffalo said:
I don't know the education of OSD because I graduated from St. Rita (late 70's). I only hope that they do have Bi-Bi education fully. I don't know which teachers you don't like as the teachers I know in the past might not teach there now. I wanted to go to St. Rita for the education alone and I didn't even know any teachers there before I went there. I think learning to get along with other people (difficult people or not) is good as you will be holding down a job. I wish you the best of luck in getting the best education you can get.

Jillio, I do code switch depending on who I am talking to. I often found myself using my voice if I knew I am talking to a hearing person even that person knows sign language. It is my habit of mine.
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**nodding** That seems to be a skill that the St. Rital kids and graduates develop easily. Maybe its because of the diversity on campus.
 
Deafdyke, Yeah, I *really* want to go to ISD for the honours classes and the very good programs there as well as the booming social life. I am thinking about asking them about MSSD but I don't have a lot of information on it. Will search.

What do you mean by mainstreaming? I am mainstreamed since pre-K with no interpreter. I am academic, but I also utterly lack a social life...hopefully OSD, or wherever I go, will have a good balance. *smile*
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Couldn't you move to Indiana, and stay with your relatives? Your parents might not have to give up guardianship. I know I've heard of kids moving away to live with relatives, and they never had issues with guardianship. One of my friends is attending MSSD and LOVES it!
What I mean by mainstreaming is that you'd be a student at the Deaf school, but attend some mainstream classes in the community.
It's somewhat good that you've got a sucky social life in the mainstream. That's a good case for sending you to a deaf school. You could also argue that going to a Deaf school will ultimatily help with employment, since this way you'll become totally fluent in Sign (ie even know the slang) and become a much much better teacher.
 
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