Robin.Chronister@f429.n275.z1.fidonet.org (Robin Chronister) (04/04/91)
Index Number: 14621 [This is from the Silent Talk Conference] > eliminate English in favor of ASL. This was said despitethe fact that > we repeatedly said that English and ASL are both an inseparable part > of the Deaf Community for day to day survival and interaction with > mainstream society and for interaction among "our people." We I have often thought that one of the problems is that we have to fit two languages into the same "space" - in that ASL is an American language, but that English is the language of the country. Does that make sense at all? I don't think I am expressing this very well. Hearing people tend to see that many deaf people have difficulty with English, yet they are Americans, so they should "talk American." I have heard a lot of the same types of derogatory remarks about ASL, and the people making them don't seem to be able to grasp the concept that ASL is a beautiful language in its own right - separate from English in the same way that French or Spanish are separate. When I first learned to sign, SEEII was what I was taught, and I didn't know anything about ASL. I have often regretted that, because my ASL skills are poor. I do okay with the younger children, because we converse slowly, and the material I interpret is easy. I am lost among adults, however, and I have a long way to go before I can pass my state interpreter screening. I really resent the biased view I was presented in my early classes, and I can only imagine how frustrating it must be for the Deaf Community to have to deal with the attitudes of the educators. I think that if hearing people had to cope with a reversal of the situation - where they were in the minority and forced to learn another language in order to deal with the majority, they would not do as well as the Deaf Community has done. That "I am better than you" attitude can be hard to shake! I hope that the deaf staff in your school is able to hold on, and continue to teach as you have been. Any child, hearing or deaf, needs communication - and it is criminal to deny them that! -- Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!275!429!Robin.Chronister Internet: Robin.Chronister@f429.n275.z1.fidonet.org
Tim.Smith@f429.n275.z1.fidonet.org (Tim Smith) (05/03/91)
Index Number: 15327
[This is from the Silent Talk Conference]
Hmmm.. I feel that SEE is overrated. people thinnk that deaf people
cannot learn english if they know ASL..
SO what happens?
Deaf people who know ASL aren't TAUGHT english!
The Result?
"ASL is very bad for deaf people. Deaf people who know ASL have poor
writing skills."
Allright! Come on...
How can you make that general statement if the Deaf people weren't even
taught English in the first place!
You realize, that I'm not directing this at YOU, don't you?
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Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!275!429!Tim.Smith
Internet: Tim.Smith@f429.n275.z1.fidonet.orgTim.Smith@f429.n275.z1.fidonet.org (Tim Smith) (05/30/91)
Index Number: 15836
[This is from the Silent Talk Conference]
Hey Paul.. I don't know if you meant that you picked my name at random..
It's interesting since I am deaf myself...
The idea you had about the video tape was pretty good--- It could
be a great enchancement to the class.. BUT--- should not replace the
usage of ASL in the classroom...
The fact that we ARE deaf...
Should be part of the education system. Right now, they are trying to
make us deaf people what we ARE NOT- a hearing person.
They try to hard to teach us how to speak--- that they forget that
speaking is not everything. They direct all their attention and
energy in teaching us how to speak, and don't teach us anything else.
It then fails miserably. We do NOT learn how to speak perfectly.
The reason is obvious. We are deaf. We cannot hear ourselves speak.
Then they bullshit us around and tell us that we're doing wonderfully
ion speech class... We believe them at first-- UNTIL we actuall go out
and speak.
And we are met with bewildered looks on the stranger's face that we
speak to.
Don't make what we are not... Just let us be what we are..
I just wish people would respect our language. Then, it would be all
rosy.
KnowwhutImean? {{Grinning}}
Take care!
Tim
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