Personal Narrative: American Sign Language
At the beginning of the term, I felt excited yet hesitant to learn ASL. Learning a second language has always made me uneasy and unsure of myself because of the rapid pace and the vulnerability it takes to allow myself to make mistakes. As the weeks progressed, my anxiety lessoned, and I realized I had no reason to fear! American Sign Language makes so much sense to me. So far, it does not contain any of the convoluted dimensions that General American English has. I am excited to learn more about the grammatical structure of ASL, increase my signing speed, and advance my cultural competence when interacting with Deaf people. Before this term, I knew minimal amounts about the Deaf Community. I have taken two classes that spoke about,
or provided novels about, the Deaf Community or Deaf Culture: FHS Issues of Children and Families and CDS in the Media. Intro to ASL has really helped solidify the knowledge I gained from those classes and has helped expand on it. The article we read about the construction of disabilities made my mind toss and turn all day over the societal implications of being deaf. “Do Deaf People Have a Disability” made me wonder how claiming the label ‘disabled’ to receive much needed assistance would make people feel when they do not consider themselves disabled. That article also made me wonder if most Deaf people resent hearing people, especially the ones with no knowledge of the Deaf culture. Additionally, I had no idea that hearing people over decades have ban the use of ASL or other forms of signed language. Gaining this knowledge made me realized how intolerant we have been to this linguistically different minority and how we still need to practice our competence when we, hearing people, interact with people who are deaf. The last thought I have about ASL and Deaf culture revolves around my hearing friend. She is currently attending Mount Hood Community College to become a sign language interpreter and her signing skills are so advanced that she can spend time and converse fluidly with her Deaf friends! I would like to continue taking American Sign Language so I can become competent enough to learn about the Deaf Culture directly from members of that community.
or provided novels about, the Deaf Community or Deaf Culture: FHS Issues of Children and Families and CDS in the Media. Intro to ASL has really helped solidify the knowledge I gained from those classes and has helped expand on it. The article we read about the construction of disabilities made my mind toss and turn all day over the societal implications of being deaf. “Do Deaf People Have a Disability” made me wonder how claiming the label ‘disabled’ to receive much needed assistance would make people feel when they do not consider themselves disabled. That article also made me wonder if most Deaf people resent hearing people, especially the ones with no knowledge of the Deaf culture. Additionally, I had no idea that hearing people over decades have ban the use of ASL or other forms of signed language. Gaining this knowledge made me realized how intolerant we have been to this linguistically different minority and how we still need to practice our competence when we, hearing people, interact with people who are deaf. The last thought I have about ASL and Deaf culture revolves around my hearing friend. She is currently attending Mount Hood Community College to become a sign language interpreter and her signing skills are so advanced that she can spend time and converse fluidly with her Deaf friends! I would like to continue taking American Sign Language so I can become competent enough to learn about the Deaf Culture directly from members of that community.