This is not a new subject for me, but it's occurred to me just now that all of you on my friend list are hearing and so this rant may be new to you. I have a whole new audience to dazzle
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In this instance I totally agree with you. When I was in 1st grade (wow) I remember being taught ASL. We had to "say" the days of the week in ASL every day and we'd learn the alphabet and everything like that. It probably went beyond that but not much since it was... first grade and all...
But when I got up to high school and I saw my brother in 1st grade instead not learning ASL, at all, he was learning Spanish and how to say it all in Spanish. I totally respect the Spanish culture but I'm with you in saying I would much rather have people learn ASL in earlier years than Spanish which they can technically take as an elective in Junior and High school... that's my thought on it anyway... down here I think they teach Indonesian... kind of odd yes?
Oh and Salma... yes, she was born in Mexico lol I had to look it up to be sure... :-P
On that note- A lot of hearing people tell me their parents taught them baby sign. I find that really strange because it's as if once they could speak well enough they just stopped using their hands.
well... it's not really sign per say but we teach Andrew to do certain actions when he wants something. He says things... but even to me it's not very clear just sounds like gibberish honestly but if he hits his chest or something we know he wants more or something like that... it is really weird. I always enjoyed ASL in first grade... I really remember that almost like it was yesterday and not almost 20 years ago lol
So he's getting better that that? (I'm pretty sure it was Andrew that I remember having a hard time making himself be understood through hands). If it's easier for him to make up his own signs and have you guys interpret his language then good for him. I'm shocked my dad signs at all so Andrew has one up on me. If he's angry at me he wont even face me so I can read his lips.
Like trashcan_blues, I agree with you. When I lived in Virginia, they taught us ASL from the beginning, and followed all the way through because we had a lot of deaf children in the school and they wanted us to be able to communicate with them. Then I moved up to Rhode Island, and they didn't care about it at all. I was very confused about it because we had a deaf person in our class, but nobody could talk to him but the translator.
I don't know if my old school still teaches ASL, but I hope they do.
Virus or unwanted program 'JS/Dldr.Multi.CJ [virus]' detected in file 'C:\Documents and Settings\jo\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\MRSDKXI3\250px-Bob_Dylan_by_Daniel_Kramer[1].jpg.
I AGREE WITH YOU! I FEEL LIKE IT SHOULD TAUGHT EVERYWHERE AS A UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE. YOU CAN TRAVEL THE WORLD... AND EVERYWHERE YOU GO, EVERYONE WILL SIGN. IT IS POETIC...
Actually, there is a European sign language as well. Once I was talking to a group of old Italian guys who were Deaf and we understood each other pretty well so it's not as different from each other as the spoken language must be. I now it takes people years to learn to speak another language. Speaking is so overrated.
there's more than one sign language in europe. i live in berlin and speak DGS (German Sign Language), but yeah, it doesn't take long to switch over to french or british sign, etc. hi. i slipped over here, hope that's okay. i agree with you, it's crazy that ASL isn't taught in more american schools. i suspect regions have some influence. like obviously for people in san diego, california, it would make sense to learn spanish, whereas if you (were hearing and) lived a ways north up in fremont ... i want to assume the school would have more ASL courses. but really, at the heart of what you are saying is an excellent point. WHY is ASL treated as a foreign language (and not just by american schools)? WTF, do they think there's a Deafland out there just south of Norway?
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But when I got up to high school and I saw my brother in 1st grade instead not learning ASL, at all, he was learning Spanish and how to say it all in Spanish. I totally respect the Spanish culture but I'm with you in saying I would much rather have people learn ASL in earlier years than Spanish which they can technically take as an elective in Junior and High school... that's my thought on it anyway... down here I think they teach Indonesian... kind of odd yes?
Oh and Salma... yes, she was born in Mexico lol I had to look it up to be sure... :-P
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If it's easier for him to make up his own signs and have you guys interpret his language then good for him. I'm shocked my dad signs at all so Andrew has one up on me.
If he's angry at me he wont even face me so I can read his lips.
...There has been much less of that lately.
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I agree with you.
When I lived in Virginia, they taught us ASL from the beginning, and followed all the way through because we had a lot of deaf children in the school and they wanted us to be able to communicate with them.
Then I moved up to Rhode Island, and they didn't care about it at all.
I was very confused about it because we had a deaf person in our class, but nobody could talk to him but the translator.
I don't know if my old school still teaches ASL, but I hope they do.
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Virus or unwanted program 'JS/Dldr.Multi.CJ [virus]'
detected in file 'C:\Documents and Settings\jo\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\MRSDKXI3\250px-Bob_Dylan_by_Daniel_Kramer[1].jpg.
you sneaky bastard you
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I never got a virus through that picture and it was posted forever ago. Do I just delete that photo?
I don't know things.
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Actually, there is a European sign language as well. Once I was talking to a group of old Italian guys who were Deaf and we understood each other pretty well so it's not as different from each other as the spoken language must be. I now it takes people years to learn to speak another language. Speaking is so overrated.
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hi. i slipped over here, hope that's okay.
i agree with you, it's crazy that ASL isn't taught in more american schools. i suspect regions have some influence. like obviously for people in san diego, california, it would make sense to learn spanish, whereas if you (were hearing and) lived a ways north up in fremont ... i want to assume the school would have more ASL courses.
but really, at the heart of what you are saying is an excellent point. WHY is ASL treated as a foreign language (and not just by american schools)?
WTF, do they think there's a Deafland out there just south of Norway?
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