Frequently Asked Questions: 2:
The information below is a collection of miscellaneous questions people have asked me. Sometimes I have time to answer this type of question, sometimes I don't. I love you all, but there is only so much time in the day...
I was wondering what the sign for miss is. As in, "I miss you" it was not in the dictionary on your web page. Thanks so much if you have the time to tell me.
~Kyli
Tualatin, Oregon 14 years old
You get a sad look on your face and poke your straight index finger into the cleft of your chin.
Bill
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In a message dated 6/19/2002 12:59:12 PM Pacific Daylight Time, _______ writes:
Subj:Re: Question
Date:6/19/2002 12:59:12 PM Pacific Daylight Time
From:_______
To:BillVicars
Thank you SO much for your reply. Your offer to "custom design" a program for him is quite generous and might work. What are we looking at cost-wise, time-wise,and is it feasible for him to complete an ASL II,III, and IV beginning in August 2002 and ending May 2003. He is set to graduate then. We can provide proctors for the
class and tests at our high school. How would we need to set it up? I am very interested in this option. Here are some details on his background with signing and his current academic abilities. I can tell you that he lost his hearing as a child due to meningitis (after the onset of language acquisition), was implanted w/ a cochlear implant at age 5, and is oral, in an all-hearing high school. He was taught ASL as a child and used it up until he became all oral. His current signing ability is that he has passed a junior college ASL I course with a 92. However, the courses for ASL II,III, and IV are only offered at a location too far for him to drive to by himself. He is college-bound and wants to keep up his signing skills for life. He uses "signed English" quite beautifully. So nicely that he tried to "clep out" of ASL II (via the junior college, like he did for ASL I), but he only received a score of 76. (To get the credit for high school "by exam only" , he had to receive a 90 or better). He has also received "passing scores" on all sub-tests for the SATHI exam. I hope this information helps you determine if a "customized course" is feasible.
Again, I sincerely thank you for helping me in my quest. I am a speech therapist, not a
guidance counselor, so this has been an incredible challenge to navigate!
Linda ______
-------------------------------Dear Linda,
I've thought about your student's situation. It sounds to me like he needs more than Lifeprint.com is able to offer at this point. So let me help you brainstorm. How far is he from the Junior College?
You say the level 2 through 4 classes are offered at a location too far away for him to drive. Are there classes located at a different "high school" (rather than a college) that he might be able to participate in?
Could your student participate in an "early college enrollment" program and take ASL 2 - 4 at a local college?All you would need is your principal's approval and the college's approval, (at least that is how I did it when I was a senior in high school). [Hmmm...I just reread that section of your email, it appears that he has already taken ASL 1 at the junior college.]
You mention that he signs English beautifully.
Sometimes Deaf youth just need to be taught ASL linguistics and how to jockey back and forth between ASL and English at the right time. He may indeed know enough ASL to CLEP out of level 2 or 3, but he doesn't know how to "play the game" and fully codeswitch to ASL during the evaluations.
Another idea, whereas one "college evaluator" may flunk him on an ASL evaluation--a different evaluator may pass him. Suppose he were to go to another college and retake the ASL 2 evaluation?
There are a few "intense summer workshops" that teach ASL. For example, Gallaudet University offers some. He might be able to fly to Gallaudet and participate in a couple weeks of workshops and develop his skills sufficiently to pass the local tests. Maybe a college in Dallas offers such workshops?
You could contact your local Division of Rehabilitation Services Counselor and ask him/her to foot the bill for him to fly to Gallaudet to attend these workshops. Such a course of action is not unheard of.
Finally, if the issue is there is some sort of law or policy that your school requires "all" students to pass a foreign language requirement in order to graduate, let me suggest that according to the American's with Disabilities Act, your school and or district may be legally required to show some flexibility here and make adjustments--and possibly even waive the requirement for him. For example, I was a communication major for my undergraduate work. My college was legally required to substitute or waive certain courses for me because of my being hard of hearing.
Please do let me know what is going on with him. If I come up with or across any other ideas I'll let you know.
Bill Vicars
www.lifeprint.com
<<How long have you been interactively teaching using this format? I guess I am asking, has your website
been 'field' tested' and with what ages?>>
I've been doing this since 1996. I'm doing some "organized" research on its effectiveness this December ('02) as part of a dissertation. I used to teach it with a chatroom as far back as '97. I did that for about 3 years via AOL's online campus--before they went mega-commercial. Mostly adults, but I did have a few children take the course. The reviews were overwhelmingly positive. (Which always amazed me.) --Bill
In a message dated 8/24/2002 9:43:33 AM Pacific Daylight Time, _________@yahoo.com writes:
Hi Bill:
I met a gal and now I need to learn to sign because it is I that can not communicate with her. (You know the story) Thinking of getting your book but would like to know your thoughts, step process as I begin to learn this foreign language.
"Talk" with you soon............Ed
Hello Ed,
Sure, my book would be a great way to about learning ASL.
Steps:
1. Order my book. (www.lifeprint.com) [Editor's note: That book sold out. Sorry]
2. Practice your fingerspelling like crazy.
3. Keep a note pad to write down signs that you need to review and that you want to know or to go over with your friend.
4. Check the local library for other books on ASL.
5. Look around for a local ASL class.
6. Each time you meet your gal friend make it a ritual to go over 10 new signs or some other number of signs.
7. Set up a reward system.
8. Set specific goals.
9. Find deaf events in your area and go as often as you can.
10. Have a good time.
Bill
Terri writes:
But if I'm ever to improve and have my signing become MORE ASL and LESS English, am I correct in assuming that it would help to STOP speaking English while I sign, and START concentrating more on signing correct ASL and making the appropriate facial expressions?
Yes.
No doubt whatsoever. Stop mouthing English words. Then, later, stop worrying about it altogether. I compare it to learning to swim. Mouthing English words is like a flotation device that provides a somewhat false sense of security that your communication is understandable. When you cast away that inner-tube, you find your swimming ability increases dramatically.
Bill
