Why Learn Sign Language?

Why Learn Sign Language?

Why Learn Sign Language?




I recently made a commitment to work on improving various aspects of my life in order to become a more well rounded person.

For example, when I realized that I hadn't taken any kind of class since I graduated from college 10 years ago, I decided there and then that learning something new would be a priority.

After a lot of consideration, I decided that I would like to learn sign language, so I recently purchased materials that will help me do that.

I've been telling my friends and family about my new interest, and the first question everyone asks me is why I want to learn sign language.

After all, I'm not deaf or hard-of-hearing myself, nor is anyone in my immediate family.

While hearing impairments would obviously be the most pressing reason to learn sign language, it's certainly not the only one. Here are just two more reasons that helped me make my decision.

First, I really wanted to try something different. I always hear about friends who are studying Spanish, French, Italian, Japanese, or any number of other languages, but none of those appealed to me.

I would much rather learn American Sign Language (ASL) because of its relative uniqueness.

Second, I want to learn sign language because of its utility. I can say with certainty that I'll have a chance to use my ASL skills at some point in my life.

Whether it's helping a hearing impaired customer when I'm at work, or carrying on a casual conversation with someone I meet at the gym, there's bound to be ample opportunity for me to apply my knowledge in practical situations.

That's more than I can say about my friends who studied Japanese for all four years of college, and then never spoke another syllable of it after they left campus!

Once I decided to learn sign language, I just had to find a class that I could attend. Since my work hours are always changing, I didn't want to commit to specific evening or weekend hours at my local community college.

Instead, I decided to check out a few of the many online resources that are available to people with an interest in ASL.

I found several classes that are delivered entirely over the Internet, as well as several more courses that are offered on video (or DVD).

I chose to learn sign language via DVD because this format allows me to watch the classes on my 42" television screen rather than my 17" computer monitor.

I can see exactly what's going on, and can replay certain sections as many times as necessary to make sure I understand everything.

I've only been studying ASL for a couple weeks now, but I'm already making rapid progress. I can't wait to continue with my courses and develop my skills even more!

Learning To Communicate With Deaf People


Life seems to pass us by without much thought for how lucky we really are. Imagine what it would be like to wake up one morning and be confronted by absolute silence. No ticking clock.

Why Learn Sign Language?



Why Learn Sign Language?



No people talking. No dishes clanging. Nothing. That’s the reality that some people live. Now think about how you react to a person once you find out they’re deaf.

People with hearing impairments don’t want to be treated as though they are somehow less valuable in the community. Is it normal to be a little nervous communicating with a deaf person for the first time? Sure.

What’s important though is realizing that while these people can’t hear, they definitely can communicate effectively with you if you give them a chance.

Any form of communication between people is a two way street. It is very important then to determine how a deaf person prefers to communicate.

There are a number of options available to them such as sign language, lip reading or using text. There will be a way of making a connection. It may sometimes be difficult or awkward but the effort is well worth it.

If you need to communicate regularly with a deaf person there is no doubt that significant effort is required on your part to make the connection. It is almost like needing to learn a second language.

Unfortunately for the majority of people it is not something that they encounter on a regular basis, so novices to sign language and lip reading can make unintentional errors.

Mostly these errors are the result of speed. For lip reading it may be a case of talking too fast so that the deaf person doesn’t have the capacity to catch all of the conversation.

Alternatively it is not unusual for people to talk too slowly, as though the deaf person has a comprehension disorder rather than hearing.

In terms of sign language it can be just as frustrating for the deaf person who is fluent in signing to try to decipher an untrained persons attempts at sign language.

Novices who learn the signs but only use them occasionally never really learn how to “speak” in sign language the way someone closely tied to deaf people can.

The dilemma can be compared to visiting a foreign country in which the inhabitants speak a different language.

You may have spent years studying that language but when you find yourself thrust into a different culture you realize that you have learned the rules and vocabulary of the language but you have not learned how to speak it.

Dealing with deaf people does not necessarily have to significantly alter the way that you get your message across.

Even with hearing people verbal communication only makes up a small component of the way a message is delivered. You may need to think a little more about the best way of making a connection but it can be done.

Deaf Telephone


The deaf and hard of hearing can sometimes feel isolated if they are not able to communicate. People without hearing difficulties take this for granted.

Why Learn Sign Language?



Why Learn Sign Language?



Modern technology has devised ways of improving the quality of life for many deaf people with the invention of deaf telephone techniques. This has changed social interaction and business communication for the deaf community.

There are two main ways of using this technology. Textphones have been around for a while now and are simple to use. Some of them are portable and can plug into any phone.

All the deaf person has to do with this deaf telephone is to plug the minicom in, turn the device on and dial the number after placing the receiver on. Then type the message to be relayed on the keyboard.

There is a recognized code of abbreviations that is used to indicate certain breaks in the conversation, including letters to denote the caller has paused for a response or has ended the call.

If the deaf person wants to make a call to someone without a minicom, they can use a telephone relay service, which interprets between the minicom and the person at the other end of the telephone line.

The alternative to the textphone is the videophone, a more recent innovation. The deaf person can see a sign language interpreter over the videophone. A webcam could be used instead.

The interpreter communicates the conversation, using standard signing between the person making the call and the respondent at the other end. It's also possible to use the videophone method through computer-mounted cameras.

Many people prefer this version of deaf telephone to textphones as it offers easier and quicker conversation. Some countries, including America and Australia have set the cost of this type of service at the normal rate per minute for calls.

Deafness is a matter of degrees. In fact, not many people suffer from total deafness and people with partial hearing sometimes require a different sort of help to a deaf telephone.

Many hard of hearing phone customers have equipment which amplifies the sound of the telephone conversation and it's also possible to use a mechanism that cuts down background noise. These settings can be adapted for mobile phones too.

Sign language is the preferred choice of many deaf people throughout the world. It's not a uniform language however, and different countries have their own versions.

Even regional differences can occur, as in the United States. People who use sign language have welcomed it being incorporated into deaf telephone technology.

is it important to learn sign language,who uses sign language,what is sign language,sign language asl,why sign language is important,should schools teach sign languages,sign language,
https://bit.ly/3QGZMP8

تعليقات

المشاركات الشائعة من هذه المدونة

six marketing strategies in web 2-0 world

best Social Media And The Pop Culture

Complete Spanish Beginner to Intermediate Course