Hello
Everyone! So, I just wanted to check in and give a quick update on how my sign
language learning has been progressing. First, I wanted to share something kind
of cool that happened with me earlier this week. I was talking to a few friends
of mine outside of my physics lecture about how I was working on this Collo
project and how I was planning on starting the ASL minor in the fall (which I
registered for on Monday by the way). We were all just chatting and discussing
how interesting we all thought sign language was and they were even discussing
maybe taking a couple of the classes as well, just to see what it was like.
Then, another girl from our class came a sat down next to us. She stated that
she had overheard a little of what we were saying and thought she would join in
because she actually speaks ASL rather fluently. She stated that her first
roommate at ETSU was deaf and communicated only by sign language and that her
second roommate was also deaf, but had cochlear implants and knew very little
sign language. She was describing to us the difference in the lifestyles and
how dependent deaf people can become on their hearing aids. It was really
interesting to hear what it was like to live with deaf or hard of hearing
people from a firsthand basis. She also told me about a club on campus known as
“Silent Bucs” which is lead and made up of mostly deaf and/or hard of hearing
students. She also told us that she would happy to practice our sign language
with us anytime we needed her to, and that she would find out when the “Silent
Bucs” is planning on meeting next semester so we can meet and talk to some of
them. It was truly so cool to hear about this language that I have fallen in
love with, and how it is being used on an everyday basis among my peers. I am
so excited to begin classes next semester!
As
for an update, I have been very busy as of late, have but have tried to make
sure that I carve out a little time every night to study and advance in my sign
language knowledge. So, I have still been watching several of Bill Vicars
videos. He is truly so helpful, and he always does the video with a student
sitting next to him that is learning and practicing right alongside you, so it
feels like you are not the only one struggling with some of the signs. I have
also been watching the video updates posted by OurSignedWorld. Recently, I was
told by some old friends who learned to speak sign language at a very young
age, that music is the best way to learn (not only words, but also to increase
in signing quickness). This being said, I am still a rather slow signer, but
signing to music and lyrics that I know well has definitely helped. I have been
working on the signs for the songs “I Can Only Imagine” by MercyMe, “Fight Song”
by Rachel Platten, and “If I Die Young” by The Band Perry. I still have not
mastered these yet, but I have definitely made improvements. My church youth
has been practicing “I Can Only Imagine” and the others I have learned via “thedailysign”
on Youtube.
The
plan is to continue studying these until mastery, and maybe adding another one
this upcoming week. I also want to go back to the very beginning of this
journey and make sure I remember everything I have learned to this point. I
will attempt to give another update next week and let everyone know how this is
going. Until then, wish me luck!!!<3
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