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Advice from Dr. Bill Vicars and from former ASL students:
Be early for class if at all possible. Build in more time. Use the time to practice signs with other students and review previous lessons.
Follow ALL signed conversations in class between the instructor and other students and as many student to student conversations as you can. Keep watching even if it doesn't involve you.Raise your hand when you don't understand something. Once you have the instructor's attention, let him or her know you don't understand. Repeat as needed. Be bold! This is expected classroom behavior.
Resist the temptation under social pressure to say you understand if in fact you do not. Culturally, the Deaf consider this to be "conversational lying". If the instructor asks "do you understand?", tell the truth. Most Deaf will know anyway by the look on your face.
Focus your gaze on the chin/neck area of the person who is signing, and relax to let your peripheral vision come into play. This allows you to see the hands, while also seeing the "grammar" that is shown on the face. You will understand much more of what you see.
Avoid the beginner's natural tendency to sign too large. Sign at a slow to medium speed and use clear handshapes.
You may have been taught to sign a certain word or concept differently from what is shown in class. This could be due to the fact that various regions and groups of people sign some words slightly differently. Or it might be that what you were shown doesn't mean what you think it means. (!) Jot it down, and do more research later or ask the instructor either during or after class. Regardless how your former instructor signed it, or your friends sign it, or your deaf co-worker signs it, during class sign it the way your instructor shows you. (He or she is the one giving the grade.)
Hi professor Vicars this is (name on file) from your sign class at _________. I have a hard time with sign language. I don't believe I'm much of a visual learner. In my first ASL class I would study and it just wouldn't help. I would get lost in class and after a while it just defeated me and I gave up. I ended up passing the class with a C but that's well below what I expect from myself. I have a very difficult time with the alphabet. I know and can do all the signs myself but when others do it I get completely thrown off. I was wondering if you had any suggestions for me as to help get over this visual learning problem I have?
-- (name on file)
Dear ASL Hero,
Yes I do have advice.
You need to create an open channel between your brain and your hands.
Consider how pro athletes rehearse in their mind the movements they plan to do.
You can use that same process while sitting in class to imagine yourself doing the signs you are seeing me do. Practice them in your mind ACTIVELY during class. Feel the movement in your mind that your hands would make.
Also, If you are not in class at 11 a.m. you might want to sit through both my classes (ASL 2).
Or sit in on ASL 1 at 9 a.m.
--Dr. V
I want to give you the "inside scoop" on how to go about learning this language and how to succeed in whatever ASL class you are taking.
Not all ideas apply to everyone or every class, so focus on the ones that work for you and leave the rest for the next student.
If we compared a dictionary of English words and a dictionary of ASL signs... they would contain two very different sets of vocabulary. Don't confuse an "English to ASL dictionary" with an "ASL dictionary." A true ASL dictionary would be in video form using computer imaging and gesture recognition technology. You would sign a concept into an optical input device and on the screen would pop up a person who would sign to you the definition of the sign you chose. The whole dictionary would be "visually-gesturally based." That is a "true" ASL dictionary.Most ASL dictionaries on bookstore shelves are not dictionaries in the general sense of the term, but rather they are "bilingual lists" that list rough vocabulary equivalents between English to ASL. These bilingual ASL/English "dictionaries" are typically written in English and contain pictures.
Near each picture is an English word or label that is similar in meaning to the ASL concept represented by the picture or set of pictures. These English labels are "glosses."
"Glossing" is what we do when we write the words of one language into another language for which there is no direct equivalent word.
A gloss is not an actual equivalent of a sign, but rather it is an English approximation of the meaning of a sign. ("Approximate" means close to but not exact.)
"ASL gloss" is a set of English approximations of ASL signing.
"A gloss" is an English approximation of an ASL sign or set of signs.
Some people who don't know that the labels under the pictures in ASL dictionaries are glosses mistakenly think that the labels are equivalents (have the same meaning) rather than approximations (have a similar but not exact same meaning). These people sometimes end up mistakenly thinking that ASL is just English on the hands.
These misguided individuals think that if they look up a bunch of English words in an ASL dictionary and use English syntax (syntax means word order) to string the corresponding signs into sentences that they are signing ASL.No. Sorry.
They may get by that way for years, interacting with their deaf friends and coworkers, but what they are doing isn't ASL.
What they are doing is "contact signing." (Contact language is language use that occurs when people who use two different languages come into contact with each other.)
These "English on the hands" people wonder why it is that they can "sign pretty good" but don't seem to be able to understand what is being signed when they watch Deaf persons sign to other Deaf persons.The reason is because skilled Deaf ASL users are using ASL grammar, eyebrow movements, head tilts, eye gazes, shifts of the body, inflections of signs, shoulder raises, mouth morphemes, locatives, indexing, classifiers, and dozens of other language tools to communicate.
Woah.
Jargon alert.
Look, you don't have to understand all of those big words. You just need to know that ASL isn't "English on the hands."You need to understand that ASL isn't about "signs" it's about how you use them.
The difference between "CAR" and "DRIVE" is in how big you do the sign.
The difference between FLY and AIRPLANE depends on if you make one movement or two.
The difference between "WANT" and "DON'T WANT" depends on whether you flip the sign away from you.
The difference between LATE and NOT-YET depends on if you use one or two movements and what you do with your tongue!
The concept of "WHAT" depends more on your eyebrows than it does on your hands.Relax. We will cover all that and more as we go through this course.
Note: STOP READING this page and go to some other page.
The rest of this page is just Dr. Bill's notes for future development. It isn't
intended to make sense to anyone else yet.
Lesson "0" Competency Checklist:
I understand that ASL and Sign English are different.
---------------------------------------------------
I have taken ASL 101 Lesson 1 quiz #1
I am done with Lesson 1
Vocabulary:
"hey"
spell
s-p-e-l-l l-e-t-t-e-r b-y l-e-t-t-e-r
AGAIN-[repeat]
slow
thank-you
meaning (intent, purpose)
"wh?" <____________>
(HOW) SIGN"_-_-_-_-_-_-_-"
Discussion:
Is ASL universal?
ASL is one of many visual languages in the world. ASL is not universal. It is
used mainly by the Deaf Community in North America and some parts of Canada. In
general, each country has its own signed language or languages.
A few quick facts:
1. ASL is not English on the hands. ASL has its own separate grammar system and
lexicon. Lexicon is a fancy way to say vocabulary.
2. ASL is a language. Signed English is a communication system striving to
represent English on the hands. They are different.
3. ASL is autonomous. That means it is independent. ASL didn't come from
English. It is not dependent on English.
4. ASL developed naturally over the years from a combination of indigenous
(local) signs and signs brought over from France in the early 1800s by Thomas
Hopkins Gallaudet and Laurent Clerc. Keep in mind though that Deaf people were
using sign language in America prior to the 1800's.
Regional variation:
Regional variations exist in ASL. Just as no two hearing people's voices sound
exactly alike, no two Deaf people sign exactly alike. Signs vary from state to
state more than spoken English does. Hearing people hear each others' voices on
television and the radio. TV actors and radio personalities come from all over.
TV viewers and radio listeners are exposed daily to words coming from thousands
of miles away. TV and Radio are a spoken language melting pot. It is different
for deaf people though.
Deaf people don't turn on the radio and see samples of sign language from
thousands of miles away. Deaf people's daily exposure to ASL is generally based
on communication with other local Deaf folks. Sure...there are plenty of
exceptions. Deaf frequently travel great distances to be with other Deaf. There
are quite a few ASL videos out there now. Occasionally there are even Deaf TV
channels, cable channels, or movies. But the fact is, ASL communication
generally takes place as a local event. That being the case--there exists quite
a bit of regional variation. Communication in the Deaf community is more like a
salad than a melting pot. Please understand though that ASL users have NO
problem communicating with ASL users from other places. They communicate
splendidly. And, truth be told, skilled Deaf signers even communicate readily
with signers from other countries--much more easily than would two hearing
people from the same countries. (This is because the Deaf will naturally and
effortlessly shift to mime, gesture, and pointing to establish meaning.) The
reason I point out regional variation is simply so you will be aware of it and
not embarrass yourself by assuming your way is right and somebody else's way is
wrong. The old cliche is still applicable, "When in Rome, do as the Romans do."
When in class, sign as your book and or teacher tells you to. When in a local
Deaf community, sign as the local Deaf do. If you notice a discrepancy between
your instructor's signs and your "Deaf friend's" signs, feel free to say
something like, "I've also seen that sign done this way [show the sign], how do
you feel about that?" If the instructor doesn't like it, then don't use it in
his class. Avoid arguing with your instructor over which sign is correct. You
can sign however you want out of class.
When you are signing with a deaf person, and he (or she) signs something you
don't understand, politely sign "hey" then use the "wh?" facial expression while
demonstrating back to the deaf person what sign it is that you didn't
understand. Then sign, "fingerspell." He will likely spell the sign to you if he
knows the English word for it. If not, he will tell you what it means, mime it
out, describe it, or show you a different sign with a similar meaning.
Lesson 0 Quiz:
1. True or false: ASL is English on the hands.
2. True or false: Signed English is a language.
3. True or false: ASL is an autonomous language.
4. True or false: ASL signs vary from region to region.
5. True or false: ASL (or a much of it anyway) was brought over from France.
2,000 vs 2000
[Class full no none adds (sorry), but Continuing Education has an open class.
Any of you students want to sell your spot??? Might get $30 or more.]
Agenda…today:
Basic sentences
• Notes for doing practice sheets:
voices off / mouthing ok but whispering or making noise (other than laughter or
hacking up hairballs) is not okay.
One partner should have an "A" sheet the other partner should have a "B" sheet.
If you and your partner get done before the other students….switch sides. If get
done twice…then practice spelling words to your partner and having him or her
sign them back to you.
• If you get off track…don't worry about it…just have a conversation…don't worry
about perfectly following the sheet.
• Work on getting your expressions accurate. I'm adamant about that otherwise
you'll be boring signers
• Eyebrows up for yes no questions.
• Nod or neutral for general answers
• Head shake or sign NOT for negative answers
• Are you right or left handed? Your dominant hand does the moving and the
initiating
Lefties are mirror of righties
right hand vs accurate (right as in correct)
• Note: "Indexing" (pointing) can mean me you him her (her as in she) / she he
the that it
• Possession (b palm/ possessive) can be used for: MY MINE OUR YOUR HIS HER/HERS
Practice:
Signer A: This a sign class? (eyebrows up)
Signer B: Yes, this sign class (nod)
(Of course ….real life you'd just say "YES"
But y'a ll need the practice eh?)
[Ask your partner and then get a response.]
Go ahead.] just do first part
You student? (RAISE EYE BROWS!)
Yes I student (NOD!)
He(she) student? (pick someone and point at him or her)
Yes, he student
[point to the SAME person folks]
He student (point to teacher)?
No he (not) student he (nod) teacher
[Isn't can be shown via headshake or by a separate sign for NOT. "Is" can be
shown via head nod. This isn't English it is ASL.]
You understand me?
Yes I understand you.
You understand he? (point to a student)
No I don't understand him. (point to same student)
You understand he teacher?
Yes I understand him
(during your practices you can point at me or at my avatar)
You teach sign
No, I learn sign.
HE teach sign.
Need a volunteer (someone who wants an "A")
IF you can't see…two choices…stomp and get your way…
Move
[teach vs teach+agent = teacher]
[learn vs learn + agent = student]
[learn + learn = learning]
Learn vs student
Teach vs teacher
Review:
Sign class student yes no not (can use headshake for not) teacher understand
not-understand agent index=he she it
Go ahead and do the whole sheet now…
IF you get off track no biggie…just converse
---
Should have an A anda B
Take turns following the dialog if you don't remember stomp your foot and get my
attention…
Questions? (ASK-TO-ME) "Any questions?"
More questions ?
Good job you asked in sign…
The sign _____ means "not" or any general negative like "un"
This sign is not needed if you will just use your neck and shake ur head
No: Is generally a statement of unavailable opportunity "no you can't go
"
Vs no food in the fridge
Can shift chairs and get comfy
Voices off pls
Now would u pls turn in cards separate into A B
Have
No
Not sign vs headshake
None
Nothing
it was nothing / Nothing to it / no biggie
Hi WHAt your name
[this could be shown as "name you?" while using a WH expression]
My name ______ (insert your own name folks)
Nice meet you [directional sign]
Can respond with [nice meet you]
[some ofyou are backing into the person
some are kissing…
some are meeting horizontally heh ]
who you?
You student?
Yes I student,
You teacher?
No, HE teacher
[not really need the sign OUR]
you married
no I not married
you married?
I separated.
You married?
No, have sweetheart
You single?
Dang teacher….
Are you a girl?
No I'm a boy…
Blind teacher
Divorced.
If we ever run out of time in this class,. Stomp pointto the clock and then tap
ur watch
Have sweetheart
Go ahead
Hey…I've had marriages come out of this class before…
Yes separated
Not separated
What you?
Divorce?
Single / someone / something
Friend that all
Can access lessons on line but then to use the CD need to use PC…
Your sweetheart single?
He divorced
Whatis her name [point off to side with "b" palm to indicate "her" or "his"] The
"what" concept is shown via the furrowed eyebrows.
Her name _____(PICK SOMEONE…Angelina Jolie)
Is this yours ?
Is that Right
Yes that is right
DANG STRAIGHT
I am nearly out of time so will take questions on divorce marriage etc
Counseling for extra fee.
Spend next three minutes interviewing people around you find out if single
divorced or what find out names of boy friends girlfriends
Etc
Then can leave
Sister
Voices off
Widow = husband dead
M
So…now I'm going to hand out the sheets
They are easy to get off track…SO DON'T worry about it…just have a conversation
In an ASL class, if you want to ask, "How do you sign _____" -- you generally
don't need to do the signs "HOW YOU" -- instead just furrow your eyebrows a bit
(which indicates a "wh-type question" and then spell the word you want the
teacher to show you).