Why is it often easier for ASL students to sign with Deaf people than other
ASL students?
An ASL student who lives with Deaf roommates and is studying ASL via
Lifeprint(dot)com writes:
“The great irony of learning ASL from an online Deaf instructor (you) and my
Deaf friends and roommates is that it’s really hard for me to converse with
hearing language learners. I struggle to understand the interpreter
students—how’s that for irony.
They often struggle to understand me too.”
█████
[Name removed to protect the privacy of the student]
Response from Dr. Bill:
█████,
If you see sign language or interpreting students do signs that are different
from what I've taught you or that your Deaf friends use feel free to mention the
differences to me for discussion and clarification purposes. I'm always
fascinated with the 2nd language acquisition process and finding out what works
and what doesn't.
Skilled Deaf signers are capable of adjusting our signing to adapt to different
signing styles and levels of ability. Most skilled Deaf signers have also
developed the ability to understand a wide range of signing (including yours).
Hearing 2nd language learners typically have a very limited range of expressive
and receptive communication.
An interesting analogy or comparison to this situation has to do with dancing.
While (I like to think) I'm a good signer -- I'm not a skilled ball-room type
pair-dancer.
One day though many years ago when I was young and single I went to a social
event where there was dancing. As normally happens, I (like most Deaf)
gravitated to someone (anyone) who could communicate with me via signing and in
attendance was one of my former ASL students -- a woman who was a few years
older than me. She absolutely loved dancing, used to be married, got
divorced, lacked a dance partner, and basically asked me to dance just to have a
body out there on the floor with her.
Here's the interesting part -- she was so talented that for the next five
minutes I felt like Fred Astaire. Her skill literally made me flow around that
dance floor. Ha! I'd never experienced anything like it before or since. Her
skill compensated for my lack of skill and she was able to make use of what
little ability I had in order to create a flow.
I think it is like that for some second language learners who learn via
engagement with (truly) skilled signers. The interaction feels effortless and
flows.
Later, when I tried to dance with a non-super-skilled dancer I ended up back to
"struggling" again. It was disconcerting (and sort of amusing).
I think another interesting point is that if I had tried to "lead" Becky (the
name of my dance partner) it would not have worked . I had to be humble enough
to let her lead and thus I had a great time.
Similarly, I think you are approaching your learning process in a flexible,
humble way that allows you to learn from and engage with more skilled signers.
As your own signing skill-set expands you will become increasingly capable of
compensating for the weakness in the signing ability of non-fluent signers.
- Dr. Bill
:)
Notes:
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