There are many reasons that a person could decide to learn ASL, but one of the greatest benefits is being able to interact with the Deaf community. Naturally I can only speak from experience with my regional Deaf community, but it seems that there are some traits that are universal. Besides finding a group of […]
Have you ever been in a situation where it felt like everyone knew something that you didn’t? It was pretty uncomfortable, wasn’t it? This is the world that Deaf people have to traverse every day. They are surrounded by people having conversations, sharing information, telling jokes, and they are not included. This can be an […]
Help! I see Deaf People! So now that you have some knowledge of ASL and Deaf Culture, you will begin to notice more Deaf people around you. Yes, they have always been there; you are just now becoming aware of them. You may be thinking to yourself, “Self….what do I do?! Do I approach them? […]
As you work through American Sign Language lessons and read up on Deaf Culture, it is important to remember that deaf people have a sense of humor, too! Whatever aspect of deaf life you may be exploring, you should never forget to treat deaf individuals the same way you would your own friends and family. […]
In our blogs we have often used the term Deaf Culture, but that takes on a little different meaning if you just add the word “Pop” in between. There are certain very recognizable celebrities in Deaf Pop Culture, such as the famous actress Marlee Matlin, who has starred in a successful film version of Children […]
Perhaps in a future blog entry we will extend the topic of deafness to the animal kingdom. For this entry, we wanted to highlight what the animal kingdom does for the Deaf. As you may have guessed, there are indeed service dogs for the Deaf. Paws with a Cause is one of the organizations that […]
The title of this blog is actually a little play on words, because it is literally about the myth (or perhaps, reality) surrounding the idea that if one sense is missing, others will be enhanced. There are a lot of differing opinions and studies that attempt to address this issue. Rather than attempt to cover […]
So far recent blogs have briefly highlighted the origins of deafness and touched on family dynamics. Yet, what about where most of us spend the bulk of our time? Work. For hearing people reading this, it is important to remember that deaf people can do anything anyone else can do, except hear. Which means, deaf […]
We at ASLdeafined would not presume to know the ins and outs of the family lives of those in the Deaf Community, as it is as varied as anyone’s family structure and experience. Yet, we felt it important to note some of the potentially unique situations that present themselves for the deaf. For example, it […]
We have mentioned the benefits of learning American Sign Language (ASL) for many different populations (general, toddlers, etc.), but some may not consider how positive the experience can be for those with special needs. With the rise of autism, the need for communication with these individuals has also increased, and ASL can be a powerful […]