Myth #1: American Sign Language is Universal. American Sign Language is not universal. This myth is often shared by the majority of the hearing community. American Sign Language is learned by the majority of the Deaf community in North America. In addition, there are other countries that have adopted American Sign Language as their form […]
Many people have a difficult time understanding fingerspelling. If you are feeling frustrated with fingerspelling, you’re not alone. Here are some tips when reading fingerspelling: Try and catch the first letter and last letter of the word Use context clues to help narrow the word DO NOT PANIC when you see the person you are […]
Which communication method do you use? For example, do you use pure ASL? PSE? Signed Exact English?
Sign language in the workplace is becoming more prevalent as the number of people increases who are hearing impaired, or are completely deaf. Being able to use sign language to communicate and to interact with a deaf co-worker is essential for establishing a positive working climate, and for building a strong rapport. It is equally […]
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Every 4 years, the Deaflympics takes place. This year, the Games will be held in Taipei, China on September 5 – 15th, 2009. There are over 80 countries participating, with nearly 4,000 Deaf competitors. The first Deaflympics was held in 1924 in Paris, France. There were only 145 athletes, and 9 European countries, represented. At one […]
Fingerspelling seems to be the hardest skill to grasp in American Sign Language. With practice, you can master this skill. Do you know what this says? Tips on how to improve your receptive and expressive fingerspelling: Receptive: 1. Try and see the shape of the word. Not individual letters 2. Use context clues to help […]
Certified Interpreters for the Deaf Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) is a national organization that certifies interpreters for the deaf. Deaf people have the right to have a certified and qualified interpreter. Unfortunately, deaf people don’t always receive the services of a competent, certified interpreter. Some states have actually passed laws to deter people […]
Types of Hearing Loss There are a 3 different types of hearing loss: conductive, sensory, mixed (conductive and sensory combined), and neural. Conductive hearing loss. This happens when there is a problem with a part of the outer or middle ear. Most kids with conductive hearing loss have a mild hearing loss and it is […]
Deaf Culture Etiquette Do’s & Don’ts when communicating with a person who is deaf or hard-of-hearing Do’s: Look directly at the person Watch for understanding through facial expressions and head nods If the person does not understand a particular word, find a different word that means the same thing Repeat a phrase or idea when […]