Don't Just "Sign..". Communicate!: A Student's Guide to ASL and the Deaf Community

By Michelle Jay

The Heart Of Any Language Is Found Within Its Culture... As anyone who has learned a foreign language will tell you, all language is an experience. And that experience is found through a language's culture its people. The journey toward complete comprehension and usage of American Sign Language includes the recognition, not only of the sovereignty

• Language: English
• Publisher: Judea Media LLC
• Release date: Jul 1, 2011
• ISBN: 9780984529407

Michelle Jay

Beginning when she was only thirteen years old, Michelle Jay has understood her passion and love for ASL. As a hearing person in the Deaf community, Michelle was determined to master everything she could about ASL... not just "how to sign" but the very best ways to learn to sign as well! As the founder of StartASL.com, the leading online resource for ASL and Deaf Culture, Michelle has tremendous insight into this unique community. Michelle earned a Bachelor's Degree in Deaf Studies, with an emphasis in teaching, from one of the nation's premier programs at California State University, Northridge. When not writing books or tending her website, Michelle contributes thought-provoking articles to academic publishers such as Greenhaven Press. Her unique articles have done much to support Deaf Culture, and have been printed in resource publications such as American Chronicle and Perspectives on Diseases & Disorders: Deafness & Hearing Impairments.

Book preview

This book is a real gem! Informative, intriguing, and an easy read -- it is your ticket to a new world of friendships and cultural understanding! When it’s time to step out of the classroom and into the Deaf Community--Michelle Jay’s advice and insights are just what you need! Remember what you learned from this book and you’ll do great!

William G. Vicars, Ed.D.

Associate Professor of ASL and Deaf Studies

California State University, Sacramento

(Also known as Dr. Bill of www.lifeprint.com)

Whenever I am questioned to offer a suggestion of a good, easy to read book about sign language and the Deaf community, I now have a clear answer… this book packs a ton of useful information in one spot. A must have for any new sign language student!

John Miller, Co-Founder, Educator

www.signingsavvy.com

"A Student’s Guide to ASL and the Deaf Community is an essential guide for those thinking of learning ASL, considering a career working within the Deaf community or looking to understand Deaf culture. It truly is the bible for everything you need to know but didn’t know to ask. This book is filled with all the important information you need in one place and is truly an amazing read."

Pearl Feder, L.C.S.W., Editor & Coordinator

SayWhatClub Social Media

www.saywhatclub.com

For anyone interested in Deaf Culture, I recommend this book as a road map for joining it, fitting in, and finding a related career. Some of the resources outlined in the book are also useful for deaf immigrants to the USA.

Omer Zak, Owner

DEAF-INFO

www.zak.co.il/deaf-info

History and culture are an essential part of learning American Sign Language. In order for any ASL student to understand this complex and beautiful language, they must understand the very nature of those who use this language, the Deaf community. This is a great book for students to learn about the Deaf Culture, community, history, professions and much more. I recommend this book as a supplement to any other ASL book used in the classroom.

Cindy Dawes, ASL Instructor

Fivay High School

As a Deaf person who hails from Gallaudet University with Masters Studies in ASL Linguistics, taught ASL at various state universities for over 25 years, trained sign language interpreters, and served on the board for interpreter quality assurance qualification programs, I definitely suggest this book for the beginning ASL signer. Communication involves so much more than just learning, using, and understanding the language. This book smoothly pulls it all together while inspiring the novice learner. I whole-heartedly and with honor recommend this book.

MJ Williams, Author & Website Creator/Owner

www.babiesandsignlanguage.com

© Copyright 2011 Judea Media, LLC

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by an information storage and retrieval system – with the exception of a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review to be printed in a newspaper or magazine – without written permission from the publisher.

Inquiries should be addressed to:

Judea Media, LLC

[e-mail]1

The publisher and author disclaim any personal liability, directly or indirectly, for advice or information presented within. Although the author and publisher have prepared this manuscript with utmost care and diligence and have made every effort to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the information contained within, we assume no responsibility for errors, inaccuracies, omissions or inconsistencies.

This book contains some affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you buy a product through some of the links listed here. However, this commission does not influence the information I provide in this book. I do thorough research, go through several steps and use many of the products that I recommend. I take any recommendations I make very seriously and do my best to send my readers to what are, to the best of my knowledge, quality products.

Publisher’s Cataloging-in-Publication

Jay, Michelle.

Don’t just sign … communicate! : a student’s guide to ASL and the deaf community / by Michelle Jay.

p. cm.

Includes index.

ISBN-13 978-0-9845294-3-8

ISBN-10 0-9845294-3-8

Library of Congress Control Number: 2011922959

1. American Sign Language—Study and teaching. 2. Deaf culture. I. Jay, Michelle. II. Title.

HV2475.J396 2011

419 J39 djb

2011922959

Printed and bound in the United States of America.

Contents

Introduction

How to Use This Book

Understanding the Five Steps

Useful Tools

Checklist

Tidbits

Test Your Knowledge!

Resources

Who Should Use This Book

Step 1: Start Learning American Sign Language

The Top 5 American Sign Language Myths

Myth #1: ASL is a signed version of English

Myth #2: ASL is only capable of communicating concrete ideas

Myth #3: ASL is a universal language

Myth #4: Hearing people invented ASL

Myth #5: ASL has always been seen as the official language of the Deaf in America

The 7 Best Ways to Learn American Sign Language

#1 - Interacting with the Deaf Community

#2 - Taking an ASL Class

Tips for taking an ASL class

#3 - Learning from ASL Software

#4 - Watching ASL Videos

#5 - Studying ASL Textbooks

#6 - Browsing ASL Websites

#7 - Watching Deaf Vlogs

Choosing How to Learn ASL

Don’t Just Sign... Communicate!: A Student’s Guide to Mastering ASL Grammar

Moving Forward

Step 2: Learn About Deaf Culture

The Deaf Community

Introduction to Deaf Culture

The Language of Deaf Culture

The Values of Deaf Culture

Language

Not Speaking

Socialization

Literature

The Rules for Behavior of Deaf Culture

Labels

Communication Strategies

Introducing Yourself

Name Signs

Eye Contact

Facial Expression

Open Communication

Deaf Culture Do’s and Don’ts

Deaf People and Technology

The Beliefs of Deaf Culture

Beliefs about Being Deaf

Beliefs about Deaf Educational Approaches

Beliefs about Deaf Educational Learning Environments

Beliefs about Cochlear Implants

Membership in the Deaf World

Deaf People Isolated in Hearing Society

The Deaf Community

Deaf Culture

Deaf Ethnicity

Learn More about Deaf Culture

Moving Forward

Step 3: Learn About Deaf History

Introduction to Deaf History

How Deaf Education Began

American Sign Language

The First College for the Deaf

Oralism Versus Sign Language

Learn More about Deaf History

Moving Forward

Step 4: Learn About ASL Careers

ASL Interpreting

Why become an ASL interpreter?

Education and Experience

Career Options

Salary

Resources

ASL Teaching

Why become an ASL teacher?

Education

Certification

Career Options

Salary

Resources

Deaf Education

Why become an educator of the deaf?

Education

Career Options

Salary

Resources

Deaf Community Service

Education

Career Options

Salary

Resources

Audiology

Why become an audiologist?

Education

Licensing

Career Options

Salary

Resources

Speech-Language Pathology

Why become a speech-language pathologist?

Education

Licensing

Career Options

Salary

Resources

Moving Forward

Step 5: Learn the Terminology

Deaf Community Terminology

Moving Forward

Final Chapter

Test Your Knowledge!

Answer Key

Resources

Companies and Organizations

ASL and Deaf Studies Websites

American Sign Language

The Deaf Community

ASL Careers

ASL and Deaf Studies Books

American Sign Language

ASL Interpreting

ASL Teaching

Audiology

Deaf Culture and History

Deaf Education

Deaf Services

Speech-Language Pathology

ASL Videos

ASL Software

Movies

About the Author

Catalog

Introduction

American Sign Language has been growing in popularity and usage for the last 50 years. In 1960 William Stokoe first published the fact that American Sign Language is a real language with its own grammar and syntax. Since then, schools, colleges, and universities have begun offering American Sign Language classes and accepting ASL to satisfy foreign language requirements.

Whether you are interested in learning ASL, working with deaf people, working in the field of hearing loss, teaching sign language, or being an interpreter—everything in this book pertains to you. Information about American Sign Language is everywhere. It is difficult for both ASL students and people interested in learning ASL to find the most essential information that is needed when learning this wonderful language.

This book will provide you with the most important information you need to know in order to successfully learn American Sign Language and become involved in the Deaf community. Reading this book will save you a lot of time and will allow you to focus on the part of your journey that is the most fun—learning American Sign Language!

When I decided to learn American Sign Language, I spent a great deal of my time just trying to figure out where to begin, how to fit in without embarrassing myself, and just preparing to learn American Sign Language.

I don’t want the same for you. I want you to be able to find all of the information you need in one place so you can jump right in and be fully prepared.

Your ASL journey starts here. This book contains all of the essential information you need. When you finish this book, you will be totally prepared and ready to fully learn American Sign Language and become involved in the Deaf community.

How to Use This Book

In this section:

•Understanding the Five Steps

•Useful Tools

•Who Should Use This Book

Understanding the Five Steps

This book consists of five simple steps you need to complete in order to fully prepare yourself for learning ASL and becoming involved in the Deaf community:

Step 1: Start Learning American Sign Language

This step involves learning about ASL, the best places to learn ASL, and finding out where to learn correct ASL grammar.

Step 2: Learn About Deaf Culture

This step involves learning about the Deaf community, Deaf culture, and how to become a member of the Deaf World.

Step 3: Learn About Deaf History

This step involves learning about the most important milestones in Deaf history to gain an understanding about how ASL started and what deaf people have experienced.

Step 4: Learn About