April
29, 2008
I
really appreciated Vicky sharing her many years of experience with our
class. I am guilty of going about my daily life in the "hearing
world" and not thinking about those that cannot hear. I was really
surprised when she told us how the people that are death feel betrayed when
someone within their non-hearing world receives the implants that help them to
hear. It was hard for me to understand how someone would not be excited
for that person and I appreciate Vicky explaining that to us.
Learning
to speak other languages does intrigue me, but after taking Spanish, I have a
fairly good understanding of that old saying -- "you can't teach and old
dog new tricks". It is certainly much harder to learn a new language
when you get older. However, this will not stop me from trying to learn,
so I introduce new languages in the classroom.
After
Vicky talked about the different uses for sign language, I can think of several
ways how sign language could be used as an alternative way to communicate with
our students in the classroom.
Once you get that eye-to-eye
contact with little “talking” Johnny across
the classroom, a little sign language could immediately communicate with him to
stop talking without interrupting the rest of the class. Certainly something to put more thought
into.
