Words in motion: My ASL journey and why I sign
January 01, 2020
“Deafness is not the opposite of hearing. It’s a silence full of sound.” ~ Mark Medoff
I began my ASL journey by watching instructional videos online. I started with basic
lessons of the alphabet, fingerspelling and later transitioned to grammar rules. Once
I had an understanding of the language, I began translating poems, monologues and
songs in ASL and Pidgin Signed English (a combination of ASL and English). I have
now been signing for five years.
Why I Sign
This semester I had the incredible opportunity to volunteer at the Area 10 Special
Olympics Basketball Tournament hosted on Ouachita’s campus. I volunteered with the
Women of Tri Chi knowing that we would be cheering for the athletes. What I did not
know was that I would have the opportunity to serve as a translator. I received a
phone call from my friend, who told me that I was needed on the basketball court to
translate, as one of the athletes was Deaf. I was filled with excitement! When I found
him, he looked confused and overwhelmed. When I started signing, Philip was instantly
calmer and tears filled his eyes as we communicated. I translated the rules for the
games and cheered for him at each station. The reason I sign is for moments like these.
It was truly an incredible opportunity that I will never forget!
Some advice in case you ever encounter a Deaf person:
- Deafness is not a mental illness nor a disability, so do not treat them as though it is. (There is a difference between ‘Deaf’ and ‘deaf.’ Being Deaf is more about the “can” and the gaining of culture and community. When “deaf” is spelled with a lowercase “d,” it refers to the audiological condition of not hearing. Neither of these affect a person’s intelligence or ability to complete daily tasks).
- Speak to them as you would a hearing person. A common misconception is that all Deaf people can read lips. Deaf people sometimes need to read lips in order to participate in a conversation where signing is not an option. When you over exaggerate words, it hampers that ability.
- Even if you do not know ASL, basic hand gestures are generally understood. Do not forfeit a conversation because you are afraid you will offend them.
I’ll “sign” off with this: remember that God does not make mistakes. They may not
be able to hear, but they do not need to be “fixed.” The problem is not that Deaf
people do not hear, but that the hearing world does not listen.
Kat Allen, a freshman social justice studies and psychology double major from Texarkana, Ark.
Check out how Kat announced Ouachita as her college decision!
"Hello friends and family! I am SO excited to announce that I will be attending Ouachita Baptist University in the fall. I will double major in political science and social justice and minor in legal studies. I am so excited! (Clap) I love you!"
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