Even Old Ladies Can Learn ASL

Posted on July 2, 2008 by Julia Shumko

This is my first vlog attempt. Patience is required.

My original post did not include subtitles or a transcript of the video because I wanted to know if people who use ASL understood me. They did, so on July 8 I modified the video to include subtitles for those who do not know ASL.

Since I am only in my first class of ASL, I have a lot to learn. It’s going to take time for me to break the habit of using Signed English and not mouthing every word I sign. I also have a good excuse in that I am an old lady. I don’t think I will ever be able to sign as fast as many of you do. Even though I have been signing to Steve for over eight years, some of the students in my class are already faster than I am. Oh well, such is life, right?

Filed under: Sign Language

« ASL Class “Show and Tell” for ASL Students »

5 Responses to “Even Old Ladies Can Learn ASL”

  1. cnkatz, on July 2nd, 2008 at 10:57 pm Said:

    Hi, my first time “stepping” into your website. I see on the left that you have blogged for a while. Now you recently submitted to deafread and posted your first vlog. That s a giant step for you. Welcome.

    We do not always need the extremes in the deaf community to blog/vlog. We need more people to vblog from the whole range of experiences between the so-called “separate” worlds(views) - to sign or not to sign, to be “hearing” or to be deaf, or to be in the hearing world or to be in the deaf world. Actually there is no separateness in all range of mixtures. Just Be Thy self.

    You belong in that whole range of mixtures - blogging about deaf-hearing relationship (marriage) - and making a “web”log of you gaining mastery of ASL. Thats good! Contributes something to the dDeaf blogworld. There is a joy in learning a language and starting to feel belonging to a signing community.

    No matter what, keep your hands proudly up and signing -

  2. JMA, on July 5th, 2008 at 3:20 pm Said:

    No problem! you did good with ASL. ASL is great.

  3. Julia Shumko, on July 5th, 2008 at 3:54 pm Said:

    Thank you, both of you for your encouragement.

    The woman who communicated with Steve in the chapel, was so happy that she could sign to him from across the room and he understood her. That is a wonderful feeling. And all it took was learning how to fingerspell.

  4. Steve, on July 7th, 2008 at 1:41 pm Said:

    Julia, Dear- I told you- You did GOOD !

  5. Lizzie, on August 22nd, 2008 at 11:44 pm Said:

    You sign great! I really liked it that you went slow with your signs so I could read first and catch the signs second. You communicated very well.

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