Sign Language and Deaf Culture

Program Overview

The primary goal of this program is to educate its members about the Deaf community. We learn and practice basic sign language skills during our meetings with one-on-one practicing, group learning and fun games. The more experienced members are always encouraged to help the younger members practice and learn new sign. More proficient signers are also encouraged to teach new signs to the group. They will occasionally work together to tackle some more challenging work in the program and teach what they learn to other members. We also schedule several activities such as silent dinners, open-captioning movies, deaf club, family gatherings, and parties to encourage our members to relax and enjoy using their new skills. Deaf people and their culture are very unique and interesting; our program involves itself in the local Deaf community by attending Deaf Interaction Night and Deaf Social Events. Many people in the Deaf community are very excited to have the opportunity to introduce new signers to their culture.

Learning Objectives

Each member is expected to gain an understanding of basic sign language, ideally by the beginning of the second semester.

ACTION STEPS

Members will be given URLs to various online sign dictionaries and encouraged to learn signs individually and share them with the group.
Basic American Sign Language will be taught, with each meeting having a theme, such as food words, animals, clothing, etc.
Many activities such as family gatherings and social interaction nights will give the members an opportunity to observe and practice signing.

Each member is expected to become aware of Deaf culture in our society by the first semester.

Guest speakers from the local community will speak on various topics.
Members will read deaf literature and discuss current topics in the Deaf community.
Movies and other media will be used to gain knowledge about current events in Deaf Culture.
The program directors, Laura and Keri, among other deaf friends of the program will discuss what it is like growing up deaf.

Members will learn about deaf history and important deaf figures by the first semester.

Members will be asked to research and present an event or person instrumental in Deaf history regularly.
Occasionally documentaries will be shown during meetings, to aid in learning about different occasions and people in Deaf history.
Possibly a field trip to a museum or other place documenting Deaf history will be scheduled.

Community Service

Members will be encouraged to assist with the adaptive skiing program at Sugarbush.
Several members for each meeting of the Support Group for Parents with Deaf Children will donate their time to provide childcare.

Program Advisor

Donna Panko, Learning Disability Specialist in the ACCESS office, has agreed to serve as our program advisor.

Proposed Activity Timeline

Sept 2 - 5 meeting review signs, teach a little about deaf culture, intro.

Sept 8 12 intro and questions

Sept 15 - 19 family gathering

Sept 22 26 meeting food signs

Sept 29 Oct 3 deaf club

Oct 6 - 10 meeting furniture

Oct 13 17 family gathering

Oct 20 - 24 deaf club

Oct 27 31 meeting famous deaf people

Nov 3 - 7 meeting numbers and dates

Nov 10 - 14 family gathering

Nov 17 - 21 deaf club

Nov 24 28 no meeting

Dec 1 5 silent meal

December 2 8 meeting school signs

Jan 19 23 meeting review signs, teach a little about Deaf culture.

Jan 26- 30 deaf club

Feb 2 6 meeting deaf events, deaf people

Feb 9 13 meeting work signs

Feb 16 20 family gathering

Feb 23 27 deaf club

March 1 5 meeting ASL idioms

March 8 12 meeting ASL jokes

March 15 19 family gathering

March 22 26 deaf club

March 29 April 2 meeting - sport signs

April 5 April 9 meeting candies signs, ice cream social

April 12 16 family gathering

April 19 April 23 deaf club

April 26 April 30 meeting outdoor/night life signs

May 3 7 silent meal

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