If the "guardians" of ASL won't 'guard' ASL, who will?

[DrDonGCSUS]

@tincancompany the one I like best is westwoodasl.

[iwefnwxj]

Like speech (deaf accent) and hearing (technologies), SEE is so worth it because deaf write pretty darn close like hearing . Sure it is not perfect, and it is a poor imitation of hearing people, but it is so worth it. ;) Just kidding. Although I do want our child to have good wrting skills and a decent speech and hearing if it work well for the child. Anyway, Here's the question I really came here to ask, You mentioned lifeprint is not all that great, what about StartASL dot com

[DrDonGCSUS]

@iwefnwxj Haven't seen that one. ASLPro has had a lot of problems with it. Will take a look at StartASL.

[DrDonGCSUS]

@iwefnwxj I don't know about startASL.  I do like westwoodasl.

[allisonpeace]

I do not know much about this person, Dr. Bill Vicars among others that you mentioned and how history about SEE, etc. started.....

Now, it is difficult to get back to orginial ASL but we can try.....

[deberwein]

Amen, Don! One tiny correction-- those who invented SEE weren't in any way "friends of English". After 30+ years of SEE, SEE2, LOVE, whatever... Deaf students' English scores hadn't even improved. So there!

[DrDonGCSUS]

@deberwein True enough, DE! You know what Santayana said.... "those who do not learn from the past are condemned to repeat it". Gustason, et al should have looked at Epee's/Sicard's work with Methodical Signs and realized that if it didn't work back then, it won't work now.

What REALLY gets me are those folk with execrable English DEFENDING and SUPPORTING SEE; the very system that FAILED to provide them with good English (score-wise or in reality).

[pdurr]

Dr. Don - GREAT Quote!

thank u for posting it up

Very upsetting to see what this person is saying re: using ASL properly. How many times have Deaf folks been corrected about their English? English is valued as REAL and RESPECTED but if folks to try make sure that ASL is valued as real and respected they get labeled???? Where is our little red marker XX laser to point out all the errors in some folks signing - including me own. We can only raise the bar if we are allowed to set it.

peace

p

[iwefnwxj]

@pdurr They are hyprocites. they spend years making sure we are using English correctly by providing schools ALL over the United States . You get on the internet, and they would tell you that your opinion don't count because you butchered English too much.

[ASLElla]

BRAVO! BRAVO! thanks so much for exposing Dr. Bill Vicars. It's hard because he's a "colleague." I knew he's bad, but gosh, he's that BAD, going that far to publicly perpetuate the awful thinking about DCP...He's a DCD (Deaf Culture Destroyer). That's a sad example of Deaf people who's fallen over to the other side, thinking they re going up.

How one views, respects, utilizes ASL can reveal the degree of audism/anti-audism in a person. Not the only thing tho.

[iwefnwxj]

@ASLElla Even though I don't know Sign language, I had a funny feeling about him when I started reading about his opinion of deaf culture.

[aslnikki]

Thank you, thank you, and thank you for exposing the fakers and exploiters of our cherished language and culture' especially when they with DOCTORATE degrees MOCK us and instill untruths and then PROFIT off us. It is heartbrteaking. Non-signing viewers, please be sure to read Dr. G's transcript above by clicking DrdonGCSUS in blue.

[hiltie03]

Great video!! My ASL 1 and 2 classes were based on that online program...getting A's in both classes I thought I was ready for ASL 3..Anyone getting A's in previous classes would think they were prepared. I wasn't at all. I FAILED ASL 3 immersion class (it had the same online program for pre-study, only). I had to work VERY VERY hard to stop thinking in English. I also made a video last week on this topic, it is posted on my page. Keep up the great work!!

[bearpax52]

BRAVO !!!!!!!!!! and i wld like to see the printed verbatim of James Smith's...Thanks so much for looking into these important things bec many need to reminded about what is really happening in historical perspectives !!

[DrDonGCSUS]

@bearpax52 You can see the printed verbatim words of Smith in my website deafhooddiscourses (dot) com. Or in the transcription in the YouTube description box under my video.

[bearpax52]

@DrDonGCSUS -- got it thanks !!!!!

[Banerika]

I have been waiting for someone to comment on Melissa Schenk. I am planning on making a video myself to warn potential ASL students not to watch or learn from her videos. She is exploitative and making money with no qualifications whatsoever, while spreading misconceptions about the language to masses of hearing people who will heartily defend her. Meanwhile, there's Rob Nielson, BYUFanatic, who has videos that actually teach ASL. He's the one students should be watching, not the faker.

[DrDonGCSUS]

@Banerika Good for you, Erika. We all need to do our part in getting ASL the respect it deserves.

[aslnikki]

@Banerika Grazie, our true hearing ally---YOU! Will look into Melissa Schnek and see what I can do.

[Banerika]

@aslnikki, good. I'll make my video, which a lot of ASL students will definitely see, and hopefully it will clarify exactly what is wrong with Melissa Schenk, and others like her.

[gcoolmanern1]

@drdongusus yes that correct.

[Salticid68]

I enjoy watching your videos. I feel like I was watching you at PBS. You're a good man!!

[Bunjer]

apathy is the enemy of ASL.. Deaf rely on the mainstream (hearing folks) to do everything for us. oppression will be rampant! 

[positivesigner]

@Bunjer Not just of ASL. I recently saw an article which stated that, in Britain, Hearing parents are spending less time talking to their children at mealtimes or reading to them at bedtime. "Children are starting primary school with a speaking age of just 18 months and the number unable to form simple sentences is rising." Hence, many children who cannot understand basic instructions or express their needs are "like foreigners in the classroom," not able to understand what is going on.

[Bunjer]

@positivesigner That is why we need to quit relying on hearing people, and start standing up for our own Deaf people, and preserve our Langauge and Culture. Hearing people have no right to do things for us, or take care of our issues. We need to tell the hearing people to step aside and stay out of the way for the sake of our way of life! I am sick and tired of Deaf people depending on hearing people for everything, even AB2072 and ICED and so on! Pathetic even when hearing parents do for us!

[iwefnwxj]

@Bunjer Personally, The reason why hearing people can make a difference because they do speak their language.I know deaf people can too but I don't know why they have a hard time taking us seriously even if we don't tell them we're deaf. I guess because hearing people know how to explain it with the language they are fluent in? spanish speaking person will have a hard time telling English speaking politician how she feels. She have to depend on someone who can speak both Spanish and English.

[Bunjer]

@iwefnwxj Hearing people are Ethnocentric thats why they meddle with our affairs, and that Deaf people are not breaking free from the hearing mainstream, because the hearing do not want to bother empowering us, but have everything their way! Deaf people need to break free and be in charge of our Culture and Language, and be how we are! What bothers me is that Deaf people keep asking hearing people to do things for us!

[positivesigner]

'Try to preserve, both by example and precept'

Those who use the language are the preservers. If the majority of the language role models are not native speakers, the next generation is bound to lose some hereditary possessions.

In day-to-day interactions, correct speech is an ideal never approached except in advertising and literature. The basic problem lies in the fact that an ASL dictionary does not state how correct a word is. It simply states, "Here is one way to sign it."

[deafdub]

@positivesigner Excellent point.

[DrDonGCSUS]

@positivesigner Depends on the dictionary. You can design a dictionary that will tell you a word is correct or not.