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From:
Valerie Sutton Date: Thu Sep 9, 1999 5:19 pm Subject: Web Report #1, Algonquin Middle School | |
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September 9, 1999 Dear SignWriting List: Below is teacher Deborah Holden's first report from the Algonquin Middle School, in Averill Park, New York: Date: Wed, 23 Jun 1999 From: "Deborah Holden" To: SignWriting Subject: Re: Web Report #1 Web Report #1 Algonquin Middle School 1. Why do you want to learn SignWriting? I want to learn SignWriting because I think it is very important for Deaf students to value themselves. One way to do this is to increase their self-esteem. When I showed my students SignWriting the first thing I saw was an amazed response of pride. They then questioned, "This is ASL?" To my surprise the students could read the writing without any instruction. I believe if we could use SignWriting at our school Deaf students would be able to learn to read and write in their first language and then be able to read and write English, their second language better. 2. What have been some of your past frustrations when teaching? I have noticed that my students have gaps in their knowledge. Their vocabulary is very weak. They know some words as signs only. They have never seen the English word on paper before. They know some words in print but do not know a sign for them. They know of real world objects but do not know a sign or printed word for it. This makes it very difficult when the students are fully included in all subjects, all day. Much time is spent explaining. Luckily my students grasp the ideas quickly. 3. Are you hoping that SignWriting might help? If so, in what way? I was hoping that SignWriting might help fill in the gaps- that once the students could read and write in SignWriting they would be reading and writing more and thereby gaining all that exposure that they have been missing. Once we got the ball rolling, I would hope that it would pick up speed, and their reading and writing would blossom as never before. 4. The SignWriting Teacher's Forum has a free web page for you and your students, to use in anyway you wish, just as long as it relates to SignWriting. For example, you can post your opinions about SignWriting, or you can post student's writing assignments. How would you like to use your web page? I imagine that my students and I would like to use the web page to do both: write our opinions and feedback about SignWriting and display the students writing assignments. 5. Please write any other information about your group that you would like to share. You are welcome to write as much as you wish.... Our group is comprised of four students: two Deaf and two Hard of Hearing, three girls and one boy ages 11 to 13. This group has just completed sixth grade, and it is the first year we all have been together. Two girls moved into the district over last summer. One deaf girl and one Hard of Hearing girl both are signers. They knew our one Deaf boy from school as babies three years old. So it was a reunion for them. Our Deaf boy and Hard of hearing girl moved into the district four years ago. The girl did not sign but has been picking up signing from our full-time interpreter and the other students who sign ever since. For all of my students, writing is a difficult task. They are reluctant to do any kind of writing. However the students think that SignWriting is neat and are really motivated to start reading and writing with it in September. I'm looking forward to receiving my first shipment of material which should arrive soon. I'm eager to start planning for September. Until my next report, thanks for reading, enjoy life, and drop us a line; we'd love to hear from you! Deborah Holden, Teacher Averill Park Central School District 146 Gettle Road Averill Park, NY. 12018 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Valerie ;-) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Valerie Sutton..............................................SignWritingSite ................. https://www.SignWriting.org Deaf Action Committee for SignWriting...Center For Sutton Movement Writing an educational nonprofit organization...Box 517, La Jolla, CA, 92038-0517, USA |
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