Working with the Deaf
by Meagan Wright
Description:
Objective:
To expose hearing parents to theories and reasoning behind using American Sign Language with their deaf child.
Targeted Audience: Hearing parents with deaf child/children
Workshop Directions:
Warm- Up/Ice Breaker:
Walk, Stop, Justify (pg 104)
- Students walk around room in strange and unusual ways
- When commanded to "stop," students must stop where ever they are and however they are and justify why they are in the strange position in the third person.
- i.e. "Meagan just picked up a ball"
Exercises:
IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNICATION:
The Circle of Knots (pg 63)
- Have students comfortably hold hands in a circle
- One student starts forward without letting go of grip and goes over or under the hands of the people opposite (as if tying a knot)
- A second student will proceed forward and do the same thing
- The pattern will continue until everyone is so tangled that they can no longer move
- Then in complete silence, students must try and untangle the chain and get back to original positions
The Circle of Knots (alternative)
- Have students return to a tight-knit circle
- Extending both hands in front of them, students will then grab hands with a person opposite of them, ensuring that they are holding hands of two different people
- When everyone is linked, students must try again to untangle the knot in complete silence without letting go of each other
*NOTE: Knots cannot always come undone... If there is a point where talking may help, allow students to discuss possible solutions
How did that feel?
What was it like to not be able to speak?
How do you think your children (will) feel when they cannot communicate?
How much easier was it when you could communicate?
How important is communication?
MAKING DO WITH LIMITED SENSES:
Noises (pg 116)
- Divide students into pairs
- Partner A will be blind, partner B will be the guide
- The guide will make a distinct and repeatable noise that the blind partner will recognize
- Partner A will then close their eyes as Partner B proceeds to use their sound to guide their partner
- When guides stop making sounds, the blind partners must stop
- The guide is responsible for the safety of their blind partner as to avoid collisions with other students
- To intensify challenge, the guide should move farther away from Partner A
- If time permits, allow partners to switch roles
How did that feel?
How were you successful? How were you not?
What was it like to be missing a sense? What did you do to make up for it?
How are deaf children similar to this?
What senses can your children use since they do not have hearing?
COMMUNCIATING WITH LIMITED SENSES:
I Can't Hear You (Variation of "I Was Late for Work Because...")
- Divide students into groups (number of groups depend on amount of time)
- Each group will be given a series of events that they must communicate to each other in a world with no sound(see attachment for suggested events)
- You are late for work and so you are trying to explain to your deaf boss the reasoning as to why
- Partners will use body language to signal whether or not they understand the gestures of events (i.e. nod if they are understanding, shake their heads if they are not, etc.)
- When students feel like they've gathered what the events are, have the second partner communicate their events
- When all events have been shared, reveal what each students' events were and what their partner (or group members) thought it was
- The success of the group depends on the accuracy of communicating their event
How did that feel?
Since there was no sound, what did you do?
Were you successful? Why? Why not?
Could you still communicate without having sound?
How can this relate to your children?
What are other ways they can communicate?
REFLECTION
Encourage parents to reflect and share how these activities have helped them (or not) better understand their children. Recommend ASL classes and address any further questions or concerns.
SUGGESTED EVENTS
- Car broke down
- Stuck in traffic because of construction work
- Daughter's ride to school was late
- Electricity went out and so alarm did not go off
- Water pipes broke in the middle of your shower
- Pulled over by a cop for speeding
- Lost car keys
- Accidentally got on wrong bus
- Mother called terribly upset because her can is dying and you just couldn't hang up