ASL Texts for Consecutive Interpreting Practice

English Outline for Skin Deep

If you prefer a PDF version of the outlines with line numbers, download English outlines for Shifting Gears.

• Introduction
  o Description of article
  o From Deaf Monograph
  § Theme of “Who Speaks for the Deaf Community?”
  o Brief synopsis of the article
  ? The Early Years
  o Born one year before PLU 94-142
  § I was born Nov 29, 1974
  § Law passed Nov 29, 1975
  o Law focused on Least Restrictive Environment
  § LRE
  § Law significantly influenced my life
  o My parents’ backgrounds
  § Father
  • Culturally Deaf
  • Went to Deaf school
  § Mother
  • Grew up with oral communication
  • Went to Deaf school Jr. year of high school
  § Very different backgrounds
  o My birth
  § Started learning to sign at 6 months
  § Reading at 2 years of age
  ? Bureaucrats speaking
  o This was the time they decided for me
  § That I was ready for pre-school
  • 1976
  § I should be in self-contained classroom in mainstreamed school
  • It was Least Restrictive
  ? Experts deciding
  o That was when others were deciding what was best
  § Shunning my parents’ input
  § School followed their understanding of the law
  o Started mainstream
  § In 4th Grade
  § Half-day
  • Mainstreamed in Morning
  • Deaf class in afternoon
  § Few interpreters in those days
  § Hired an interpreter
  • Skills weren’t very good
  • Often absent
  o Asked my friends
  to fill in for interpreter when gone
  § Went through 4th and 5th grade like that
  Principal speaks
  o Mother upset about interpreting services
  § 4th and 5th grade
  § Wanted full time interpreter for me
  § Provide equal access
  o That was when principal decided for me
  o School didn’t like my mother’s advocacy for me
  § She wasn’t a pest
  § Expressed her concerns in an appropriate way
  o Principal still didn’t like my mother raising these concerns
  § Banned her from touching school grounds
  • Remember receiving letter
  • She had just been standing up for my right to an education
  § Remember being picked up by my mom
  • School done at 3:30
  • My mom would come about 3:40 or 3:45
  • Had to park across the street
  • I would walk across to get in the car.
  o That was when the school decided for me
  ? Leaving the Mainstream
  o Deaf mainstream program dwindling
  § In 5th grade
  o Told mom I wanted to go to ISD (Illinois School for the Deaf)
  § Only 30 miles away
  § My mom graduated from there
  o Principal who banned my mother from touching campus
  § Tried to convince us to stay
  • I made their Deaf program look good
  • Had advanced two grades
  • Was an excellent student
  § There was a lot of media attention to how successful mainstreaming was
  • School wanted to use me as a model student
  § All this after banning my mother
  o Decided to go to the Deaf school
  Deaf people speaking
  o Went to ISD
  § When Deaf staff and people make decisions for me
  o Felt at home at ISD socially
  § Being able to communicate was wonderful
  o Wasn’t challenged academically
  § Not the school’s fault
  § I just happened to be ahead of my classmates
  • Even though I was in the most accelerated class
  o “A” class
  § Teachers didn’t know what to do with me
  o Decided it best to go back to a mainstream program
  § Had much discussion about it
  § My mom had re-married by that time
  § Made decision to go back to the mainstream
  o Word spread that I was leaving ISD
  § Many people questioned the decision
  • Why leaving ISD?
  § One man talked to me
  • Father of my classmate
  o I was ten at the time
  • Asked me if I was leaving the school
  • I replied that I was
  • Called me a traitor
  ? Interpreters speak
  o Back to mainstream program
  § Large Deaf program
  § In Chicago area
  o When interpreters began deciding for me
  o Different culture for me to navigate
  § Once again dealing with interpreting shortage
  o Back to high school
  o Into a larger school and larger program
  § 1,800 students and 80 deaf students
  § 8 full-time interpreters
  o When interpreters spoke for me
  o AND talked about me
  o Example of interpreter
  § Named Lori
  o Made fun of my signing everyday
  § I was a sophomore
  • 13 or 14
  § I had a first hour class with her
  • She didn’t like the speed of my signing
  • Ridiculed me
  o She was young
  § Like 30
  § Made comments to try to have other hearing students like her
  • Other students would laugh
  • Very hard on my self-esteem
  o She kept saying I signed too ASL and she couldn’t understand
  § But ASL was my language
  o One morning, refused to go to school
  § Mom asked me why
  § I told her about interpreter
  § My mom was angry
  • Called a meeting with interpreter coordinator
  o A CODA
  § Told the coordinator what was going on
  • She then was upset
  • Called a meeting with interpreter
  o Told her that I was native user of ASL
  o To never make fun of my language
  • Interpreter was apologetic
  o Damage had been done
  o Destroyed my sense of trust for a long time
  ? IEP Meetings
  o During high school, had annual IEP meetings
  § Audiologist was there
  § I wasn’t any good at speech
  § Audiologist accused my mom of oppressing me
  • Not letting me develop my speech skills
  § Mom was irate
  • Stood up and spoke in the meeting
  o Audiologist didn’t realize my mom could speak clearly
  § Audiologist impressed by that experience
  § Became immersed in ASL and Deaf Culture
  • No longer an audiologist
  Gallaudet – Deaf Community Speaks
  o Graduated High school
  § Went to Gallaudet
  § When Deaf community again spoke for me
  o Conversations with others
  § If discovered I was from a Deaf family,
  • Some seemed put-off
  o I’d reply I went to mainstream school
  • They’d be more accepting
  § If others from Deaf families discovered I went to mainstream school, they’d be put off
  • I’d reply I had a Deaf family
  • Then they’d be more accepting
  o The divisions were interesting
  ? Graduate School
  o Graduated from Gallaudet
  § Went on to graduate school
  o Hearing people once again spoke for me
  § Questioned how I could communicate
  § Struggled again with getting interpreters
  o Culture shock again
  § Classroom example
  o Working on Projects
  § No one would want to work with me
  § Teacher would ask for volunteers
  § Some would be eager
  • Thinking they were helping me
  • Somehow better than me
  § I persevered and worked to show that we were equals.
  • Went on to graduate
  ? Out in the world
  o Deaf and hearing communities try to speak for me
  § Hearing people think I’m too Deaf-identified
  • Deaf Family
  • Gallaudet graduate
  o That I’m against hearing people
  • Reply that I have hearing relatives
  § Deaf people think I am to hearing-identified
  • Spend too much time with hearing people
  • Reply that I’m a strong Deaf person
  § Have spent all this time trying to fit with expectations from
  • Parents
  • Teachers
  • Interpreters
  § Finally decided time for me to speak for myself
  • Not let others decide for me
  § But to speak up for myself