A Deaf perspective

[Bill Reese]

Adam,
I grew up hard-of-hearing and became deaf when about 35.  I didn't begin
to learn sign until then.  Since I'm late-deaf, my primary language is
English and my sign is CASE.

Bill


Adam Frost wrote:

> Hey all and Stephen, Bill, Daniel, James and Judy, Angus, and Dando,
> This is just a question that I have been asking myself as I have been
> reading the messages recently posted on the list. This is more
> specifically
> for the seven named, but others can answer if they want to. Are you Deaf,
> Hearing, Deaf later in life, etc...? The reason I am asking is because it
> would help me understand what you are talking about and from what
> point of
> view. No, I don't have anything against you if you are anything other
> than
> Deaf. I actually commend you for wanting to learn SW and ASL (or which
> ever
> SL).
> I guess since I asked the question, I should answer too. So for those
> of you
> who do not know, I am Deaf from birth. I was raised oral, and then
> learned
> sign in High School when I was 14, or that is what I thought. My mother
> explained to me that she had gotten in contact with my teachers of when I
> was young. They had apparently taught me sign when I was very young. I
> was
> lucky that I had sign from birth. But after the age of 6, that all
> stopped.
> I had forgotten it all. I had a somewhat good understanding of English
> before I was 14. But after I learned ASL, everything skyrocketed. My
> grades
> in school went from C's to mostly A's. This made me very interested in
> improving my ASL so that I could improve everything else. I have had many
> Deaf tell me that I had to have know ASL my whole life because of the way
> that I sign. When I found out that I was taught when I was young, they
> all
> told me an I-told-you-so!
> I don't know if this helps any of you that much, but it will help me
> if some
> of you tell me about yourselves. Thanks in advance.
> Adam
>
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