AW: [sw-l] How long does it take to learn?

[Shane Gilchrist O hEorpa]

Val,

> Sure. Reading a foreign signed language in SignWriting takes your
> kind of knowledge of Movement Writing...obviously Quick-Reading is
> based on giving a quick introduction to reading a person's own
> language...so there is some guessing that is connected to knowing the
> language already...that is for sure...but nothing wrong with that, if
> it helps them later to have the courage to learn SignWriting in more
> depth later...

Quick-reading is very important for beginners - in THEIR own language
- because if we are to teach them SW in ASL they would be turned out -
they dont want to know how to learn the finer art of signwriting -
they want to learn their own language in this form.

on this, I agree with you - its about us selling SW to the signers -
its getting easier and easier now - more and more organisations have
taken on SW which is great - Europe is a big challenge but we will get
there - ESWO have done a good job - the London workshop had a big
impact on England's deaf community (despite the low turn-out) -
everyone have started to talk about SW and I havent got jeered at
since then - information, awareness and all that - its important to
have easy signs for people to quick-read so they ll be confident and
they ll get into learning more about it.

> I loved working in Denmark, where they did not want speed, but wanted
> to learn properly and slowly. I only wish we could change the
> American culture, but our students are failing in school now, and we
> are behind other countries because everyone wants instant
> gratification in the young people growing up here...they want to
> learn things without taking time to learn properly...

Val: sadly the 'Old World' is no longer slow and easy going - the
younger generation are doing things fast and fast - even in Denmark.
The contrast of Ireland now and ireland then is so BIG sometimes I
wonder if we are really an extension of the USA!!!

> So you are lucky that in Germany you learn properly...congrats on
> that...

Stef: you are lucky to have the 'Special Education' class - is it true
deaf children in the main school at your school are still expected to
use Spoken German and all that - that your class is for the children
who can't make it in the main school? I know the education system in
Germany is very demanding - a large amount of studying, fast-teaching,
quick-reading and all that?

Shane