7th May 2015
Well, I have managed to write four days in a row, which is quite an achievement when I look at my diary, but then I always can make time for things that are important to me. Deaf awareness has become something I am very passionate about since my daughter's diagnosis, mainly because we knew nothing until deafness landed on our doorstep and I assume many of you were the same.
Today's topic is British Sign Language (BSL), or any sign language really. Did you know that there are 130 recognised deaf sign languages throughout the world - Wow!!!! However, in general most sign language users can understand people from different countries much easier than those of us relying on spoken language (so I am reliably told!).
People chose BSL for many different reasons: there are families like mine who have one deaf member. We have chosen to be bilingual (BSL & English) to allow our Princess to chose for herself when she is old enough, whether or not she wants to use her cochlear implants, use her voice or rely on sign. We believe that giving her as many communication options as possible will allow her better access to education, easier socialisation with her hearing & deaf peers and also decrease her frustrations caused by communication difficulties. At this time, when we are all starting our BSL journey, we are really using Sign Supported English (SSE), which means talking normally and adding signs on top in the normal English order. BSL has its own grammar and you do not tend to use your voice throughout the whole conversation, therefore we usually use this when Pricess is not wearing her CIs and cannot hear us. We hope that by using this method at the moment, we will expose Princess to words and sentences, helping her learn to speak and converse, but also learn signs both to assist her conversation and also to use alone when speaking in BSL.
At the beginning, the thought that our baby couldn't hear us, was upsetting, but the fear that we
wouldn't be able to communicate with her was devastating. We didn't know sign language and how on earth could we learn it fast enough to always be a step ahead of her! Thankfully, we met some wonderful teachers who are helping us learn, but have also reassured us of two things - firstly, being deaf doesn't need to stop you doing anything (except using your ears) and secondly, that I only need to know enough sign language to be a little ahead of my princess. Once I started my courses, it didn't seem so daunting after all and now that I ahve caught the signing bug, I'm not sure if I can stop!!
I am almost finished my level 1 course and have already started my level 2. The whole family has
attended a Family Sign Language weekend with NDCS and I also take Princess and one of her
brothers to Sign2Music. We sign as much as possible in the house and it's paying off as Princess has also started signing - hello, goodbye, food, milk, bath, I want, yes, no, duck, pig, implants (Magic Ears), up. Of course, she seems to understand anything we sign or say as well, showing her receptive knowledge is fabulous!
Other people chose to learn sign language for their work or friends, maybe even for a hobby.
There are also people who learn sign language to use as their first language: people who chose against hearing technology, people who can't use hearing technology or those who prefer to use sign. I have met people from each of these groups and I respect all of their decisions because, as I have said before, families are unique and each must chose what works best for them.
I am very proud to have several friends who have been brought up using hearing technology, forced
into an aural world and made to lip read. Of course, that doesn't sound like anything to be proud of, but the reason I am proud of them is that they were uncomfortable and sought to find something that suited them better. Once they discovered sign language, they said that things just "made sense", they were able to understand and be understood so easily and it felt natural to them. Some of them have thrown away their technology, some still use it but would prefer to sign. I am proud that they have been able to make the decision that suits them best and hope that I will be able to support my daughter in the future when she feels the need to make her own communicatin decisions.
Seeing my daughter react to sign language, has made me understand how people feel like that - when she sees your hands move, she can't take her eyes off them - she knows you are communicating. It's been amazing to see her watch her own hands and start to make signs with them and just like a hearing child beginning to talk, she is so proud of herself when she signs and we show our understanding.
At times, the argument whether we should teach deaf children sign or give deaf children technology can get heated, but I really do think that the only fair way to treat your child, is by offering them everything available and waiting until they are old enough, then letting them choose their own direction. As with so many areas of our lives, we need to learn to respect everyone decisions, even if we don't agree with them.
I will never regret the day I decided to learn BSL and I will certainly never regret teaching it to all my children. It is a beautiful language, which unites those who could so easily be isolated in our society and provides a means of communication for those who were previously sent away to boarding schools or institutions and thought of as lesser citizens or, even more insultingly, those of lesser intelligence.
I look forward to continuing my journey of learning BSL and am always excited to see who I will meet next. Thank you to all this inspriational people who have removed my fear of sign language and deafness and all of those who are tirelessly helping me learn - you are all fabulous!!
Thanks for reading & goodnight
Sara xx
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