Fall 2017 ─ Fall 2018
Communication Levels 1-4
Communication Levels 1-4
Coming into college, I knew I would have to take language courses in order to fulfill requirements for the Honors Program. I had taken two years of Spanish in high school, but I wanted to try to learn something new, so I decided to take American Sign Language, ASL. I took ASL during the fall of 2017, spring of 2018, and fall of 2018. In these courses, we studied the alphabet, common words, numbers, as well as advancing to learn more complex ideas and phrases. Another thing we studied was Deaf culture and history. I wasn’t expecting to learn so much about the culture, but it helped me gain a greater understanding of the language as well as a group of people I wasn’t aware of before. Although I am not fluent in this language, I acquired invaluable skills and lessons from this experience that I will use and apply throughout my life.
During my first semester of ASL, I was able to gain an emerging understanding of cultural differences in verbal and non-verbal communication by practicing communicating in ASL in class (Communication Level 1). My first semester of sign language helped introduce me to a new language and culture that I have grown to love. Learning sign language made me realize that there are many different ways to communicate. Rather than using your voice, you create signs with your hands, which translate into words, thoughts, and actions. Understanding the very important role that nonverbal communication, such as eyebrow raises, influence meaning was also very interesting. Sign language is viewed as a very animated language, whereas English is not as emotional or involved. It was incredible to learn to communicate in a very different way than I had grown used to communicating in. I will apply this knowledge in my profession as a communicator because it is important to know that people from different backgrounds and languages perceive verbal and non-verbal communication differently.
As I progressed throughout the courses, I was able to identify cultural differences and similarities as well as start to understand the connection between language and culture. As I learned more, I was able to improve my skills and communicate with some accuracy in ASL in familiar situations (Communication Level 2). Before, I had thought of language as just a part of culture, but after taking a second language, I began to understand how connected the two are. While learning ASL, I started to learn different cultural norms that were shown in their language. For example, in ASL, you point or place things frequently. In my culture, it is rude to point, but in Deaf culture, it is normal and encouraged. Their language is connected to their culture and their culture influences their language. Understanding more about their culture in return helped me understand the language better. Something that I struggled with overcoming was feeling uncomfortable communicating in ASL. Certain things that were culturally different, like pointing, being blunt, or using expressive facial expressions was uncomfortable at first, but I knew that it was not only important to the language but was instrumental in communicating clearly. This learning experience will benefit me in the future as I will try to understand the culture behind someone’s language or communication style in order to effectively communicate with different people.
As I began to practice ASL outside of the classroom, I was able to communicate in a way that is culturally appropriate as well as deepen my understanding of the connection between language and culture (Communication Level 3). Throughout my ASL courses, we were assigned to attend deaf events that would help us understand the language and culture on a deeper level. These events helped me to immerse myself in the language and culture as well as provide an opportunity to use ASL outside of the classroom. I was surprised how much I did understand, but I was also overwhelmed by how much I still had yet to learn. Another aspect about ASL that I learned throughout my courses is the difference between deaf and Deaf with a capital D. In this culture, there is a distinction between physically deaf people and Deaf people who identify with the Deaf community. Understanding this distinction, learning how to use it correctly, and realizing how powerful language and culture are was instrumental in my growth and learning throughout these courses. I learned that ASL was not just a way of conveying information to other people. ASL is a powerful language that united groups of people and gave them a voice. Understanding more about the history of ASL and how people felt silenced for years helped me to realize that language and messages are influential. As a media professional, I need to understand that voices of all kinds need to be heard and showcased.
Throughout my last course of ASL, I was able to converse with others in familiar and unfamiliar situations. I also was able to make connections between language and culture that helped to inform my own worldview (Communication Level 4). One of the biggest realizations I had during my final semester of ASL was how exhausting and challenging it was to learn a second language. At times, instead of being appreciative of the privilege I had to learn another language, I was dreading going to a three-hour night class. Many nights I returned from class with a headache, tired eyes, and exhaustion from how much brainpower it took to try to focus in class. This experience helped me to appreciate people who learn more than one language or even immigrate to a new country where the dominant language isn’t their own. I began to understand that knowing the dominant language also gives you a certain power over other people. There were times in class that students talked because it was easier or because they simply could get away with it and not have to learn. This was not only a sign of disrespect to our teacher but was also an ignorant use of our time in class. I also was able to better understand a term that I had learned about in my communication studies courses, the Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis. This term describes how language can influence people’s perceptions of the world. By learning a new language and learning how to describe ideas that my own language didn’t have exact terms for opened my eyes to how different I would view the world if I knew a different language or if I grew up in a different culture. Language is intertwined with culture because it was a way of how people see and express the world that they perceive. Learning a new language gave me a glimpse at a different way of viewing the world as well as helping to expand my worldview. I will use this knowledge throughout my life by striving to continuously expand my view of the world and understand other people around me. By learning about a different language and culture, I was able to not only gain a new skill and appreciation for others, but I was able to also learn more about myself and my privilege.
As I progressed throughout the courses, I was able to identify cultural differences and similarities as well as start to understand the connection between language and culture. As I learned more, I was able to improve my skills and communicate with some accuracy in ASL in familiar situations (Communication Level 2). Before, I had thought of language as just a part of culture, but after taking a second language, I began to understand how connected the two are. While learning ASL, I started to learn different cultural norms that were shown in their language. For example, in ASL, you point or place things frequently. In my culture, it is rude to point, but in Deaf culture, it is normal and encouraged. Their language is connected to their culture and their culture influences their language. Understanding more about their culture in return helped me understand the language better. Something that I struggled with overcoming was feeling uncomfortable communicating in ASL. Certain things that were culturally different, like pointing, being blunt, or using expressive facial expressions was uncomfortable at first, but I knew that it was not only important to the language but was instrumental in communicating clearly. This learning experience will benefit me in the future as I will try to understand the culture behind someone’s language or communication style in order to effectively communicate with different people.
As I began to practice ASL outside of the classroom, I was able to communicate in a way that is culturally appropriate as well as deepen my understanding of the connection between language and culture (Communication Level 3). Throughout my ASL courses, we were assigned to attend deaf events that would help us understand the language and culture on a deeper level. These events helped me to immerse myself in the language and culture as well as provide an opportunity to use ASL outside of the classroom. I was surprised how much I did understand, but I was also overwhelmed by how much I still had yet to learn. Another aspect about ASL that I learned throughout my courses is the difference between deaf and Deaf with a capital D. In this culture, there is a distinction between physically deaf people and Deaf people who identify with the Deaf community. Understanding this distinction, learning how to use it correctly, and realizing how powerful language and culture are was instrumental in my growth and learning throughout these courses. I learned that ASL was not just a way of conveying information to other people. ASL is a powerful language that united groups of people and gave them a voice. Understanding more about the history of ASL and how people felt silenced for years helped me to realize that language and messages are influential. As a media professional, I need to understand that voices of all kinds need to be heard and showcased.
Throughout my last course of ASL, I was able to converse with others in familiar and unfamiliar situations. I also was able to make connections between language and culture that helped to inform my own worldview (Communication Level 4). One of the biggest realizations I had during my final semester of ASL was how exhausting and challenging it was to learn a second language. At times, instead of being appreciative of the privilege I had to learn another language, I was dreading going to a three-hour night class. Many nights I returned from class with a headache, tired eyes, and exhaustion from how much brainpower it took to try to focus in class. This experience helped me to appreciate people who learn more than one language or even immigrate to a new country where the dominant language isn’t their own. I began to understand that knowing the dominant language also gives you a certain power over other people. There were times in class that students talked because it was easier or because they simply could get away with it and not have to learn. This was not only a sign of disrespect to our teacher but was also an ignorant use of our time in class. I also was able to better understand a term that I had learned about in my communication studies courses, the Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis. This term describes how language can influence people’s perceptions of the world. By learning a new language and learning how to describe ideas that my own language didn’t have exact terms for opened my eyes to how different I would view the world if I knew a different language or if I grew up in a different culture. Language is intertwined with culture because it was a way of how people see and express the world that they perceive. Learning a new language gave me a glimpse at a different way of viewing the world as well as helping to expand my worldview. I will use this knowledge throughout my life by striving to continuously expand my view of the world and understand other people around me. By learning about a different language and culture, I was able to not only gain a new skill and appreciation for others, but I was able to also learn more about myself and my privilege.
Global Citizenship Artifact #3
Below is a video I created for our final project in the class. We were assigned to create a 10-minute video of ourselves describing where we live, entirely in ASL.