Final exam- Topic signing

Here is my final exam. I am topic signing about this picture of a Martini glass. I not only describe the martini glass, but I also made up a story to go along with it. I hope you enjoy. :-)

I have to say, I am VERY proud of how much I have learned over this first term of American Sign Language. At the beginning of the term I only knew how to sign my ABC's. Now I can sign a whole made-up story as well as feel competent enough to be able to convey the message I am trying to get across. I am VERY excited about what this next term will bring! I am sure you will get to see MUCH more improvement in my signing abilities.
I also have to give a HUGE thank you to my wonderful Professor Carl! He makes the learning process so much fun. We have learned from stories of Lego people as well as reading from beginner Dr Suess books. It makes the learning process much easier this way! I am so excited and ready to move forward with more learning!!! :-)

Midterm Compare and Contrast

In this video I am comparing and contrasting the 2 pictures.

Freesigning #2

Here is my second freesigning video. I think I did a bit better than I did the first time. I am feeling more and more comfortable with signing on the spot.

ASL the beginning

Languages have always fascinated me. As a kid I had wanted to grow up to be an interpreter. I had very high hopes as I planned to interpret for EVERY language!!! I guess if you are going to dream, why not dream high right?
My first experience with ASL was when I was in the eighth grade. There were 4 students that were deaf  in my ceramics class. Most of the students would not even acknowledge the students as they were considered "disabled". I did not think the same!! I was intrigued!!! I became friends with the 4 students right away and was elated that they were willing to show me how to sign as well. That is where I learned to sign my ABC's. After that year we all went to different schools & I never saw the students again. However I NEVER forgot the signs they taught me.
In high school I ended up taking Russian for four years. I travelled as an exchange student to Russia right after the Russian coup happened. What an amazing time in history to be in that country! A country where communism had fallen. When I was there, I remember getting to the point where I started to even "think" in Russian. It was no longer that I was trying to translate the word in my head any longer. (I hope to be that way again with ASL) Unfortunatley after high school I did not keep up my Russian vocabulary and have since forgot quite a bit of it. I do still try to speak what I can whenever I get the opportunity though.
I am sooooo thrilled to finally be getting the chance to learn another language!! American sign language!!! So far we are just a short 4 weeks into the term and I am already signing a bunch!! Now, I might not be signing complete sentences but, I am great at "babbling"!!
So as time goes on, I hope all that are watching, will be able to truly see my progress with learning this new language. I am very excited myself!!!!

1st Freesigning video

Freesigning has been a great tool for me. I have learned that it helps to put the signs I have learned into memory. Sometimes it can be hard to sign "on the spot" however Professor Carl has helped me to understand that freesigning is just a form of babbling. So I have now embraced this and here is my first freesigning video.

Learning ASL & learning to blog

Taking the steps to learn American Sign Language (ASL) have been thrilling and exciting. Yet learning to blog is scary for me. So to all who read my blog, please bare with me. This is a learning experience for me.