By Sean McDonald
Staff Writer
Talking is not as easy for everyone as it seems. For some, the process of relaying information is difficult because of certain disabilities, however through innovative thinking, people have been able to create ways to make it easier and more enjoyable.
Sophomore Jake Gordon recently started the American Sign Language Club, which is a social gathering for not only the deaf or hard of hearing (DHH), but also for people looking for a place to bond and learn sign language. The club meets on Fridays in Ms. Baral’s room, and they engage in a multitude of activities such as practicing and learning new vocab, or playing games that involve sign language.
“I think it’s a really creative idea,” club member Jack Argue said. “It’s a really nice community and a great way to bond with new people.”
At each club meeting, one of the DHH club members will go up in front of the class and show them a sign, and what it means and how to say it. They call this the sign of the day, and members will gradually expand their sign language vocabulary through it.
“It is a good way to keep everybody involved, and also is a good way for everybody to learn new vocab,” Gordon said. “It’s also nice because the DHH kids get a chance to really contribute to the club environment.”
Gordon had aspirations to form the club last year, after he met some of the DHH kids. The club was not able to begin until this year, when he got the help of multiple peers to make it get off of the ground by making plans to organize the club.
“Last year the kids wouldn’t really interact with anyone else who was also DHH, so while we enjoyed eating lunch with them sometimes, we wanted to make it so that DHH students could bond with other non DHH students,” Ackerman said.
Another interesting aspect of the club is that it provides actual instruction to learning the language, in doing so, it teaches a solid foundation for memorizing frequently used signs. There are packets available with common signs, and an alphabet. If new members come to the club, they can always refer to the packet to have a general understanding of a few basic signs.
“A really cool part of being there is actually learning how to sign,” Ozawa said. “It makes it even more fun to meet new people while speaking their language.”
The club has plans in the future for a day at the beach, possibly at or near the end of the school year. According to Gordon, It would be a way to celebrate the club’s progress over the course of the school year, but for now, Gordon and his friends are focusing on making the club as fun and creative as possible.
“The opportunities for this club are endless,” Gordon said. “It’s amazing to see people get together and interact like this, and it always brings a smile to my face to see everyone having a good time.”
Leave a Reply