ASL Introduction to the Student and Senior Mentors

ASL Introduction to the Student and Senior Mentors
by Kathern G. Lawrence

The City of Moncton offers recreational programs for seniors at Lions' Community Center, including a couple of different physical exercises, card games, writing, drawing as scheduled monthly. On Fridays, there is also a special program: the student and senior mentors that the students and their teacher from Harrison Trimble High School, and the seniors come together over the lunch hour to develop mutual understanding of the youth and seniors' lifestyles and values in their age gaps. Lately, they have  done card-making, drawing, and storytelling together. Each week, they do a different activity.

Janet McDuff, Senior Recreation Coordinator &

Melissa Baxter, Executive Director Seniors' Information Centre

I, an active member of the senior group, was invited to introduce basic ASL signs to the group. As explained at the presentation, Deaf people are visual-oriented; thus, we relay messages to others or receive messages through sign language. ASL is an acronym of American Sign Language which is a true language that incorporates grammar: meanings, words (in signs), syntax, contexts, statements, and questions like English, French, Spanish, Russian language.  However, messages are expressed only through ASL, not in writing. It is considered an unique language, different from other spoken languages which incorporate both speaking and writing. We express thoughts in fingerspelling, signs, facial expressions, locations, movements in the ASL grammar . The Deaf people and hearing sign language users use ASL to communicate among ourselves. After attending ASL classes, you would have a much better way to continue learning ASL and Deaf culture when you are immersed in the Deaf world where you would interact among the Deaf and see signed dialogues expressed differently among Deaf persons in their own styles. Deaf people can sign as fast as you, the hearing people, speak so it is natural for us to sign at our pace. We always use facial expressions in signing as a part of ASL grammar that you would have to intensively study and incorporate them in signing.

From L to R: Eleanor Millburn, Rose Allen, Marjorie Hicks

When shown a list of basic words, the students and seniors had the chance to make up signs, some of them correctly signed or gestured. Then those words were introduced in signs. Some signs are so picturesque that it is really easy to remember. At the end of the hour, a brief information was given about whereabouts of the Deaf's social gatherings in the public. The sign "Tim Horton" (cue: "F") was even amusing to them; actually the sign meaning "donut" started over the eyes, and as time changed, the sign moved downward over the cheekbone, meaning "Tim Horton". The half hour lesson just gave those people an idea of what ASL was about and how it started.

From L to R: Front - Amy Richard, Leigha Robertson

Back: Scott Jardine (teacher), April Melanson, Tyler Cowie, Sean Killaire

Austin Melanson dozing off during the signing activity