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Disney Princess Conversing in American Sign Language Gives Joy to Deaf Child

A lot of individuals may feel isolated because it’s typically tough to converse properly in American Sign Language with family members, peers, and particularly strangers. With regards to 11-year-old Zoe Tapley, this experience was suddenly prevailed at Disneyland in Anaheim, California.

Zoe is Hard of hearing, and her parents, Jesse and Jeanette, routinely have to translate discussions on her behalf when she is out in public. Within destinations such as theme parks, they wander around enjoying the park with Zoe. Meanwhile, they help build awareness to her surroundings. They have to stop periodically at check-in areas whereby they talk about what’s going on around them using American Sign Language (ASL).

However, things changed during the family’s 2022 visit to Disneyland. While Zoe and her guardians were meeting a variety of Disney figures, Zoe approached the actor dressed as Princess Anna coming from the movie Frozen. Zoe signed “Hello” in ASL, and the actor playing Anna instantly observed that Zoe was Deaf. The lady then looked toward Zoe’s mother and father and asked, “Can I sign?” When Zoe’s father Jesse said “Yes,” Anna communicated with Zoe in American Sign Language.

Anna and Zoe then signed with one another regarding topics including Zoe’s favorite Disneyland rides to how Zoe had been adopted from the Congo. It was a wonderful encounter for Zoe’s mother and father to witness their daughter absolutely having fun at Disneyland by interacting independently by means of American Sign Language.

According to her mother Jeanette, it was the very first time Zoe was able to communicate with a Disney personality by means of American Sign Language. Jeanette said it was very thrilling to see her daughter use ASL with a character in the amusement park. Zoe’s father, Jesse, added, “It was one of those things where she got to feel the magic rather than being filtered through mom and dad.”

The Reason Why This American Sign Language Experience Makes a Difference

Impact on many other Deaf/Hard of Hearing Households and on Society in particular

Individuals who watched the internet video clip of Zoe Tapley signing with Princess Anna at Disneyland got a potent and inspiring message. Such encounter really make a difference to the Deaf and Hard of hearing community mainly because they’re empowering. It conveys the notion that Deaf/HoH individuals have a place in the broader society and are also included and appreciated.

An Inspiration for More People to Learn American Sign Language

As many other video footage of Disney characters interacting with Deaf/HoH people are distributed to a global audience on the internet, Deaf recognition and knowledge of sign language increases. The process will also encourage people to learn sign language directly or through online resources like Start ASL. This, consequently, can lead to more significant acceptance and inclusion for the globally Deaf/HOH community.

A Chance for Other Companies to Follow Suit

The Disney initiative can motivate other companies to follow suit and recognise the significance of communicating in sign language with Deaf and Hard of hearing citizens. Doing this can start a whole new realm of opportunities for every type of businesses in today’s increasingly interdependent and diverse global community.

Does American Sign Language Have Accents?

American Sign Language (ASL) tracks its roots straight back to the 19th century in France. And also like several voiced or signed language, ASL has developed as time passes to represent users’ regional and cultural differences.

American Sign Language isn’t a rendition of English. Instead, it is a unique language that has its own sentence structure, idioms, word formation, grammar, and pronunciation. Similar to other natural languages, ASL has developed spontaneously in people via extended use and repetition devoid of cognizant planning. It’s the primary sign language employed by Deaf and Hard of Hearing people in the United States Of America and the majority of English-speaking Canada. ASL is really a comprehensive, structured visual language with both non-manual and manual features.

Public speakers of American Sign Language generally have their accents or communication patterns. And similar to all other languages, ASL is characterized by regional varieties and alterations in tone. In sign language, a style or accent is detectable in how words are signed differently. It’s a lexical variation, like how some US citizens say “pop” while some say “soda” when talking about a soft drink.

Regional and Cultural Variations of American Sign Language

Individuals that use spoken languages have got different accents or variations in the way they converse depending on where they’re coming from. Sometimes within one country, people’s accents change from different regions. For instance, in the United States, people from New York have New York accents, and those from the South have Southern accents. Likewise, accents, also referred to as styles, exist in ASL.

A specific individual’s ASL accent or style is determined by their phrases, expressions, gestures, behaviors, speed of execution, and hand movements. ASL accents, overall, are expressed by users’ age level, physical condition, place of birth, culture, and use of slang and idioms. An excellent ASL user can often identify exactly what region or culture an individual is coming from depending on how they sign.

Black American Sign Language (BASL)

This language developed due to the fact that US schools for the Deaf within the late Nineteenth century didn’t acknowledge Black students. Therefore, BASL come about from the Black culture to meet the students’ needs. It features Black slang and idioms in conjunction with standard ASL components.

Regional ASL Styles or Accents

In the degree of word meaning, the same signed notion in ASL can denote various things in different areas of the United States. For instance, in the western states, especially California, the B hand shape, with the palm held outward and shaken vertically, signifies the city of Berkeley. On the other hand, this sign usually signifies the city of Boston within the eastern states.

Northeastern ASL Accents/Styles

New York – Very much like their Hearing counterparts, Deaf/HoH ASL users from New York City sign quickly. ASL users coming from New York sign a lot quicker and utilize different body language and facial expressions compared to those from different areas of the United States. Furthermore, they use New York slang and are more likely to use more profanity!

Philadelphia – The Philadelphia area features some unconventional signs due to the city’s long reputation of educating Deaf/HoH individuals to communicate via speech and lip-reading. They have developed a group of home-grown signs that have become part of that region’s ASL accent or style.

Southern ASL Accent/Style

Southern ASL users express their signs to imitate the famous Southern drawl. Southerners also touch their chests and the lower part of their faces more often when signing, and those gestures have grown to be a part of the South’s ASL accent or style.

Midwestern ASL Accent/Style

Whilst signers from the Northeast are generally quick with their signing and Southerners are slow and meticulous, Midwesterners lie usually in between. For instance, American Sign Language users from Ohio are usually calm and relaxed with their signing, not too fast or too slow.

The Effect of ASL Accents/Styles on Communication

Accents mirror people’s distinctive backgrounds, and several of them are proud of their accents and style. However, much like spoken English, possessing a distinctive ASL accent could potentially cause difficulties in connecting with other native users in educational, work and social settings.

For these reasons, a number of ASL users discover ways to modify or eliminate their accents to enhance signed communication skills. Another method in dealing with this challenge is through standardization of ASL to aid users communicate better.

The Simpsons Makes History with Deaf Voice Actors and the Use of ASL

Season 33, episode 17 of the long-running popular animated sitcom The Simpsons titled “The Sound of Bleeding Gums” is outstanding for its use of American Sign Language (ASL) (even though the characters only have four fingers), and for its casting of Deaf actor John Autry II to be the voice of the Deaf character Monk. With this role, Autry has become the very first Deaf performer to voice a character on the show.

The creators additionally deserve credit for aiming to have characters with just four fingers communicate in American Sign Language. This process must have been challenging to animate, which could account for the fact that signing is only featured at the end of the episode. It’s a fairly brief sequence, but it’s also fun to see the characters perform the virtually impossible task of signing while lacking a fifth finger. To ensure the accuracy of the ASL used in the episode, the producers employed two ASL consultants, despite the limitation of The Simpsons characters having just four fingers on each hand.

“The Sound of Bleeding Gums” installment of The Simpsons shows that its creators care about dealing with real-life issues on the show, especially regarding people of different communities like the Deaf. For instance, to voice the Deaf character Monk they selected Deaf actor John Autry II, who gave a stellar performance. One more thing is the script that was carefully composed by Loni Steele Sosthand, whose sibling was born Deaf. Additionally, details related to Deaf culture were carefully presented. And at another point in the episode Monk says to Lisa,I’m not anybody’s cause,” reflecting how Deaf people actually feel. They don’t really want sympathy or assistance in doing things simply because they can’t hear. They feel they can do anything a hearing person can.

With CODA winning Best Picture and other awards at the 2022 Oscars, and the airing of “The Sound of Bleeding Gums” on The Simpsons, the Deaf community undoubtedly has a bright future ahead in the entertainment industry, especially in the field of animation. The Deaf actor John Autry II provides a great source of inspiration for other aspiring Deaf and hard of hearing actors. His ability to land a starring role star on The Simpsons despite his being Deaf is uplifting and encouraging to both the Deaf and hearing populations alike.

Check out the video below to know more about this story.

Juliette Gordon Low: Founder of the Girl Scouts and A Deaf Champion Who Would Not Hear “No”

Each year on October 31st, Girl Scouts all over the United States celebrate Founder’s Day. The date was decided on to commemorate the birthday of Girl Scouts founder Juliette Gordon Low. Ms. Low, who blazed a trail for many girls to follow and lived a life of boldness, self-assurance, and integrity, would not take “No” for an answer when dealing with negativity in her never-ending pursuit to make Girl Scouts of the USA a success.

Juliette Gordon Low, also referred to as “Daisy,” founded Girl Scouts of the USA in 1912, during a period when women in the US didn’t yet have the right to vote. Juliette expanded her first troop of 18 girls into a global organization with nearly 3 million members in 92 countries and over 59 million alumnae. She pictured the Scouts from the start as a movement wherein girls could band together, collaborate, share their unique strengths, and also realize their dreams. Eventually, as many Girl Scouts have done since, she realized her noble vision and left a lasting mark on the entire world.

Total Loss Of Hearing Developed Slowly

Juliette was born with the ability to hear but began to lose her hearing at age seventeen. She suffered severe loss of hearing by the time she reached her mid-twenties and had frequent ailments including brain fever, earaches, and malaria. When she was 24 years old she contracted a serious infection in her right ear. Antibiotics were not known during those times but Juliette persuaded her doctor to try using the new treatment silver nitrate. The doctor then used silver nitrate to deal with the infection and ended up causing more harm, thus Juliette lost some of her hearing in that ear.

Later, she became permanently deaf in the left ear after a grain of rice got lodged in her ear during her wedding on December 21, 1886.

Check out the video below to find out more about Juliette Gordon Low as well as her legacy.

The Dance Routine of BAFTA Winners Makes a Strong Statement on Behalf of Sign Language

Deaf TV star Rose Ayling-Ellis and her professional dance partner Giovanni Pernice won a BAFTA for their appearance on the UK television show Strictly Come Dancing. During their ballroom dance to the band Clean Bandit’s song “Symphony,” the music was switched off for a few seconds as the pair danced in silence.

Rose, an actor from the popular British soap opera EastEnders, became Strictly Come Dancing ‘s first Deaf contestant. She powerfully brought society’s notions about the Deaf community into the limelight through her stellar performance on the show.

BAFTA Presenter Impresses Viewers

Rochelle Humes, an English singer and also tv presenter, presented Rose with her BAFTA in the most touching way possible by announcing the winner in sign language. Rochelle’s notable action coincided with the passage of a new UK law that designated British Sign Language (BSL) as an official language in England and Wales.

Rose Ayling-Ellis Uses Strictly Come Dancing to Raise Awareness About Deaf Issues.

Ms. Ayling-Ellis emphasizes that simply having Deaf people in front of the camera is insufficient. A lot more people must work behind the camera as writers, producers, and directors.

“We still need to keep going, and keep the pace. We need people behind the scenes because that’s what makes it authentic and real to what Deaf people’s experiences are like.” – Rose Ayling-Ellis

See the video below to know more about Rose Ayling-Ellis — precisely how she provides a role model for Deaf individuals, as well as how she helped bring Deaf inclusion to the forefront of public interest through a number of other innovative efforts.

Key Points to Remember about International Day of Sign Languages

The International Day of Sign Languages (IDSL) provides an opportunity for people to preserve and protect the linguistic identity and cultural diversity of Deaf people and other sign language users around the world. Countries emphasized the global oneness engendered by the use of sign language during the 2022 observance, which featured the theme “Sign Language Unites Us.” Through the event, Deaf organizations, governmental bodies, as well as civil institutions continued to promote and recognize national sign languages as critical to preserving their respective countries’ distinct linguistic environments.

The following sentences demonstrate the significance of International Day of Sign Languages for deaf people and society as a whole.

– Sign language is the only means of communication for the Deaf and those who are unable to speak. Having a special day that honors their distinct verbal medium is thus encouraging and uplifting to these groups.

– The IDSL emphasizes the importance of access to learning sign language at a young age for the development and education of Deaf and hard of hearing people.

– The International Day of Sign Language emphasizes the importance of preserving sign language as a means of communication for the Deaf.

-This Day serves as a platform for sign language’s future growth and development.
IDSL draws attention to the internationally agreed-upon sign language expansion goals and achievements.

-The IDSL reinforces the unifying aspects of signing as a universally-understood form of communication across countries and cultures.

The IDSL raises awareness about the importance of preserving deaf people’s human rights, and giving them their rightful place in today’s social order by supporting the continued expansion and conservation of sign language.

OSU Led the Way to Learn American Sign Language With its ASL Bachelor’s Degree

If your desire was to learn American Sign Language (ASL) in the 1800’s fewer educational organizations could offer more value than Oklahoma State University.

In the fall of 2021, OSU made its American Sign Language (ASL) major into a bachelor’s degree program, a crucial development for students who want to study signing and possibly teach ASL in the US or around the world. The move was also a great leap forward for the D/HoH community, which has long been under-resourced by both the public and private sectors. Previously, ASL was only offered as a minor at OSU. Dr. Woodall-Greene, who was then an adjunct professor close to receiving her doctorate, applied for the position. Dr. Woodall-Greene was selected as the program’s tenure track professor.

OSU’s ASL Bachelor’s Degree Program is Hands-on

Once students are admitted into the program, required classes such as American Sign Language I, II, and III develop students’ receptive and expressive skills in real situations and introduce various aspects of Deaf Culture, including finger spelling, numbers, classifiers, and facial expressions. The different accents within sign language, as well as idiomatic features are also taught. Subsequent courses in the program include Interpreting Concepts in American Sign Language, Linguistics of American Sign Language, and American Sign Language Poetry, which broaden students’ knowledge of ASL grammar, idioms, linguistics, and other topics.

American Sign Language Majors Can Use Their Skills in a Wide Variety of Fields

After gaining a broad background in ASL through these courses, students who major in ASL at Oklahoma State University can follow countless academic and career paths. They can double major and work at obtaining a job in a different field such as electronic media, or possibly become interpreters in the business world, the military, the government, or other areas.

Qualified Deaf ASL Instructors Enhance OSU’s Inclusivity

Part of the inclusivity at OSU results from the rising number of people learning ASL on campus, and also Deaf and Hard of Hearing students having the chance to be taught by competent and experienced Deaf professors.

A Bachelor’s in Interpretation May be the Next Step for ASL at OSU

Dr. Woodall-Greene is hoping that OSU can start a bachelor’s degree for ASL interpreters to complement its current ASL bachelor’s program. With ASL now being classified as a foreign language and offered as a bachelor’s degree at OSU, many students who need a foreign language credit and want to learn to sign will be drawn to the ASL interpreting program. Dr. Woodall-Greene says a bachelor’s degree in ASL interpreting would benefit any type of profession, as so few certified ASL interpreters are currently available, and she adds, “If you have those [ASL] skills, the Deaf community is going to go to you because you can communicate with them in their first language. And they don’t have to try to figure it out via their second language.”

Troy Kotsur Appears on Sesame Street Teaching American Sign Language

Troy Kotsur, an Academy Award-winning Deaf actor, recently appeared in an episode of the classic PBS children’s show “Sesame Street” teaching American Sign Language. He was the 2nd Deaf person in history to win an Oscar, the 1st being his CODA co-star Marlee Matlin. He made an appearance on the show to explain to 2 of the Muppets and the show’s global viewers the show’s regular “Word of the Day” in ASL. He said to Sesame Street characters Rosita and the Count that he is Deaf and that he interacts with other people through ASL.

American Sign Language or ASL is widely known form of sign language is used by Deaf individuals all over North America and other parts of the world, including Canada. Signing is the use of sign language to communicate. To convey messages, ASL utilizes both manual or hand-based gestures as well as movements with other body parts.

What is the The Importance of Troy Kotsur’s Appearance on the Show & Teaching ASL for the Deaf Community?

Troy Kotsur’s guest appearance on Sesame Street is significant for combining 3 different languages – American Sign Language, English, and Spanish – and repeating a couple of words. This feature of the signing segment improves viewers’ capability to sign these terms and demonstrates the diversity of sign language use.

Seeing a Deaf actor doing American Sign Language on Sesame Street, which has a worldwide viewership, can help to fill the void in Deaf representation in the media.

Small Steps toward Improved Awareness and Inclusivity

Such little changes in the global media are powerful mainly because they get individuals talking. Hearing people become more aware of the Deaf, are more exposed to Deaf communities, and also start to know a few of the accessibility issues that Deaf people encounter daily.

Watch the video here:

The post “Troy Kotsur Appears on Sesame Street Teaching American Sign Language” first appeared on Start ASL.

A Young Girl Decided to Learn Sign Language in Order to Deliver a Tender Message to Her Deaf Delivery Man

Around 2 percent of individuals in the US are deaf or nearly deaf, and many others report that they’re struggling with hearing even though they’re not really deaf. Because of these information, plenty of people in both developed and developing countries utilize sign language in order to communicate with their family and also to conduct business.

In England, an eight-year-old girl named Tallulah McLellan, demonstrated a level of empathy and kindness far ahead of her years when she learned how to use sign language as a way to interact with her deaf neighborhood delivery driver Tim Joseph. Tim goes to their house once or twice a week to bring parcels. A heartwarming video of the two friends communicating in sign language quickly became popular on social media sites, as many people were touched by Tallulah’s loving gesture as well as her sweet, innocent friendship with Tim. Tallulah amazed Tim by using sign language to say “Have a good day!” to him. Tim was deeply touched by the girl’s efforts to learn sign language and her endearing message. He was quoted saying the morning surprise “made [his] day” and that he was “stunned” when Tallulah signed a message to him. Tim then took the opportunity to teach Tallulah more common phrases, like “Good morning, have a good day,” which she signed back to him on his subsequent delivery to her house.

Their video has since been shared many, many times on the internet via social media and even inspired many people who saw it to begin learning sign language, thus making Tim really glad.

We must all take young Tallulah McLellan as a role model and strive to connect with the deaf people in our everyday lives by using sign language.

Here are a few reasons why sign language is so helpful and versatile:

It Is Utilized Around the World
It Becomes Extremely Beneficial in Everyday Life
Sign Language is Beautiful!
Available Resources for Learning Sign Language

Check out the video below to know the full story.

Meteorologist Gets Popular After Using American Sign Language in Her Forecasts

Mikayla Smith, a meteorologist from Oklahoma, is currently making TV weather forecasting a lot more accessible to a bigger audience and in the process is rousing interest in meteorology for the next generation of weather forecsters. She began the program while reporting in the Sherman, Texas area.

Mikayla was introduced to American Sign Language as a small girl in Rockwall when her mother took special education courses while attending college and worked as a special education teacher. Throughout her many years of learning ASL, she has observed the challenges that Deaf and hard of hearing individuals have to deal with in attemping to be updated of breaking news reports and also the latest weather. She’s enthusiastic about employing ASL to share local weather conditions to the D/HoH population.

Videos of Mikayla’s weather forecasts have quickly become trending. She does hope that her signing of weather reports will inspire other forecasters to understand and learn sign language. She says she’s delighted to see the solid impact her signed forecasts have had on the general public. She does hope the new signing movement will begin to spread, and thus helping special communities that might not usually be able to obtain news as well as weather reports frequently.

As a lot more weather forecasters and others in the news media learn how to sign their reports, they can relate better with the Deaf and hard of hearing and also establish a trend of greater inclusiveness for the people with different communication needs in the world of info gathering and distribution.

In reaction to the call to improve her sign language skills, Mikayla says she’s quite out of practice with her signing but is making sure to do the research that is needed to be a better D/HoH ally, and in the meantime making big progress toward greater accessibility to news and weather reports for all.

For the full story, click the link below:

Meteorologist Gets Popular After Using American Sign Language in Her Forecasts