Bilingual thoughts

The question was raised about which language a person thinks in, for eg. Afrikaans and English and this really had me thinking…

Now, particularly in terms of Sign Language and English, and what I can do, and do not do with each language when it comes to thinking. So, how does and has  Sign Language shape(d) my thinking?

I know that English is my strong first language  and SASL is my second language, but I have such a soft spot for signing. This is because it is really my language as a deaf person, you have to be deaf to understand, you know what I mean. But, it was not always like this for me, and I suspect that there are many oral deaf who grow up not knowing the power and grammaticality/ sight-scape of sign language since they have not been exposed to its expressiveness from and through native signers. I used to have a problem with not being a native or native-like signer, no more, it is my second language. And I want to improve, and the best way is in dialogue with others who sign better than me. I know what I have and what I can have as far as sign language goes, and what I want to achieve, a bit more, then a bit more. Until the language becomes second nature to me all the time. It is in these moments when I let the language live through me it inspires me to do more give more, learn more, be more, you know what I mean? That is what it means to me to be bilingual, and finding contentment in the space between languages and thought. There are times when I think in English, such as writing this blog style article, and when I am in signing =thought mode and the way I see the world and myself and others shifts. It ll be good to tap into what this means and what it looks like and where it takes us as language users and teachers.  

One of  my students argued that ‘mentalese is the language that we use when we look beyond language to the heart of thought. Which is what the question was asking, what language are your thinking in? This goes along with Steven Pinker’s ideas on thought, and I am not in agreement with all of this. I know that SASL and English are wonderful tools for thought and carriers of thought, but these are languages, which encode their own knowledge systems or epistemologies that also shape the way the user, like me sees the world, yes it is complicated, and wonderful at the same time.

What do you think? And how do you think as a bilingual person? How does your first language affect your second? and how are you enriched in thinking by your second language? 

Here is a thought for the day for teachers of the deaf:

"It is an educational imperative that the expectations that teachers in mainstream and schools for the Deaf have of deaf learners be raised to support the identity quest  of deaf learners to be confident and successful bi-cultural explorers. What can teachers do? From a deaf person’s perspective:

‘Teachers need to try and encourage learners to see the links between their language and Sign Language and their culture and Deaf culture respectfully and so they can see that being deaf and signing is quite normal. So I think teachers need to understand deeply how the cultures operate and encourage learners to build friendships across cultures. I know that it is difficult but the time invested is worth it.’ (Mcilroy, 2008: 121-134)"

DeaF Guy: Bilingualism

DeaF Guy: Bilingualism: Focus questions: to get you thinking. I wrote these 9 months ago before the proposal was written and accepted. What questions do you want t...

Bilingualism

Focus questions: to get you thinking. I wrote these 9 months ago before the proposal was written and accepted. What questions do you want to highlight or comment on as away forward for doing research? Or have I left something out that you want to add?

Why is it important in SA in Deaf Education? Why is SA Deaf Education not picking up the reins of Bilingualism at schools? Is bilingualism just another method that will soon die out, a trend? Why is DoE not aware and building bilingualism into curriculum and as a national deaf ed policy? What has happened to Deafsa policy statement from last year? What needs to be done and who should do what? What is our role at the centre in Sign Bilingualism? What are the trends now in deaf education? And in terms of bilingualism?  How do we as educators make/build deaf learners to be ‘deaf in their own way? What resources and paradigm needs to be in place for bilingualism to work? What are the barriers on the ground to why teachers are not using bilingual in class? What support is needed in in-service training to nurture teachers? Is bilingual only applicable to first world economies, how can the diversity of SA deaf be served?  What are the other voices of DeaF that have not been heard? How well is bilingualism working and capable of working at the cognitive level? Why do teachers still try to sabotage bilingualism? What is needed in the teacher training programs for the next cohort of bilingual teachers? How has the mainstream and inclusion of deaf learners impacted on bilingualism as a policy and as a teaching method? What is the future of schools for the deaf in terms of bilingualism? Although we talk about bilingualism, South Africa is a country with 11 languages, and English, the most commonly used LOLT, is not the only way to learn, what about the other languages used at home? Is bilingualism too narrow a term and policy for SA? If SASL is accepted as 12 official language, how will this affect bilingualism as a policy and in the classroom, in mainstream schools and in schools for the deaf? Who should have power in over sign bilingualism programs and education? What kind of conversations are needed with parents, educators , learners and DoE to assist this transition to sign bilingualism as a national deaf education policy? What can be expected from oral and signing education communities as a responses to bilingualism? What strategies have been effective, and what should not be done, from lessons learned? How do we get tertiary education and workplaces/employers/DoL to partner with education in building an educated and bilingual workforce?   

What do I think about bilingualism?

Taking the research and paper just done, I can see that bilingual is a key concept in terms of identity, and that this is something worth fighting for in deaf learners who should be as bilingual as possible. For example, I found that teaching the Bed Sign Language class without my hearing-aids means that I am really, deeply deaf and solely a Sign Language user. Actually, this is a significant step forward. A moment of epiphany, as I am fully deaf and not using my voice and hearing aids to assist me with teaching, which I could do, but it is more authentic to switch off and be deaf than try to be both simultaneously, actually that is worth thinking about for a moment. That is just what hearing teachers try to do with deaf learners and end up fluffing both languages.  Thus, it is more effective for me to sign only and rely on signing to communicate so that Sign Language structure can be seen, sic. Then I use English, which they also know, to explain SASL. By doing this I am respecting SL and expecting the same level of dignity that I have to be given to SL, while they begin to see SL for themselves in real time for what it is, a real language to me and other deaf, albeit that I am a second language user of SASL, but ahead of them for two reasons/grounds:   I know the rules of SASL as a second language user, and sign frequently with deaf friends, and obviously, I am deaf, so I am claiming it as my language. Having said that, I know that it is not always easy to match my level with their level, and I am acutely aware of this and have to prepare intensely before class the kind of descriptions/explanations required to instruct a concept that I would otherwise have spoken to class as instructional aside.

The opposite happens in the ACE first year class where I speak and rely on the interpreter to sign for me to help me fill in the gaps that I would otherwise have missed by relying on my hearing-aids and hearing power, which is incomplete. For me, it is easier to talk here because this is in my first language, but the listening part is my weakness. So there are two sides to this situation that I find myself in, on the one hand I am taking on the challenge of signing, and on the other hand I have to relinquish the instinct to be hearing when I am not really able to do that.

I am reminded of someone else who has made this transition from hearing culture into Deaf culture, but is unable to pass as a fluent signer, although her attitude has shifted to becoming deeply compassionate towards deaf culture and sign language. But the skills of signing are not sufficient to allow this transition to be completed, hence the metamorphosis if the beautiful sign language butterfly is incompleted and a stunted butterfly has emerged. I have wondered what is needed to be a bilingual DeaF person, as she undoubtably is well formed in some of the areas, but restricted in other areas, yet she sees herself as a bicultural more than a bilingual deaf person. Her experiences of and in both worlds have nurtured her bicultural philosophy of respecting both cultures, and ontologies. Is she deaf in her own way? Is she happy?

I noticed that there is another way to enter bilingual identity, through Deaf becoming DeaF by accepting and negotiating their way through both languages and cultures without denigrating either. This is a process, and a long process. I cannot say/claim that I have arrived, but being on this journey and recognising where I am is important for charting this journey of self-discovery and ones interactions across a vastly wider net of interactions is the key to this process of identity development. Surely this is what teachers of today want and need to be doing. It is time to let go of the old ways of being deaf or Deaf. 

   

 From here, I will pick up on the ideas and thoughts and build on this in the next blog next week.

The Journey

What mental image comes to your mind about going on a journey?. Is it a car journey with padkos and long hours in a car and changing scenery, and arriving at a holiday destination. 

This is not the one I have in mind here. The book ‘North Face of God’ captures the image of the journey for me in this context better. This research project is a journey that I am on at the moment and is more akin to climbing a mountain.

There is a destination for this researcher to reach: the summit. And I like this image as the way that people climb is often quite different to the route taken by others, but the goal is the same. The scary part is realising that this is a huge task and that is this is most likely beyond my experience and stamina. This is a mental journey beyond my limits, but I know that I am not alone, and if I were then I fail most probably fail, stop, or fall. To complete this journey upwards and onwards to the summit, I need the company of a climbing team: those who have done it before, and those who know me well. This is also a spiritual journey, of living the faith with others and moving forwards, being wise, prayerful, diligent and persistent and well-equipped and protected against the cold and wet and well-nourished to complete the journey. The lack of water and food to sustain me and the team will cause the team to collapse.

So, if you are reading this, this is an invitation for you to join me on this journey, as a fellow researcher, expert, prayer-partner, pilgrim, guide, fellow-burden carrier and friend.  Did you notice how the journey by Frodo and Harry Potter was not a solo journey but a team effort built and sustained by the  loyalty, and friendship and faith in their mission and themselves and they were all changed for the better. We have a mission here. It is not my mission that you are supporting but something much bigger. And we must make haste.

I am a disciple of research, and I was born for such a time and for this project. And I am deaf, and this is one of my strengths here. Being deaf is no longer a weakness. But it is an asset in this project. And I will do whatever it takes to be true to myself and to doing this research on bilingualism as it is close to my heart.  But I also need a strong, passionate team to take up this challenge. 

So tell me what is close to your heart in deaf studies?

Let’s get started, let’s talk, let’s plan, let’s do it.   

   

Disclaimer

This blog is meant to be a collection of the author’s writings on a variety of topics related to research within the academic domain of deaf studies.

Please note that this is not meant to be a site to attack people, so flaming and being rude will not be tolerated or accepted. Hence, the author reserves the right to delete any comments or responses to the blogs that infringe upon the rights and dignity of others at his discretion.

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The aim of this blog is to generate dialogue around educational research in deaf studies with and amongst the reader and a wider audience on pertinent topics and issues.

This blog is intended to be a written form of dialogue of the author’s research journey and an invitation to the reader to partner with the author on this journey.

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Now that I have said all this necessary legal stuff, I want to encourage you to participate in the dialogue that the blogs generate and look forward to your responses to the blogs through your questions and thoughts, comments and related experiences and insights that you bring and share here.  

Guy Mcilroy

March 2013

        

Signing hymns

I went to church today with an interpreter there. Good, I thought. There were only a few deafies there and a reasonable interpreter, the second interpreter was not really clear, too much SE. 

And that got me thinking. I half-wondered at the time, that the songs make sense in SE. It makes it accessible I suppose, by I feel that the worship is dis-jointed and dis-connected for me. I know that sounds somewhat hypocritical coming from me because SE is often a good way for me to follow, half listening and half watching, and hopefully getting the full message. But the reality is that I am usually not following it all as well as I expect, and miss things, and I find this very tiring. This amalgam of two languages is definitely messing with my head. I need to do one and do it properly. 

How does this link to bilingual model and signing? I think that if the worship is signed well, is should draw me into the sacred space, but that does not often happen, unless I already know the songs and the signing helps to transcend the spoken words, which I already know by heart, then this becomes a moment of silence in the midst of the music as I and we as a body find God in our midst. The words have to be known to me, otherwise it is just a meaningless noise around me. At the moment, I am coming back to the hymns I know during Lent, and Easter to find the source of worship and drink deeply there. Do you know any hymns for Easter that are signed in SASL, a video of this would be great to watch. Let’s make a collection, who is interested?

That is a thought on my mind at the moment.

What do you think?

Deaf Blog 27 Feb

 Bilingualism

Am I a bilingual deaf person? I thought this has become a reality for me. But I think the real issue is that I am not a 50-50 bilingual and never will be because English is my first language, and my signing is always at second language level. So what?  Or is it so what!. Actually, I think that when I am signing, as what happening in the SASL class with third years, I found that my language processing was quite different to when I talk in English. In fact, some of the students commented, unprompted on this afterwards. Umm, that had me thinking about what Claudine said the week earlier:  I am not BI bilingual. And this is ok in the same way as English speaking person is rarely a fully bilingual user of two languages, English and Afrikaans.  

And it is for this reason that I think that being bilingual is fine for most people, as long as they are honest with themselves and their respective audiences.  So this fits in with the trans-languaging view of bilingualism, and releases me from the stress and strain to be BI, but I want to be as good as I can be, through the interactions and contact with others to improve my signing as much as possible, as there is room for growth. I wonder what Prof Young thinks about this point, and how this journey evolves?

Similarly, I also wonder what Garcia would say about this. I imagine that she would go along with this point, and I need to read her paper again to build on my understanding of her argument away from equal bilingualism towards dynamic bilingualism. This leads me to the teacher’s and their experiences and where this understanding of bilingualism  is taking them, and are they happy to go along with the ride, or want to get off, or refuse to get on the roller-coaster?  Change is scary!