New Signers At Deaf Events ⎮ ASL Stew

I just attended my first deaf event this week and was absolutely petrified but super excited. When I first got there however the very first person that I attempted to converse with did not understand me and I didn't understand him. This is very disheartening and made me lose all of my confidence as I have been signing for a few years now. I found my disadvantage lies in the fact that I have only been self- taught using online videos. I have conversed limitedly with a few deaf people in the past and never had much of an issue so when this particular guy didn't understand what I was trying to say I was thrown off. I found that because I was nervous I couldn't understand a lot of signs that I knew because I was just panicking. Every time someone try to fingerspell for me I would blank. The night got easier as it went on and I'm going to go to the same event next month. I think that one will go a little better.

At my first Deaf event, I had been learning ASL online for a while. After I took ASL 1 I continued going to many more! I always tell others: -Don’t be afraid of Deaf people (we’re not scary and don’t bite) -Remember to keep voice off -Try to have fun! If you’re having a game night, play a game with some people you don’t know. Meet people. Don’t get too caught up in thinking about signing that you forget to enjoy the event!

I am a fourth year ASL student. Attending events is a part of our grade every semester. Though I have been to quite a few events over the years, I appreciate your tips so much! New events are always intimidating, so these are such good reminders.

I like you guys. You seem safe and comfortable to be around.

Just subscribed to your channel.I'm a new signer,just takingvtutoring for about 2 months. My teacher's great & said he'd put me in touch w/some events(I'm petrified!!) I told him I was afraid I would be insulting someone if I messed up,didn't want anyone to think I didn't care enough to learn properly. He assured me not to worry. So glad you made a video on this very subject. Not learning in school,just for myself(I'm way past school age) . Never know though when I may need it. He said deaf people would be happy that I was trying to learn ASL.. Wish me luck!!

I am a beginner signer. I can have basic conversations and can for some reason understand more of what people sign even though I didn’t know the words at first. But I went to my first deaf event over the summer at the Pennsylvania School for The Deaf. It was a bazaar. I was invited by the dean of the school after expressing a desire to volunteer at the school. I went and dealing with anxiety omg I was a nervous wreck. Scared to near death lol. I went alone. I wanted to leave so bad but my desire to learn and make deaf friends was stronger so i stayed through my extreme fear. I purchased a few items just as a way to get into a conversation with someone. I was surprised that no one seemed to want to chat after I said i was hearing and learning ASL. I felt i was forcing conversations others didn’t necessarily want. Wanting to leave by way of sneaking out I stayed and rounded the gymnasium many times repeating an interest in items vendors were selling but I was not able to get into a conversation with anyone. After standing in the middle of the room alone and I’m sure visibly shaking from the inside out I decided it wasn’t working out quite like i had hoped so I made my way to the exit and left. Though it didn’t turn out as i had wanted i am however glad that through my anxiety i went and stayed until i was convinced i would get nothing more out of the experience. Could i have done anything differently? I think that experience made me more terrified about trying it again but i want to so badly.

You guys are great. I love your advice and you are very kind and considerate in explaining how hearing people should try learning sign language.

I know in my hometown the DNO events are not for newer signers, so it's good to always make sure before you head to an event. Also usually your ASL professor will let you know about certain events they want you to go to. It's good just to make friends in the Deaf community because then you have one on one conversation and you know someone that will introduce you to people and make you feel more comfortable.

As a high school ASL student who is passionate about learning the beautiful language and attends many Deaf events this video is SOOO helpful! Thank you!

Thanks so much for the video, ladies! I'm a new ASL student, and I'm just wrapping up my first ASL class at Ohlone College in Fremont, CA. Our teacher, Marnee, echoes pretty much everything you have said in this video. She gave us a LOT of useful tips about what events are very welcoming of new ASL students, and which ones are probably not a good idea to attend. I just attended my first last Saturday. It was a "Holiday Expo" at the California School for the Deaf in Fremont, and it was a very positive experience. I was able to communicate with several people there, and each of them happily slowed down for me once they learned that I'm new to ASL. A couple even taught me signs when I finger-spelled something that has a sign, and nobody was impatient or rude to me at all. Probably because this was a school, the people attending were more patient than the average person, but my experience overall with the Deaf community has been that (like Italians) they're OVERJOYED that you know some ASL, and are more than willing to help you out and converse with you. I think it shows that you're accepting enough of Deaf people that you've taken the time to try and learn their language, so they're pleased to have a chat with you in ASL. I think some people expect their first experience "in the wild" to be more like trying to speak French to someone from Paris (they'd really rather that you didn't...LOL!), but it's not like that at all. Of course, I'm sure there are rude jerks in the Deaf community just like anywhere else, but I've been lucky and haven't run into one yet. :) Again, thanks for the video! I look forward to watching more!

Me trying to learn and im definitely need way more learning. And i love that one person is right handed and the other is left handed.

Thank you so much! I am a new signer and also, very socially awkward. This means that I am terrified to attempt a social event.

I went to a Catholic Mass in ASL (I'm Catholic). I understood 85% of everything, but couldn't keep up with the prayers. I was so far behind that Mass was over and I was still signing one prayer; it was kinda funny. Everyone was so incredibly patient and nice. I was only able to attend once, as the Arch Diocese decided to close that church two weeks later. Still hoping the congregation will find another home at another church; I would continue to attend.

I’m hearing and been signing since I was 14 and I’m 46 now. I went to the Deaf World Expo in 2012 in Vegas. It was the best time of my life.

Your comment about being really nervous the first event is so real! After going to a few events though, you realize that everyone’s incredibly helpful and Deaf events are a great place to learn about Deaf culture and language.

Thanks! I wanted to go to a deaf event for awhile, I’m a new singer and am kind of nervous but excited

Hello I’m an ASL 2 student at ayala high school and I would like to say that I have been to a few deaf events and am still fairly new. This info is very helpful and let’s me know that I can be confident in what my teacher has told us about the culture and manners. I enjoy watching your videos and this is definitely helpful to new signers!

So excited that you guys are local! I live in Rochester and our family is learning ASL as our son is Deaf. He attends Rochester School for the Deaf. So excited, I've been following your channel for a while and even have a sister in law due in the next couple of weeks so I send her the pregnancy updates to help her with her receptive ASL! Love you guys!

Thanks for your advice! I went to a public deaf event last weekend and had a great time. It was hard because I wasn't sure if it was a no voice zone but there were also interpreters at each table so I had to clarify that I'm hearing so they didn't have to interpret for me. I got to sign with a few deaf individuals at the tables, it was hard but makes me want to keep practicing and learning.

My first Deaf event was at our local zoo as part of Deaf and HOH Awareness. Growing up in a series of smaller towns, I had never really had the opportunity to interact with deaf or HOH indiviuals. It was AMAZING to see so many individuals in one place, all signing. I was able to chat with a few people, and learned about local resources that were available to HOH people such as myself (my family wasn't supportive on this topic when I was growing up). I was even able to give directions to a woman in ASL without making a total fool of myself, which helped me to relax considerably. One mistake I did make was to take my family with me (husband and two toddlers, all of whom are hearing). I adore my family; however, I felt torn between supporting my partner while he tried to keep track of two rambunctious kiddos, keeping track of the kids in my own right, and paying attention to what was going on around me. It made it harder to interact with people. As I said, my family is hearing and knows very little sign, although they understand more sign than they think they do. So I think that they felt a bit isolated too. I want my family to be comfortable with ASL; however. for now, I think I will leave the family at home until I am more comfortable with ASL and know more people in the local community.