ASL placement

So today we were assigned to ASL classes based on our interviews yesterday. It appears that I totally floored the evaluators....they were not sure what to do with me. They said that I sign like a native deaf person.....with great vocabulary, hugely sufficient conversational skills (both receptive and expressive). How ever, my exact ASL grammar / sentence structure / follow the rules stuff is weak (as is consistent with a native signer since they are never taught ASL proper grammer and neither have I been).

SO, I was not assigned with one of the groups. I have been assigned one-on-one to a tutor for one hour per day and they ordered me my own special book (which is not here yet).....which I am to study and learn from at my own pace and come back and discuss with my tutor. They thought I would be bored and not challenged in the "normal" classes because, apparantly, I am not a normal hearing signer.

What is interesting to me is that there are 2 deaf girls here and they are in the "normal" class.....not sure how to take that (lol)...... I do know that one of the girls grew up mainstreamed and did not learn sign until college, so she may be actually a little weaker in her vocabulary and conversational skills because she associates mostly with hearing people (and I associate mostly with deaf people.) I am not sure about the other deaf lady....I'll have to spend some time with her to see what her skills are.

Not real sure how to feel about this....I was feeling really awkward at first when I met with the tutor because I had no idea why I was the only person without a class. I thought I would (finally) get formal ASL classes here, and it seems I am STILL not going to get that. But my tutor (April) is a really nice person and I think it will be fun to meet the challenge.....she wants me to Grow from this experience and that is my goal too, so ..... we shall see!!!! Can't wait to get my book!! Also, can't wait to hear from the other ladies about how their class went!!!

Day 2 at OTD

Today at OTD I had my SLPI and my personal interview with the director of the program, Dr. Cecil Bradley. My schedule looks pretty good. I will be assigned to an ASL class (by level based on the results of today's eval) and will have ASL from 8:45-10:45 for the next three weeks and then 9-12 the last 2 weeks.

I will have Audiology classes from 11-12 the first 3 weeks as well as 4:45-5:45 the 2nd 2 weeks. We have classes every day all afternoon with Dr. Bradley on deaf specific Rehab issues (such as placement, voc. evals, counseling, late-life deafness, deaf/blind, impact on deaf with employment, psychological and psycho-social issues, etc. etc. etc.!!! Also classes and lectures on community resources, education for the deaf, utilizing interpreters, deaf history and culture.

We will also be taking some "field trips"......been a long time since I've done that!!!

Research proposal presentations tonight!! Been studying for the exam........which is Wed.

As for my personal life....well, I don't have one right now. I need to call someone who knows me outside of school life....hmmm. Mark is on the road pushing it hard today. Not sure where he is trying to get to by tonight but I know he wants to be in Louisville by tomorrow evening sometime.

UT Knoxville

I have finished my first week on the TSD campus in Knoxville. I really love the town! I've had a great time here but I am SO READY to go home!!

Today is the first day of OTD (Orientation to Deafness) on the TSD campus. I am SO tired.....last week was pretty stressful between the exploding toilet, the alarms going off in the middle of the night.....the 9 hours of grad school work (8 a.m. -10 p.m. some days)....including papers and projects due, presentations due, and exams. Shew....what a week!!

This week should be easier. As I said, OTD starts today. We have our briefing at 7 tonight so I'll know more after that. First thing we have to do is teach the deaf lady who moved in the room beside me how to not slam doors....my goodness! She's moving in, so hopefully she won't be going in and out every 5 minutes after today, but that door has SLAMMED every single time.....SQUEEEEEKKKKK....SLAM! SQUEEEEEKKKKKK......SLAM! over and over again! (lol)

Tomorrow morning I will have a SLPI eval (sign language profeciency interview). We will have this at the beginning and at the end of our program to mark improvement with ASL classes all 5 weeks.

I still have 2 nights of grad classes left....tomorrow night is my presentation of my Research Design project and Wed. night is the final exam.

Looking forward to getting the OTD schedule and my new books!! more later!