Signing Savvy, Your Sign Language Resource

This Interpreter Q & A asks: A recent phenomenon I have noticed is a growing tendency for ITP students to date Deaf people while they are in the program. What is behind this? This article is part of our "Dear BC, Interpreter Q & A” series, which answers questions on interpreting and Deaf culture from multiple perspectives. This article was also published in the Fall 2017 Edition of VIEWS Magazine from RID.

We did a complete rewrite to our Signing Savvy Member App this Fall for both Apple iOS and Android mobile devices. Since then, we have continued to release updates to the app to add more features and make tweaks based on feedback from our savvy members. The current version of the app, as of the date of this article, is version 2.4. The new app is 64-bit compatible (required for iOS 11), now supports the iPhone X display, and includes several new features. ...

Kids naturally learn while they are playing. Introducing activities that allow them to learn through play lets them explore their curiosity, have new experiences, and better connect and retain what they have learned. Lessons Learned While Playing "Restaurant" One great example of a learning through play activity is setting up an area to play “restaurant” in the classroom (or at home). Playing restaurant is a very successful way to cover several areas all at the same time – vocabulary, health and nutrition, ...

This article is part of our “Signs That Are Close... But Not the Same” series, which highlights signs that look similar, but have different meanings. The signs discussed in this article include (1) VACATION vs. DAY OFF, (2) CONCERN vs. EXCITE, (3) PREFER vs. TASTE, (4) LONELY vs. REAL, and (5) ODD vs. LOOK FOR.

While in the company of friends seeking a cure for blindness at a VisionWalk luncheon held by The Foundation Fighting Blindness (FFB), Debbie Wright and her mother Joan candidly share their personal story - their choices, the learning, denying, and accepting the reality of living with Usher syndrome and being Deafblind. This is Debbie Wright's story, as told by Debbie and her mother Joan - a journey of discovery with Usher syndrome and being Deafblind.

Mandy Harvey starting singing when she was four. She sang in choral groups and music competitions in high school and she was recognized as the "Top Female Vocalist" at Longmont High School when she graduated in 2006. Mandy was then one of only fifteen students accepted as a vocal major into Colorado State University. However, Mandy suffered from reoccurring hearing problems and during her freshman year in college she lost hearing (110 decibels) in both ears.

Overwhelmed… The look on the faces, or the words that came out of the mouths of almost every parent of a deaf child I’ve ever met with during a home visit. The first thing I want to say is, “Move over because you aren’t alone on that bench,” and secondly, “Stop feeling guilty about anything and everything and lets make a commitment and move forward now, looking in the rearview mirror is only good to learn from, NOT to see ...

This article is part of our “Signs That Are Close... But Not the Same” series, which highlights signs that look similar, but have different meanings. The signs discussed in this article include (1) SATISFY vs. RELIEF, (2) COMPLICATED vs. VERY UGLY, (3) SEMESTER vs. SYSTEM, (4) GAME vs. CHALLENGE, and (5) ELECTRICITY vs. PHYSICS.

This article is part of our “Signs That Are Close... But Not the Same” series, which highlights signs that look similar, but have different meanings. The signs discussed in this article include (1) OPEN vs. CLOSE, (2) LOVE vs. HUG, (3) ICE SKATE vs. ROLLER SKATE, (4) BLACK vs. SUMMER, and (5) CAN vs. POSSIBLE.

Every human being has biases and the ability to predict events is one of the most valuable you can cultivate as an interpreter. As interpreters we have unique access to the lives of our clients. We need to know ourselves and our hidden biases.  What content or situations would you not feel comfortable interpreting?  What interpreting situations are deal breakers? What steps could you take when you find yourself in these situations?