At first glance, it's a religion class like any other. The teacher projects an electronic slide on the wall with an illustration of Ammon tending King Lamoni's sheep, then poses a question. Students scan the pages of the Book of Mormon, zeroing in on Alma 18. Several hands go up, and the instructor calls on someone.
It soon becomes apparent that this is no ordinary classroom as the student steps in front of the class, sets the scriptures down, and begins to answer with both hands in American Sign Language. Her facial expressions help communicate her ideas. As fellow students add their comments, many hands and fingers start flying at once in a silent yet animated discussion.
This class of 18- to 30-year old college students meets each Friday in the interdenominational chapel of the student center at Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C., which serves people who are deaf. The university, signed into law by Abraham Lincoln in 1864, offers its 1,500-plus students a wide range of undergraduate and graduate degrees. Every subject and class is taught in ASL.
http://www.ldschurchnews.com/articles/58922/Silent-discussion-conducted-by-hands.html
Home to 
1 comment:
See to read New Era February 2002, 25 pages
Language of Love
Then there’s the powerful example of love shown in the Bangalore Second Branch, where a large part of the congregation is deaf. Using yet another language learned from welfare service missionaries-several young hearing sisters take turns interpreting the services for the deaf. But it doesn’t stop there.Many of the hearing members of the branch have taken it upon themselves to learn at least some sign language.And so, before and after meeting there are the usual happy greetings and conversations you find in any Latter-day Saints congregation.But here, many of them are silent, as the language of the spirit overcomes physical communication barriers.
With so many people and languages and religions,India is a richly complex society.But among the Latter-day Saints there, a Church member from anywhere else in the world would feel right at home. Because we have a common language.
By Ramesh babu
second deaf branch Bangalore church in India.
babu_lds_ramesh@yahoo.co.in
Post a Comment