Our Journey Unites Us - Linda

We cultivate cross-cultural understanding by enriching Deaf communities across Ontario: “For Deaf Awareness month and the upcoming International Week of Deaf People, OCSD wishes to share each of our personal Deaf and signing journey that unites us. Every one of our experience in life is different. No right or wrong, helps bring us together.

We hope you will share your journey with our community to spread awareness. A short video to be featured here on Tuesdays after this month. If you wish to participate, send an email to socialmedia@ocsdeaf.org to get the questions to help guide you.

Enjoy all the Tuesday features of “Our Journey Unites Us”.

Transcript: Hi, I’m Linda Ryall. I was born deaf, my parents hearing family and 6 siblings are hearing. I am the eldest of 6 siblings, My parents discovered that I had rubella (German measles) My first language was English. I went to public school from age 5 to 9 during kindergarten and elementary. There were no sign language interpreters or educational support. I did not know ASL (American Sign Language). None In 1959, My parents found a deaf school in Vancouver, BC. I attended there at the age 10. Shocked, I became attracted to students using every day sign languages. Naturally, I learned and picked up sign language. through interaction with deaf children in the dorm, sports We ate together in the cafeteria and varieties, All of the hearing teachers used Total Communication ( TC ) and SEE (Signed Exact English). During my high school My Deaf class went to a mainstream program ( 2 years) from 1965-1967 Again, the teacher was hearing using TC. Finished, I returned to a deaf school for one year until graduation in 1968 Still, no ASL knowledge, living in Regina, Saskatchewan, curious to know what ASL is, attending workshops hooked and learning and want to learn more, later, willing to learn a lot about ASL took training and attended various workshops to train to learn more Later in 1982. I became an ASL teacher then living in Ontario When I was 57, I took the ASL and literacy programs at George Brown College full-time for 2 years. I learned a lot more about ASL history, Deaf culture, and linguistics among many other things. To learn ASL, it is not too late for late ages – 20’s, 30s, 40s, 50’s, or the latest. anytime Even though I am retired, I continue to teach ASL. My identity is Deaf. Happy International Week of the Deaf 2022! Waving in the air!