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Hi there! Today we are going to explore Deaf culture. You will learn how Deaf people connect, share, and celebrate their unique community!
Deaf culture is the unique lifestyle and beliefs shared by Deaf people. They do not see being Deaf as a disability. Instead, it is a proud identity and a rich culture with its own language.
American Sign Language, or ASL, is the heart of this community. While spoken English uses sound, ASL uses hand shapes, facial expressions, and body movements to share ideas.
In Deaf culture, getting someone's attention is different. Since sound is not used, people might gently tap a shoulder, wave a hand, or even flicker the room lights.
Imagine you want to say hello to your friend Maya, who is Deaf. She is standing across the classroom looking at a poster. How can you get her attention respectfully using what you know about Deaf culture?
- First, check if you can easily walk over to her. In Deaf culture, it is best to be close by instead of shouting from far away.
- Next, walk into her line of sight. You do not want to startle her from behind.
- Once you are in her view, wave your hand gently at eye level to say hello.
- If she was looking down, you could also tap her shoulder lightly once or twice.
- Now that she sees you, you can smile and start signing your message!
