Merry Christmas Largesse

As it has done for the past 15 years, the Sertoma club of Columbus threw a Christmas party for the deaf and hard of hearing students at Key Elementary today. I was lucky enough to help chaperone. What a true delight.

The format is predictable for the students and the teachers: pizza and soft drinks, cake and cookies, candy canes and a gift to take home. Stale? Never! Students anticipate the party each year...usually beginning in August as they return to school: Mrs. Whiteside, you remember Santa? The Sertoma secret to success? Santa Claus communicates with the students in their native language: American Sign Language. That's a pretty special Santa! (You may view video WTVM's report of the event here.)


I wrote earlier this week about the challenges of fund raising for civic clubs. And, yes, I was a bit grumpy about the Exchange club circus across from our house. But I was reminded today about why these clubs work so hard to raise money. They surely paid it forward with their largesse. Now it's my turn.

An Inspirational Life

Scanning video offerings on CNN.com this afternoon, my eyes fell on this tag: Deaf Kids Get NBA Quality Instruction. The story (below) reported on Mike Glenn and his 30 year-old Decatur, Georgia basketball camp: free for deaf kids. Intrigued, I searched for Glenn's bio. What I read made me wonder why I had not known of this remarkable man before today.

Born in Rome, Georgia in 1955, he learned to play basketball from his father, who voluntarily coached all sports for black students and taught math at the Georgia School for the Deaf in Cave Springs. He went on to graduate from Coosa High School in Rome as the number 1 ranked state basketball player and held a record which stands today: 2400 career points. Glenn graduated with a degree in mathematics and a minor in computer science (with honors) from Southern Illinois University. During his time at SIU, Glenn was recruited by UNC's basketball coach, Dean Smith, to try-out for a spot on the US Olympic team. Instead, according to Sports Illustrated, he chose to spend that summer in Carbondale volunteering at a deaf camp and taking a math class.

He broke his neck in a car accident in 1977, but recovered and returned to the NBA where he played in the NBA for 10 years and received the Walter Kennedy Service Award in 1981. He is a published author, licensed stock broker, television analyst, commissioner of the World Basketball Association, and avid collector of African-American artifacts. A successful life by any count.

What I find most amazing about this successful man is his apparent humility. He says that he was inspired to begin his deaf basketball camp when he saw deaf students' reactions as he signed to them at a deaf basketball tournament in New York. Mr. Glenn's father's volunteer coaching at GSD likely influenced him as well. He has certainly honored his father by combining the sign language and basketball skills his dad taught him with the generosity of self that his dad modeled.

Resources: Online Virtual Sign Language Dictionaries

Not a comprehensive listing, but these sites are excellent:

ASLPhabet - Currently a prototype -- animated ASL dictionary for children
ASL Pro - Extensive American Sign Language Dictionary
ASL University - dictionary and ASL curriculum
Embe Outreach - Academic subjects ASL Dictionary
Environmental Science Pictionary - RIT
Germs Pictionary - RIT  -- currently inaccessible
Math and Science Sign Language Lexicon - Rochester Institute of Technology (new site)--currently inaccessible
RIT Science/Math Sign Lexicon - Rochester Institute of Technology (old site) --currently inaccessible
Signing Savvy - limited free visits and enhanced (fee-based) membership; handy custom lists for members
Space and Astronomy Pictionary
Succeed HI - Signing Science Dictionary - by Shodor
Texas Math Sign Language Dictionary - by Texas School for the Deaf
Signing Science Dictionary - TERC - ASL and SEE Science Dictionary for Elementary Students

British Sign Language
Learn BSL - for toddlers

Interactive Multimedia ASL Vocabulary

I am keenly interested in vocabulary development for all students, but especially for those who have limited access to the informal language-learning opportunities commonly afforded most children through exposure to ordinary conversation in the home: deaf children. In looking for a way to make vocabulary aquisition motivating, meaningful, and permanent for my deaf
students, I created American Sign Language (ASL) multimedia storybooks and interactive game-like instructional activities based on popular children's literature.


My students interacted with the books for five weeks during speech therapy sessions. Not only did they improve their understanding of the words taught, transfer that learning to their everyday lexicon, and demonstrate understanding of the stories, but they also loved interacting with the words within the multimedia activities. Their excitement in learning words with technology was inspirational for this old lady!