While sitting in the cafeteria with friends one day, Mike Bolle noticed how much people use their hands when they communicate. Later thinking about this, Mike decided this could be presented in a program of some sorts about American Sign Language. He approached Michelle Price and asked if she would like to organize the program with him. Mike and Michelle received some ideas from their hall director on possible ways to present ASL to the residents of Dobson Hall. Mrs. Garlok, one of the ASL teachers on campus was contacted and it was arranged for her beginning ASL class to come to the building to put on an inservice for the residents.

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Mike Bolle and Michelle Price organized Talking With Your Hands as a way to introduce residents to American Sign Language and opportunities available around campus involving ASL. Eye-catching advertisements involving hand-prints made in paint brought residents to the main lounge of Dobson Hall on a Thursday evening in November. As residents arrived to the program, Mrs. Garlok and her class of thirty students were already waiting for them, eager to share their knowledge of ASL. The program began with an introduction of the special guests and information about the ASL class that Truman State University offers.

After this, groups of three or four ASL students each stood up in front of the residents and presented what their class project was. With six or seven of these groups presenting, residents definitely were introduced to a wide range of signs. Most groups began their portion of the presentation with a song. From “Lean on Me” to “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” and “Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer” to “Mary Had a Little Lamb,” the songs signed to residents were both well-known and easy to follow along with. Some residents picked up the signs rather quickly and signed along with the student presenters. After every song the students taught a few everyday signs to the residents, signs including restaurant, bathroom, book, and “excuse me.” For each sign both visual and verbal explanations of the signs were given so that residents would fully understand what they were being taught.

After all of the groups presented, Mrs. Garlok spoke briefly about varying forms of sign language and her experiences teaching and interpreting. Residents with experience with sign language shared their stories and demonstrated some of the signs that they knew. Lastly, residents were able to ask Mrs. Garlok to interpret specific phrases using ASL.

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The goal of Talking With Your Hands was to point out to residents that there are new opportunities available in the Truman community that they may not have been previously exposed to. Specifically, it was geared towards awareness regarding how ASL is a language of its own in which people use their hands in very specific ways to communicate.

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Residents had a great time learning some ASL signs that they can use in their everyday lives and were mesmerized by the songs that the students presenters performed. Many residents at the program did not know one another. This program gave them the opportunity to meet each other and talk about a common interest that they have: sign language. Residents commented how they enjoyed having average Truman students come and present the ASL lessons, because to begin with, it gave them the idea that they could possibly take this class and learn basic ASL someday.

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Overall, Talking With Your Hands was a great success. Everyone in attendance left the program talking (both with their voices and with signs) about the things that they had learned. Even a week later I encountered residents still using sporadic signs that they remembered. Although it would have been nice to have a slightly larger audience for the presenters or to have the presenters work more on a one-on-one basis with the residents, the program still was quite effective.

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Any program about ASL or the deaf community would be great for other campuses. Chances are that most universities either offer a sign language class like Truman does or has some sort of department that offers services to deaf students. Additionally, if the surrounding community has resources such as signed movies, church services, etc, it would be great to include such opportunities in programming. If any residents have experience with ASL, a program like Talking With Your Hands is a great way to get them involved, while giving them a chance to share what they know with fellow residents.

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