This was the final week of my ASL class, and it has truly been such a fun and meaningful experience. Reflecting back on this course has been very interesting, especially because this was my first time learning a new language as an adult. I found it quite challenging to consistently practice while also balancing the demands of being in school. Although I was usually able to understand the content each week, I noticed that it quickly became foggy without regular practice. Not having people in my everyday life to converse with in ASL made it difficult to retain what I had learned, and it really highlighted how important consistent interaction is when learning a new language. Despite these challenges, this has been a great learning experience and something I would love to continue pursuing in the future. Unfortunately, I cannot fit the next course into my schedule while I am still in school, but I hope to return to it one day.

One of my favourite parts of this experience was learning more about the Deaf community and Deaf culture. It really stood out to me how little accessibility exists in many parts of our everyday world. This course helped me become more aware of these barriers and the importance of creating more inclusive spaces for communication. This is something I can take into my practice as an educator. It is important to create classrooms and school spaces where everyone feels included no matter what language they speak.

For our final class, we practiced signing a short biography for one another. Below is a video where I share a few things about myself using what I have learned this semester. I hope you enjoy!

“My name is Alix. I am hearing, I speak English and am learning ASL. I grew up in Campbell River, now I live in Victoria near the ocean. My favourite color is yellow. I have a cat and a dog.  I like riding my bike, hiking and camping. I don’t like staying inside. I love learning ASL. Thank you.”