Conversational

CONVERSATIONAL

SIGN SIGN

LANGUAG
ELANGUAGE

SEMINAR
SEMINAR

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“Who made the man’s mouth, who makes the dumb, the deaf, the seeing, the blind? Have not I the Lord?”
Exodus 4:11
“Thou shalt not curse the deaf… but shalt fear thy God, I am the Lord.”
Leviticus 19:14

SIR JOJO I. ESPOSA JR. - Trainor

MANILA CHRISTIAN COMPUTER INSTITUTE FOR THE DEAF

COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY
“Opening new doors of opportunities to the Deaf using computer education”

WHAT DO WE EXPECT FROM THIS DEAF SENSITIVITY AND CONVERSATIONAL

SIGN LANGUAGE SEMINAR?

In this course, we will expect,

- our hands to get tired, our wrists feel soreness, our arms will suffer
twinge (sudden pain), and our fingers will generate cramps;
- our heads to feel dizzy with the sudden bombardment of words;
- our face to develop numbness due to muscle exertion;
- and lastly, TO LEARN HOW TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE DEAF.

Sounds painfully scary, right? Nah, they’re just the hassles of what you
expect in learning a new language. But this will be very exciting for us because we
will gain a skill in communicating using our bodies and not our mouths.

We will also be expecting,

1. Practice, practice, practice and more practice of signs;

2. Final Oral Examination on the last day of our session;
3. Certificate in Basic Sign Language Appreciation (based on the Examination)

Schedule of Sessions

Date Day Time

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 TABLE OF
T A
CONTENTS
B L E O F C O N T E N T S

TOPIC PAGE NO.

I. UNDERSTANDING DEAFNESS AND DEAF PEOPLE 4

- First Signs to Learn (Fingerspelling)
- First Song to Learn “Pilipinas Kong Mahal”

II. HOW IS DEAFNESS ACQUIRED? 6

- Second Signs to Learn (Polite Expressions)
- Second Song to Learn “Welcome to the Family”

III. LOVE FOR THE LANGUAGE MEANS LOVE FOR THE PEOPLE 8
- Third Signs to Learn (Knowing about oneself)
- Third Song to Learn “The Lord’s Prayer”

IV. CULTURE OF THE DEAF PEOPLE 10

- Fourth Signs to Learn (Day, Months and Action Words)
- Fourth Song to Learn “I have a Dream”

V. SENTENCE CONSTRUCTION USING SIGN LANGUAGE 12

- Fifth Signs to Learn (Common Descriptions and Objects)
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 - Fifth Song to Learn “Lupang Hinirang”

VI. SIGNING EFFECTIVELY 14

- Sixth Signs to Learn (People and their Relations)
- Sixth Song to Learn “I will Rejoice”

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 UNDERSTANDING DEAFNESS AND DEAF PEOPLE

A. OVERVIEW

The Deaf people are sometimes called people with HIDDEN DISABILITY because there are no
attendant and/or visible mark on their appearance such as white canes, black eyeglasses and wheelchairs
to indicate their special needs. The only visible sign that they are Deaf is the use of their special language,
which we call the “sign language”. Because of their difficulty in interacting with non-deaf people,
majority of them, especially the poor, often find themselves left alone while the rest of us “hearing” are
bombarded with tons of information from what we hear.

To start this lesson, let us first identify ourselves as compared with them. We are blessed with
having a complete physical senses; sight, hearing, taste, smell and touch. The Deaf only lack one faculty,
which is the complete use of their ears. However, they are as normal as you and I. We cannot say that
they are “ab”-normal or below normal simply because they lack one faculty. So, from this day on, we
refer to them as “Deaf” and we refer to ourselves as “hearing”. Got it?

B. ASSUMPTIONS (guesses) ABOUT DEAFNESS

1. PATHOLOGICAL ASSUMPTIONS (ideas coming from doctors, specialists, some people)

- Deafness is any significant loss of hearing.
- Deafness is a deficit (kakulangan) and Deaf people are defective (kulang kulang)
- It prevents children from acquiring speech and language (English or Tagalog) the usual way.
- It is primarily a communication handicap that in the teacher’s view has a big hindrance on
the child’s academic future.
- Deaf people are people without language and therefore incapable of having abstract thoughts
simply because of the deficit in language.
- Deaf people are traditionally considered to be on a sub-human level, incapable of education or
culture and intelligence.
- Deafness is a disease and deaf people are sick people that need to be cured.

2. SOCIOLOGICAL ASSUMPTIONS (ideas from SL teachers, linguists, deaf advocates, etc.)

- Deafness is the inability to hear and understand speech through the ear alone.
- Deaf people are first and foremost normal people. They are also deaf.
- They have the same concerns as hearing people and these don’t vanish because of deafness
although how they experience and manage it may be altered.
- Deaf people create the reality of their deafness in the context of the assumptions and practices
of the hearing world they are born into.
- Deaf people are generally outsiders in a hearing world.
- The Deaf see things in a visual way and can only react in visual terms.

C. COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT DEAF

People especially the ignorant ones often label the Deaf as:
1. Deaf and Mute (Pipi at Bingi or simply Pipi) – Mute means they cannot talk. This is entirely
wrong because some Deaf, if properly trained, can learn how to speak but not as perfectly
clear as ours.
2. Short Tongue (Putol ang Dila) - Please!!! The Deaf people have the same length of tongue as
most of us!! The reason why they cannot speak is because they cannot hear. Remember that
we acquired our speech because we heard our parents talk and copied from them. But for the
Deaf, how can they copy words if they cannot hear what we talk about?

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 3. Deaf and Dumb (Bingi at Bobo) - This is the most hurting and insulting label that we can ever
give them. The deaf has the complete set of brain cells, a highly developed sense of sight and
they are even more capable and talented in some degree than most of us.
These terms foster the belief that the Deaf people have limited intelligence and cannot be taught.
Research shows that hearing-impaired persons have the same range of intelligence and capabilities as the
hearing population. With intensive training by skilled professionals, most Deaf people can be taught how
to speak. The voices are often strange and pronunciation may be imperfect but with the desire to
communicate, most hearing people can be accustomed to Deaf speech.

FIRST SIGNS TO LEARN – LEARNING THE ALPHABET AND NUMBERS

Here are the basic hand shapes for the alphabet and numbers.

ABCDEFgHIJKLM
A B C D E F G H I J K L M

N O P Q R S T U V W X YZ
N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

1 2 3
123456789
4 5 6 7 8 9

10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 30, 40, 50, 100, 1000, 2000

Memorize them and it will go a long way for you to learn. Now, try to spell out the following words.
1. your name 5. CELL PHONE 9. PHILIPPINES 13. JANUARY 25, 2013
2. COMPUTER 6. NOKIA 3210 10. DEAF 14. VALENTINE
3. MANILA CHRISTIAN 7. SM/ROBINSONS 11. CUBAO/QUIAPO 15. 639204656138
4. GLOBE/SMART 8. COLLEGE 12. SAN MATEO 16. 6324688079

FIRST SONG TO LEARN – PILIPINAS KONG MAHAL

This is probably the shortest, rather slow and a very patriotic song for us Filipinos that we need to
learn. We will not sign everything. We will only underline what will be signed. English translation is
written below the underlined words.

I. ANG BAYAN KO’Y TANGING IKAW PILIPINAS KONG MAHAL

country mine only you Philippines love
ANG PUSO KO AT BUHAY MAN SA IYO IBIBIGAY
heart mine life give to you (flag)
TUNGKULIN KO’Y GAGAMPANAN NA LAGI KANG PAGLINGKURAN

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 duty obey always serve
ANG LAYA MO’Y BABANTAYAN PILIPINAS KONG HIRANG
free care Philippines love
HOW IS DEAFNESS ACQUIRED?

A. TWO PERSPECTIVES ON DEAF PEOPLE

PATHOLOGICAL MODEL VERSUS CULTURAL MODEL

INFERIOR; SLOW LEARNERS INTELLIGENCE NO DIFFERENCE
LEARNING DISABLED
LIMITED ABILITIES BEYOND LIMITS
SPEECH & LANGUAGE ARE LANGUAGE FILIPINO SIGN LANGUAGE
CONFUSED (FSL)
LANGUAGE DEFICIENT
CULTURALLY DEPRIVED; CULTURE DEAF CULTURE
ISOLATED
COMMUNICATION DISORDER COMUNICATION DIFFERENT WAY OF
COMMUNICATING
CAN’T EXPRESS ABSTRACT REASONING FULL RANGE OF ABILITIES
IDEAS (LOVE, RESPECT,
FAITH)
DEAF PERSON CAN’T SUMMARY DEAF PERSON CAN!

B. DEGREES OF HEARING LOSS

NORMAL HEARING (10-25 dB loss) NO SIGNIFICANT DIFFICULTY

SLIGHTLY HARD-OF- HEARING MAY OR MAY NOT BE NOTICED:

(25 - 40 dB loss) DIFFICULTY OF HEARING FAINTS OR AT
DISTANT SPEECH; CAN USE THE PHONE

MILDLY HARD-OF-HEARING GENERALLY UNDERSTANDS CONVERSATIONAL

(40 - 55 dB loss) SPEECH IF LESS THAN FIVE FEET AWAY
FROM SPEAKER; CAN USE THE PHONE

HARD-OF-HEARING OR SOUND MUST BE LOUD AND NEAR TO BE

MODERATELY DEAF HEARD; CAN USE THE PHONE WITH SOME
(55 - 70 dB loss) HEARING PEOPLE

SEVERLY DEAF SHOUTING WILL NOT BE HEARD; SPEECH

(70 - 90 dB loss) CAN’T BE LEARNED THROUGH CONVERSATION;
CAN’T USE THE PHONE

PROFOUNDLY DEAF SOUNDS ARE PERCEIVED AS VIBRATIONS

(over 90 dB loss) THROUGH THE BODY; CANNOT USE THE PHONE

C. CAUSES OF DEAFNESS

1. Heredity
2. Diseases (Maternal Rubella or German Measles, chicken pox, h-fever, meningitis)
3. Respiratory infection, colds or allergy (Otitis Media or middle ear infection)
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 4. Toxicity/Overdose (Neomycin, kanamycin, gentamycin, aspirin, quinine, diuretics)
5. Drug abuse
6. Physical Injuries and Accidents

7. Maternal problems
a. Maternal bleeding d. Fetal distress due to maternal shock
b. Self-medications e. Prolonged labor
c. Premature delivery (less than 3 lbs.)
8. Cleft palate
9. Noise induced or noise trauma which becomes a hearing loss
10. Unknown

D. AGE OF ONSET

1. Congenital- hearing loss before or at birth

2. Adventitious- occurs during years 1-5 (prime language acquisition) or later

REVIEW OF FIRST DAY LESSON – LEARNING THE ALPHABET AND NUMBERS

I. SIGN THEIR NAMES AGAIN

II. FINGERSPELL THE WORDS AND LET THE STUDENTS READ THEM.
III. SIGN OF VARIOUS WORDS
IV. SIGN THE SONG “PILIPINAS KONG MAHAL”

SECOND SIGNS TO LEARN – POLITE EXPRESSIONS

1. HI/HELLO 16. CONGRATULATIONS

2. GOOD MORNING/AFTERNOON/EVENING 17. OKEY/ALRIGHT
3. I’M SORRY 18. YOU’RE RIGHT
4. THANK YOU VERY MUCH 19. MAY I BORROW
5. HOW ARE YOU? 20. PLEASE SIT DOWN
6. HOW OLD ARE YOU? 21. COME WITH ME
7. I AM FINE. THANK YOU. 22. VERY GOOD
8. PLEASE COME IN. 23. SEE YOU LATER/TAKE CARE
9. YOU’RE WELCOME 24. I DON’T/CAN’T UNDERSTAND
10. EXCUSE ME 25. WHAT’S GOING ON?/WHAT HAPPENED?
11. FORGIVE ME 26. I LOVE/LIKE/HATE YOU
12. GOODBYE 27. WOW!/THAT’S BEAUTIFUL
13. HAPPY BIRTHDAY 28. HAPPY VALENTINE/GRADUATION
14. MERRY CHRISTMAS 29. GOD BLESS YOU
15. HAPPY NEW YEAR 30. IT’S UP TO YOU

SECOND SONG TO LEARN – WELCOME TO THE FAMILY

WELCOME TO THE FAMILY, WE’RE GLAD THAT YOU HAVE COME

happy
TO SHARE YOUR LIFE WITH US, AS WE GROW IN LOVE AND
all people
MAY WE ALWAYS BE TO YOU WHAT GOD WOULD HAVE US BE
hope
A FAMILY ALWAYS THERE TO BE STRONG AND TO LEAN ON

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 depend upon

LOVE FOR THE LANGUAGE MEANS LOVE FOR THE PEOPLE

A. HISTORY OF SIGN LANGUAGE

ANCIENT WORLD
When children were discovered to be deaf, they were often disowned and left to die or fend for themselves.
Only the Hebrews have the care and concern for the deaf and blind as included in their laws in Leviticus 19:14
which states “Thou shalt not curse the deaf, nor put a stumbling block before the blind. But shalt fear thy God; I
am God.”

1642-7
In North America, the deaf quickly developed their own methods of communication by signing. For
example, in Martha’s Vineyard, an island in Massachusetts, the first inhabitants were deaf people. Both deaf and
hearing people used sign language as method of communication!

1817-1860
First language of sign instruction was signed French that comes from natural signs. Abbe de l’ Epee
expanded it by adding methodical signs for French syntax such as articles, genders, prepositions and conjunctions.
The first permanent school for the deaf was established in Hartford, Connecticut. Later, Thomas Hopkins
Gallaudet, an educator and church leader, saw the establishment of schools for the deaf in USA. So he dreamed of a
college. This dream was passed to his son, Edward Miner Gallaudet, who was responsible for establishing Gallaudet
College in Washington D.C. which later became a University, the only one of its kind in the world.

1860-1900
There is a growing interest in oralism and ultimate domination. Horace Mann reported the success of
oralism in Germany and UK. Alexander Graham Bell (inventor of telephone, telegraph and audiometer) taught
visible speech because his mother was severely deaf and his wife Mabel, who is also deaf. In 2 nd Congress on deaf
education at Milan, Italy, they declared that it’s oral method only. But sign language did not die for deaf people use
it outside of schools.

1890-1960
Pure oral domination in primary grades and discouraging sign language became the rule. Hearing aids
become readily available. They suppressed sign language. The government outlawed deaf marriages and prohibition
of deaf teachers.

1960-present
Due to failure in deaf education, people devised the simultaneous communication (sign supported speech
and total communication (speech with signs, finger spelling, gestures, devices and expressions). They also developed
the Rochester method or pure fingerspelling.

B. SIGN LANGUAGE AND COMMUNICATION MODE

Basically and traditionally the language of sign is a language to communicate concepts rather than a sign
for each word. It is many times the mingling of acting, gestures, facial expressions and fingerspelling. Usually it is
more used by the highly literature persons communicating with other of the same verbal level of understanding.
Sometime the beauty and meaning of their traditional signs challenge the ability to translate them to word or
interpret their picturesque meaning.

1. Non-verbal modes
a. Gestures (body movements) b. Pantomime (acting out things) c. Art/dance/drama
2. Verbal modes
a. Oral communication c. LOVE signs
b. Filipino Sign Language d. Signed English

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3. Manually coded English
a. Signing Exact English I b. Signing Exact English II
4. Fingerspelling
5. Simultaneous Communication/Total Communication

COMPARISON OF SIGN LANGUAGE SYSTEMS

ASL/FSL GESTURES PIDGIN SIGNED ENGLISH MANUAL/CODED

ENGLISH
WHO Deaf people Deaf people Hearing people who studies Educators of deaf children
DEVELOPED signs from ASL studying the
grammar of the language
PURPOSE To communicate To communicate To communicate easily with To increase the deaf user’s
with each other with each other the deaf knowledge of English, to
teach English to deaf
people
CHARAC- Standard signs, Gestures without ASL signs following the Mostly invented signs with
TERISTIC gestures, facial English signs English word order suffixes, prefixes, etc.
expressions and
finger spelling
NATURE A language in its Merely hand Language contact Not a language, just a set of
own right movements invented codes or visual
English
EASE OF Most natural to the Copied visual Easier for hearing than ASL Easiest for hearing to
LEARNING deaf movements learn; hardest for deaf

WE CAN’T FORCE OUR OWN LANGUAGE TO BE USED BY THE DEAF. It’s up to us to understand
their language and try to relate it to our own. That is how the Filipino Sign Language is born, out of necessity. It is
easier for us hearing to relate our own Filipino language to signs.

REVIEW OF LESSON – POLITE EXPRESSIONS

I. SIGN THE EXPRESSIONS AND LET THEM READ IT.

II. DO THE REVERSE. MAKE SOME SIMPLE CONVERSATIONS.

THIRD SIGNS TO LEARN – KNOWING ABOUT ONESELF/QUESTION WORDS

1. name, lastname, firstname, nickname (pangalan) 9. which (alin)

2. old (edad, gulang) 10. why (bakit)
3. live/address/residence (tirahan) 11. how (paano)
4. telephone number 12. how many/count (ilan)
5. who (sino) 13. How much (magkano)
6. where (saan) 14. I, you, he, she, it, they(ako, ikaw, siya, sila)
7. what (ano) 15. We, us (tayo)
8. when (kailan) 16. My, mine, yours, our/s, their/s, self (akin, iyo,
atin, kanila)

THIRD SONG TO LEARN – THE LORD’S PRAYER

OUR FATHER WHO ARE IN HEAVEN HOLY BE YOUR NAME

HEAVENLY FATHER
YOUR KINGDOM COME, YOUR WILL BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN
FINISH DO SAME
GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD AND FORGIVE US OUR SINS
NOW
AS WE FORGIVE THOSE WHO SINNED AGAINST US

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 SAME OTHERS
AND LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION BUT DELIVER US FROM EVIL

FOR YOURS IS THE KINGDOM THE POWER AND THE GLORY FOREVER AMEN.

CULTURE OF THE DEAF PEOPLE

A. DEFINITION OF CULTURE

A culture is a set of learned behaviors of a group of people.

It is a set of learned behaviors of a group of people, who have their own language, values, rules of
behavior and tradition.

Deaf’s proposal for defining Deaf Culture

It is a set of learned behaviors and perceptions that shape the values and norms of deaf people
based on their shared or common experience.

B. OBJECTIVE OF DEAF CULTURE

One is the successful adaptation and survival of the group in its specific environment; the other is
the maintenance of the group’s identity and unity through time.

C. BASIC CONCEPTS OF DEAF CULTURE

1. Communication - because of absence of hearing, deaf people use eyes and hands to communicate.
2. Language – It is called American Sign Language or Philippine Sign Language.
3. Perceptions – how do deaf people see the world, sharing common experience of being deaf shapes
values, rules of behavior and common knowledge, out of necessity
Technology – TTYs, lights, for doorbell, phone ring, decoders and cell phones
Different ways of getting attention
4. Community - creating a community of Deaf people to:
- develop a special bond;
- develop a sense of belonging to a group of deaf people;
- develop their own identity as Deaf persons;
- develop high self-esteem or positive self-image.
5. Stories/folklore - Sharing stories, jokes and historical information. Thus, deaf folklore, deaf literature
and deaf history are developed.

D. CHARATERISTICS OF A DEAF PERSON (Based on questions asked from Ervin and the rest of MCCID students.)

1. Mainstreamed with hearing without moving, they can be mistaken as hearing people.
2. They make peculiar movements when communicating.
3. They show feelings in exaggerated appearance.
4. They view the happenings in their surroundings in a different way according to what he sees thus,
lack of information
5. They are keen on gossiping and making stories about other persons. (Aren’t we all?)
6. They show respect to teachers and higher authority especially those who are skilled in sign language.
7. They easily feel the change of mood and feeling of another person.
8. It is imbedded in their emotions the feeling of deprivation, people. They feel sorry for their predicament.
9. They are suspicious, sometimes lazy.
10. They have a highly developed sense of sight.

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REVIEW OF THIRD DAY LESSON – QUESTION WORDS

I. SIGN THE QUESTIONS AND LET THEM READ IT.

II. DO THE REVERSE. MAKE SOME SIMPLE CONVERSATIONS.

FOURTH SIGNS TO LEARN – DAYS, MONTHS, TIME AND ACTION WORDS

DAYS, MONTHS AND TIME

1. today/now/time 16. Thursday

2. yesterday 17. Friday
3. tomorrow 18. Saturday
4. last year 19. January
5. once/twice/sometimes 20. February
6. before 21. March
7. after 22. April
8. next 23. May
9. day 24. June
10. week 25. July
11. month 26. August
12. Sunday 27. September
13. Monday 28. October
14. Tuesday 29. November
15. Wednesday 30. December

BASIC ACTION WORDS (SOME WITH ASTERISK * ARE USED IN DIRECTIONAL WAY)

1. do, don’t (huwag) 16. carry/bring*

2. can, can’t (hindi pwede) 17. teach *
3. see/hear* 18. want/like (gusto)
4. sit/stand 19. allow/permit
5. finish (tapos na) 20. introduce*
6. cry/laugh 21. follow*
7. jump/kneel 22. make
8. fall (nahulog) /fail (bumagsak) 23. use (gumamit, gamitin)
9. pass (dumaan, pumasa) 24. try
10. go out/come in (lumabas, pumasok) 25. clean*
11. play/playboy (laro, maglaro/mapaglaro ) 26. invite*
12. on/off (patay, buhay) 27. accept
13. call * (tumawag, tawagan sa telepono) 28. pray
14. pay* 29. believe
15. prepare 30. not yet (hindi pa)

FOURTH SONG TO LEARN – I HAVE A DREAM (WESTLIFE)

I HAVE A DREAM, A SONG TO SING TO HELP YOU COPE WITH ANYTHING

SING OVERCOME TROUBLES
IF YOU SEE THE WONDER OF A FAIRY TALE, YOU CAN TAKE THE FUTURE
BEAUTIFUL STORY GET
EVEN IF IT FAILS
IT DOES’NT MATTER LOSS

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CHO: I BELIEVE INANGELS SOMETHING GOOD IN EVERYTHING I SEE
ALL
I BELIEVE IN ANGELS WHEN I KNOW THE TIME IS RIGHT FOR ME
KNOW
ACROSS THE STREET I HAVE A DREAM
FUTURE
SENTENCE CONSTRUCTION USING FILIPINO SIGN LANGUAGE AND A CHANGED
ATTITUDE TOWARDS THE DEAF

A. SENTENCE CONSTRUCTION USING FILIPINO SIGN LANGUAGE

Filipino Sign Language is not related to Filipino Language. However, unlike the English language,
Filipino Language Word Order is very much related to the deaf sign order. English follows the “Subject-
Verb” agreement while Tagalog uses the “Verb – Subject” system.

To show:
ENGLISH: I LIKE YOU. HAVE YOU EATEN YOUR LUNCH?
Subject Verb Direct Object Subject Verb Object
TAGALOG: GUSTO KITA. KUMAIN KA NA BA?
Verb Subject Verb Subject
FSL: LIKE - YOU - (ME) FINISH EAT YOU?
Verb Direct Object Subject Verb Subject

Let’s try signing the following words.

1. DO YOU LIKE TO JOIN THE GAME/PLAY? (GUSTO MONG SUMALI SA LARO?)
2. PLEASE TURN OFF THE LIGHTS. (PAKIPATAY MO ANG ILAW.)
3. I LIKE TO LEARN SIGN LANGUAGE. (GUSTO KONG MATUTO NG SIGN LANGUAGE.)
4. MAY I CALL YOU TOMORROW? (PWEDE BA AKONG TUMAWAG BUKAS?)
5. I SAW HER YESTERDAY. (NAKITA KO SIYA KAHAPON.)

FIFTH SIGNS TO LEARN – COMMON DESCRIPTION, BASIC OBJECTS AND PLACES

COMMON ADJECTIVES AND THEIR ANTONYMS

1. beautiful/handsome/ugly 11. light/dark

2. tall/long/short 12. jealous/envy
3. high/low 13. big/small
4. fat/thin 14. white/black
5. strong/weak 15. intelligent/dumb
6. industrious/lazy 16. wise/stupid
7. happy/sad 17. sweet/sour
8. straight/crooked 18. rich/poor
9. smooth/rough 19. successful/failure
10. clean/dirty 20. sick/well

BASIC OBJECTS AND PLACES

1. chair 11. school/college/university/high school/elementary

2. car/jeep 12. office
3. computer/printer 13. park
4. table 14. library
5. electric fan 15. comfort room
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 6. plant/flower 16. laboratory
7. bird/sky 17. hospital/clinic
8. book/newspaper/ball pen/pencil 18. hotel/motel
9. food/vegetable/meat/fish 19. market
10. radio/TV 20. church

Let’s again try signing the following words.

6. ST. LUKE’S HOSPITAL IS VERY BIG AND CLEAN.
(MALINIS AT MALAKI ANG ST. LUKE’S HOSPITAL.)
7. PLEASE (you) GO TO CHURCH EVERY SUNDAY.
(SIGE NA, PUMUNTA KA SA SIMBAHAN TUWING LINGGO.)
8. YOU EAT MANY VEGETABLES THAN MEAT TO MAKE YOU STRONG AND WISE.
(KUMAIN KA NG MARAMING GULAY KESA SA KARNE PARA MAGING MALAKAS AT
MATALINO KA).
9. I NEED TO GET MY BALLPEN AND PENCIL IN THE OFFICE.
(KAILANGAN KONG KUNIN YUNG BALL PEN AT LAPIS KO SA OPISINA.)
10. I READ FROM THE NEWSPAPER AND HEARD FROM THE RADIO THE NEWS.
(NABASA KO SA DYARYO AT NARINIG KO SA RADIO ANG BALITA.)
11. I PRAY FOR YOUR SUCCESS AND HAPPINESS.
(DALANGIN KO ANG IYONG TAGUMPAY AT LIGAYA.)
12. THE CHAIR AND TABLE ARE WHITE AND SMOOTH BUT WEAK.
(MAPUTI AT MAKINIS PERO MAHINA ANG UPUAN AT MESA.)

FIFTH SONG TO LEARN – PAMBANSANG AWIT NG PILIPINAS

BAYANG MAGILIW PERLAS NG SILANGANAN

COUNTRY LOVE PEARL EAST
ALAB NG PUSO, SA DIBDIB MO’Y BUHAY
FIRE HEART CHEST LIFE
LUPANG HINIRANG DUYAN KA NG MAGITING
LAND CHOSE CRADLE STRONG
SA MANLULUPIG DI KA PASISIIL
CONQUEROR NEVER FAIL
SA DAGAT AT BUNDOK SA SIMOY AT SA LANGIT MONG BUGHAW
SEA MOUNTAIN SMELL BLUE SKY
MAY DILAG ANG TULA AT AWIT SA PAGLAYANG MINAMAHAL
BEAUTY SING FREE LOVE
ANG KISLAP NG WATAWAT MO’Y TAGUMPAY NA NAGNININGNING
SHINE FLAG SUCCESS SHINE
ANG BITUIN AT ARAW NA KAILANPAMA’Y DI MAGDIDILIM
STAR SUN NEVER DARK
LUPA NG ARAW NG LUWALHATI’T PAGSINTA
LAND SUN GLORY LOVE
BUHAY AY LANGIT SA PILING MO
LIFE HEAVEN TOGETHER YOU
AMING LIGAYA NA PAG MAY MANG-AAPI
HAPPY CONQUEROR
ANG MAMATAY NG DAHIL SA’YO
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 DIE BECAUSE YOU(FLAG)

SIGNING EFFECTIVELY

A. HOW DO WE SIGN SO THAT THE DEAF CAN EASILY UNDERSTAND US?

1. Always remember what you want to say and not how you say it. Sign in concepts and thoughts
and not concentrate on signs of every word.
Ex: If you want to tell him to be quiet, just sign “shh” naturally and not to sign “Please be quiet.”
2. When you fingerspell, don’t make any necessary hand motions. The Deaf or hearing reader
would feel dizzy when he reads a wavy fingerspell. Make some pauses if it’s the end of a word.
3. Coordinate the body language, facial expression and hand positions when you sign. When the
sign “tired” shows a complete body appearance of being exhausted, “strong/strength” calls for
throwing the body back and the chest forward.
4. A sign can be made slowly or with speed; static or moving and gently or forceful. All the
elements are an important part of portraying the full meaning of your message.
5. Signs follow a progression and pauses mean the end of a thought. Signing, just like speaking,
or writing, is grouped in paragraphs of thought and pauses to introduce a new topic.
6. Direction is very much important part of language of signs. The same sign made in different
direction can give a different meaning. Borrow from you, or you borrow from me are entirely
different actions.

SIXTH SIGNS TO LEARN – PEOPLE, THEIR RELATIONS AND PROFESSIONS

COMMON PERSONS AND THEIR RELATIONSHIPS

1. I/me/my/ mine 11. Adam/Eve

2. boy/girl 12. brother-in-law/sister-in-law
3. father/mother/parent 13. child/children
4. brother/sister 14. father-in-law/mother-in-law
5. grandfather/grandmother 15. step brother/step sister
6. uncle/auntie 16. eldest/youngest
7. nephew/niece 17. widow/widower
8. husband/wife 18. friend/neighbor/best friend
9. bride/groom 19. orphan
10. grandson/granddaughter (apo) 20. cousin

COMMON PEOPLE, PROFESSIONS AND OCCUPATIONS

1. teacher/instructor 11. king/queen/prince

2. lawyer/attorney 12. deaf/blind
3. doctor/nurse/midwife 13. mentally retarded
4. soldier/guard/army 14. cripple/wheelchair
5. boss/chief 15. adviser/counselor
6. thief/robber 16. architect
7. people/crowd 17. painter
8. tailor/sewer/dressmaker 18. barber/hairdresser
9. policeman/cop 19. waiter/service crew

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 10. dancer/singer 20. secretary/typist

To practice what we’ve learned from the previous lessons in “Signing effectively” let’s try to tell a
simple short story like the one on the next page. Let’s analyze and see how we can tell it through signs.

Ex: When I was in elementary, I always wanted to have a small remote controlled car which I saw my neighbor
and friend were playing. I envy him so much that I always stare at his own car while playing it.
So, when December arrived, I asked my parents how to tell Santa Claus that I want to receive a remote
controlled car. My Daddy told me that I should write a letter to Santa three days before Christmas, telling him that I was
a good boy this past year and I like to receive a remote controlled car, put it inside a big sock and hang it near the
window. My Mommy warned me not to peek on the window during Christmas eve because I might scare Santa Claus
and not grant my wish.

I was so excited as Christmas gets nearer and nearer. But I was thinking, how can a remote controlled car fit
into my small sock? Anyway, it doesn’t matter. Santa Claus will find a way.

Christmas morning arrived. I rushed out of my bed. We used to have a double-deck bed because my sister sleeps
at the bottom. I immediately went out of my room and ran to the sala where our big window is. Then, I saw my sock, it
was empty. I felt sad. But, when I looked at the bottom, I saw a big rectangular-shaped box with Christmas wrapper. I
tear up the wrapper and I opened the box. There it was, a big red Cadillac with a very long antenna and flashing lights
in both front and back. I asked my Daddy to help me put the battery and turn it on. I clicked on the remote control and it
moved! I turned the control to the left; it followed, to the right, it changed. When I clicked the other button, the rooftop
opened and machine gun fires up. It was a very happy time for me. I can never forget what happened.

FIFTH SONG TO LEARN – I WILL REJOICE

CHO:I WILL REJOICE (3X)

FOR I MADE MY CHOICE TO REJOICE IN THE LORD

FINISH MAKE FOUND

IT DOESN’T DEPEND ON MY CIRCUMSTANCE THE STRENGTH OF MY ARM OR MY VOICE

DON’T DEPEND HAPPEN

IT DOESN’T DEPEND ON THE WAY I FEEL I’VE MADE UP MY MIND SO I’M GONNA REJOICE
DON’T DEPEND FINISH DECIDE I REJOICE

B. SUMMARY

Now, do you think you already know everything about sign language? I hope so since everything that we
learned are the day-to-day words and phrases that are commonly used. If we are really serious in improving our
skill, I suggest we do the following:

1. Check our motives again. Why did I learn sign language? What is it for? If you’re only enamored with
the movement of hands especially in music, then, our reason is way off from what it should be.
2. Practice makes perfect. Try improving your fingerspelling skills. Review some more. Connect all the
words that you know so that you can create a complete and clear sentence.
3. Talk to the Deaf. I believe that your skill will greatly improve if you use them. You cannot practice it
with just another hearing person. You know? You would certainly win many Deaf friends if you truly
make out of you way and have some time with them.
4. Learn some more. Manila Christian Computer Institute for the Deaf College of Technology has
developed a one-year curriculum for those who are interested to pursue an in-depth study in sign
language. The Certificate in Sign Language Interpreting Course is carefully developed to enhance the
capabilities of the interpreter to improve his/her skill in Filipino Sign Language.

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