Annika, you have enriched our shared learning on this topic, so I am glad that you felt inspired to share your thoughts and experiences. Here is my question for others who have had the experience - my own has been with deaf and differently-hearing people *who all speak the same regional language* including their sign language.
Let us say that this is a gathering of differently-hearing people from several different countries. I learned American Sign Language just a bit, many years ago. And when I did, I learned there are country and regional differences, even accents, if you will. Are those differences enough to bring forth any communication needs *amongst* the differently-hearing people coming from different countries for a dialogue event? I was humbled by the help and feedback I received when doing Open Space with a mixed-group of individuals - some use voice because they learned that way, some do not, some do not use sound… I have observed that sometimes it is generational - how in your own country it was thought (when you were young) you should be taught, as a deaf or differently hearing person. I am just being curious. Lee and Phelim and company I know that you yourselves have had some incredible experiences and learning with mixed-abilities groups. Thank you everyone for sharing in this rich learning about such a rich and inclusive topic, Lisa On Sep 25, 2013, at 8:43 AM, "Annika von Walter" <[email protected]> wrote: > Hello all together, > > I am rather new on this list, reading it for quite a while with great > interest and learning a lot, but not having written anything yet. Let's > change! > > I facilitated only a few OSTs until now, but I worked with deaf children for > quite a while before and I am in good contact with deaf adults. So actually I > never combined both, OST and working with deaf. Nevertheless, there are > several thoughts on my mind. > > As Lee suggested, it will be a meeting with participants using sign language > as their mother 'tongue'. I suppose, that walking the circle could be > complicated: The interpreters will hear you and they can translate, but you > would always cross the eye contact between interpreters and participants. So > Diane's idea sounds very good: walk the circle once while making a litte > break and inviting to get in touch with each other. > > Usually deaf people who are used to sign language - different to those, who > got deafened rather late in life - prefer sign language to a written text on > a sceen. Sign language is just as fast and just as complex as spoken language > (at least German Sign language is, maybe ask the interpreters for this > topic!). Therefor I suppose, that it will be not necessary to reduce your > opening or to use a screen and written English. Writing and reading is hard > to learn if you don't hear, as it is connected with the spoken language - > surely a foreign language with not only different words, but also a different > grammar and structure. So relying on sign language surly is the best choice. > > Writing down the topics one after the other and announcing them afterwards is > surely a good idea! In this period the interpreters will have to translate > the other way, from BSL to English. > > If there are only participants knowing sign language, you won't need > interpreters in the meetings. Maybe the documentation might be a challenge, > as writing is not that common to some deaf people and as writing and > communicating with signs at the same time won't work. Just ask the community > in the preparing meeting, if they need help and if they have any ideas. Maybe > it is worth thinking about a video documentation using signs as well? Anyhow: > I suppose there is a deaf community that can answer all the questions and > that will have the best ideas - don't hesitate to ask! > > I am really curious how you get on - please share!! And good luck! > > Greetings from Berlin > > Annika von Walter > > A n nik a v on W a l te r > Organisations- & Teamentwicklung > > > Ceciliengärten 35 > 12159 Berlin > > Telefon 030 78 95 87 82 > Mobil 01577 97 66 647 > > [email protected] > www.annikavonwalter.de > > Denken Sie an Ihre Umwelt - ist es wirklich notwendig, diese Mail zu drucken? > > Von: [email protected] > [mailto:[email protected]] Im Auftrag von chris grady > Gesendet: Dienstag, 24. September 2013 13:58 > An: World wide Open Space Technology email list > Betreff: Re: [OSList] OS with Sign Language as a first language > > This is inspiring. Thank you > Chris > > Chris Grady FRSA > Chris Grady.Org > > Gothic House, High Road, Great Finborough, Suffolk IP14 3AQ > Tel: +44 1449 771007, Mob: +44 7713 643971 > [email protected] > > www.chrisgrady.org > Associates: Kath Burlinson, Tom Atkins, Rajni Shah, Keum Rolling, Drew Davies > and Kate Reed (New York) > CGO - Making Connections > > Current Projects/Contracts: > Course Leader – MA Arts Management Anglia Ruskin University > International Licensing Consultant – Stage Entertainment NL > Associate - Wonderbird Ltd / Consultancy > Advisor - Kolomna Pastila (Russia) and DxL Creations (Japan) > In development - StoryMusic2020 > > For more information on CGO Surgeries for theatremakers and emerging artists > And for work using Open Space Technology go to www.chrisgrady.org > CGO Surgeries are kindly supported by Arts Council England through Grant for > the A > > > On Mon, Sep 23, 2013 at 4:10 PM, Lee Simpson <[email protected]> wrote: > Hi Diane, > > Thank you for sharing your experience. That is really great to read about, > very useful and very encouraging. > > lee > > On 23 Sep 2013, at 16:01, Diane Gibeault <[email protected]> wrote: > > > Hi Lee, > > I facilitated an Open Space meeting for deafened people, people who once > heard and spoke but have now lost their hearing completely or in good part > and have not necessarily learned sign language or lip reading. The invitation > from a volunteer organization went to the community at large. > > Over twenty people met for half a day. The theme was focussed on service and > access needs of deafened people. Communication was assisted by interpreters, > sound enhancing ear plugs and simultaneous captioning services enabling > participants to read spoken words on a large screen. > > We were able to preserve the formation of the full circle of chairs by having > some of the hearing participants (partner accompanying a deafened > participant, sponsor of the organization, sign language interpreter and > facilitator) sit at one end of the circle, their backs to the screen which > other participants needed to see. > > As the facilitator I could not walk in the circle while speaking because it > would have interfered with the view of the screen but I did walk around the > circle once without speaking. I had told the group I would do so and that at > the same time, they were invited to let their eyes go around the circle, > acknowledging the richness of the people present. I made eye contact with > everyone, we all smiled and nodded to welcome each other and they did the > same with other participants. The circle was bound. > > Harisson Owen’s “less is more” never was so true. To explain the process, I > had to speak slowly, using few words, choosing key important ones so that the > captioning note takers and interpreters would represent the ideas as clearly > and as completely as possible. Otherwise, they will cut on what was said or > put it in words that may not reflect as well what you wanted to say. Beth > Martin a OS trainee who assisted in the Open Space was asked by the sponsor > to take the role of reading the screen and signalling to me when I had to > slow down. If a message had been really distorted, she would have caught it > and let me know. > > Participants wrote their topics and only when all had finished did they take > turns to announce them from their seat. This way, everyone could look at the > screen or interpreter. Otherwise, they would have missed the topic > announcements because they would be looking at their sheet while writing > their own topic. Participants with topics then picked up a Post-it with time > and place and put up their topics on the wall. After this first round, some > came up with more ideas for topics and we proceeded in the same way again. > > Once all the topics were on the wall, further instructions were given and off > they went to sign up. If they needed to negotiate combinations or time > changes, they could communicate with each other by writing on the paper pad > they were given or calling upon an interpreter. Each meeting site had a large > screen computer and a note taker and participants sat around to read on the > screen what was being said. Interpreters went where they were needed. There > was a talking piece at every meeting site to help see who was speaking. A > real break was scheduled between the two discussion rounds to give everyone a > rest from reading. > > Discussion reports were completed after the event, given it was only a half > day meeting. For reporting to the entire group at the end of the event, two > flip charts were placed near the circle in the plenary room and initiators > had been invited to write two or three lines that captured the key idea or > action coming out of their discussion. This encouraged them to organize their > thoughts and it condensed the reporting period. Initiators read their two > line reports that were captured by the interpreters and the larger screen. > Participants exchanged comments, reactions and more stories. > > For the closing, the talking piece worked like it always does and words came > from the heart to bring meaningful closure to this event. > > They were energised by this kind of exchange that brought them out of their > isolation > They would have wanted to keep on. They talked about having another meeting. > This kind of experience was a first of its kind for these participants and > for this community of people with hearing challenges. > > The speed at which participants took charge of the process, the level of > participation, the energy and the enthusiasm about the results and about this > way of meeting were the same as for all the other open space groups I have > facilitated. Open Space does work with any group as long as there is passion > for the reason that brings people together. > > Enjoy, > > Diane > > From: Lee Simpson <[email protected]> > To: [email protected] > Sent: Monday, September 23, 2013 10:32:35 AM > Subject: [OSList] OS with Sign Language as a first language > > Hi all, > > We are planning an OS with BSL (British Sign Language) as a first language. > Anybody done something like this and have any tips about things like sight > lines during opening, announcing of sessions and closing circle? > > Thanks. > > Lee > _______________________________________________ > OSList mailing list > To post send emails to [email protected] > To unsubscribe send an email to [email protected] > To subscribe or manage your subscription click below: > http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org > > > _______________________________________________ > OSList mailing list > To post send emails to [email protected] > To unsubscribe send an email to [email protected] > To subscribe or manage your subscription click below: > http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org > > > _______________________________________________ > OSList mailing list > To post send emails to [email protected] > To unsubscribe send an email to [email protected] > To subscribe or manage your subscription click below: > http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org > > > _______________________________________________ > OSList mailing list > To post send emails to [email protected] > To unsubscribe send an email to [email protected] > To subscribe or manage your subscription click below: > http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org
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