Bangkok Dangerous & Take Shelter: Sign Language

A sign language (also signed language) is a language which, instead of acoustically conveyed sound patterns, uses visually transmitted sign patterns - manual communication, body language - to convey meaning and express a speaker's thoughts. Wherever communities of deaf people exist, sign languages develop. Their complex spatial grammars are markedly different from the grammars of spoken languages. Hundreds of sign languages are in use around the world and are at the cores of local Deaf Cultures.



Work in pairs:

1. Have you ever learned a sign language? Why (not)?

2. What do you think is easier? Learning a foreign language or sign language? Why?

 3. Should learning sign languages be mandatory in schools? Why (not)?

4. Would you learn sign languages if someone in your family were deaf? What if your neighbor were deaf?

5. Should all teachers learn sign languages in case he/she has students with hearing special needs?



Watch the scene from the movie Bangkok Dangerous and discuss the questions:




















1. Describe the scene.

2. How difficult was their communication?

3. How did he manage to understand her? What strategies did he make use of?

4. What was easiest and most difficult thing for him to understand her?

5. Would you like to get involved with someone with that sort of special need? What would you do to overcome it?


Read the questions below and choose what you believe is the correct answer. Then watch the scene from the great movie Take Shelter and check your answers.

1. What is the main focus of ASL with children from 4 to 7 years old?

a. the alphabet

b. the signs

c. the movement of the mouth


2. Where is the male sign for males?

a. the forehead

b. the cheek

c. the eyes


3. How do you say "I'm sorry" in ASL?

a. making a circle with your hands around your heart.

b. putting your hands together like a prayer.

c. showing the palm of your right hand


4. How do you say "excited" in ASL?

a. pulling your hair

b. placing both hands in the air

c. rolling your hands and fingers in front of your chest.

1b, 2a, 3a, 4c,

MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - TAKE SHELTER

MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - BANGKOK DANGEROUS