“I wanted my students to have the experience of signing with a Deaf person,” said Thelma Pineda, Westminster’s ASL teacher. “For most of them, it was their first time interacting with a Deaf person.”

 

During the “Silent Lunch,” students practiced American Sign Language in a different environment for more than two continuous hours. The students learned to express themselves without using their voice in a hearing environment, to experience how the Deaf order food, and to interact with the people at the restaurant, and their peers.  For most of the ASL 2 students, this was their first interaction with a Deaf person and the first opportunity to experience that they could maintain an ASL conversation.

 

ASL 2 students were also given their sign names by the guests.  This is a special honor that only a Deaf person can give to someone after interacting with and getting to know them better.  It was a very special moment as it represents a welcome into the Deaf community.