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Yes, I can confirm both Stefan's observation about how the students enjoy recognizing written signs and Elana's enthusiastic observations about how great it is to see a classroom boldly put this writing system to daily use :) On Tue, Sep 24, 2013 at 10:43 AM, Stefan Wöhrmann < [log in to unmask]> wrote: > Hi Elena, Valerie and sw-list members, ... > > Sorry for the delay of my comment. Yes we have had a wonderfull time with > Elena and her family. > > Of course I feel proud of my students. Over time they will achieve their > goals and they will be able to read, write and understand spoken German ... > > There is still a long way to go. > > While Elena showed her App to the class my students loved to play the game > again and again .. and every teacher in the world who is experienced with > using SignWriting as a tool in his curriculum will know and exspect and > understand that their eyes and faces smiled while they were able to solve > the task to match the signwriting signs and the pictures and the english > words so easily. > > Erika should be able to confirm that. > > > ... well and as I mentioned before - they could not stopp to tell us that > the words in the App should be written without capital letters in the > beginning. ( smile) > > Too kind of Elena and her family to come to our classroom with big baskets > full of gifts for the students and for me. (big smile) ... and so much > interest in our method. We will not forget this friendly and openminded > family. > > Elena`s mother talked to Tima in Russia. I asked to speak some simple > multiplication problems: twenty-six times twenty-four ... > Now it is important to know that the order of the numbers is different in > German and Russia - > It consumes a lot of memory in the brain to process the different > counting.- > smile - > Compared to his speed to solve this kind of problems at the blackboard he > had difficulties to switch between German and Russia. > > We could demonstrate our new precious tool .... the delegs -Editor a > wonderful software for any teacher of deaf children in the world. I cannot > immagine to teach a single day without this program that allows to bridge > the worlds of deaf and hearing people so smooth. > > Nevertheless the students demonstrated that they can read > GebärdenSchrift-documents at high speed, that they can write the German and > the English translation, that they understand to create own excercises with > the delegs-Editor, that they understand to pick the perfect alternative > among several sign-options... and that is what we have in mind. > > Thank you Elena for your kind words and I will send my students your > greetings. > > All best > > Stefan > > (PS I love to wear your SAN DIEGO T-shirt --- ;-)) ) > > > -----Ursprüngliche Nachricht----- > Von: SignWriting List: Read and Write Sign Languages > [mailto:[log in to unmask]] Im Auftrag von Elena Eroshkin > Gesendet: Samstag, 21. September 2013 09:22 > An: [log in to unmask] > Betreff: My meeting with Stefan Wöhrmann and his students in Osnabruck > > Hi Everyone! I apologize for not posting anything about my meeting with > Stefan Wöhrmann in Osnabruck. I caught a very bad cold but I am much better > now! > > While I was visiting Germany, I had the honor of coming to the all deaf > school in Osnabruck and present the App which Jake Chasan and I developed. > I > fell in love with the school right away. The teachers of this school have > experience in every area, including the education of special children in > need. I could tell that they work very hard collaborating with each other > to > provide the best education for their students, making the school > environment > very safe and enjoyable for all students. It is crucial to find an > environment where deaf children receive real care, the right support, > specialist attention, as well. I had the honor of meeting Stefan Wöhrmann, > an amazing teacher with great skills and expertise to challenge and nurture > his students and help them lead the fullest and most fulfilling life > possible. He works with enthusiasm and inspiration so well and effectively, > using his knowledge of languages, math, science, and psychology. Everybody > at school knows, loves, and respects him, and I got to meet him! Good luck, > Stefan Wöhrmann, in any ways of your life! > > When I walked into the classroom, there were six children proudly displayed > their abilities to speak out loud, to share memorized poems, draw a figure, > and show their brilliant math skills. When I brought presents for everyone, > their smiles of joy and gratitude were poured out upon me. One particular > student really amazed me with his talents. I met a Russian boy named Tima > who was a lot younger than the other kids. He was very kind and very smart. > When Stefan asked him to answer a problem involving the multiplication of > two digit numbers, he would calculate faster than a computer. I tried to > find a moment to communicate with each student... shaking their hand, > having > eye to eye contacts, smiles, and just share mutual respect for a moment. > How > could I not be attached to this unbelievable miracle, and my role in it?! > It > is really rewarding to be a part of something bigger then yourself, being > able to touch these kids' lives for one day and be there and talk to them > and help them learn about this new App as a game or activity, even a small > challenge to overcome. All of the students’ emotions and smiles showed me > that our App was doing something to improve the learning of SignWriting and > the education of the individuals learning it. > > My parents and I are very thankful that Valery Sutton was able to contact > Stefan and give us his name and address. Stefan gave a lot of great advices > for the improvement of the App and make the American SignWriting App easier > to learn and easier to use. I noticed that the children enjoyed answering > the questions on the quiz function of the App and I was astonished how > quickly they were picking up the new English signs and words. Still today > my > heart glows at the memory of my intimate moments with these rare people, a > moment located in the Osnabruck school. > > Thank you Stefan for your time and energy, and thank you Valerie for making > this meeting possible! > -Elena Eroshkin > > -- Erika Hoffmann-Dilloway Assistant Professor of Anthropology Oberlin College