# Are Deaf children eligible for the national spelling bee? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 25, 2013, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-deaf-children-eligible-for-the-national-spelling-bee/659315 "2013-05-25T14:26:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2013, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-deaf-children-eligible-for-the-national-spelling-bee/659315/21 "2013-05-26T17:36:47Z")
Its distracting that whoever invented glossing chose to use English words. Think of it this way: If they had chosen to represent signs using 4-digit number sequences or dits and dashes like morse code or Braille, the content of the glossed sentence would be the same. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2013, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-deaf-children-eligible-for-the-national-spelling-bee/659315/22 "2013-05-26T17:52:35Z")
> [@Leo\_Bloom](#): > > Thanks. Although I find it hard to square “casual student” with “class for interpreters” 🙂 Well, what I mean is, I’m not studying interpreting, I’m not a Deaf studies major, I don’t need it for work, school, or my home life. I’m learning it because it interests me to learn it. I have Deaf friends, but I made most of them after I started classes. It wasn’t something I need for my social life. That said, when set about to learn something I try to learn it correctly and find the best quality instruction available. In this case I wanted to improve my fingerspelling and numbers because they were well behind my signing. I found the community college coursework for interpreters to be the best option considering I can get 12 weeks, 2 hrs/wk, with a Deaf instructor, for $115, and its open to non degree students as long as they test in. I don’t care about glossing, but its in the curriculum, so… bonus I guess. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2013, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-deaf-children-eligible-for-the-national-spelling-bee/659315/23 "2013-05-26T18:15:02Z")
Yes, by “meaning” I meant under the terms I was using. Your motivations and situation in learning ASL match mine exactly. I am debating/agonizing (what else?) with myself whether to attend the ASL program a La Guardia Community college, which is the only school in the city that has a feeder program to their granting of an interpreter certificate (not the national one). I’ve taken classes eons ago, and am now lucky enough to get private lessons. Your analogy of a music score is a good one, and ironic in an interesting way for me, particularly given our shared interests and motivations. I was a professional musician–a pianist and conductor no less; I often recall (good and badf) habits, practicing, and performative techniques, the physical training and communication of meaning/understanding through hand and gesture. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2013, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-deaf-children-eligible-for-the-national-spelling-bee/659315/24 "2013-05-26T18:27:54Z")
> [@Leo\_Bloom](#): > > Yes, by “meaning” I meant under the terms I was using. > > Your motivations and situation in learning ASL match mine exactly. I am debating/agonizing (what else?) with myself whether to attend the ASL program a La Guardia Community college, which is the only school in the city that has a feeder program to their granting of an interpreter certificate (not the national one). I’ve taken classes eons ago, and am now lucky enough to get private lessons. > . I wonder if we know each other. The class I’m in is at Laguardia. Previously I went to Sign Language Center. Do you ever attend the Union Square or Tribeca Meetups? If you’re not, you’re really missing out. If you do, we probably know each other. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2013, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-deaf-children-eligible-for-the-national-spelling-bee/659315/25 "2013-05-26T20:01:15Z")
It’s PM-ing time! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-deaf-children-eligible-for-the-national-spelling-bee/659315.md?page=1)