How Deaf Women Construct Teaching Language

This ethnographic study looks at how five Deaf womenwho teach American Sign Language (ASL) come toconstruct teaching language & culture and gender. This study also examines how these five women bridgetwo cultures that of the dominant mainstream and ofthe Deaf through their teaching ASL & Deaf Culture. These issues were explored through videotapedinterviews and participant-observations in their ASLclasses. Interviews and observations reveal theirunique experiences as Deaf individuals living asdaughters students mothers teachers and partnersin social relationships. These roles are both atonce similar & dissimilar. Their lived experiencesas Deaf women affect how they teach how theyperceive hearing people and how they understandlanguage culture and gender.