Bilingual May Flowers

Spring into action and more action. Hopefully, ASL Tales can capture the attention of teachers, schools, libraries, literacy programs, ESL programs, and parents in order to teach language, literacy and multiculturalism to all kinds of kids. It is such fun and brings families together, in many languages, the word must get out there to help launch our children with the magic of storytelling, in visual and aural languages.

If you know anyone in education or parenting or childcare or pediatricians, send them my way. Also, send any ideas or suggestions on how to inform people about ASL Tales. Instead of working directly in public health (the area of my professional degree), I realized how much ASL Tales could prevent substance abuse, depression, teenage pregnancy and other public health problems associated with kids dropping out of their lives, because of frustration and lack of confidence in reading and connecting. Literacy and storytelling, especially in many languages, are great connectors to our human family.

Help me in my "public health" work, bringing language, literacy and laughter to children and families. Write any suggestions, or questions on how you can get involved, and if you want to donate to our literacy campaign, send a tax-deductible donation (check) to the above address.

Yours for language, literacy and more languages with laughter,

susan schaller

Berkeley version of Hansel & Gretel

While rewriting Grims' very grim, violent Hansel and Gretel, I thought why not change the world for everyone. Soon, ASL Tales will publish Hansel and Gretel where the witch is offered a choice to change her cannabalistic ways. Martin Luther King, Jr. taught us not to fight the white man, but racism. Perhaps applying that principle to this violent fairy tale will raise a more mindful generation.

ASL Tales wants to change the world for all kids and their families. Watch for our new web site in June (hope, hope), and great stuff coming out - more books and iPads and learning tools.

Please send me any ideas or questions relating to bilingual storytelling to teach reading, language and more language.

And, enjoy April rains or flowers,

susan schaller

ASL Tales in Los Angeles

Greetings from Los Angeles where new programs, new books, DVDS and surprises have been and are being planned and fussed over.

Today, I head back to Berkeley via the train.

As I speed north on Amtrak, ASL Tales will speed along with me and my faithful laptop.

Stay tuned for the next exciting adventure in bilingual storytelling.

If you haven't checked us out - go to ASL Tales.net

....... not after your coffee NOW!

For language and literacy,
susan

Life is either a Daring Adventure or Nothing at All

Life is short and each day does matter. Today, I am researching how bilingualism can help children learn to read, think better, see better (English and ASL). Why is signing so attractive to almost all kids? Perhaps it is because it is one step closer to universal communication via body language, facial expressions, mime and movement. Anyone out there in cyberland who knows anything about early education or literacy or teaching ESL, write me and tell me what you think are the main problems facing teachers, schools, students and parents in early education.
Or, write me directlym at susan.schaller a t g m a i l . co...

Youra for language for EVERYONE,
susan

Happy New Year

Dear cyber world, friends, neighbors and comrades,

Enjoy the last days of December by slowing down to appreciate any and all things you can.

Take some time to give something to others instead of spending your time and energy on what you can manipulate in your favor.

Be the best you can be, today. Be good to your family and friends by taking care of yourself.

Peace can be. Begin today.

Prepare for joy in 2011.

Yours for community building,
susan

December descends

I'm back and have been immersed again in activity. Currently, I am in Southern California meeting with a film maker who is inspired to tell the film version of Ildefonso's story of entering our world of language.

I have been able to see Ildefonso more than usual. He has a wonderful sense of humor, and a big heart. With years of language, he has attached labels - names and dates - to some memories. I made a mistake in the book, thinking he was an adult when he came to the U.S. and did apple-picking and other work. He was about 8 years old and alone.

This guy never ceases to surprise me.

Yours for preventing any baby from being raised with little or no language,

susan

Back after a sabbatical

Dear World,

I didn't retreat entirely or go live in a cave, but I did step down from a few projects, stepped back from planning and committing, and stayed a while in that uncomfortable place of not knowing. I am disheartened by so many people's inability to see deaf babies and Deaf people as human first, and different from the majority second. And, especially, parents who do not accept their visual babies as differently abled, but as deficient and needing to be fixed.

With my discouragement, often self doubts appear and questions about who am I to think I can write and speak and spark any change in a war, that has been waging against deaf babies ever since someone tried to educate a deaf child. In the past, I respond with more activity and more involvement and drive myself more. The last two months, I did not.

I decided to stay in the "I don't know" place. I squirmed, I chased away black clouds, I squelched my impulses to run away or jump into another battle, and I sat. It helped that my foot has been hurting and I couldn't walk most of the time, but, mostly, I was training myself to face uncomfortable truths, to look inside of me to improve my tolerance for differences, my receptive and acceptance skills, and my abilities to change. I discovered (surprise, surprise) that it is much harder than attempting to influence others to change.

And, that is why it is so uncomfortable.

It is absolutely necessary to face inward with honesty in order to move forward with honesty, to face inward with compassion to move forward with compassion, to face inward with forgiveness and love, to move forward with forgiveness and love, and to align our inner principles in order to move forward from an integrated foundation.

Onward, forward to the fray, but slower and more consciously,

susan "I don't know" schaller