Voices Off Please

Have you ever wondered why the Visually Speaking courses passionately value the “No Voice” policy? 

Two words. Cultural respect. 

It’s not necessarily just a rule – it’s a way of showing respect toward the socio-cultural norm in the Deaf world. Instead of expecting verbal responses in the class, you can communicate by watching, signing, and using alternative methods. Everyone’s learning ability is immensely enhanced when the students immerse themself in a no-voice environment. 

Sure, it probably seems easier to learn the basics ASL by listening to someone speaking verbally if you have decent or perfect hearing, which is extremely far from the truth. Using vocal English to learn the basic signs would only dampen your learning experience in the long term, especially if you want to improve your receptive listening and facial expression skills. Nobody can truly learn a language without learning its culture. 

Here at Visually Speaking, the instructors want to provide the best learning experience to their students while inviting them into their Deaf community hence the “No Voice” policy! After all, American Sign Language is a purely visual language, right? Entering a class in silence might feel awkward at first, especially if you’re accustomed to learning in audio-centric environments. However, the result is so worth it in the long term. 

If a “Voices Off” course sounds exhilarating to you, sign up for courses at Visually Speaking!