Sign Language Honor

Missionary & Community Activities

Requirements

1. Learn and demonstrate to your instructor the alphabet (letters and numbers) of the sign language of your country.

   Answer: In Libras (Brazil): 26 letters + numerals 0-9 represented by hand configurations. A=closed hand, B=open palm with fingers together, C=hand in the shape of a C, J and Z require movement, the rest are static. Fingerspelling is the basis for spelling out proper names. — Libras was recognized by Law 10,436/2002 and regulated by Decree 5,626/2005. Fingerspelling (the manual alphabet) is different from the language itself — the latter uses parameters: handshape (HS), point of articulation (PA), movement (M), orientation (O) and expression (NM).

2. Have at least five hours of class in the sign language of your country, taught by an instructor fluent in it.

   Answer: Look for a course at FENEIS (the National Federation for the Education and Integration of the Deaf), a church with a ministry for the deaf, a bilingual school or an interpreter certified by PROLIBRAS. Record attendance, request a certificate and practice with real deaf people. — FENEIS is the largest reference in Brazil. Law 10,436/2002 requires universities to offer Libras in teaching degree courses. Classes with native deaf people (CODA — Children of Deaf Adults) are more authentic. The Pathfinders' SAC offers occasional courses. Practicing outside of class consolidates learning.

3. Using the manual alphabet, send and receive signs at a speed of ten words per minute, using a minimum of 30 letters.

   Answer: 10 words per minute = ~50 letters/min (an average of 5 letters per word). Practice with fluency on simple words like 'casa' (house), 'amigo' (friend), 'igreja' (church). Receiving requires quick visual recognition. Train daily for 15 minutes with a partner. — The speed of fluent fingerspellers reaches 80 letters/min. Beginners start at 20-30 letters/min. It is important to keep the hand at chest height and avoid extra movements. You do not release the letter before making the next one — fluency requires a smooth transition between configurations.

4. Learn at least 150 signs from an instructor fluent in sign language.

   Answer: Basic functional vocabulary revolves around 200-300 signs. The National Institute for the Education of the Deaf (INES, founded in 1857 in Rio) has an official visual dictionary. Free apps: Hand Talk (created in Brazil) and VLibras (government). Spaced repetition speeds up retention.

5. Learn and present in the sign language of your country at least two songs of at least 2 minutes each. The songs must be presented using signs and not the alphabet.

   Answer: Musical interpretation in Libras is a performance art called 'sign-singing'. It does not translate word-for-word but the meaning, with visual classifiers (CL). The Seventh-day Adventist Church has a group for the deaf on the 3ABN-Libras channel. The Adventist Hymnal has interpreted versions on the official YouTube.

6. Fulfill the following items:
   • Know and explain the difference between signs and gestures.
   • Know and explain the difference between deaf and hard of hearing.
   • Visit an elementary school that works with deaf students and ask how the inclusion system for the deaf student works.

   Answer: Sign: a unit of Libras with its own grammar (HS, PA, M). Gesture: improvised, without rules. Deaf: cultural identity ('Deaf' with a capital D). Hearing-impaired: an old medical term. An inclusive school has SES, an interpreter in the classroom and visual materials. — The Brazilian deaf community prefers 'Deaf' (cultural) to 'hearing-impaired' (deficit). Law 14,191/2021 establishes Bilingual Education for the Deaf (Libras L1, Portuguese L2). SES = Specialized Educational Services in a resource room. INES in Rio is a reference.