This weekend, I finally gave my presentation at an academic conference — the first one in my life!
And yes, this is the reason why I paused my blog posts for nearly a month. (Though I sometimes left short notes on Threads to keep my writing muscles alive!)
Preparing for the presentation took a lot of energy and commitment, but it also turned into a very organic and enjoyable process. The topic was a report on offering dance lessons to a group of deaf participants, comparing two different teaching environments: one using English and the other using Japanese Sign Language.
Although the participants’ age groups were different in each setting, this comparison became incredibly meaningful. It helped me realize the importance of information accessibility for the Deaf community.
The series of interviews led to many “creative” ideas for accessibility — including surprising insights such as “increasing time for conversations.” One of my deaf friends told me, “We can manage to communicate,” which sounded just like a hero’s entrance in an anime. I truly appreciate his contribution to this report and say “yoroshiku” (best wishes) for what’s ahead, too! lol
A new friendship also grew through this project. She encouraged me from beginning to end, pushing me forward to take on this report. Her words were always honest and passionate, and at times I felt like her spokesperson — which was moving, but also (to be honest) challenging, as it reminded me that we experience hearing in different ways. “Yoroshiku” for my future sign language practice as well!
Some of my deaf friends have already sent me messages of gratitude for completing this work. They even checked my report in advance, so I felt like we were already “co-working” throughout the process. I would like to thank them deeply for supporting me through this unprecedented challenge.
Would you like to see my report? (With Japanese subtitles / English, etc.?)
Please wait just a little while —
it will be accessible for free with a simple email registration!
⸻
学会での発表が無事に終わりました！
当事者の皆さま、関係者の皆さま、そして応援してくださった皆さま、
本当にありがとうございました。
今回の発表は、
さまざまな準備を重ねて臨んだものでした。
そして今回は、日本語だと少し照れくさい感謝の気持ちを、
あえて英語で綴ってみました（笑）
今後、日本語でも改めて今回の実践報告
「異なる言語における指導実践〜 手話環境の大人たちと、英語環境で学ぶ子どもたち
それぞれの異なる背景を踏まえて」
についてアップデートする予定です。
まずは、無料のメール登録をしてお待ちいただけたら嬉しいです。
