A sign language student displays
her skills at Lakeland East, Madison.
Sign students discuss their favorite
beverages at a Lakeland Signers' club meeting. (March
2003)
Arts
& Humanities - -
Applied American Sign Language Studies
This program is designed to give students a foundation in
American Sign Language (ASL) and to acquaint them with basic
issues of concern to the Deaf community. Furthermore, the
program offers an opportunity to individuals already working
in the Deaf community to increase their understanding of ASL
and Deaf culture in order to strengthen their knowledge and
their communication skills. This program will give students
sufficient training to:
(1) allow for effective communication with Deaf persons in
informal settings in teaching, human services, or health care;
(2) enhance their credentials for employment opportunities
which do not require interpreter certification but do assign
value to skills in ASL and knowledge of Deaf culture;
(3) earn the academic qualifications for entry into advanced
studies at universities offering sign language programs;
(4) enter an interpreter training program, after which they
may sit for a certification examination, sponsored by the
national licensing organization.
Angie Battistone-Potosky graduated from Franklin
University with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting. She has taught
Sign Language and Deaf Culture I & II since 2003. She is truly
proud of her Deaf Culture. She likes to compare it to planting
and growing seeds. She loves to tell people about Deaf Culture
because it is a continuously unfolding story. She thinks that it
is important for people to understand where they come from and
by talking about Deaf culture, it reminds the Deaf of our heritage.
She collects old Deaf books, photos, and postcards back to 1807!
Angie is a former Board of Trustee for the Cleveland Sign Stage
Theatre, one of the only deaf professional theatres in Northeast
Ohio. For
her contribution to the board, she received an award for outstanding
dedication and participation. Previously, she was a member on the
Board of Trustees for the Cleveland Hearing and Speech Center,
and participated in a panel discussion of "Better hearing
and Speech" for
Mayfield Schools' hearing impaired programs. She is a past president
of a local Deaf club and is an active member of the Deaf community.
Angie received a millennial certificate for philanthropic recognition.
She is a charter founder of the American Family Immigration History
Center at Ellis Island in New York. Lastly, Angie received the "Woman
of Professional Excellence" Award from YWCA in 2005.
Her Past Publications:
1. "Both Emic and Etic: A View of the World Through
the Lens of the Ugly Duckling", (in Rogers, L. and Swadener,
B. A Semiotics of Disability: Interrogating Categories of Difference,
2001).
2. "Multilingual, Multicultural, Multitalented: The
History of a Diverse People", (in Stafford, P.L. and Stafford
E.J. Children with Disabilities in America: A Historical Handbook
and
Guide, 2006).
She's married to Ken Potosky and both raise a four-legged pet,
named Alfie.
My background…..
Hi my name is Kelly Madsen and I grew up in Euclid Ohio. I am the
oldest of four siblings. As a young child, I contracted German Measles,
hence, I am the only deaf in my family. I attended Mayfield High
and NTID/RIT in Rochester, NY and graduated in 1984 and 1989 respectively.
After graduating from college, I obtained employment for the Department
of the Navy in Maryland. I worked with the Navy for 10 years. I
am married to a wonderful man and I have 2 daughters aged 5 and
7. I have taught ASL in NY, MD and OH. My hobbies include reading,
helping others and swimming.
My goal: I enjoy teaching American Sign Language
(ASL) it is a visually expressive language. I also enjoy teaching
Deaf culture. I encourage all students to learn ASL as a means of
communication with Deaf people in the real world. I currently teach
ASLI 1100, 1200, 1500, and 1600 at Lakeland Community College.
Want to know some cool ideas? Using ASL,
deaf and/or hearing people can communicate in two different cars
without rolling down the windows. It is fun to learn about Deaf
life. Come on… signup for the courses and learn more about
the Deaf.
I became profoundly Deaf from spinal meningitis
at the age of 3 1/2 and graduated from Mayfield High School. I
then graduated from Lakeland Community College and also went to
Gallaudet University and Kent State University. I learned American
Sign Language at the age of 13 when I met my dear pen pal in Florida.
She taught me how to sign and we became close friends.My learning
of ASL grew when I went to Model Secondary School for the Deaf
(age 16) for a year and learned so much about the Deaf culture.
I am a proud stay-at-home mom to two wonderful children and a
great husband! I have been with Lakeland for about 9 years teaching
American Sign Language part time.
Jocelyn A. McCullough is a Teacher of the
Deaf for Mayfield City Schools at Millridge Center for the Hearing
Impaired. Jocelyn's Deaf and Hard of Hearing teaching certificate
was obtained from the Rochester Institute of Technology / National
Technical Institute for the Deaf (RIT/NTID) in Rochester, New York.
She maintains her sign language skills by interpreting plays with
the HeArd interpreting group
(www.the-heard.com),
attending Deaf socials and events, and by teaching ASL at Lakeland.
Jocelyn attended
Kent State University for her Bachelor of Arts in Television Production & Speech
and has received two masters degrees from Ursuline College in Elementary
Education and Educational Administration. She is presently aspiring
to be a principal or educational administrator.
Ken Potosky obtained his Bachelor Science
of Accounting from Gallaudet University. He has taught American
Sign Language at Lakeland Community College since 2004. He is married
to Angie
Battistone-Potosky and they have a mixed breed beagle - Alfie.
Brandi Roy: I graduated from the University
of Akron where I received my degree in American Sign Language Interpreting
and Technical Education. I am currently a full time Educational
Interpreter for the Cleveland Municipal School District. I have
been working there for 8 years and love it! Also I have been teaching
at Lakeland for the past 5 years and enjoy it here at Lakeland too!
During the summer I work at a Literacy camp where I help build reading
and writing techniques for deaf children.
Fun Deaf Culture fact: There are many ways
a deaf person can wke up. One way is for the lights in the room
to flash!
Debra Schwartz has been an
American Sign Language interpreter in the Cleveland area for over
20 years. She began teaching ASL at Lakeland Community College
several years ago, and is equally fond of both the interpreting
and teaching professions. Debra also currently teaches ASL at Cleveland
State University (where she received her Bachelor's of Arts in
the Interpreter training program back in the mid 80's), and for
Mayfield Community Education.
Debra is a member of The Registry of Interpreters
for the Deaf, and the American Sign Language Teachers Association.
She is also a member of The Ohio Chapter of Registry of Interpreters
for the Deaf, and is a past secretary of its' local chapter. When
not teaching or interpreting, you can find her spending time with
her husband and three children. Debra also enjoys Girl Scouting,
and has been a troop leader/co-leader for 11 years. (Girl Scout
cookies, Yum!)
