When silence works wonders

By Marc Gauthier

On a Tuesday afternoon, Doreen Simons walks into her classroom of about 20 students at the University of Connecticut. There’s a light chatter, but Simons will never know it.
Before Simons starts her lecture or collects homework, she stands in front of the class and asks her students about their weekends.
In one simultaneous effort, the entire class falls silent, but again, Simons will never know it.
When she moves her lips, no voice comes out. But when she moves her hands, she speaks volumes.
“She really stresses the communication with people,” said Diane Lillo-Martin, former linguistics department head. “She’ll find different ways to do it, whether it’s through miming or visual aids. I think that’s an important part of her success.”
Simons is one of two deaf professors at the University of Connecticut. She teaches American Sign Language (ASL), as well as other various deaf culture courses. to hearing students.
Simons’ first started at UConn in 1986. At that time, she was asked to be an ASL researcher for Martin, who wanted a researcher who was a native speaker of the language.
After a year, Simons noticed five graduate students who were pursing their doctorates in ASL, yet weren’t taking any ASL classes.
She knew something wasn’t right.
Simons started to teach the students ASL, but as a researcher, the university couldn’t pay her to teach.
“I volunteered to teach them all for two classes a week on Tuesday and Thursday nights,” Simons said. “I remember that they paid me $50 – out of their pockets – to teach them.”
Others started to hear about Simons and her ASL classes.
“She kept encouraging me to help set up ASL courses,” Martin said. “As we were increasing the ASL program, Doreen was always pushing to improve and expand the program. She convinced me and I convinced the administration.”
In 1989, Simons was hired by the university as a part-time employee. She started with one class, which quickly became two.
By 2002, Simons became the first full-time deaf professor at UConn.
But as a deaf professor at a hearing university, there are difficulties Simons must face when she steps into a classroom.
“There are tons of differences in teaching as a deaf professor,” Martin said. “You need more one-on-one time, especially with sign language. The teacher needs to see everyone and interact with each person one at a time.”
When Simons first started to teach, she knew these challenges were out there. But the pride she had as a deaf individual wouldn’t let her fail.
“I remember when I was 9 years old and my dad and I went into a store and I asked him to get something for me,” Simons said. “He told me, ‘I’m deaf too. Why do I have to do it for you? Some hearing people will have bad attitudes towards the deaf, but all the others have good attitudes.’ I always thought to myself that I can do it, even if I have to find a different way.”
Since 2004, the number of students enrolling in ASL classes every year has increased from 60 to 240. In 2006, the department asked Simons to teach two ASL summer courses to accommodate some of the 150 students who were put on a waiting list for the class.
While Simons has become quite popular amongst her hearing students, she has only taught one deaf student. This doesn’t bother her. In fact, Simons sees her success at UConn as an important influence for the deaf community.
“It shows [deaf people] that I can do it and so can they,” Simons said. “I also influence hearing parents who have deaf children and even my students, who see that deaf people can succeed.”
Two hours of ASL class flies by when Simons looks down at her watch and realizes she’s kept her students late. She dismisses the students, letting them know what’s due on Thursday.
As she leaves, Simons turns off the light and walks down the hall.
She leaves some of the silence back in the room. The rest, she takes with her.