American Sign Language and Deaf culture are not just what Annemarie O’Malley teaches, they are deeply personal things to her.
Her sister was born deaf. It is how they have always communicated. Through her sister, she has been a part of the Deaf community.
At Neumann, she teaches ASL to learners at all levels, focusing on spreading awareness about Deaf culture and the community, which is especially rewarding to her.
Her approach to teaching beginners involves starting with finger spelling in the first few classes, gradually building up receptive and expressive skills, and reminding students that ASL is not just a language but a deeply rooted culture.
O’Malley believes that one of the common challenges students face is doubting their ability to learn ASL.
She helps them overcome this by fostering a mindset that everyone can learn, and by creating an inclusive, supportive learning environment where students feel like part of a family, free from judgment.
Often, former students of O’Malley’s classes will come to attend her classes, even though they aren’t registered for the specific class. Some students say it’s just because they want to maintain their ASL skills, but many have also cited her warm, inviting nature.
“I’d like to think it’s because of who I am as a person, but it’s really just that it’s a really cool language and culture.” says O’Malley.
Junior pre-occupational therapy major, and ASL and psychology minor, Gabriella Dushkewich, appreciates O’Malley’s fun class environment.
“Professor O’Malley shows genuine interest in her students and makes sure that they not only understand the material but also have us know why we should understand it. There is never a dull moment in her class, it is something I look forward to every week.” says Dushkewich.
To stay current with developments in ASL and Deaf culture, Dr. O’Malley remains actively engaged with the community, ensuring her knowledge and teaching methods are up to date.
She also encourages students to explore as many resources as possible, including books, websites, apps, social media, and YouTube, to practice ASL outside of the classroom. For those just beginning their ASL journey, her advice is simple yet powerful: believe in yourself and never give up.
