Recently I have started to try to learn sign language basics in order to be able to better reach students who may have disabilities in order to both help them and to aid my own flexibility for job placement. My cousin works as an after school care instructor for middle school students through the Salvation Army headquarters in Pittsburgh, and has run-ins with many different types of children during the course of the week. This essentially motivated me to attempt to begin a journey to learn about different disabilities and how I can help accommodate them in order to make the best of whatever situation arises.
I had Spanish in high school and taught myself a very, very limited amount of German and Swedish, yet these were easy compared to the amount of concentration that sign language is currently tasking me with. I figured if I get a job in the south-west, Spanish would be of immediate use as well as being able to communicate with students with hearing issues. However, this is a lofty dream, and perhaps may not come to complete fruition depending on how frustrating it becomes in the long run.
I have a class right now that deals with teaching English language learners and I'm realizing how difficult it could possibly be. I, too, wish I could learn other languages but I agree that it is definitely frustrating. I took four years of Spanish in high school and I'm not sure that I remember much at all. It's great that you're trying to expand your ability to work with diverse learners despite the frustration!
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