11x05 - Silent Lotus

[bunniefuu]

♪ Reading rainbow ♪

♪ Butterfly in the sky ♪

♪ I can go twice as high ♪

♪ Take a look ♪

♪ It's in a book ♪

♪ A reading rainbow ♪

♪ I can go anywhere ♪

♪ Friends to know ♪

♪ And ways to grow ♪

♪ A reading rainbow ♪

♪ I can be anything ♪

♪ Take a look ♪

♪ It's in a book ♪

♪ A reading rainbow ♪

♪ Reading rainbow ♪

Good.

Well...

Mom.

That's o.k.

It sounds good, but...

That's it!

You're getting...
Crazy.

My idea!

Out of the question.

How have you been?

I love you.

...green color.

Please!

Cool!

Talk, talk, talk, talk!

Hi. People are
always talking,

Telling each other
their thoughts and feelings.

Speaking might seem
like the best way

To make your point,

But there are other ways
to communicate.

Mimes are performers
who communicate without words.

They tell stories

Using facial expressions
and gestures.

White make-up accentuates
the mime's face

So we can read
his expressions better.

Ha ha ha!

[Little boy]
I got it!

[Laughter]

Mimes have been performing
for thousands of years.

They're not the only people
who speak without words.

We do it every day.

We gesture.

We make faces.

We say plenty
without making a sound.

There are many ways
to say what's on your mind.

You have to find the one
that's best for you.

In this story,
a young girl communicates

Through movement and dance.

It's called silent lotus.

Long ago, in cambodia,

A man and a woman lived
on the edge of a lake.

A daughter
was born to them.

She was beautiful,

With eyes as bright
as the stars.

The father and mother
named her lotus,

Like the blossoms
which covered the lake.

Years went by,

But lotus was as silent
as on the day she was born.

Her father and mother knew
that lotus could not hear.

She could not
learn to speak.

One day,

The mother and father pointed
to the blossoms on the lake

And to lotus.

Then the mother
put her palms together

With her fingers bent,

Forming a flower.

Lotus understood!

She copied
her mother's gesture

And so learned to name herself
with her hands.

Lotus grew lovelier each day.

She was happiest
when she walked

Among the herons, cranes,

And white egrets,

Joining them
in their graceful steps.

Yet, lotus would often
sit by herself,

Lonely and sad.

Her father and mother
saw her unhappiness

But did not know
how to help her.

Finally, they decided to go
to the temple in the city.

When they reached the city,
they hurried to the temple.

Inside,
the father and mother

Heard drums and cymbals.

Lotus felt the vibrations.

Then, two lines
of dancers appeared.

Elbows high,

Knees bent,

Lotus imitated
their movements,

And long after
the dancers had gone,

The little girl danced.

They went to the palace.

There, the queen noticed
the lovely little girl

And whispered to the king.

"Speak," the king said,
pointing to lotus.

"Our daughter does not speak
or hear," her father said,

"But would learn to dance."

The mother motioned
to her daughter.

Lotus began to dance
the way she knew best--

Like the herons, cranes,
and white egrets.

The king and queen
watched with delight.

"She will learn to dance,"
said the king.

In the dance pavilion
on the palace grounds,

A graceful old woman
taught lotus

How to dance the tales
of gods and kings.

Patiently, she guided
the young dancer,

Showing her the movements
that would tell those tales.

Lotus learned to curl
her fingers backwards

And to bend her elbows
and knees.

As time passed,

Silent lotus
began to speak--

With her hands,
her body, and feet.

She was no longer
lonely and sad.

Finally, she was ready
to dance for the king again.

It was the first night
of the new year.

Lotus danced better
than she ever had,

And as she danced,

She saw pleasure and delight
in the eyes of the people.

It was said

That lotus became
the most famous dancer

In the khmer kingdom,

Dancing in the king's court

And in the temples
of the gods.

Lotus was
a wonderful dancer.

It didn't matter
that she was deaf.

Lotus found a way to communicate
that was right for her.

We all find ways
to communicate.

Deaf people have many
to choose from.

To understand what
someone's saying,
there's lip reading.

That's when you watch the lips
and face of someone very closely

To see what they're saying.

To talk, some deaf people
learn to use their voices.

There is a way to speak
using your hands.

"R"

"E"

"D"

Red.

I'll show you again.

This is "r."

That's an "e."

That's "d."
That's finger spelling.

Each position of your fingers
is a letter.

A sign can represent
a word, like this...

That's "tree."

This is sign language,

One of the most beautiful,
expressive languages.

Hi, terrylene.

This is terrylene.
She's deaf.

She's teaching me
to express myself

Using sign language.

How are you feeling?

You're feeling great.

So, terrylene, tell me,

How long have you
been deaf?

How long have I been deaf?

I was born deaf.

Yes.

And my family is deaf.

Being deaf,
you can't hear anything?

Can you hear
certain sounds?

No. I can hear nothing.

But some deaf people can hear.

Some a lot,
some a little.

You don't hear
anything.

No. I can hear nothing.

If you can't hear,

How do you
understand me
so well?

Because you take the time

To communicate.

You move your hands,

Talk slow

And clear.

That's why.

You understand me
because I talk slowly

And take the time
to move my hands

And communicate
with you.

Tell me
about your voice.

Your voice
and my voice

Sound completely
different.

Why is that?

I think because

I can't hear my voice,

So I can't control my voice.

Because you can't hear,
you can't control it.

I think your voice
sounds great.

You're welcome.

But speaking,

Speaking is a skill.

Speaking is...

A skill.

Speaking is a skill.

Like riding a bicycle.

Some people can ride bikes.

Some...

Same with speech.

Some can talk,
some cannot talk.

It does not represent
your intelligence.

Speaking
doesn't represent
your intelligence.

Not at all.

What matters is
how you communicate.

Right.

Communicate.

That's
the important thing.

Speaking isn't it.
It's how
you communicate.

Right.

Right.

Can you teach me
some more words

To sign?

O.k.

O.k.

Like what?

Like, um...
I don't know.

Like...

Boy.

Boy.

From the cap.

From a boy's cap.
That makes sense.

Girl.

Girl.

From...

Ah. Bonnet.

From bonnet. Girl.

Girl.

How about book?

Book.
That makes sense.

Read.

Two eyes.

Ah. Two eyes
on the page. Read.

Sun.

Like circle...

A circle...

Shine.

With the rays.
The sun.

That's
beautiful.

And friend.

Friend?

Friend.

Together.

Connected.
Friends.

Friend.

It's an amazing way
to communicate.

It's clear
what you're saying.

I understand
perfectly.

Understand.

Understand.

Like light...

Like a light bulb
coming on.

I understand.

I understand.
Teach me how to say

I'm happy

Because I'm learning

So much
sign language.

I'm

Happy...

I'm happy...

Because

I'm

Learning...

Learning...
Learning...

So much...

So much...

Sign language.

That's great.
One more time, o.k.?

I'm happy

Because

I'm learning

So much
sign language.

I love the way

Many signs
are expressive.

"Learning" is like

Putting a thought

Into your head.

Learning.

It's like poetry
with your hands.

You have good hands.

Move good.

Ooh!

Thank you.

You're welcome.

Thank you very much.

People who can hear
sometimes wonder,

What is it like
to be deaf?

How does it make life
different?

Life is different
for all of is.

We all do things
our own way.

Hearing people and deaf people
hear differently,

And that's about it.

The chattoo family plays bingo
every saturday night,

And they all like to win,
especially bryan.

G-51.

Bryan is 12 years old,
and he's deaf.

One more.

Be quiet.
One more.

So close!

This is his aunt kathy,

His mother michelle...

Good-bye!

His dad roger...

Whoa, whoa. Wait.
Do the numbers.

And brother justin.

N-36.

Ha ha ha!

Daddy's
cheating.

[Michelle]
in our family, we've never
made deafness an issue.

It has never been important

Whether he was deaf,
whether he was hearing.

He's just been bryan.

It's not frustrating
to communicate.

I learned sign language.

We can talk easily.

If I didn't,
I'd have a rough time
communicating.

[Roger]
justin and bryan got
a great relationship.

One wouldn't get along
without the other.

[Michelle]
they have a private
sign language.

They have signs
nobody understands,

Just bryan and justin.

[Justin]
hearing kids should know

Deaf kids are like us.

Deaf kids can do
anything you or I can do.

They argue, laugh,
tease, and hang out.

They use sign language
to communicate.

The one thing my brother can do
that I can't is dance.

[Levar]
this is bryan's dance class.

It's really special

Because deaf and hearing kids
learn to dance together.

And here's
their teacher adrienne.



[Adrienne]
deaf and hearing people

Have two different
languages.

The point is to find
a way to communicate

Where they can work
together.

Stop.

[Interpreter]
with a sign language book,

We can teach hearing people
sign language.

They can become
our friends.

I learned
sign language.

This is my name
in sign language.

J-a-v-o-n.

[Piano playing]

♪ Hi-ah! ♪♪

[Adrienne]
in dance, it's really important,

When you're working
with deaf people,

You have to know how to count

In sign language.

It's neat.

In sign language,
you can count on one hand.

Who from the hearing
wants to try to show it?

Michael? There you go.





















Great! Great!

All right!
Good.

When I met my deaf partner,
it was scary

Because I didn't know
what they were trying to say.

We've been working together
for five months.

It feels normal because
they won't make fun of you

Because you say something wrong
in sign language,

Because they're your friends
and they like you.

[Interpreter]
deaf kids will teach you
how to sign.

Later, they can become
your friends,

Maybe your best friends.

If you are deaf,

Use the corners
of your eyes

To see when
other people stopped.

There will not be
a cue for you.

[Interpreter]
I feel the music,

I look at the other people,

And that's how a deaf kid
can move.

[Adrienne]
everyone's body keeps
a memory of the rhythm.

That's how they're
learning the dances,

Through a lot of repetition,
again and again.

The body can
memorize rhythm.

That's the same for deaf
and hearing people.

[Interpreter]
I feel the vibrations
in my bones,

And it moves
throughout my body.

With the music,
I feel something.

Without it, it feels different,
so I know to freeze.

[Adrienne]
smile, tiffany!

Don't bite your lip.

Good.

[Interpreter]
I love to dance

Because it's exciting
to perform,

And it surprises me.

It's exciting.

It's a new adventure,

Like, "I can't believe
I'm doing this."

[Interpreter]
with adrienne,

It's really exciting,

Because we all know how to dance
and how to sign.

[Justin]
bryan can do the same things

You and I can do.

People can never
say he can't.

[Interpreter]
in the future,

I'm going to become a doctor

Because I can do it.

Some doctors are deaf.

My mommy saw a deaf doctor.
I was proud.

I'm going to become a doctor.

People tease me and say,
"you can't do it."

Forget them. I'm going to
become a doctor if I want to.

Bryan will do
whatever he wants to.

He's a daring kid.
He's got guts.

What makes all the noise
in the world

Without making a sound?

A book.
Every page speaks to you.

You just have to open your mind
and listen.

Here are some books
with something to say,

But don't take
my word for it.

Do you have
something to say?

To speak
with your hands,

Here's
the perfect book--

It's the handmade alphabet.

It shows you
how to make

Each letter
of the alphabet.

These letters spell words.

It's all part
of sign language.

Here are
some easy letters.

"O" is for ornament.

"V" is for
your valentine.

Here's the letter "m,"

And here's "n."

See the difference?

All of the letters

Are fun to learn.

When you
meet somebody,

It helps if you speak
their language.

You can start
with your name.

I'm c-o-u-r-t-n-e-y.

Courtney. I think
you should get this book.

Hand rhymes--you can
learn them in school.

You can play them
with friends.

They're everywhere.

Some are in this book,
hand rhymes.

You start with a poem,

Then create gestures
to go with it.

Pictures show
what to do.

Two little monkeys
is my favorite.

My name is keila,
and there's more,

So run to your
favorite bookstore.

Deaf kids are
just like anyone else.

That's what I realized

When I read
amy: the story of a deaf child,

A true story
about a girl who is deaf.

Her parents are deaf, too.

John is her older brother.
He can hear.

This book uses photographs
to tell amy's story.

Amy goes to
a regular school like mine.

She speaks sign language
and spoken english,

And she also has
many friends.

She talks to them on a tty,

A typewriter that works
like a telephone.

I'm herbert.
This book is important.

It shows what
being deaf is like.

You should read it.

We need to share
thoughts and feelings

And belong to
a world we understand

Where people understand us.

We have different ways of
expressing ourselves,

Of hearing each other,

But we listen the same

When we listen with our hearts.

My way of saying good-bye

Comes from my heart.

I'll see you next time.

♪ Butterfly
in the sky ♪

♪ I can go
twice as high ♪

♪ Take a look ♪

♪ It's in a book ♪

♪ A reading rainbow ♪

♪ I can go anywhere ♪

♪ Friends to know ♪

♪ And ways to grow ♪

♪ A reading rainbow ♪

♪ I can be anything ♪

♪ Take a look ♪

♪ It's in a book ♪

♪ A reading rainbow ♪

♪ A reading rainbow... ♪

♪ Butterfly
in the sky ♪

♪ I can go twice as high ♪

♪ Take a look ♪

♪ It's in a book ♪

♪ A reading rainbow ♪

♪ I can go anywhere ♪

♪ Friends to know ♪

♪ And ways to grow ♪

♪ A reading rainbow ♪

♪ I can be anything... ♪

♪ A reading rainbow ♪

♪ A reading rainbow ♪

♪ A reading rainbow ♪♪

Today's reading rainbow books
are...

Silent lotus
by jeanne m. Lee,

Published by farrar,
straus & giroux.

The handmade alphabet
by laura rankin,

Published by dial books
for young readers,

A division of
penguin books usa inc.

Hand rhymes, collected
and illustrated by marc brown,

Published by
dutton children's books,

A division of
penguin books usa inc.

Amy: the story of a deaf child
by lou ann walker,

Photographs
by michael abramson,

Published by loadstar books,

An affiliate
of dutton children's books,

A division of
penguin books usa inc.