Sign language teacher honored; uses her unique talents to help Imagine growing up in a family in which you learned sign language before you learned to speak. It may sound like a liability, but for Debbie Woodroof, Harding sign language teacher, the experience has been an invaluable asset. The latest opportunityher expertise has allowed her is a special training assignment in Washington, D.C., last fall. Only 20 people in the nation received this invitation. Both of Woodroofs parents are deaf, so she describes herself as a "native signer," and said that "even today, my brothers and sisters and I, who are all hearing, often talk in sign language to one another."When Woodroof was very young, she began interpreting and has been interpreting ever since. "Back then, there were not as many services for the deaf and interpreters were rare ," she said. Debbie Woodroofshares her love for sign language with her ASL class. Photo by Aaron Gillihan. In 1979, Woodroof got nationally certified to work in the business world as a professional signer. By the time she graduated from Harding in 1982, she was interpreting freelance all over the state of Arkansas. As a freelance interpreter, she said some of her most excitingworkwas done for President Clinton when he kicked off his 1996 re-election campaign in Little Rock. Today, Woodroof teaches three sign language classes in the speech pathology curriculum. "Learning sign language is similar to learning a foreign language," Woodroof said , noting similarities like the fact that southerners generally sign slow compared to people from the North who sign very fast. Signing is a work very near to Woodroofs heart. "I have taught all three of my girls to sign, as well as my husband, so they can communicate with my family and be part of something I love." - Hallie Bell Bob Reely, Ed.D., Professor, Managment/Asso. Exec. Dir. AS! Bill Richardson, D.Mi.n. , Asso. Professor, B ible IDir. Mission Prepare Terri Rine, M.Ed., Instructor, Family IConsumer Sciences Marvin Robertson, J .D., Professor, Business Law Don Robinson, M.A., Chair IProfessor, Art Bill Ryan, Ph.D., Assa. Professor, Computer Info. Systems/ Physical Science Jack Ryan, Ph.D., Professor, Communication Joe Segraves, Ph.D., Professor, History Don Shackelford, Th.D., Dean, International Studies. IProfessor, Bible Arthur Shearin, D.M.A., Chair/Professor, Music Jack Shock, Ed.D., Asso. Professor, Communication Lori Sloan, M.B.A., Ass't. Professor, Marketing Carroll Smith, Ph.D., Professor, Chemistry Terry Smith, M.S.W., Asso. Professor/Director, Social Work Suzanne Spurrier, M.L.S ., Professor, Library Science/Dir. Library Dan Stockstill, M.Th., Ass't. Professor, Bible Gordon Sutherlin, Ed.D., Professor, Education Henry Terrill , M.S .L.S., Assa. Prof, Library/Gov't. Documents Librarian Jack Thomas, Ph.D., Chair/ Professor, Behavioral Sciences Linda Thompson, Ed.D., Dir. Student Support Services Linda Thornton, Ed.D., Ass't. Professor, Education Dan Tullos , Ph.D., Professor, Communication IDir. Speech, Hearing Program Eugene Underwood, Ed.D., Professor, English Bill Verkler, Ph.D., Professor, Sociology Charles Walker, M.S., Assa. Professor, Business and Marketing Duane Warden, Ph.D., Assa. Dean/ Professor, College of Bible & Religion Will Ed Warren, M.A.R., Professor, B ible Bett y Watson, Ed.D., Professor, Elementary Education Neva White M.M., Assa. Professor, Piano and Voice John Williams, Ph.D., Assa. Professor, English Shirley Williams, M.S.L.S ., Assa. Professor, Library Science Beth Wilson, Ed.D., Chair/Professor, Family and Consumer S ciences Ed Wilson, Ph.D., Professor, Chemistry Ray Wright, D.A., Asso. Professor, English Winfred Wright, Dr. de l'Universite, Chair/ Professor, Foreign Language Faculty 169
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