I found this discursive article co-written by @DrDaiJestive & @drvickycrawley about their relationship in PhD supervisions as a deaf supervisor & hearing PhD student fascinating & so insightful! https://ldjournalsite.files.wordpress.com/2020/12/ldj-1-4-crawley-obrien.pdf

As a hearing signer, I have co-supervised:
1) deaf students with hearing signing co-supervisors
2) deaf students with hearing non-signing co-supervisors
3) hearing signing students with hearing signing co-supervisors
4) hearing signing students with deaf supervisors

In scenarios (1) & (4) we have always all signed in supervision meetings. Scenario (2) we have interpreter(s) and scenario (3) we speak (& sometimes code-blend)

Before in scenario (2) I used to speak alongside the other hearing supervisor. I s'pose out of force of habit being a hearing person in a speech-dominant environment. I now sign in these meetings to offset the power dynamics so the interpreter provides access for the non-signer

Conversations with deaf academic friends like @AnneliesKusters & @mdemeulder gave me insight into what a shift we could witness by doing it that way. And they're right. It is so effective on so many levels.

Turn-taking is based on signed norms & eye gaze. Hearing non-signing supervisors become more attuned to embodied communication & the signed conversations support the written feedback

@DrDaiJestive & @drvickycrawley acknowledge that not all hearing people like to hear themselves being interpreted if they sign. That is a common complaint. Luckily it does not bother me. Fascinating to see how this was factored in to their meetings

I have had 2 PhD students where the 2nd supervisor was switched for different reasons - so the language of supervision has changed, sometimes requiring interpreters to be brought in depending on who can sign

My default has always been to speak in supervision mtgs with hearing signing students because we can both hear/ speak.

But now, again because of conversations with deaf colleagues such as @AnneliesKusters @rejadam & @GaryAustinQuin2, I am suggesting signing with them (especially with UG interpreting students) to offset the power dynamics & value BSL as a language of the academic environment

I have learned so much along the way through collaborative supervisions with deaf & hearing co-supervisors & students, & have been really inspired by @DrDaiJestive & @drvickycrawley's article in opening up this conversation. Made me really reflect on my own languaging practices