ASL in public schools??

Wokamuka said:
At the risk of drawing fire, I believe that when American Sign Language is spoken in the classroom (as when a teacher speaks in a classroom), formal-proper American Sign Language is to be used. Casual American Sign Language can be spoken between students and outside of the classroom.

There is such a thing as formal ASL and casual ASL - just like formal/casual [insert language here].

Perhaps, if formal ASL was recognized/distinguished in the classroom, perception of language would be influenced (and respected)?
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Great point. One of my frustrations is the inconsistancies in signing. It makes it hard for me as an adult and I can imagine it could cause some confusion for children that are learning too.
 
There nothing wrong for public schools should learn to teach "ASL" since some deaf people do go to mainstream schools. ASL is just another langauge that shouldn't be too hard to learn.
 
I agree with you. Did you read my website from my old teacher?? She was work at public school for ASL teacher.

GarnetTigerMom said:
There nothing wrong for public schools should learn to teach "ASL" since some deaf people do go to mainstream schools. ASL is just another langauge that shouldn't be too hard to learn.
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rockdrummer said:
Great point. One of my frustrations is the inconsistancies in signing. It makes it hard for me as an adult and I can imagine it could cause some confusion for children that are learning too.
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This is why I strongly support a BiBi program cuz the languages that are used are ASL and English, nothing else so no confusion nor inconsistencies occur.

Just like I would support a pure French class for learning French instead of different systems of French.
 
shel90 said:
This is why I strongly support a BiBi program cuz the languages that are used are ASL and English, nothing else so no confusion nor inconsistencies occur.

Just like I would support a pure French class for learning French instead of different systems of French.
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I think you are right about that Shel. I am still wondering though, how can we help mainstream kids? If the other students knew ASL, at least a little, wouldn't that help them to not be isolated and to be more accepted and undertood? Like, in the younger grades? Is it important to have formal ASL when you are teaching preschoolers and such? I don't know how you teach it effectively and quickly to facilitate communication. I guess I am just a dreamer... still wanting a better tomorrow for all.
 
dreamchaser said:
I think you are right about that Shel. I am still wondering though, how can we help mainstream kids? If the other students knew ASL, at least a little, wouldn't that help them to not be isolated and to be more accepted and undertood? Like, in the younger grades? Is it important to have formal ASL when you are teaching preschoolers and such? I don't know how you teach it effectively and quickly to facilitate communication. I guess I am just a dreamer... still wanting a better tomorrow for all.
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Have to get the public school administrators, audiologist, speech therapist, and parents change their views about ASL. That's the first step. There are just too many false myths about ASL. The next step would be getting funding to establish a BiBi program in the public schools. Then, the last step is to hire qualified staff who are fluent in both languages. It is not easy especially when the government is cutting so many programs and NCLB issues.
 
shel90 said:
Have to get the public school administrators, audiologist, speech therapist, and parents change their views about ASL. That's the first step. There are just too many false myths about ASL. The next step would be getting funding to establish a BiBi program in the public schools. Then, the last step is to hire qualified staff who are fluent in both languages. It is not easy especially when the government is cutting so many programs and NCLB issues.
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That is exactly why I was kicking around the idea of an experimental program to start of with volunteers just long enough to prove it is needed and it can be learned by little kids quickly.. :) So, start praying about those administrators.. audologists... etc..
 
Pinky678 said:
I agree with you. Did you read my website from my old teacher?? She was work at public school for ASL teacher.
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Yep, read the website and it very interesting because I had some teachers willing to teach hearing kids signs because I have some deaf kids in my hearing schools. We were never taunt, picked on and make fun of at all. We get along great! I remember When i was in public school the teacher I had name Mrs. Jenkins and she show a movie to hearing student about Helen Keller and they all learn something about deafness as well as blindess and commuications.
 
GarnetTigerMom said:
Yep, read the website and it very interesting because I had some teachers willing to teach hearing kids signs because I have some deaf kids in my hearing schools. We were never taunt, picked on and make fun of at all. We get along great! I remember When i was in public school the teacher I had name Mrs. Jenkins and she show a movie to hearing student about Helen Keller and they all learn something about deafness as well as blindess and commuications.
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I think that is what they should always do. They need to educate hearing kids about Deaf kids and hearing aids and implants and stuff so they don't seem foreign to them. There is one lady who is writing books for little kids that introduce deafness in a fun way, and the hearing teachers can use them for a tool to start bridging the gap of not understanding.

I think that all little kids need to have some exposure to, , and understanding about what it is like to be deaf. They could lose their hearing someday. I also wish there was someway to make sure that little kids could communicate with the deaf kids in mainstream school.
 
shel90 said:
This is why I strongly support a BiBi program cuz the languages that are used are ASL and English, nothing else so no confusion nor inconsistencies occur.

Just like I would support a pure French class for learning French instead of different systems of French.
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What I am saying is that even within ASL there are differences in how things are signed. If you include signed english there are additional inconsistancies between ASL and signed english. In any event I would imagine learning two languages as a developing child would add additional workload on their minds.
 
I'd be thrilled to see them at least teach the deaf students how to sign ASL.
 
dreamchaser said:
I think that is what they should always do. They need to educate hearing kids about Deaf kids and hearing aids and implants and stuff so they don't seem foreign to them. There is one lady who is writing books for little kids that introduce deafness in a fun way, and the hearing teachers can use them for a tool to start bridging the gap of not understanding.

I think that all little kids need to have some exposure to, , and understanding about what it is like to be deaf. They could lose their hearing someday. I also wish there was someway to make sure that little kids could communicate with the deaf kids in mainstream school.
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I agree with you on that, Hearing and deaf children should be exposure to each other to commuicate and teach hearing kids what deafness is all about. Commuicate is very important. Just like I had to relearn spanish because we got lot of mexican around so can't hurt to learn more than one langauges. :)
 
Deaf Mortgage said:
Interesting...

Hearing coming half way? Only handful has came half way while rest of them expect us to be "perfect" as oralism, ability to hear, speeches... When we are already perfect as way we are.

Hearing people need to learn to accept and learn the language. Willing to go extra mile to learn. It another new unexplored world for the Hearing to explore of ASL. It rocks their world if they once learned.

My own quote, "ASL is music to our eyes".
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as a hearing person, i can say that untill a deaf person enters your life, you really don't think about it. honestly, i never did. i have noticed the deaf community keeps to themselves, and understandably, as it becomes frustrating to try to communicate with people who have never even tried to learn your language. (i know this from learning some spanish from non english speaking mexicans)
if there were more exposure of ASL to mainstream education (by a paid qualified teacher of corse) I think it would be beneficial to both the deaf and hearing community.
but i do agree that' if it isnt used on a daily basis, most of the knowlege is lost. I went a long time without signing to anyone but my children. now trying to hole a conversation with an adult is diffucult.
the answer that i am seeing here is EFFORT. as long as people are TRYING to bridge that language barrier, some good will come out of it.


and yes, ASL rocked my world once i learned. now I am all about supporting the deaf community and showing other hearing people what it's like to be part of both worlds. it is a truly wonderful feeling.
 
GarnetTigerMom said:
I agree with you on that, Hearing and deaf children should be exposure to each other to commuicate and teach hearing kids what deafness is all about. Commuicate is very important. Just like I had to relearn spanish because we got lot of mexican around so can't hurt to learn more than one langauges. :)
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So true! The way to increase understanding is to start with the little ones! Then they grow up with it, and consider it the right thing to do!
 
dreamchaser said:
I think that is what they should always do. They need to educate hearing kids about Deaf kids and hearing aids and implants and stuff so they don't seem foreign to them. There is one lady who is writing books for little kids that introduce deafness in a fun way, and the hearing teachers can use them for a tool to start bridging the gap of not understanding.

I think that all little kids need to have some exposure to, , and understanding about what it is like to be deaf. They could lose their hearing someday. I also wish there was someway to make sure that little kids could communicate with the deaf kids in mainstream school.
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in ALL the mainstream schools my hearing daughter has gone to, they make it a poing to tell everyone she has deaf brothers. in the class the teachers usually teach one sign a week to the students, and my daughter (who is quite good at ASL) will help with other words. this gives a mild exposure, plus its fun for the kids. then when her classmates come over to play they can at least sign hello to her little brothers. and it has greatly improved the way neighbors and other children react to my children.
the only time a kid came over and screamed "can you hear me?" at one of my sons (which I promptly sent him home for) was when he was not a classmate of my daughters and did not know before hand.
sometimes we just have to do those little things that we can to help other people understand. and if they don't want to understand, well then it's their loss, and they are just jerks anyway. :)
 
banshe333 said:
in ALL the mainstream schools my hearing daughter has gone to, they make it a poing to tell everyone she has deaf brothers. in the class the teachers usually teach one sign a week to the students, and my daughter (who is quite good at ASL) will help with other words. this gives a mild exposure, plus its fun for the kids. then when her classmates come over to play they can at least sign hello to her little brothers. and it has greatly improved the way neighbors and other children react to my children.
the only time a kid came over and screamed "can you hear me?" at one of my sons (which I promptly sent him home for) was when he was not a classmate of my daughters and did not know before hand.
sometimes we just have to do those little things that we can to help other people understand. and if they don't want to understand, well then it's their loss, and they are just jerks anyway. :)
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Wow, that is wonderful. I wish more teachers were like that. Even a little exposure to Deaf culture and sign at a young age helps to tear down the walls of ignorance. God Bless you and your little ones... Jeanie.. Still chasin the dream for a better tomorrow for all.
 
rockdrummer said:
What I am saying is that even within ASL there are differences in how things are signed. If you include signed english there are additional inconsistancies between ASL and signed english. In any event I would imagine learning two languages as a developing child would add additional workload on their minds.
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In my 10 years of experience in the teaching field, I have seen the opposite.

However, what I have seen is how much of a burden on the children if they dont have full access to language. That's coming from my and other's experiences whenever we share them.
 
shel90 said:
In my 10 years of experience in the teaching field, I have seen the opposite.

However, what I have seen is how much of a burden on the children if they dont have full access to language. That's coming from my and other's experiences whenever we share them.
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Agreed. Childhood is the optimal time for learning two languages simultaneously.

And there are inconsistencies in the way English is spoken, too, so I don;t see the differences in the way somethings are signed in ASL as problematic. Hearing kids learn spoken language naturally despite the inconsistencies, and deaf kids will learn ASL naturally despite the inconsistencies.
 
One thing that concerns me is that some interpreters who use "English" signs don't use them in conceptually accurate ways. They often use signs that "sound like" the English word even if the meaning is incorrect. It drives me nuts! (IT DRIVES [car] ME NUT [peanut]-S!--I CAN BEAR [grizzly]-LY STAND [up] IT.) (I'm not yelling--those are gloss words.)
 
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