Why We Teach American Sign Language: Part Two

Tuesday, July 6th, 2010

Last week in Part 1 of our series, we discussed why American Sign Language (ASL) is so valuable to our students as a vehicle to help them improve their motor control and spatial awareness. Now, we’d like to talk a little about the types of personal and social growth – and some of the wonderful stories – that come from the ASL classroom.

Unlike with most other languages, social skills like polite communication and paying attention to others are embedded in ASL. Since it’s a visual language, there’s no way to see what someone is saying without making eye contact with them other person and concentrating on their face and hands. Respect for others and greater focus then come naturally, simply through talking to others with signs. Your eyes can’t wander around the room, and you can’t turn your back on someone while talking to them. You have to be face-to-face, treating them with respect. ASL teaches them how to engage with each other, watch each other – you can’t communicate in ASL without making eye contact and concentrating on the other person.

Because everyone began learning ASL at the same level, and because it uses a different type of vocabulary that the typical verbal one (firing up different sections of the brain), many of our students have felt it to be an incredibly freeing experience. ASL has allowed them to be more assertive without running the risk of starting a conflict through a raised voice or abrupt tone. They have to think about what they say, and take ownership of their words and actions in a mature way. “Even the quietest student has learned to be more assertive with the things he wanted to do, and has felt much more free to express himself through signs,” says teacher Debbie Lawrence.

ASL has also been a powerful force in building our students’ confidence, as they sign and translate at a very high level, what Lawrence describes as “learning at nearly the college level at converting English to ASL.” Not only that, but the language gave them the opportunities to rebuild their identities with new ‘sign names’. “When a person signs with the first deaf person they meet, they are given a sign name, consisting of the first initial of their first name and a gesture illustrating their character,” Lawrence explains. “One student went up to our deaf visitor and signed ‘can you give me a sign name.’ She smiled, made the sign for ‘A’, and followed it with ‘beautiful’, and [our student’s face] just lit up with joy. [Giving out names to the class] really made a difference to them. It told them who they were in the class.”

Once the school year has started again in the fall, Debbie Lawrence, our wonderful ASL instructor, would like to welcome you to our Signing Circle of Friends class on Wednesdays at 1:00PM – feel free to come and observe or learn. We love having community members in class!

Go on to Part 3, or back to Part 1.

You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.