ASL : Access , Benefits , and Quality Rosen
American Sign Language : Access , Benefits , and Quality
Russell S . Rosen CUNY – Staten Island
Abstract
While American Sign Language ( ASL ) is taught as a bona fide language in general education and used as the language of instruction in schools and programs for the deaf , several issues remain regarding the access to , benefits of , and quality of ASL as a language . This article provides an overview of sign language education , reviews studies on the benefits of using ASL as a language for deaf and hearing learners , and discusses current pedagogical and intervention issues . This is followed by discussion on ideas and options to increase access , benefits and quality assurance for ASL in American society .
Introduction
American Sign Language ( ASL ) has reached the 200-year mark . The timing could not be better for reflecting on the history and recent years of sign language use in the United States . Despite interest and enrollment in classes where ASL is taught as a language in general education and used as the language of instruction in schools and programs for the deaf , there are challenges and issues that need to be addressed . ASL has been used within the society of predominantly speaking and hearing people . While a majority of speaking and hearing people could have become signers in addition to being speakers , for now they have not . Despite its documented history and use in the deaf community , ASL has been marginalized in the larger American society . This can be seen in the fact that curriculum , instruction , and assessment remain English-based at schools and programs for deaf and hearing children . This effect suggests that the power of spoken language remains unchecked ( cf . J . H . Cripps & S . Supalla , 2012 ).
While ASL may be taught as part of deaf students ’ learning of scholastic subjects and to meet hearing students ’ foreign language requirement in high schools , colleges , and universities , it has only been one option for the students . Hearing students may choose languages such as Spanish or French over ASL , for instance , and their potential for becoming signers and being able to communicate with deaf people may not be met . Similarly , schools for the deaf may hold out using ASL with deaf students as only one option , and students ’ potential for learning scholastic subjects may also not be met . Such a language situation for deaf and hearing children in schools constitutes the focus for this paper .
This paper seeks to generate a more comprehensive picture on the status of ASL for two groups of learners ( one being deaf and the other hearing ). The scope of ASL within the deaf community dominates the scholarly literature with very little attention to hearing people who sign . Giving these two groups of people a more equitable treatment provides insights and considerations that may be highly valuable . It is also important to keep in mind that deaf children who sign would be learning English as a second language , which has repercussions for their scholastic learning . For instance , reading and writing difficulties with English for deaf children have been reported and must be addressed ( Chamberlain & Mayberry , 2000 ; Hoffmeister & Caldwell-Harris , 2014 ).
The questions for this paper are : 1 ) How accessible is ASL for deaf and hearing learners ?, 2 ) What merits are there in learning and using ASL ?, and 3 ) How effective is the delivery and
SASLJ , Vol . 1 , No . 1 – Fall / Winter 2017 7