Learning American Sign Language Essay

In the video “Through your child eyes”, talks about how younger children learns through their senses and language. They mostly learn through the eyes, which is why sign language is important because they learn better through hand movements. Also in the video, parents talk about how they opened a “door” between their child and them, with the “key” being ASL. In addition to kids learning ASL, it also helps their knowledge and brain grow. Besides talking about how ASL impacts young children, it also talked about how ASL can help families communicate better. As well as ASL helping families come closer, it helps kids to think better, do harder things and understand others on a higher level. The children who learn sign language not alone improve

Most people often ask if it is appropriate to call ASL a foreign language. The question of whether ASL is "foreign" depends on what we mean by foreign. ASL is not universal; it is indigenous to the United States and some parts of Canada. According to Sherman, this should not exclude it from it been studied as a foreign language. "The question also arises with other languages indigenous to North America. An example is that, at the University of New Mexico, Navajo is taught and accepted in fulfillment of the foreign language requirement, yet it is not used in a foreign country. One of the educational benefits of foreign language study is that it gives students a fresh perspective on their own language and culture."(Wilcox 1999) This is especially true of ASL. Others may note that foreign language courses teach students about the culture of the group of people who use the language. They may wonder if there is a full and distinct culture associated with users of ASL. Applying linguistic and historical methods of studying ASL and Deaf culture is a great way to intellectually train students. It leaves them with a better understanding of Deaf culture, language, and customs, as well as make them understand their own language and

Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet was a hearing minister that designed American Sign Language, which is the first language used by deaf and hearing people in the United States and Canada. Two thousand hundred million people are using ASL, and at least five thousand hundred people are using it as their most important way of communication. Throughout a period, Deaf people in America were already using sign language, in the early 1800’s; Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet had become friends with a young Deaf girl named Alice. Gallaudet started to teach the girl a few words, and succeeded at doing so. In 1815, Gallaudet went to Europe in search of methods of teaching the Deaf. He approached a number of program directors, the signs used at the school for the deaf, and the signs began to develop into American Sign Language. American Sign Language in America also has

To fully understand why this is a popular debate, we must first explore Deaf culture. Dr. Beth Sonnenstrahl Benedict from the Hands and Voices organization states that “The American Deaf community values American Sign Language as the core of a culturally Deaf identity” (Benedict par 1). Language is a crucial aspect of a culture, and American Sign Language unifies the Deaf community. Although it is often dismissed as a language, ASL has its own unique sentence structure and vocabulary that make it different from English or any other foreign language. Many believe that allowing a deaf child to learn sign language is essential to them embracing their deafness as well as building

During the Through Deaf Eyes, I realize that no one should judge one another even if we can hear or deaf because at the end of the day, we are all the same kind which is being a human.. During the film, what blew my mind away is that deaf people say “I can” while the hearing people say “I can’t.” Deaf people are more brave than hearing people and they embrace their pride and do not want to be cure. The American Sign Language is a way to communicate with one another therefore, it is so important for deaf people to communicate. They would have to go through a deaf speech class with teachers helping them from step by step using their hands motion to learn American Sign Language.

By researching this topic, I intend to correct the extremely common misconception that ASL is just “English for Deaf people”, which I also believed before taking multiple classes on the subject.

The use of ASL is extremely important to the deaf community and to Deaf culture. Although fluency is always desired, the willingness to learn and communicate in ASL goes a long way in being accepted. A skilled signer who does not have the right attitude will be seen in a less appealing light than a struggling signer with a true heart for the deaf.

As part of daily life, we communicate and connect ourselves with certain communities. School, jobs, families, sports, extracurricular activities, and many other communities are just a few we come into contact with. Although these may seem to appear the same, there are specific types of communities such as a discourse community. A discourse community is a group of people involved in and communicating about a particular topic, issue, or in a particular field (Webcourses, N.d, Website) that has a share a common set of goals and attempt to achieve these goals (Swales, 1990). According to researcher and educator, John Swales, there are six characteristics that define whether or not a community is considered a discourse community. Following the criteria Swales states is necessary to be a discourse community, I did an in depth research on the American Sign Language community. Through my study, I was able to meet all six characteristics.

Throughout high school, the number one thing I looked forward to everyday was American Sign Language class. There, I was taught not only just the receptive and expressive aspects of the language but also the culture behind it, and the people who made it to be what it is today. Learning about lots of the challenges and discrimination that many deaf and deaf blind people have faced and continue to face almost on a daily basis opened my eyes to issues and abilities of people that I otherwise would have never known about.

Derived from French Sign Language, ASL has grammar that differs greatly from American English or even British English. The close relationship between ASL and FSL is because of the first school for the deaf opened in the United States. The school was founded by a Frenchman whose native language was French Sign Language. (Tabak) Now many schools for the deaf have been opened throughout the United States, yet the connections between ASL and FSL remain strong. Undoubtedly, ASL is a singular language and like any two separate languages, a language barrier can result between hearing English speaking parents and their deaf children.

Sign language is one most common ways for deaf individuals to communicate without using of their voices. Different cultures and languages will typically have their own version of sign language so signs are not always universal, just like gestures are not universal. Signs are culturally bound in communication just like verbal languages and gestures are culturally bound. I will examine the history of American Sign Language, as well as how it has been viewed culturally with positive and negative social implications in the U.S.

Some people seem to think of ASL as a type of “accommodation” for the deaf. Personally, ASL is simply another language. Even though this lecture was intriguing, the lecture could’ve incorporated deaf culture. Overall, the lecture was more focused on how education options affect the deaf in the terms of the development of a language. Even though the lecture was not what was expected; I still learned a massive amount about the fine details of languages. One of the experiments concluded that, native signers, meaning these children grew up with ASL as their primary form of communication; had an easier time learning English. While the deaf children that learned sign language later had delayed English skills. Unfortunately, an extensive range of parents desire for their deaf child to be educated strictly through English; interestingly enough, this study concludes that children will have an easier time learning English if they are native signers. Another intriguing factor that Kathryn mentioned was a study that dealt with a combination of deaf and hearing children. All of these children took a test to demonstrate how well they were progressing in school. Interesting enough, the

In learning about the deaf culture I have taken on a new understanding about the people it includes. Through readings and the lessons, I have learned that being deaf has both its hardships and its blessings. The beauty of the language alone makes one want to learn all that he or she can about it. In this paper I will discuss the beauty of the language and the misconceptions the hearing world has about deafness.

The two articles acknowledge ECEs about the importance of that critical period for children to learn their first language. Also how their language skills relate to other skills that is needed for them later in life. Now knowing this information I can plan activities and understand how to help children with hearing loss later on when I’m in the work field. Sign language is also very important for children that are deaf. I would put posters that teach sign language in the class room for the children to see. As well as encourage them to communicate with others in any ways that they can. Therefore, these two articles show educators the information that is very useful, so they are relevant to

Within the introduction the author expresses the importance of educating deaf children threw education and special training that they require and have they had the right to have available to them. The author explains the high importance sign language plays and the advantages it gives them insight, intervention into the deaf community. ASL, or sign language is essential within in this deaf community. Sign language is a creation of the deaf community’s history and it allows them to fulfill their protentional intertwined with all different types of cultures that sign language is built on.