Alternative Sign Language Essay

As part of Calvin College’s diversity and inclusion policy, it motivates its students to be agents of renewal and “promotes cross-cultural understanding, encourages collaboration and fosters innovation, thereby benefiting all within the academic community”. In recognition of the multicultural world in which we live in, the Calvin college curriculum requires the study of another language, in addition to English. Despite this, Calvin fails to recognize the American Sign Language as a foreign language option even though it is used by two million Americans. Calvin’s department of languages website cites the need for proficiency in a second language to be able to participate in today’s global and multicultural society. Calvin should recognize the

The book “A Journey into the Deaf-World”, by Harlan Lane, Robert Hoffmeister, and Ben Bahan, is about the different people who are considered deaf: hard-of-hearing, deaf, and CODA. People who are hard-of-hearing are people who don 't hear well; people who are deaf lack the power of hearing since birth; you can be born hearing and throughout time lose some or all of your hearing sense. People who are CODA (children of deaf adults) are often signing because their parents are deaf and CODA’s often are helpful by being interpreters. CODAs become a great link between their parents and the hearing world. This book explains about deaf culture and how sign is a visual and manual way of conversing. The benefits of sign language are many and the ASL “foreign language” is growing among hearing as well. About more than 500,000 people sign in America alone. ASL is dated from 1779, but probably even earlier. Sign language promotes cultural awareness; deaf culture uses sign language as their main form of communicating.

Deaf people view it as a way of expressing their feelings and perspective to hearing people. Deaf poetry eliminates the hearing world’s misconception on how deaf people live. It is mainly used to express feelings of oppression. They show the beauty of their language through the flow of poetry. Deaf poetry is ultimately a symbol of pride. Their overall view of deaf poetry is appreciation; hearing people view it as educational. The delivery of the poem through sign is unlike any other language, the use of the signed language makes it more personal. The wonder of the culture and community draws hearing people

Language is communicated in various ways. Yet, there are still children who are denied the privilege of having one. Only ten percent of deaf children are born to deaf parents. This means around ninety percent are born to hearing parents. Most hearing parents have never been exposed to American Sign Language (ASL), so they do not teach it to their deaf child. One of the main reasons this happens is hearing parents tend to deny their child's deafness (Gray, n.d.). Instead, they choose to have their baby get a cochlear implant (CI). Parental decisions regarding cochlear implantation may be influenced by what they understand it means to be deaf. Basically, they see being deaf as a disability and are more apt to consider

This topic is very important to me because I was raised in the Deaf culture. My entire family is Deaf and have faced many of these questions that hearing people are unaware about. I feel that it is my job to educate when I have the chance to do so. By being able to educate at least one person, I have done my job. I do not think there is enough information out there to reach everyone’s awareness of Deaf culture.

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

Deaf children are entitled to know that they are heirs to an amazing culture, not a pitiful defect. In order to follow through on that obligation, one of the best things I feel we can do is try to educate other hearing people about the realities of American Sign Language and Deaf culture. Language is one of the most critical aspects of most cultures, and one which sets deafness aside from other defects such as blindness, physical disability, or illness. Sign language is not universal, nor does it always correspond to the spoken language in the same country. For example American Sign Language is native to the United States and Canada. Deaf Canadians might use English, French, or both as a written language. But deaf people in Great Britain, while they may write in English, use a completely different sign language. (nad.org)

I am the eldest of seven kids in my family. I am hard of hearing with the assistance hearing aids to help me to communicate and I read people lips well. The skills I have helped encourage people and allow them to strive for greater things. As an occupational therapist, one needs to encourage patients to hold an object or throw a ball and help them to achieve their goals. I always wanted to learn the American Sign Language, even though I know how to speak. Since the age of ten, I found sign language to be fascinating and always wanted to learn it. I had a tutor who taught me sign language, and now I am continuing to learn more. In addition, knowing ASL will help me communicate with deaf-mute

The idea that ASL is more than just a means of communication for those who are deaf was a profound message and made me rethink my own preconceived conclusions of what ASL can and cannot eloquently communicate. It also shows how, much like all languages, ASL is constantly evolving.

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

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.

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.

ASL is more than a language; it is a miracle. I find myself often perplexed by the difficulty that must have come with making a language solely from hands. It is amazing that there was a nationwide speaking of the hands for the deaf community and anyone who is interested to learn can join in easily, but only if they can hoop over some of the languages major challenges. In the article “Why is Learning American Sign Language a Challenge?” by Professor Mike Kent, he discusses the top 5 ASL challenges he has come across.

Although it is possible for deaf children to attend public schools and succeed, research suggests that it is best for them to have their own environment, says Meagan McDonough. It is already hard enough for a hearing student to find his/her place in the classroom, but when you add being deaf to the list, a major challenge presents itself. This deaf student must work extra hard to keep up and be able to read the lips of his/her teachers and fellow peers, and learn to communicate. Even though accommodations are made and sometimes interpreters are given, it is hard for the student to feel welcome. If this student were to attend a deaf school, he/she would not have to work so hard and would find it much easier to communicate and socialize - both of which are major focuses in a high school student’s life. In Meagan McDonough's article "Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children in Public Schools", she states that public schools might not be best for deaf students, but if they start out in a deaf school and eventually integrate into a hearing school, they will be better off and be able to keep up. I agree with her in that it is good for a child to at least start his/her education in a deaf school so that the base of their foundation is laid by something they can understand. If later they feel comfortable trying out a public school, they may do so and will find it easier to be and feel included. However, if ASL was to be offered in all public schools and colleges, it would give hearing students the chance to be able to communicate and be more comfortable with deaf

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