By expanding its American Sign Language program, the Sioux Falls School District (SFSD) has taken a significant step when it comes to responding to an important aspect of the D/HoH lifestyle. Deaf teacher Colleen Barber sees the move as a considerable benefit to her community. Before the new policy was implemented, she was the only one teaching ASL. But now there is one other American Sign Language instructor. Ms. Barber is optimistic in regards to the future of ASL in her community as she witnesses the expansion of the program..
Throughout the past years, high school students could get only one year of language credits from learning ASL. At this moment, with the addition of American Sign Language level 3 and 4 classes, students can satisfy their particular second language requirements with ASL alone
The SFSD‘s Rebecca Wimmer states that responding to the community’s diverse needs is increasingly significant as the city of Sioux Falls grows. These needs would be the necessities of Deaf and Hard-of-hearing students. Because of this, the School District has expanded its ASL program to benefit these learners and hearing students. “For our high school students, we [need to] prepare them for that next phase of life, make sure that they’re getting access to college programs, that they have career readiness skills,” Ms. Wimmer stated.
The Main Advantages of Expanding American Sign Language Programs
1. Social Advantages
Offering hearing pupils the option in taking ASL courses promotes better inclusivity in the schools along with nearby local communities as well. Learning ASL as a second language also widens the scope of hearing students’ social networks to encompass members of the D/HoH populace.
Furthermore, teaching American Sign Language in public schools presents D/HoH learners several added possibilities to converse with their hearing classmates.
2. Intellectual Benefits
Many studies have established that learning a whole new language improves mental functions, which results in higher academic achievement and increased odds for career accomplishment.
- Creative thinking
- Mental flexibility
- Problem-solving skills
- Listening skills
- Abstract reasoning
3. Additional Benefits
Conversing in a visual way like signing boosts students’ visual sensitivity, spatial awareness and ability to psychologically rotate an object and examine it from different perspectives.
4. Career Opportunities
Mastering ASL as a second language increases students’ career opportunities. By sign language interpreting and teaching to speech pathology and audiology, the range of jobs regarding American Sign Language is extensive.
Beyond the many incentives that American Sign Language programs offer individual D/HoH and hearing students, they additionally help communities. For that reason, around 35 states currently acknowledge ASL as being a contemporary language inside their school systems. And more and more US colleges and universities provide ASL classes.