why ASL cannot credit as a foreign language?

I was curious, so I looked up the foreign language department description at the college for which I interpret. Here's what I found:

"The Department of Speech, Foreign Languages, and Theater at XXXXXXXX College serves students who seek oral communication courses which are a requirement of many majors and transfer programs at the college."

[the bold is my emphasis]
 
eliotj said:
HEre, we have many many people that take english - not as a foreign language but as a SECOND language. Hence the term ESL, English as a Second LAnguage.
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ESL does not count for the foreign language credit. Students take it so that they can later enter "mainstream" English classes. Of course they get regular credit for it, though, unless they are adult English language learners in noncredit classes. Also, the term "ESL" is slowly falling out of use since so many people who are in ESL classes know many other languages, so it's more like English as a Fourth or Fifth Language. The field of teaching ESL is actually called TESOL: Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages.

me_punctured said:
However, they can get credit for taking Spanish for native speakers if they do not know how to read and write it fluently.
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Yeah, that is very cool when schools offer language classes (and credit) for native speakers! At one school where I work they are hoping to implement ASL classes specifically for deaf students (they already offer general ASL classes) so they can learn more about their native language. I really hope it works out.

Reba said:
"The Department of Speech, Foreign Languages, and Theater at XXXXXXXX College serves students who seek oral communication courses which are a requirement of many majors and transfer programs at the college."
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Whoa...so they are explicitly excluding ASL there, if I read it correctly?
 
In just a quick, unofficial research of other local colleges, I found some common points in their language departments. The languages that were included were referred to as having "global" influence, important in the marketplace and business world, were used by large numbers of people (currently, in the past ["classical"], or both), were not the "official" language of the campus, and were sources of literature. Also, some languages are pre- or co-requisites for courses in other non-language majors. For example, Latin for medical or legal majors, Greek and Hebrew for Bible majors, "classic" languages for archeology and art majors, French for chefs, Asian languages for international business, etc. In other words, each language had some kind of "hook" to justify its necessity for learning.
 
From one college:

"Requirements
The College requires four semesters of language study, or its equivalent, for successful completion of any of its undergraduate degree programs. Entering students may take any language, other than English, offered by the College. There are twelve languages to choose from: Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin), French, German, Greek (Ancient), Hebrew (Modern), Italian, Japanese, Latin, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish."

The requirements do not say "foreign", so that's not a problem. However, they don't offer ASL, so ASL won't satisfy the requirement. I guess the problem is getting them to offer ASL.
 
From yet another college:

[SIZE=+1]Why Learn a Second Language?[/SIZE]
  • [SIZE=+1]Compete in the global economy[/SIZE]
  • [SIZE=+1]Increase job opportunities and salary potential[/SIZE]
  • [SIZE=+1]Increase possibilites for acceptance to graduate schools[/SIZE]
  • [SIZE=+1]Build critical, analytical and creative thinking skills[/SIZE]
  • [SIZE=+1]Develop and enhance a sensitivity to other cultures[/SIZE]
  • [SIZE=+1]Improve vocabulary and language proficiency in English[/SIZE]
  • [SIZE=+1]Enhance opportunities and experiences in travel and study abroad[/SIZE]
  • [SIZE=+1]Increase sensitivity to people in your own country[/SIZE]
  • [SIZE=+1]Experience and enjoy cinematographic, literary and musical masterpieces in their original language[/SIZE]
 
More:

Why a language?
Studying a foreign language opens new worlds and fosters understanding between cultures. More and more companies are looking for employees who speak more than one language. The US Armed Services offer higher pay and often recruiting bonuses for proficiency in certain languages. The XXXXXX's upper-division language courses teach many of the same skills that are taught in other liberal arts majors: critical thinking, effective written and oral communication, organization, etc., with the additional skill of a new language—so why not double your return?
 
It looks like the way to interest a college in adding a language to its curriculum is to prove some kind of financial or career benefit.
 
Phebe said:
I am doing an argument paper and which also my personal concern

my university don't allow students to credit as foreign language requirement.

I think ASL is ready useful to people like me and those who want to be nurse or doctor ( my University has a great pre-health program)

They said ASL, or Sign just don't have a culture.
And it is regarded as a sub-language of English



Here are some of my point of views

Sign has it own culture and deaf people have their own community

since, foreign language aim to provide student anothe culture learning besides their own culture, Sign is a foreign langauge...

so what do you think?:blah:
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I think that is a bunch of B.S. ASL is like any other language. The only thing different is that we use our hands! Every language has a culture. That is what I believe. The high school that I go to offer ASL as a foreign language and very few offer it as the same. I think that all colleges should offer ASL as a forien language.:bump:
 
asl is a foreign language credit at the college I goto. It may be american but its still foreign.
 
My question is Reba, do they teach advanced ASL with all the nmg and classifiers the whole works with the non credit courses? Do they explain the linguistics?
 
Sorry but this question is for Reba. Here in florida st petersburg college has an interpreter program as well as ASL 1-4 as non credit. I don't necessarily care if I get the credit or not, it's cheaper by far. I just want to know if they thoroughly teach asl in the non credit courses the same as the credit courses?
 
HiBluE01 said:
College does not think of ASL is part of language.
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Not true...I got foreign language credits for taking ASL at Arizona State University 10 years ago. It is recongized as a part of language there.
 
My university does not recognize it as a foreign language. I think most universities in NC does not recognize it all because state NC itself does not accept ASL as a foreign language. It sucks, but people in NC is fighting hard to get it accept, but the bill they proposaled got rejected many time. I think they are trying again this year. I feel bad for them. Stupid congress...
 
robbielyn said:
My question is Reba, do they teach advanced ASL with all the nmg and classifiers the whole works with the non credit courses? Do they explain the linguistics?
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Depends on the school.
 
I agree, Sign is a language and I don't see why it wouldn't required as a language, its how they communicate...
 
I think Asl is a foreign language I mean thin about it, if your hearing you see deaf people all the time, and if your deaf there’s a community…. I mean there’s a French community and they call that a foreign language…community should= foreign language..:)
 
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