How will I know?

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rivenoak

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First off, my signing ability is about that of a toddler. That is when DS started speaking, so we haven't kept up with signing.

If a school program says they are bi-bi, how do I know that they really use ASL in all the classrooms and not SEE?

Do I take a friend who used to be a terp with me on tours so she can tell me afterward?

I got to thinking about this after watching one video from a school. It looked more like SEE to me, and maybe that was on purpose to include more people (I don't know percentage of users SEE vs. ASL in this area) or if it reflects more on the reality of the school.

I appreciate your thoughts, advice. :ty:
 
We toured schools with a Deaf mentor provided by the state: she's not just a rock star in the Deaf community :) but also was able to provide us with an unbiased description of what methodologies were in place in each school. So, we knew which schools used AV methods, which used TC and in what way, and how bi-bi was employed at the school we eventually chose. But she didn't give us any analysis of which were 'better' or get into any of the political aspects of the different methods. Do you have access to that sort of guide?

In practice, methodologies in use can change based on the make-up of any particular class, so you want to find out where they are trending in the age range of your child.
 
That's a very good and valid question and you have every right to know if ASL is being used as stated on the program's mission statement. However, in order to get an unbaised statement, GrendalQ's idea of having a guide is a good one.
 
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