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Signs of change | News Virginian
While the Virginia School for the Deaf and Blind in Staunton has no shortage of volunteers, most are placed with blind students because they cannot communicate with those who are deaf.
New legislation could change that.
Del. Dickie Bell has pre-filed a bill that would mandate that colleges and universities recognize American Sign Language (ASL) as fulfilling foreign language admissions criteria for incoming students.
Under a 1998 provision from the Virginia Department of Education, high school students may use American Sign Language classes to satisfy foreign language requirements for graduation.
But admissions departments at state universities and colleges do not have to accept sign language.
VSDB Superintendent Nancy Armstrong said she hopes legislation will encourage more high school students to choose ASL as their foreign language.
“Around here it would be wonderful if more volunteers had American Sign Language skills,” she said. “It would really open up a lot of possibilities.”
Proponents say the bill would expand students’ opportunities to learn the language. But some education officials say it takes the decision of how to accept American Sign Language credits out of the hands of Virginia colleges and universities, which generally enjoy more autonomy than in other states.
The bill issues two mandates. One solidifies the 1998 provision requiring high schools to allow sign language courses to fulfill foreign language requirements. The other requires colleges and universities recognize ASL where foreign language is required for admission.
“I think this is an opportunity for education to expand without building buildings and without spending a lot of money,” said Bell, a former educator. “We have hearing impaired students in our schools. We have interpreters with them. We have the resources to do this.”
Waynesboro schools superintendent Robin Crowder said he supports the initiative.
“Not every child is necessarily good with linguistic foreign language, but may have additional skills that allow them to learn signing language and still be successful in higher education,” he said.
If passed, the legislation would chip away at state colleges and universities’ ability to set their standards for admission.
“In Virginia, they have a great deal of autonomy,” said Kirsten Nelson, spokeswoman for the Virginia Council of Higher Education. “We have seen past bills that tried to alter this.”
While the council is still evaluating the bill’s implications, Nelson said its passage has the potential to pose challenges.
“It doesn’t create any sort of standard for grade point average in American Sign Language,” she said. “For example, if you come in with a D in American Sign Language, would universities have to give you full credit?”
Bell said the bill intends to allow colleges to treat ASL as they would other languages.
“No one is being asked to lower standards for American Sign Language,” he said. “If a D in French is unacceptable, a D in American Sign Language would be also. I am sure a fair grading scale can be achieved.”
The ways in which colleges view sign language varies across the state.
Several proposals to recognize ASL as a foreign language brought before James Madison University’s language department have failed, said Barbara Monger, an administrative assistant for the department head.
However, the University of Virginia has allowed American Sign Language to fulfill language requirements for more than a decade, said Christopher Krentz, director of the university’s ASL program.
“American Sign Language has district grammar and structure that differs markedly from English,” he said. “The deaf community is a distinct subculture with their own cultural rules for getting someone’s attention, saying goodbye and talking about sensitive information. It includes story-telling, poetry and there are even deaf theater companies. In terms of learning about how language works and about a different culture, American Sign Language is a very deep and rich language.”
Offering sign language as an option enhances the university’s cultural diversity and allow students to reach out to the deaf community, Krentz said.
“I often get stories from students who maybe for years have seen a deaf bagger in a grocery store, but they’ve never talked,” he said. “The student will tell me about how they were finally able to have a conversation. Connections like that can be made.”
Additionally, the language opens for doors for career and volunteer opportunities for students, Krentz said.
“Here in Virginia, a high percentage of interpreters in secondary schools who work with deaf students are underqualified,” he said. “A good interpreter will always have plenty of work.”
Still, Krentz cautions high schools to only begin sign language programs if necessary resources for a good program are available.
“American Sign Language is best taught by native signers and there are a limited a supply of them,” he said. “If every school tried to set up a program, they’d be hiring people who aren’t qualified to teach. If a school decides to pursue a program, I hope they go about it the right way and consult experts like the American Sign Language Teachers Association.”
Bell said the bill heeds Krentz’s warning.
“It takes into consideration that not every school will have the resources to offer American Sign Language, just as not every school can offer calculus or swimming,” he said. “It says that where offered, it will be recognized for foreign language credit.”
The legislative session, for which House Bill 1435 has been pre-filed, begins Jan. 12.
While the Virginia School for the Deaf and Blind in Staunton has no shortage of volunteers, most are placed with blind students because they cannot communicate with those who are deaf.
New legislation could change that.
Del. Dickie Bell has pre-filed a bill that would mandate that colleges and universities recognize American Sign Language (ASL) as fulfilling foreign language admissions criteria for incoming students.
Under a 1998 provision from the Virginia Department of Education, high school students may use American Sign Language classes to satisfy foreign language requirements for graduation.
But admissions departments at state universities and colleges do not have to accept sign language.
VSDB Superintendent Nancy Armstrong said she hopes legislation will encourage more high school students to choose ASL as their foreign language.
“Around here it would be wonderful if more volunteers had American Sign Language skills,” she said. “It would really open up a lot of possibilities.”
Proponents say the bill would expand students’ opportunities to learn the language. But some education officials say it takes the decision of how to accept American Sign Language credits out of the hands of Virginia colleges and universities, which generally enjoy more autonomy than in other states.
The bill issues two mandates. One solidifies the 1998 provision requiring high schools to allow sign language courses to fulfill foreign language requirements. The other requires colleges and universities recognize ASL where foreign language is required for admission.
“I think this is an opportunity for education to expand without building buildings and without spending a lot of money,” said Bell, a former educator. “We have hearing impaired students in our schools. We have interpreters with them. We have the resources to do this.”
Waynesboro schools superintendent Robin Crowder said he supports the initiative.
“Not every child is necessarily good with linguistic foreign language, but may have additional skills that allow them to learn signing language and still be successful in higher education,” he said.
If passed, the legislation would chip away at state colleges and universities’ ability to set their standards for admission.
“In Virginia, they have a great deal of autonomy,” said Kirsten Nelson, spokeswoman for the Virginia Council of Higher Education. “We have seen past bills that tried to alter this.”
While the council is still evaluating the bill’s implications, Nelson said its passage has the potential to pose challenges.
“It doesn’t create any sort of standard for grade point average in American Sign Language,” she said. “For example, if you come in with a D in American Sign Language, would universities have to give you full credit?”
Bell said the bill intends to allow colleges to treat ASL as they would other languages.
“No one is being asked to lower standards for American Sign Language,” he said. “If a D in French is unacceptable, a D in American Sign Language would be also. I am sure a fair grading scale can be achieved.”
The ways in which colleges view sign language varies across the state.
Several proposals to recognize ASL as a foreign language brought before James Madison University’s language department have failed, said Barbara Monger, an administrative assistant for the department head.
However, the University of Virginia has allowed American Sign Language to fulfill language requirements for more than a decade, said Christopher Krentz, director of the university’s ASL program.
“American Sign Language has district grammar and structure that differs markedly from English,” he said. “The deaf community is a distinct subculture with their own cultural rules for getting someone’s attention, saying goodbye and talking about sensitive information. It includes story-telling, poetry and there are even deaf theater companies. In terms of learning about how language works and about a different culture, American Sign Language is a very deep and rich language.”
Offering sign language as an option enhances the university’s cultural diversity and allow students to reach out to the deaf community, Krentz said.
“I often get stories from students who maybe for years have seen a deaf bagger in a grocery store, but they’ve never talked,” he said. “The student will tell me about how they were finally able to have a conversation. Connections like that can be made.”
Additionally, the language opens for doors for career and volunteer opportunities for students, Krentz said.
“Here in Virginia, a high percentage of interpreters in secondary schools who work with deaf students are underqualified,” he said. “A good interpreter will always have plenty of work.”
Still, Krentz cautions high schools to only begin sign language programs if necessary resources for a good program are available.
“American Sign Language is best taught by native signers and there are a limited a supply of them,” he said. “If every school tried to set up a program, they’d be hiring people who aren’t qualified to teach. If a school decides to pursue a program, I hope they go about it the right way and consult experts like the American Sign Language Teachers Association.”
Bell said the bill heeds Krentz’s warning.
“It takes into consideration that not every school will have the resources to offer American Sign Language, just as not every school can offer calculus or swimming,” he said. “It says that where offered, it will be recognized for foreign language credit.”
The legislative session, for which House Bill 1435 has been pre-filed, begins Jan. 12.