Miss-Delectable
New Member
- Joined
- Apr 18, 2004
- Messages
- 17,160
- Reaction score
- 7
Students learn sign language with new elective » Merrimack Valley » EagleTribune.com, North Andover, MA
The quiet hum of a projector is the only sound inside Room 1036.
Talking is not allowed during Larry Stephen's American Sign Language class at North Andover High School. So when the bell rings, his 19 students communicate using their hands.
"It's kind of like riding a bike," said Ryan Boringa, 18, a senior. "Once your body learns how to do it, it remembers."
American Sign Language is a new elective this year at the high school, thanks to a collaboration with Northern Essex Community College.
Stephen, a Northern Essex professor who was born deaf, teaches at North Andover High three days a week. Students also practice signing two days a week inside the school library, where they record themselves using laptop computers and send the videos to Stephen to be graded.
"It's nice to see the students come in at a basic level," said Stephen through an interpreter. "It's nice to see something organic grow from nothing to something."
The students enrolled in the class are also earning three college course credits.
All North Andover High students must take two years of a foreign language to graduate. American Sign Language was added this year in addition to French, German and Spanish.
"It's been a great addition," said North Andover High Principal Carla Scuzzarella. "It's a wonderful skill to have for any student."
Scuzzarella said there are plans to expand the school's sign language offerings. In the fall, 25 students took the elective and she said an American Sign Language II course may launch as early as this spring.
For some students, Scuzzarella said sign language is easier to pick up than a new spoken language.
"It's a foreign language that you don't often hear about," said Siobhan Murphy, 17, a senior. "It's actually really easy to follow and understand. It's easy to learn."
"It's something different," said senior Jessica Stabile, 17. "It's easier than I thought it would be."
By their second week of instruction, Stephen's students had already learned to introduce themselves using sign language. And after they successfully counted from 1 to 19, Stephen reacted by shaking both hands above his head, signalling the sign for applause.
"The deaf community is everywhere," Stephen said after class. "Whatever they learn in here, I just want them to be able to communicate and be involved in the deaf community."
The quiet hum of a projector is the only sound inside Room 1036.
Talking is not allowed during Larry Stephen's American Sign Language class at North Andover High School. So when the bell rings, his 19 students communicate using their hands.
"It's kind of like riding a bike," said Ryan Boringa, 18, a senior. "Once your body learns how to do it, it remembers."
American Sign Language is a new elective this year at the high school, thanks to a collaboration with Northern Essex Community College.
Stephen, a Northern Essex professor who was born deaf, teaches at North Andover High three days a week. Students also practice signing two days a week inside the school library, where they record themselves using laptop computers and send the videos to Stephen to be graded.
"It's nice to see the students come in at a basic level," said Stephen through an interpreter. "It's nice to see something organic grow from nothing to something."
The students enrolled in the class are also earning three college course credits.
All North Andover High students must take two years of a foreign language to graduate. American Sign Language was added this year in addition to French, German and Spanish.
"It's been a great addition," said North Andover High Principal Carla Scuzzarella. "It's a wonderful skill to have for any student."
Scuzzarella said there are plans to expand the school's sign language offerings. In the fall, 25 students took the elective and she said an American Sign Language II course may launch as early as this spring.
For some students, Scuzzarella said sign language is easier to pick up than a new spoken language.
"It's a foreign language that you don't often hear about," said Siobhan Murphy, 17, a senior. "It's actually really easy to follow and understand. It's easy to learn."
"It's something different," said senior Jessica Stabile, 17. "It's easier than I thought it would be."
By their second week of instruction, Stephen's students had already learned to introduce themselves using sign language. And after they successfully counted from 1 to 19, Stephen reacted by shaking both hands above his head, signalling the sign for applause.
"The deaf community is everywhere," Stephen said after class. "Whatever they learn in here, I just want them to be able to communicate and be involved in the deaf community."