Miss-Delectable
New Member
- Joined
- Apr 18, 2004
- Messages
- 17,165
- Reaction score
- 5
http://www.thewbalchannel.com/health/5174665/detail.html
Few Maryland school districts offer sign language courses, but deaf educators want to change that.
WBAL-TV 11 News education reporter Tim Tooten reported that American Sign Language (ASL) is another form of learning, especially for children in some elementary schools.
But in Howard County, high school students can take the course as an elective, even though it doesn't count as a foreign language credit.
"It's a different type of language, it's completely different from French or Spanish or anything," said Jonathan Harvey, a Howard County student. "You're using your hands to talk and it's just a lot of expression."
"There are a lot of people in the community that are deaf and you don't realize it, and walking down the street, it's really frustrating to not be able to communicate with people," said Courtney Stranger, a Howard County student.
Some deaf college educators are trying to persuade the state Board of Education to expand its kindergarten through 12th-grade sign language curriculum (Agree?).
"We want to explore different possibilities, different ideas for this state to encourage more hearing students to learn sign language so they can communicate with deaf people throughout the state of Maryland," said David Martin, the deaf studies program manager at Frederick Community College.
"We encourage ASL as a foreign language," said Kim Pundans-Smith, of Towson University. "It means more students could take it and get their college degree or their bachelor's degree in something else."
The group believes students could benefit in other ways if the state would agree to the changes.
"The career options are huge. It could be from a restaurant -- a deaf person ordering their food -- or an emergency situation -- hospitals or with ambulances if a person is hurt," said Eddy Laird, of the American Sign Language Lab at McDaniel College.
Even though state school officials have promised to study the idea, state school Superintendent Nancy Grasmick has already recognized the need.
"Obviously, this would be optional for school systems, it would be like every other foreign language, driven by student interest," she said.
Two-dozen states currently accept American Sign Language for credit toward highs school graduation.
Few Maryland school districts offer sign language courses, but deaf educators want to change that.
WBAL-TV 11 News education reporter Tim Tooten reported that American Sign Language (ASL) is another form of learning, especially for children in some elementary schools.
But in Howard County, high school students can take the course as an elective, even though it doesn't count as a foreign language credit.
"It's a different type of language, it's completely different from French or Spanish or anything," said Jonathan Harvey, a Howard County student. "You're using your hands to talk and it's just a lot of expression."
"There are a lot of people in the community that are deaf and you don't realize it, and walking down the street, it's really frustrating to not be able to communicate with people," said Courtney Stranger, a Howard County student.
Some deaf college educators are trying to persuade the state Board of Education to expand its kindergarten through 12th-grade sign language curriculum (Agree?).
"We want to explore different possibilities, different ideas for this state to encourage more hearing students to learn sign language so they can communicate with deaf people throughout the state of Maryland," said David Martin, the deaf studies program manager at Frederick Community College.
"We encourage ASL as a foreign language," said Kim Pundans-Smith, of Towson University. "It means more students could take it and get their college degree or their bachelor's degree in something else."
The group believes students could benefit in other ways if the state would agree to the changes.
"The career options are huge. It could be from a restaurant -- a deaf person ordering their food -- or an emergency situation -- hospitals or with ambulances if a person is hurt," said Eddy Laird, of the American Sign Language Lab at McDaniel College.
Even though state school officials have promised to study the idea, state school Superintendent Nancy Grasmick has already recognized the need.
"Obviously, this would be optional for school systems, it would be like every other foreign language, driven by student interest," she said.
Two-dozen states currently accept American Sign Language for credit toward highs school graduation.