Language is one of, if not the most important part of any culture. It is the key to communicating, building relationships and creating a sense of community. The concept of language is integral to society, and it is vital for schools to give students the opportunity to familiarize themselves with various languages.
The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders defines American Sign Language (ASL) as “a complete, natural language that has the same linguistic properties as spoken languages, with grammar that differs from English.” ASL is expressed by movements of the hands as well as facial expressions. While ASL is considered a “natural” language—the first language one learns in childhood—not all deaf people learn ASL as their first language.
Over the years, sign language has commonly not been considered a real language and is often denoted as just a combination of gestures. However, for people who are deaf or hard of hearing, ASL is their primary language. ASL should be offered in high schools to not only teach students to empathize with people who are deaf or hard of hearing but also to better support students who are deaf.
According to a study done on the facts and statistics of hearing loss by the Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA), “approximately 48 million Americans have some degree of hearing loss.” In regards to children in the United States, the HLAA estimates that two to three out of every 1,000 children are born with a detectable level of hearing loss in one or both ears. More specifically to teens, the HLAA estimates that one in five American teens experience some degree of hearing loss.
In a country where one in five teens experience hearing loss, taking on ASL can prove to be beneficial to not only teens but also to their peers. Students who are deaf or hard of hearing often struggle with a language barrier in classrooms, which can lead to them falling behind academically. The HLAA states that even mild hearing loss can “cause a child to miss as much as 50 percent of classroom discussion.” ASL is the key to breaking this barrier.
Some are against teaching ASL in schools simply because they do not feel it is a necessity. However, the United States fosters a large deaf and hard-of-hearing population. Not deeming it a necessity discounts the 48 million Americans with hearing loss.
According to The National Center for Health Statistics, about two million Americans are classified as completely deaf, meaning they cannot hear sounds or speech even with the help of a hearing aid. Furthermore, it is important to note that only about ten percent of these two million people were born deaf, therefore the other 90 percent became deaf later in life.
While learning ASL may seem pointless if one is not hard-of-hearing, the majority of those who experience hearing loss are not born deaf. Therefore, ASL can become useful in one’s day-to-day life if them self or a loved one experiences hearing loss in the future.
An additional significant benefit to offering ASL in high schools is the career paths that it opens up to students. With any other language, interpreters are in high demand for places such as; hospitals, courts, governmental agencies, community activities and state legislatures. Taking ASL classes in high school can instill students with a passion for sign language, which can lead them to pursue a career involving sign language further down the road.
The law that protects the hearing impaired is the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which was signed into law in 1990. The ADA requires that hospitals, educational facilities, law facilities and employment systems provide an appropriate means of communication to any patient, customer, employee or visitor who is deaf or hard of hearing. This opens up a wide range of job opportunities in the field of interpreting.
Establishing communities like clubs within high schools that represent the deaf community is a positive initiative. However, the nuances of a language and the people it belongs to can not be effectively taught simply in a student-run club. Similar to how a French club can not be a substitute for taking French courses, an ASL club can not be seen as a replacement for an ASL class.
ASL classes are particularly necessary for removing stigmas surrounding the deaf and hard-of-hearing community. More than anything, ASL courses help people better understand the struggles of the Deaf community as well as teach them to develop awareness and sensitivity surrounding Deaf culture.
.
