COURSE DESCRIPTION
Homeschool American Sign Language
A comprehensive and in-depth study of the language, people, community, and culture that are represented through ASL.
The course will cover three different aspects of American Sign Language:
Why ASL?
- The people and the culture of course, but honestly, who doesn’t LOVE talking with their hands!!! HA!
- Opening communication lines between cultures
- ASL is considered and accepted at many colleges today as a foreign language
- There are cognitive benefits to bilingualism including, enhanced creative thinking, cognitive flexibility, and metalinguistic awareness
- Metalinguistic awareness refers to one’s ability to think about and reflect on the nature and functions of language (Baker, 2001)
- Requires the development of flexibility, dexterity, visual accuracy, and creativity
- ASL is good for your brain! Increased knowledge of languages maintains a sharp brain as you age and improves the brain’s executive function
- It’s popular! ASL is the fourth most widely used and studied language in the US
- Bilingualism helps with memory recall, problem solving, and can even increase your IQ
- Communicate underwater, through a window, in the library, from far away without yelling, or while you are eating!
- Gain an entirely new perspective of the world, while developing sensitivity, empathy and awareness of the diversity which exists in the world around us
- Count to one thousand using only FIVE fingers!
- Work against oppression, taking skills into your future profession that can open new doors & services to those often excluded & oppressed for their differences
- Sign Language challenges a person to step outside of their comfort zone and our society’s proper English box and express themselves physically, visually, and gesturally
- These benefits carry over into other aspects of daily life, from personal expression of feelings, confidence, and self esteem, to on the job training and public speaking (later in life)
Why This ASL Course?
To be loud and clear, not all ASL courses are created equal! When you have limited to no knowledge of Deaf people, their culture (wait… there is a culture!??? – YES!), or their language (isn’t ASL just English in hand signs!??? – NOPE!), etc. it can be difficult to know what to even look for in a class, or how to recognize whether the class is respectfully representing the body of people that sign language belongs to.
My program is unique because it goes far beyond the concept of “just learning a language.”
This course:
- Begins and ends with a strong foundation in Deaf History & Culture
- Offers an in-depth look into the vast implications of Deafness and hearing loss within our society, locally and from a distance
- Teaches true ASL syntax (used by Deaf people), rather than mixed dialects, such as Signed Exact English (used by hearing people), or other variations
- Provides one-on-one visual and hands-on education in out-put and receptive skills, plus interpretive conversion in both directions
- Positive, supportive, and engaging classroom environment
- Includes immersion within the Deaf community itself
- Grow college prepared / ready students
- Proper introduction into Interpreter and Deaf Support Specialist degree programs
- Develop camaraderie and “team work” skills
- Encompasses the heart of the Deaf community
Come join us for a grand adventure!
Calendar is interactive, and updates frequently throughout the months.
Here you will find program registration deadlines, class start dates,
class holidays, Deaf Events, end of year presentation dates / times,
and much more!
February 19, 2024
RSVP for the End of Year Presentation
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