American Sign Language and Deaf Culture Program World Language Day University of Washington Febrary...

American Sign Language

and Deaf CultureProgram

World Language Day

University of Washington

Febrary 29, 2008

Lance Forshay, Presenter

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Presenter:

Lance A. Forshay, M.S. [email protected] ASL Lecturer and Program Coordinator

Department of Linguistics University of Washington, Seattle.

President of Washington ASL Teacher Association.

(National) ASL Teacher Association member. Washington State Association of the Deaf Board

Member at Large: Watchdog and Advocacy. Fourth of five Deaf generations.

Agenda

Nature of ASL and relevant questions. Brief History of Sign Languages American Deaf Culture Future for ASL students ASL at an international scope. Concerns about ASL. ASL and Deaf Studies at UW. Resources

The Nature of ASLThe Nature of ASLIs ASL…Is ASL…

A Visual-Getural Language?

Yes.

ASL contains 60% Gestural-Body Language and Facial Expressions. However ASL is different from common gestures hearing people use.


A fully developed language?

Yes.

ASL contains all linguistic characteristics that make ASL a language different and independent from English language.


A language with a cultural component?

Yes. Read about this issue on www.waaslta.org

ASL is the key to the heart of Deaf culture and you have to understand Deaf culture to master ASL at higher level.


A broken English?

No.

ASL is just a language with different grammar order and structure. Can you say that French and Spanish are poor English or have broken English?


A language you can use to communicate complicated topics with philosophical ideas, politics, sports, education, science, comedy, or express in drama, storytelling, poetry or anything else like you do with English?Yes!… with no limitations.


A written language?

No.

Even though we have research project called “Sign Writing” known only to few, we still do not have an official written ASL yet.

www.signwriting.com


A changing language?Yes. Like all languages, ASL does change over time and varies within regions (accents). Some old ASL signs disappear, simplify or assimilate with other word signs into new signs. (Compound and Contractions)


Universal?

No.

Almost every country has its own sign language just like spoken language. There are at least 70 known sign languages.


Used in other countries?

Yes.

ASL is used by Deaf people in Canada and few other countries with historical background of deaf education established by American educators and church missionaries for the deaf such as Nigera, Kenya, Philippines, Belize and some parts of India.


Used in British countries?

No.

ASL is totally different from British Sign Language used in the United Kingdom (Scotland, England, and Wales), Australia, and New Zealand.


Legally accepted as a world language credit?Yes. Washington State Law passed in July 1984 to recognize ASL as a language and that it may be used for foreign language credit in secondary and post-secondary level education. (WAC 180-51-025 for secondary and postsecondary.) For more information on other state legislations on ASL. http://www.aslta.org/legislation/index.html


Offered at major universities and colleges?Yes, ASL is becoming very popular in higher education. http://web.mac.com/swilcox/UNM/univlist.html Now, ASL has the fourth largest enrollment.

1990: 1,602 1995: 4,3041998: 11,4202002: 60,7812006: 78,829 (Italian: 78,368 = 461 less)Modern Languages Association, 2006.


Is ASL recognized by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL)?Yes.See their website, www.actfl.org ASL is also recognized by the Modern Languages Association (MLA), Salks Research Institute and many other reputable research organizations.

Brief Timeline History of ASLBrief Timeline History of ASL

Natural bodily and facial gestures and common gestural signs are on earth since the beginning of mankind.

Indian Sign Language, cross-tribal communications for trading purposes.


399 (?) B.C. Socrates quoted by Plato in “Cratylus” mentions the deaf who express themselves in gestures movement, depicting that which is light or a higher sphere by raising the hands or describing a galloping horse by imitating its motion.


Aristoles: “Deaf are born incapable to reason”

1600’s Italian monks’ vow of silence and the re-discovery of “deaf education through sign communication”

Juan Pablo de Bonet, a Spanish teacher for the deaf published about his work with teaching the deaf using “hand signs” in 1620


In 1755, Abbe Charles Michel de L’Eppe of Paris founded the first free school for the deaf with sign language as a method of communication. This model of deaf school concept spread all over the European countries for the next hundred years.

In 1778, Samuel Heinicke of Leipzig Germany, promoted Oralism, a method of teaching deaf children spoken and written language through speech and lip-reading exclusively without use of sign language.


Thomas Gallaudet saw the need of education for deaf children. He went to Europe and

brought Laurent Clerc, a deaf teacher from deaf school in Paris, to America to start a deaf school together in 1817.


Laurent Clerc learned the old ASL used by deaf people in America and combined it with LSF (French Sign Language).

Eventually, he standardized the sign system at the

school into modern ASL as we know it today.


Alexander Graham Bell and the spread ofOralism took a strong grip

on deaf education in American and all over the world in 1880’s.

1880,the World Congress of the Educators of the Deaf met

in Milan, Italy and passed a resolution to promote Oralism in deaf education all over the world and dismiss all deaf teachers out of deaf schools.


At the same year, National Association for the Deaf was founded and they fought long and hard for the rights touse sign language in deaf

community and education.www.nad.org

1900’s - 1960’s Oralism method proved failure in deaf education. Average deaf high school graduates ranks third grade in English.


1960’s William Stokoe, a non-conventional linguist, who taught English atGallaudet, recognized linguistic characters in ASL and started to have a deep interest to do research on sign. He eventually proved that ASL is a language. He

published his finding. 1970’s, Sign Language Studies, Classes,

Training, and Book materials began to emerge. Deaf culture recognized and defined with ASL.


1975, Sign Instructors Guidance Network. Today it is called ASL Teacher Association.

1970’s Sign language slowly returns to deaf education but in Englishized forms.

1988. Deaf President Now. 1990 ASL accepted as a foreign language

credit and course offered in many college and high school at explosive growth.

1990’s Many states legalize ASL as a foreign language course for HS and college.

American Deaf Culture

What is Deaf Culture?A group of Deaf people who uses American Sign

Language, lives by a set of norms and values of the Deaf community, shares the Deaf heritage and traditions, and involves as a member of Deaf community.

“D”eaf versus deaf. Matter of identity and belonging to Deaf

community. Not necessarily hereditary.

American Deaf Culture

Art / Theatre. Folk-Tale and Legends. Social rules, Norms, Values, Traditions,

Worldviews.

Future for ASL Students…Career options include:(Quoted from Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center Info To-Go.)

Audiologist Counselor Dormitory/residence program counselor Interpreter Linguist Social worker Speech-language pathologist Teacher Parent/infant specialist Combined specialties

Future for ASL Students…Work setting include:(Quoted from Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center Info To-Go.)

Colleges and universities

Community hearing and speech agencies

Consumer associations Government agencies Health departments Hospitals and clinics Industry and businesses

Legal settings Mental health clinics Private practices Private and state

schools Public school systems Rehabilitation centers Research centers Social service agencies

ASL as an International Scope.

While ASL is not universal, ASL is widely used in international conferences or gathering beside Gestuno.

World Federation of the Deaf conference uses Gestuno but many people communicate in ASL.

Deaflympics / Goodwill Games / Deaf Way. ASL is very popular with Deaf people in Japan. ASL has an huge impact on the linguistic community

and research. Many principles of ASL grammar are being discussed in comparison to other language linguistics.

Gallaudet University and its international reputation.

Concerns and short responses.

Losing students to popular ASL classes. (Sherman Wilcox’s article discusses how ASL students are motivated to take other foreign language as a result of taking ASL. http://web.mac.com/swilcox/UNM/facts.html )

ASL as an “easy” language for a quick credit: A big misconception held by students and even school administrators and counselors.

Standards comparable to other World Language? How often will we use our ASL skills?

ASL & Deaf Studies Program at UW

First year with one teacher. Two sections for each class, ASL 101, 102 and 103.

Over 300 students on waiting list for ASL 101 classes last Fall.

Permanent funds from the state and private foundations.

New Courses this year: ASL 305 Introduction to Deaf Studies. ASL 134 Intensive first year summer ASL course.

Signing community with Deaf staff, students and other ASL students.

Future…

Resources

(National) American Sign Language Teacher Association (ASLTA). www.aslta.org

Washington ASL Teacher Association (WA ASLTA). www.waaslta.org

National Association of the Deaf. www.nad.org Gallaudet University, www.gallaudet.edu Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center,

Gallaudet University. Registry of Interpeters for the Deaf. www.rid.org Council of Interpreter Trainers. www.cit-asl.org American Council on the Teaching of Foreign

Languages. www.actfl.org

Phonetic parameters of ASL signs

Manual ways in which signs can differ Handshape Orientation Location Movement Number of hands

Non-manual ways in which signs can differ

Handshape

Minimal pairs LIKE vs. WHITE DORM vs. DEAF PEOPLE vs. BICYCLE NUMBER vs. INTERPRET

Change in handshape UNDERSTAND HOW MANY DIVORCED

Orientation

Minimal pairs MEET vs. I MEET YOU NAME vs. CHAIR SOCK vs. STAR YOUR vs. MY vs. CHILD

Change in orientation DIE/DEAD COMMUNITY CLASS

Location

Minimal pairs APPLE vs. ONION LUCKY vs. CLEVER SAME vs. NEW YORK CITY THIRTEEN vs. CUTE

Change in location DEAF FUN KING

Movement

Minimal pairs TOUGH vs. PHYSICS CAN vs. SHOES BROWN vs. BEER TURN AROUND vs. SINGLE

Different types of movement straight: SEPARATED angled: PERCENT looping: WASHINGTON wiggling: COLOR twisting: WHERE nodding: YES

Number of hands

One-handed signs MOTHER DEER COOL

Two-handed signs HERE BICYCLE

Minimal pairs PURPLE vs. PARTY BOY vs. TEACH

Non-manual expressions

Signs articulated with non-manual OH I SEE PROSTITUTE

Minimal pairs HERE vs. WHAT OLD vs. HOW-OLD HOT vs. VERY HOT

Assimilation

In handshape I NAME I AM NAMED I KNOW I KNOW

Symmetry condition

‘if both hands move independently during a given two-handed sign...then the specifications for handshape and movement must be identical, and the orientations must be either identical or polar opposites (reciprocals). Locations...must also be specifed either as symmetrical or as polar opposites.’ (Battison 1974)

If handshapes identical

One hand can move PAPER

Or both hands can move DIE/DEAD

But if handshapes not identical

Only one hand can move DRAW both hands cannot move phonological restriction

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