Framework for Instruction in American Sign Language Framework for Instruction in American Sign...

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Framework for Instruction in American Sign Language in Virginia’s Public Schools Virginia Department of Education Division of Instruction

Transcript of Framework for Instruction in American Sign Language Framework for Instruction in American Sign...

Page 1: Framework for Instruction in American Sign Language Framework for Instruction in American Sign Language in VirginiaÕs Public Schools Adopted by the Virginia Board of Education March,

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Framework for Instruction in

AmericanSign

Languagein Virginia’s Public Schools

Virginia Department of EducationDivision of Instruction

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Table of Contents

Framework for Instruction in American Sign Language ...................................... 3

PRINCIPLE 1: COMMUNICATION

Communicating in American Sign Language......................................................... 6

PRINCIPLE 2: CULTURES

Knowledge of the cultural context in which

American Sign Language occurs ............................................................................... 9

PRINCIPLE 3: CONNECTIONS

Providing connections to additional bodies of knowledge .................................. 11

PRINCIPLE 4: COMPARISONS

Comparing and contrasting American Sign Language

with a student’s own language ................................................................................ 13

PRINCIPLE 5: COMMUNITIES

Participation in American Sign Language communities .................................... 16

References .................................................................................................................... 18

American Sign Language Task Force Membership ............................................. 19

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✸2Framework for Instruction in American Sign Language in Virginia’s Public Schools

Adopted by theVirginia Board of Education

March, 1998

Published by theVirginia Department of Education

Superintendent of Public InstructionPaul D. Stapleton

Assistant Superintendent for InstructionJo Lynne DeMary

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This document provides a frame-work for school divisions to use in thedevelopment and provision of AmericanSign Language courses for credit at thesecondary level. The framework isbased on the current vision for foreignlanguage education in the United States,as presented in the work of the NationalStandards in Foreign Language Educa-tion Project (1996) and the ForeignLanguage Association of Virginia (1997).As stated by the National StandardsProject,

“To study another languageand culture gives one the power-ful key to successful communica-tion: knowing how, when and whyand to say what to whom. . . . Theapproach to second languageinstruction found in today’sschools is designed to facilitategenuine interaction with others,whether they are on anothercontinent, across town, or withinthe neighborhood” (p.11).

American Sign Language is a lan-guage other than English currentlytaught in secondary schools and post-secondary institutions in Virginia andthroughout the nation. A recent surveyof elementary and secondary public andprivate schools by the Center for Ap-plied Linguistics (1997) revealed that“Sign Language” is taught in 2% of theschools responding to the survey. Thisplaces it behind Japanese, Italian, andRussian and before Chinese, Greek, andHebrew in languages taught by theschools. A Joint National Committee for

Languages’ survey of states (1997)revealed that 26 of 37 states respond-ing “consider” American Sign Languageto be “a foreign language.” ShermanWilcox (1997) maintains that nearly 100colleges and universities recognizeAmerican Sign Language for foreignlanguage instruction.

American Sign Language is a visual-gestural language with a grammar andsyntax that is unique (Klima and Bellugi,1979; Baker and Battison, 1980; Bakerand Cokley, 1980). It is not based onAmerican English. Rather, it is indig-enous to the Deaf culture in the UnitedStates and Canada. American SignLanguage has the necessary compo-nents of a language: structure, syntax,used by a community, relatively arbi-trary and dynamic (Chomsky, 1975;Hoeman, 1986).

The second language learning pro-cess applies to the learning of AmericanSign Language in the same fashion thatit applies to learning an auditory lan-guage. Learning to communicate re-quires learning about the culture, mak-ing connections with other disciplines,drawing comparisons within and out-side the language, and using languagein communities. Attaining fluency inAmerican Sign Language requires thesame amount of instruction that isrequired to become fluent in any mod-ern or classical language (Baker andCokely, 1980).

American Sign Language has re-ceived increased exposure over the lastthree decades of the 1900s due tolegislation, the media, and research intothe language itself. The Deaf commu-

Framework for Instructionin American Sign Language

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nity in the United States is more visiblein our public schools and in our com-munities. Some two million Americansare deaf or have a severe bilateralhearing loss (Subcommittee on Brainand Behavioral Sciences, 1991).

Although the exact number of per-sons using American Sign Language isunknown, it is estimated that as manyas 500,000 persons use American SignLanguage (Padden and Humphries,1988). Competence in American SignLanguage will provide students withcross-cultural experiences, enableinteractions with the Deaf community,including deaf students in publicschools, and provide career opportuni-ties that require such competency (e.g.,education, counseling, interpreting).Inclusion of American Sign Language inthe continuum of courses in languagesother than English may enable somestudents to attain knowledge of anotherlanguage and culture who may not havebeen otherwise able to do so with offer-ings from the traditional modern andclassical languages.

Framework

The framework for American SignLanguage instruction presented in thisdocument is based on the five organiz-ing principles identified by the NationalStandards in Foreign Language Projectand supported by the Foreign LanguageAssociation of Virginia. These principles— Communication, Cultures, Connec-tions, Comparisons, and Communities— are considered “the five C’s of for-eign language education.”

Communication:Communicating in a language

other than English.

Cultures:Acquiring knowledge and under-

standing of the cultures that use thelanguage.

Connections:Providing a connection to addi-

tional bodies of knowledge.

Comparisons:Comparing and contrasting the

language to develop greater insightinto the first language and culture.

Communities:Enabling students to participate in

multilingual communities.

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These organizing principles are notdiscrete elements, but are intercon-nected to provide students with a richcurricular experience. The communica-tion principle recognizes three commu-nication modes that place primaryemphasis on the context and purposeof communication (National Standardsin Foreign Language Education Project,1996).

Interpersonal: direct communica-tion between individuals who are inpersonal contact (e.g., conversation).

Interpretive: receptive communica-tion of a message, the creator of themessage is absent (e.g., understandingmovies, television broadcasts orspeeches).

Presentational: communication forpeople (an audience) with whom thereis no immediate personal contact (e.g.,making speeches).

The culture principle reflects theinterrelationships among philosophicalperspectives, behavioral practices, andproducts of a culture. The perspectivesare the meanings, attitudes, values, andideas of the culture. Practices are thepatterns of social interactions. Productsare considered to be both tangible andintangible and include books, tools,laws, and games (National Standards inForeign Language Education Project,1996).

Grammar instruction, a traditionalcomponent of foreign language instruc-tion, is not lost. Rather, it is taught incontext. The structure and syntax (i.e.,grammar) of American Sign Languagewould similarly be taught in the contextof the five principles.

This framework assumes that in-struction will spiral concepts, struc-tures, and functions. Spiraling reintro-duces concepts at increasing levels ofcomplexity, enabling students to im-prove their skills in a functional con-text. Further, the framework assumesthe use of authentic materials from theDeaf culture, where appropriate to thecurriculum.

Learning a language other thanEnglish is a valuable learning experiencefor students. Learning American SignLanguage will provide students with theopportunities to communicate withanother community, to develop anappreciation of the diversity of ourpluralistic society, and to develop adeeper understanding of English.

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Standard 1.1

Students engage in conver-sations, provide and obtain informa-tion, express feelings and emotions,and exchange opinions (interpersonalmode)

Progress IndicatorsYear 1

✸ Students ask and answer ques-tions about family, school events,and celebrations.

✸ Students share likes and dislikeswith each other and the class.

✸ Students exchange essentialinformation such as makingintroductions, leave-taking,getting attention, and negotiatingthe signing environment usingappropriate non-manual behav-iors (i.e., facial expression, bodyposture, spatial organization).

✸ Students follow and give simpledirections and instructions.

Progress IndicatorsYear 2

✸ Students ask and respond toquestions for clarification.

✸ Students express opinions andpreferences regarding personaland school events and experi-ences.

✸ Students develop and proposesolutions to issues and problemsrelated to the school or commu-nity through group work.

Progress IndicatorsYear 3

✸ Students discuss, in AmericanSign Language, current or pastevents that are of significance inthe Deaf culture or being studiedin another subject.

✸ Students develop and proposesolutions to issues and problemsthat are of concern to membersof their own culture and tomembers of the Deaf culture.

✸ Students exchange, support, anddiscuss their opinions and indi-vidual perspectives with peers ona variety of topics.

✸ Students recognize communica-tion breakdowns and request orprovide repair.

PRINCIPLE 1: COMMUNICATIONCommunicating in American Sign Language

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Standard 1.2

Students understand and inter-pret American Sign Language on avariety of topics (interpretive mode)

Progress IndicatorsYear 1

✸ Students comprehend main ideasin appropriate signed narrativessuch as personal anecdotes ornarratives based on familiarthemes, in person or via video-tape.

✸ Students identify people andobjects in their environment orfrom other school subjects,based on signed descriptions.

✸ Students follow signed directionsregarding familiar locations.

Progress IndicatorsYear 2

✸ Students understand announce-ments and messages connectedto daily activities at school or inthe Deaf culture.

✸ Students understand the mainthemes and significant details ontopics and products from otherclasses or from Deaf culture aspresented on television, video, orlive presentations.

✸ Students comprehend the prin-ciple characters, main ideas, andthemes in selected literary pre-sentations (e.g., storytelling,folklore, poetry, and drama).

✸ Students use knowledge acquiredin other settings and from othersubject areas to comprehendmessages in American SignLanguage.

Progress IndicatorsYear 3

✸ Students understand main ideasand significant details of discus-sions, lectures and presentationson current or past events of Deafculture or of subjects studied inother classes.

✸ Students analyze the main plot,characterization, and setting inauthentic American Sign Lan-guage literature (e.g., storytelling,folklore, poetry, and drama).

✸ Students demonstrate increasingunderstanding of the culturalnuances of meaning in signedlanguage as expressed in formaland informal settings.

✸ Students demonstrate increasingunderstanding of the culturalnuances of meaning in expres-sive products of Deaf culture,including selections from variousliterary genres and visual arts(e.g., storytelling, folklore, po-etry, and drama).

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Standard 1.3

Students present information,concepts, and ideas to an audience oflisteners or readers on a variety oftopics. (presentational mode)

Progress IndicatorsYear 1

✸ Students prepare stories aboutactivities or events in their envi-ronments and share these storieswith an audience.

✸ Students dramatize stories andanecdotes commonly known bymembers of the Deaf community(e.g., ABC Stories).

✸ Students tell or retell stories andgive messages in American SignLanguage.

Progress IndicatorsYear 2

✸ Students present short plays orskits, poetry, and anecdotes toshare with school peers orgroups via live performance orvideotape.

✸ Students prepare stories aboutschool or personal experiencesor events to share with peers andmembers of the deaf community.

✸ Students prepare class presenta-tions or reports on personalexperiences, other school sub-jects, or current events.

Progress IndicatorsYear 3

✸ Students debate a topic withclassmates.

✸ Students perform cultural artsevents commonly enjoyed bymembers of the Deaf community(e.g., scenes from plays, poetry,excerpts from short stories).

✸ Students select and analyzeexpressive products from theliterary genres of American SignLanguage (e.g., storytelling,folklore, poetry, and drama).

✸ Students perform a play or poemconnected to a topic from an-other subject area.

✸ Students create stories, shortplays, or poetry based onthemes, ideas, or perspectives ofthe Deaf community.

✸ Students prepare and present aresearch-based analysis of acurrent event from the perspec-tive of both the Deaf culture andtheir own culture.

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Standard 2.1

Students demonstrate an under-standing of the relationship betweenpractices and perspectives of Deafculture.

Progress IndicatorsYear 1

✸ Students demonstrate an under-standing of American SignLanguage as indigenous to theDeaf culture.

✸ Students observe, identify,discuss, and use simple patternsof behavior for interacting invarious settings

✸ Students observe, identify,discuss, and use appropriatecommunication for greeting andleave-taking, attention getting,and use of names (i.e., namesigns).

✸ Students observe and discuss thehistorical and current role oftechnology in the Deaf culture.

✸ Students demonstrate awarenessof Deaf heritage and identifymajor historical events andpersons.

Progress IndicatorsYear 2

✸ Student use appropriate commu-nication in daily activities amongpeers and adults.

✸ Students discuss and analyzecommon beliefs and attitudesamong members of the Deafcommunity.

✸ Students identify the members ofthe Deaf community and itshierarchy and demonstrateknowledge of communicationdifferences within the Deafcommunity.

✸ Students identify and learn aboutthe role of organizations of theDeaf.

Progress IndicatorsYear 3

✸ Students discuss and analyze thediversity of beliefs, attitudes, andmores within the Deaf commu-nity.

✸ Students identify, analyze, anddiscuss various patterns ofbehavior and interaction typicalof the Deaf culture.

✸ Students identify, examine, anddiscuss connections between theperspectives of the Deaf cultureand socially approved behaviorpatterns.

PRINCIPLE 2: CULTURESKnowledge of the cultural context in which American SignLanguage occurs

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Standard 2.2

Students demonstrate an under-standing of the relationship betweenthe products and perspectives of theDeaf culture.

Progress IndicatorsYear 1

✸ Students recognize the earlyexistence of American SignLanguage in the United Statesand foreign influences on itsetymological development.

✸ Students identify the varioushistorical beliefs about deafness(e.g., education, listeningdevices).

✸ Students identify and discuss thecontributions made by linguistswho have studied American SignLanguage.

✸ Students recognize themes,ideas, or perspectives of the Deafculture.

Progress IndicatorsYear 2

✸ Students analyze the influence ofother signed languages andcultures of the world on Ameri-can Sign Language.

✸ Students research and learnabout humor, literature, andcultural arts of the Deaf commu-nity.

✸ Students recognize and describeDeaf heritage by identifying thecontributions made by peoplewho are deaf in all aspects of life.

✸ Students analyze and compareopinions regarding AmericanSign Language as a language.

Progress IndicatorsYear 3

✸ Students identify and analyzesocial, economic, legislative, andinstitutional issues that effectand have effected the Deaf com-munity, to include the role oforganizations of the Deaf withrespect to these issues.

✸ Students research and analyzeDeaf heritage as it relates tohumor and the cultural arts.

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Standard 3.1

Students reinforce and furthertheir knowledge of other disciplinesthrough their knowledge of and skillsin using American Sign Language.

Progress IndicatorsYear 1

✸ Students demonstrate under-standing of concepts learned inother subject areas in AmericanSign Language (e.g., mathematics:number concepts, time andmeasurement, story problems;health: physical characteristics).

✸ Students identify the use oftechnology to access and ex-change information with andwithin the Deaf community (e.g.,captioning/decoding devices,TTYs and text telephones, listen-ing systems, real-time graphicdisplays).

✸ Students demonstrate an aware-ness of print and nonprint re-sources for deafness, the Deaf,and American Sign Language,and other sign systems (e.g., signlanguage CD-rom dictionaries,books by deaf authors, booksabout the Deaf).

Progress IndicatorsYear 2

✸ Students discuss topics fromother subject areas in AmericanSign Language (e.g., geographicalterms and concepts, literature,geometry, drama, and dance).

✸ Students use technology toaccess and exchange informationwith and within the Deaf commu-nity (e.g., closed captioning, texttelephones, relay services).

✸ Students expand their knowledgeof print and nonprint resourceson deafness, the Deaf, andAmerican Sign Language togather information (e.g., websites for deaf associations, deafbusinesses, professional agenciesand associations).

Progress IndicatorsYear 3

✸ Students discuss topics fromother subject areas, and acquireinformation about the topic byusing American Sign Language(e.g., government, civics, health).

✸ Students project future techno-logical advances that effect theDeaf, deafness, and AmericanSign Language (e.g., drive-through windows, viewer phones,rear-view captioning).

PRINCIPLE 3: CONNECTIONSProviding connections to additional bodies of knowledge

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✸ Students use their knowledgeand access of print and nonprintresources on deafness, the Deaf,and American Sign Language toresearch Deaf perspectives onissues (e.g., web sites that offersigned languages outside theUnited States, videotape series).

Standard 3.2

Students acquire information andrecognize the distinctive viewpointsthat are only available throughAmerican Sign Language and itscultures.

Progress IndicatorsYear 1

✸ Students gain an understandingof concepts that are unique tothe deaf community and theirimplications for language learn-ing (e.g., hearing of hearing,hearing of deaf, deaf of hearing,deaf of deaf, and hard of hear-ing).

✸ Students become aware of theperspective of the Deaf cultureby reading or viewing publica-tions or presentations.

Progress IndicatorsYear 2

✸ Students identify issues fromdifferent perspectives of mem-bers of the Deaf culture (e.g.,using topics found in deaf publi-cations such as NAD Broadcaster,the “Deaf President Now” move-ment, state and federal legisla-tion).

Progress IndicatorsYear 3

✸ Students use their knowledge ofdiversity within the Deaf cultureand their knowledge of AmericanSign Language to assume differ-ent points of view (e.g., classpresentations, debates, roleplays).

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Standard 4.1

Students demonstrate under-standing of the nature of languagethrough comparisons of AmericanSign Language and their own lan-guage.

Progress IndicatorsYear 1

✸ Students recognize differencesand similarities between auditorylanguages and the visual/concep-tual features of American SignLanguage, including homo-phones, manual babbling.

✸ Students compare the inflectionsused to communicate questions,negatives, and statements inAmerican Sign Language with theinflectional patterns used in thestudents’ own language.

✸ Students identify elements ofAmerican Sign Language phonol-ogy (e.g., handshapes, type ofsigns, orientation on the body,sign movements), comparing andcontrasting with the phonologyof their own language.

✸ Students compare formal andinformal forms of language ingreetings and leave-taking inAmerican Sign Language andtheir own language.

✸ Students identify signs that are“borrowed” in American SignLanguage and in their own lan-guage and speculate on reasonsfor “borrowing.”

Progress IndicatorsYear 2

✸ Students analyze syntactical andlinguistic similarities and differ-ences between American SignLanguage and other languages(e.g., relationship between sign/word order and meaning, ques-tion format, verb inflections,time and tense indicators).

✸ Students demonstrate awarenessof idioms and other figurativelanguage within American SignLanguage and compare them toidioms and other figurativelanguage in their own language.

✸ Students demonstrate awarenessof critical elements of AmericanSign Language that must bemastered to convey meaning.

✸ Students analyze relationshipsbetween word order and meaningin American Sign Language andtheir own language.

PRINCIPLE 4: COMPARISONSComparing and contrasting American Sign Language with astudent’s own language

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Progress IndicatorsYear 3

✸ Students demonstrate differ-ences between auditory lan-guages and the visual/conceptuallanguage of American Sign Lan-guage, including homophones.

✸ Students analyze comparisonsand differences between literarygenres of American Sign Lan-guage and their own language(e.g., poetry)

✸ Students compare and contrastconversation initiator and con-versation resuming techniquesbetween American Sign Languageand their own language.

✸ Students demonstrate an aware-ness that there are phrases thatdo not translate directly fromAmerican Sign Language to theirown language.

✸ Students study the evolution ofAmerican Sign Language (e.g., therole of French sign language,English print).

Standard 4.2

Students demonstrate the conceptof culture through comparisons ofthe Deaf culture with their ownculture.

Progress IndicatorsYear 1

✸ Students recognize the impor-tance of affiliation and statuswithin the Deaf communityduring introductions, in compari-son with their own language.

✸ Students demonstrate an aware-ness of language register inAmerican Sign Language, com-pared with their own language(e.g., name signs, degrees offormality).

✸ Students compare simple pat-terns of interaction in the Deafculture and in their own culture.

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Progress IndicatorsYear 2

✸ Students compare and contrastthe Deaf culture with otherminority cultures.

✸ Students compare and contrastheroes and heroines in the Deafcommunity with heroes andheroines in their own commu-nity.

✸ Students compare and contrastdeaf education and its historywith education in other commu-nities.

✸ Students demonstrate awarenessthat they too have a culturebased on their comparisonsbetween the Deaf culture andtheir own culture.

Progress IndicatorsYear 3

✸ Students compare and contrastrepresentatives of Deaf culturesand other cultures in a variety ofliterary genres.

✸ Students compare and contrastDeaf organizations and organiza-tions of other cultures withrespect to their political impact.

✸ Students compare and contrasthow culture influences the idi-oms and nuances of meaning inAmerican Sign Language and intheir own language.

✸ Students analyze relationshipsbetween products, practices andperspectives in American SignLanguage and the Deaf cultureand in their own language andculture.

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Standard 5.1

Students use the language bothwithin and beyond the school setting.

Progress IndicatorsYear 1

✸ Students identify deafness-related careers (e.g., Deaf educa-tion, interpreting/transliterating)

✸ Students present informationabout Deaf awareness and Deafheritage.

✸ Students communicate on apersonal level with AmericanSign Language users (e.g., E-mail,Deaf pen-pals, subscription toDeaf-lists)

✸ Students attend school activitiesfor the Deaf (e.g., Junior NAD/VAD, Deaf clubs)

Progress IndicatorsYear 2

✸ Students expand their knowledgeof career opportunities andlimitations, with critical review oflegislation effecting careerchoices and accommodations(e.g., the Americans with Disabili-ties Act)

✸ Students expand their knowledgeof the sociology of deafness bydescribing diversity within the

Deaf culture (e.g., deaf-black,deaf-blind, deaf peddlers)

✸ Students participate in and planclub activities that benefit theschool or community (e.g., dis-plays in the public library, de-bates, posters)

✸ Students interact with membersof the local Deaf community usingAmerican Sign Language (e.g.,“Silent suppers,” storytelling atlibraries, leisure activities)

✸ Students attend events in theschool or broader Deaf commu-nity

Progress IndicatorsYear 3

✸ Students analyze and discusstheir personal experiences withdeafness-related career opportu-nities and career opportunities forDeaf persons (e.g., by job shadow-ing an interpreter, interviewingDeaf professionals; studying Deafartists, attending a Deaf churchservice).

✸ Students communicate with orinterview members of the Deafcommunity on topics of personalinterest, community, or worldconcern.

✸ Students perform, attend, ormake a presentation on a culturalor language topic.

PRINCIPLE 5: COMMUNITIESParticipation in American Sign Language communities

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Standard 5.2

Students show evidence of becom-ing life-long learners by using thelanguage for personal enjoymentand enrichment.

Progress IndicatorsYear 1

✸ Students use the language forenjoyment (e.g., participate infinger-spelling games)

✸ Students attend or view mediacultural events and social activi-ties (e.g., attend or view a video-taped performance by theNational Theater of the Deaf)

Progress IndicatorsYear 2

✸ Students consult various sourcesin the language and exchangeinformation around topics ofpersonal interest.

✸ Students attend, view, createand/or perform a topic of inter-est to members of the Deafcommunity.

Progress IndicatorsYear 3

✸ Students establish and or main-tain interpersonal relations withthe Deaf community (e.g., mentoryoung Deaf children)

✸ Students participate in, attend,and create social activities withthe deaf community (e.g., plan anAmerican Sign Language or DeafCulture Fair, produce a play,sponsor Deaf humor or postercontests)

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Baker. C. & Battison, R. (1980). Sign Language and the Deaf Community: Essays inHonor of William C. Stokoe. Silver Spring, MD: National Association of the Deaf.

Baker, C. & Cokely, D. (1980). American Sign Language: A Teacher’s Resource Texton Grammar and Culture. Silver Spring, MD: National Association of the Deaf.

Center for Applied Linguistics. (1997). A National Survey of Foreign LanguageInstruction in Elementary and Secondary Schools: A Changing Picture: 1987-97.Washington, DC: Author.

Chomsky, N. (1975). Reflections on Language. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

Foreign Language Association of Virginia. (1997). Framework for Foreign LanguageEducation in Virginia. Virginia: Author.

Hoeman, H.W. (1986). Introduction to American Sign Language. Bowling Green, OH:Bowling Green Press.

Joint National Committee for Languages. (1997). Personal Communication.

Klima, E. & Bellugi, U. (1979). The Signs of Language. Cambridge, MA: HarvardUniversity Press.

National Standards in Foreign Language Education Project. (1996). Standards forForeign Language Learning: Preparing for the 21st Century. Lawrence, KS: AllenPress, Inc.

Padden, C.A. & T. Humphries. (1988). Deaf in American: Voices From a Culture.Cambridge: Harvard University Press.

Subcommittee on Brain and Behavioral Sciences. (1991). Maximizing Human Poten-tial: Decade of the Brain 1990-2000. Bethesda, MD: National Institutes of Health.

Wilcox, S. (1997). Universities that Accept ASL in Fulfillment of Foreign LanguageRequirements. Author.

References

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Framework for Instruction in American Sign Language in Virginia’s Public Schools ✸19

Martha AbbottCoordinator, Foreign LanguageFairfax County Public SchoolsPast President of the Foreign Language

Association of Virginia (FLAVA)Member of the National Standards in

Foreign Language Education Project

Carol BassSupervisor of ESOLPrince William County Public SchoolsRepresenting the Foreign Language

Association of Virginia (FLAVA)

Rachel BavisterPrincipal, Virginia School for the Deaf

and Blind at Staunton

Patricia BeechPresident, American Sign Language

Teachers Association Chapter inVirginia

Meg ChojanckiInstructor, American Sign LanguageWest Springfield High SchoolFairfax County Public Schools

Dorothea HandyTeacher of Hearing ImpairedSalem Church Middle SchoolChesterfield County Public Schools

American Sign Language Task ForceMembership

Laurie Malheiros, CTVirginia Department for the Deafand Hard of Hearing

Cheri MartinezInstructor, American Sign LanguageWoodson High SchoolFairfax County Public Schools

Pat MyersInstructor, American Sign LanguageHermitage High SchoolHenrico County Public Schools

Lissa Power-deFur, Ph.D.Associate DirectorSpecial Education & Student ServicesVirginia Department of Education

Brenda Chafin Seal, Ph.D.Associate ProfessorCommunication Science and Disorders

DepartmentJames Madison University

Bruce Sofinski, CI & CTDirector, Communication ServicesRichmond, Virginia

Linda WallingerSpecialist, Foreign LanguageVirginia Department of Education

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✸20Framework for Instruction in American Sign Language in Virginia’s Public Schools

NOTES

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The Virginia Department of Education does not unlawfully discriminateon the basis of sex, race, color, religion, disabilities, or national origin

in employment or in its educational programs and activities.