[lg policy] Gallaudet University: DIALOGUE ON LANGUAGE AND COMMUNICATION

[Harold Schiffman]

DIALOGUE ON LANGUAGE AND COMMUNICATION
DECEMBER 7, 2011

EMERGING THEMES*

CLIMATE/CULTURE/COMMUNITY

• VARYING PHILOSOPHIES REGARDING ACCEPTED MODE OF COMMUNICATION ON CAMPUS

    * ASL MUST BE THE LANGUAGE USED ON CAMPUS
    * NO SIMULTANEOUS COMMUNICATION W/VOICE PERMITTED
    * NO PLACE FOR SPOKEN LANGUAGES OF ANY KIND ON CAMPUS
    * IT DEPENDS ON THE INDIVIDUAL, SOME DON'T CARE OF YOU SPEAK,
DEPENDS ON COMFORT ZONE
    * WE MUST VALUE ASL AND ENGLISH



• LACK OF SUPPORT OR WELCOMING ENVIRONMENT FOR NEW SIGNERS/ASL LEARNERS

    * NEW SIGNERS/ASL LEARNERS ARE WILLING AND MOTIVATED TO LEARN ASL
    * SUPPORT GROUPS FOR NEW SIGNERS
    * SPACES/PLACES WHERE SPOKEN ENGLISH , PHONES CAN BE USED
    * CLARIFICATION MAY BE NEEDED REGARDING WHY SUPPORT IS NEEDED
    * NEW SIGNERS/ASL LEARNERS MUST HAVE MORE SUPPORT FROM THE
UNIVERSITY IN TERMS OF MORE VARIED LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES
    * SHOULD HAVE A SAFE AND WELCOMING ENVIRONMENT WHERE THEY ARE NOT
BULLIED BY MORE EXPERIENCED SIGNERS
    * EXPAND ASL CLASSES AND SET UP ASL MENTORING
    * CIVILITY
    * REVISIT THE ADMISSIONS REQUIREMENTS. PERHAPS THINK TWICE ABOUT
LETTING PEOPLE IN WHO DON'T HAVE ANY SIGNING SKILLS
    * GALLAUDET IS DEAF PEOPLE'S MECCA
    * THE WORLD IS HEARING - HEARING PEOPLE GET SUPPORT "OUT THERE"
    * GALLAUDET IS FOR DEAF PEOPLE AND SHOULD FOCUS ON HELPING
SUPPORTING AND PROMOTING DEAF/ASL

• FEAR OF THE LOSS OF ASL AND DEAF CULTURE DUE TO INCLUSION,
MAINSTREAMING, COCHLEAR IMPLANTS, ETC.

    * INABILITY TO LET GO OF THE "GOOD OLD DAYS" WHEN EVERYONE AT
GALLAUDET (STUDENTS, FACULTY, STAFF) WERE PROFICIENT IN ASL
    * HEARING SPACE SHOULD NOT BE PERMITTED
    * WOULD ENCOURANGE HEARING PRIVILEGE
    * GALLAUDET IS ONE PLACE WHERE DEAF PEOPLE SHOULD NOT BE OPPRESSED
    * FULL ACCESS MUST BE ENSURED FOR DEAF/ HARD OF HEARING PEOPLE AT ALL TIMES
    * ZERO TOLERANCE FOR BULLYING AGAINST ANY GROUP

• NEED TO RESPECT ALL CULTURES, LANGUAGE ABILITIES

    * SENSITIVITY TRAINING FOR EVERYONE
    * NEED TO UNDERSTAND EACH OTHER'S PERSPECTIVES
    * MORE DIALOGUES NEEDED TO WORK THROUGH DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES AND ISSUES
          o
                + ADMINISTRATION SHOULD BE INVOLVED IN DIALOGUES NOT
JUST OBSERVING
                + ADMINISTRATORS/OTHER ONLOOKERS NOT INVOLVED IN THE
DIALOGUE PROCESS ARE COUNTERPRODUCTIVE AND SHOULD NOT BE PERMITTED
                + LOW FACULTY PARTICIPATION IN THE DIALOGUES-INCREASED
FACULTY INVOLVEMENT IS CRITICAL TO THE PROCESS
    * LOTS OF QUESTIONS ABOUT AND NEED FOR CAMPUS-WIDE TRAINING AND
EDUCATION ON WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A BI-LINGUAL UNIVERSITY
    * HOW TO ENHANCE ONE'S OWN BILINGUAL ABILITIES
    * TOO MANY CLIQUES...NEED TO WORK TOGETHER
    * WE NEED TO STOP THE BLAME GAME
    * EDUCATE IN A RESPECTFUL MANNER
    * COMMUNICATION SHOULD BE SUPPORTIVE AND LESS JUDGEMENTAL
    * ASL AND ENGLISH SHOULD BE 100% EQUAL
    * DEAF SIGNERS SHOULD BE THE GATEWAY FOR THE NON-SIGNERS
    * GET RID OF THE DICHOTOMY (DEAF VS. HEARING)


IMPACT OF LANGUAGE ON TEACHING AND LEARNING

• ASL SHOULD BE THE LANGUAGE IN THE CLASSROOM USED WITH WRITTEN ENGLISH

    * SIMCOM IN THE CLASSROOM; CONFUSION LACK OF ACADEMIC SUCCESS

• FACULTY BEING HIRED WITH NO SIGNING SKILLS

    * STOP HIRING FACULTY WHO CAN'T SIGN

• HIRE MORE ASL TEACHERS WILL MAKE BIG IMPACT ON THIS BI-LINGUAL UNIVERSITY

• UNREALSITIC PERSPECTIVES ON HOW LONG IT TAKES TO BECOME PROFIEIENT IN ASL


• TIMELINES FOR INTEPRETERS IN THE CLASSROOM NEED TO BE RECONSIDERED


• NEED TO EXPORE BENEFITS/DETRIMENTAL EFFECTS OF CART ON LEARNING ASL


• ASLPI NEED FEEDBACK NOT JUST A SCORE


• WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO TEACH BI-LINGUALLY

    * HOW TO USE BOTH LANGUAGES IN THE CLASSROOM WITH MAXIMUM
EFFECTIVENESS TO MEET NEEDS OF A DIVERSE STUDENT BODY


COMMUNICATION GUIDELINES/POLICIES

• GALLAUDET UNIVERSITY NEEDS TO ESTABLISH CLEAR LANGUAGE POLICY VERSUS
BARRIERS( E.G. STATEMENT ON ASL USE ON CAMPUS "HOW"

    * CREATE A LANGUAGE POLICY
    * CREATE A STATEMENT ON ASL USE ON CAMPUS
    * MAKE RULES BECAUSE EXPECTATIONS ARE NOT CLEAR
    * RULES NEED TO BE DOCUMENTED

• NEED TO EXPAND ON THE CONCEPT OF PUBLIC SPACE

• CREATE MOTTO/THEME TO EMPHASIZE ASLAS DOMINANT LANGUAGE (E.G. DEAF
SPACE), CLARIFY MISSION/POLICY

    * MAKE SIGNS THAT INFORM US TO SIGN AT ALL TIMES

• DEVELOP POLICIES FOR IN AND OUT OF CLASSROOM COMMUNICATION
EXPECTATIONS AND PROCEDURES

• CLEAR MESSAGE, WHAT IS BI-LINGUALISM?

    * DEVELOP A CLEAR LANGUAGE POLICY. SAYING THAT WE ARE "BI-LINGUAL"
DOESN'T MAKE IT SO

• CLEAR DEFINITION ON COMMUNICATION ISSUES AT GALLAUDET
 _________________
*Large blue topic statements are over all major themes identified by
the Dialogue Planning Committee
(DPC) upon review of the dialogue notes. Black statements (black dots)
are general themes. Blue statements (blue checks) are supporting
statements relevant to the general themes. With the exception of the
blue topic statements identified by the DPC, all other statements were
taken directly from the dialogue notes.

http://catalog.gallaudet.edu/Diversity/Dialogue_on_Language_and_Communication.html

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