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<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=Windows-1252"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 14px; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; "><div><div><div>Some colleagues on SLLING-L have asked for a summary of the responses to the recent question I asked about sign language taught in schools around the world. It's below, organised according to country/regions of the world. Some of this was posted to everyone on SLLING-L and some of it wasn't, but I have grouped it all below. My original question is at the very bottom.</div><div>Thanks to everyone again who responded,</div><div>Adam</div><div>
<font face="Arial"><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">-- </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; "><br></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; "></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">Associate Professor Adam Schembri</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; "><br></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">
Director, National Institute for Deaf Studies and Sign Language</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; "><br></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">
La Trobe University | Melbourne (Bundoora) | Victoria | 3086 | Australia</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; "><br></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">
Tel: +61 3 9479 2887 | Fax: +61 3 9479 3074 | www.latrobe.edu.au/nids (under construction)</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; "><br></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">
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</div></div></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri; "><br></span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri; ">*From Odd-Inge Schroder in Norway on the European Union:</span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial"><div style="font-family: Consolas; "><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">Information may be found in</span></div><div style="font-family: Consolas; "><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">SIGN LANGUAGE LEGISLATION IN THE EUROPEAN UNION by Mark Wheatley and</span></div><div style="font-family: Consolas; "><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">Annika Pabsch, European Union of the Deaf, Brussels 2010 -</span></div><div style="font-family: Consolas; "><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">ISBN:9789081633901</span></div><div style="font-family: Consolas; "><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">Regards,</span></div><div style="font-family: Consolas; "><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">Odd-Inge Schröder</span></div><div style="font-family: Consolas; "><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">Associate Professor</span></div><div style="font-family: Consolas; "><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">Department of Special Needs Education,</span></div><div style="font-family: Consolas; "><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">University of Oslo,</span></div><div style="font-family: Consolas; "><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">Norway</span></div><div style="font-family: Consolas; "><span style="font-family: Calibri; "><br></span></div></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri; ">*From Nedelina Ivanova in Iceland:</span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial"><div style="font-family: Consolas; "><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">Icelandic Sign Language (ÍTM) is taught in some primary and some secondary</span></div><div style="font-family: Consolas; "><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">schools. For more information and details, please contact Arny Gudmundsdottir</span></div><div style="font-family: Consolas; "><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">(</span><a href="mailto:arny@shh.is"><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">arny@shh.is</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">) at the Communication Centre for the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing.</span></div><div style="font-family: Consolas; "><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">Best regards,</span></div><div style="font-family: Consolas; "><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">Nedelina Ivanova</span></div></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri; "><br></span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri; ">*From Signlinda Pape in France:</span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri; ">since 2008 France's national secondary-school diploma (baccalauréat) includes LSF as an optional language for anyone (Deaf, CODA, hearing...). (the pilot project even started in 2006/2007.) it was attended by 188 people the first year.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri; "><br></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri; ">in 2009 it was extended to technical baccalaureat (504 inscriptions altogether).</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri; "><br></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri; ">in 2010 it was extended to professional baccalaureat (717 inscriptions altogether).</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri; "><br></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri; ">the demand is increasing even too quickly for the number of qualified examiners, so it's a hurry when it comes to take the exams!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri; "><br></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri; ">if your colleague reads French and if she is interested by it, I can send her the official law texts setting up these exams.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri; "><br></span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri; "><br></span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri; ">*From Alessandro Zucchi in Italy:</span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial"><div style="font-family: Calibri; ">In Italy, there is a grammar school in Cossato (near Biella in Piedmont) where sign language is taught both to hearing and to deaf children.</div><div style="font-family: Calibri; ">You can contact <a href="mailto:alessandra.battagin@gmail.com">alessandra.battagin@gmail.com</a> (Alessandra Battagin) for more info.</div><div style="font-family: Calibri; ">Ciao,</div><div style="font-family: Calibri; ">Sandro</div></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri; "><br></span></font></div><div><font face="Arial"><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">*From Thierry Haesenne in Belgium:</span></font></div><div><font face="Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Tahoma; "><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">French Belgian Sign Language (LSFB) is taught in at least one primary and secondary school, in Namur. This is a bilingual school which deaf and hearing children attend. Sign language courses (2 hours/week) are compulsory for deaf children and are taught by a qualified native signer. LSFB is also the language of instruction in that school for deaf children. There are two teachers in class : a signing teacher and a speaking teacher. In secondary school, there is sometimes an interpeter instead of a teacher because of the lack of qualified teachers who know LSFB. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; "><br></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">For more info, contact me. I teach a few hours per week in that school. I will relay and translate your questions to the coordinator of the bilingual team. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; "><br></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">Hope this helps</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; "><br></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">Thierry Haesenne</span></span></font></div><div><font face="Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri; "><br></span></font></div><div><font face="Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri; ">*From Richard Meier in the USA:</span></font></div><div><font face="Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Tahoma; "><div style="font-family: Consolas; "><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">I tried to send this to the list, but it doesn't seem to have gone through:</span></div><div style="font-family: Consolas; "><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">The State of Texas has for some years had a certification test for high school teachers of ASL; these are teachers who would primarily be instructing hearing students.</span></div><div style="font-family: Consolas; "><span style="font-family: Calibri; "><a href="http://www.texes.ets.org/tecprogram/">http://www.texes.ets.org/tecprogram/</a></span></div><div style="font-family: Consolas; "><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">Richard</span></div></span></font></div><div><font face="Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri; "><br></span></font></div><div><font face="Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri; ">*From Rusty Rosen on the USA:</span></font></div><div><font face="Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Tahoma; "><div style="font-family: Consolas; "><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">I took a survey of high schools in the US that offer ASL for foreign </span></div><div style="font-family: Consolas; "><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">language credit. The Modern Language Journal article is attached here. </span></div><div style="font-family: Consolas; "><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">It may give you some ideas on the scope of ASL as FL in the US.</span></div><div style="font-family: Consolas; "><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">Please let me know if you have questions.</span></div><div style="font-family: Consolas; "><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">Thanks.</span></div><div style="font-family: Consolas; "><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">Rusty Rosen</span></div></span></font></div><div><font face="Arial"><span style="font-family: Calibri; "><br></span></font></div><div><font face="Arial"><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">*From Kyle Duarte in France on the USA:</span></font></div><div><font face="Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri; ">More on the US:</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri; "><br></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri; "></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri; ">My high school offered three years of ASL for foreign language credit (and still does 13 years later). This as part of a large-scale mainstreaming program within the school district, where the Deaf ASL teacher also serves as teacher/mentor to the d/Deaf students in the school.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri; "><br></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri; ">Patty Ivankovic (</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri; "><a href="mailto:pattyivankovic@burbankusd.org" target="_blank">pattyivankovic@burbankusd.org</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri; ">) is the general contact for the program.</span><div id=":1c5" style="font-family: Calibri; ">Kyle<br><a href="mailto:kyle@kduarte.com">kyle@kduarte.com</a></div></font></div><div><font face="Arial"><span style="font-family: Calibri; "><br></span></font></div><div><font face="Arial"><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">*From Dan Parvaz in the USA:</span></font></div><div><font face="Arial"><div style="font-family: Consolas; "><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">In the US, it's a mixed bag -- foreign languages aren't always</span></div><div style="font-family: Consolas; "><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">well-supported within the K-12 system -- but there are instances of ASL</span></div><div style="font-family: Consolas; "><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">courses taught within the primary and secondary schools. The organization</span></div><div style="font-family: Consolas; "><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">pushing for instructional standards within the US (and Canada?) is the</span></div><div style="font-family: Consolas; "><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">American Sign Language Teachers' Association...</span></div><div style="font-family: Consolas; "><a href="http://www.aslta.org/"><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">http://www.aslta.org/</span></a></div><div style="font-family: Consolas; "><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">... and I think the Wilcoxes still maintain some material on standards and</span></div><div style="font-family: Consolas; "><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">justification ("Learning to See", etc.).</span></div><div style="font-family: Consolas; "><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">Two steps forward, one step back...</span></div><div style="font-family: Consolas; "><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">-Dan.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Calibri; "><br></span></div></font></div><div><font face="Arial"><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">*From Christian Rathmann in Germany:</span></font></div><div><font face="Arial"><div style="font-family: Consolas; "><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">Some references might be helpful:</span></div><div style="font-family: Consolas; "><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">LIS </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">jdsde.oxfordjournals.org/content/3/2/135.full.pdf</span></div><div style="font-family: Consolas; "><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">ASL</span></div><div style="font-family: Consolas; "><a href="http://web.mac.com/swilcox/UNM/facts.html"><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">http://web.mac.com/swilcox/UNM/facts.html</span></a></div><div style="font-family: Consolas; "><a href="http://www.listen-up.org/sign/state-asl.htm"><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">http://www.listen-up.org/sign/state-asl.htm</span></a></div><div style="font-family: Consolas; "><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">In Germany, at very few schools DGS is offered as a elective subject</span></div><div style="font-family: Consolas; "><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">(i.e. not offered as a part of foreign language requirement). We are</span></div><div style="font-family: Consolas; "><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">currently in discusions with local governments.</span></div><div style="font-family: Consolas; "><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">All the best,</span></div><div style="font-family: Consolas; "><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">Christian</span></div></font></div><div><font face="Arial"><span style="font-family: Calibri; "><br></span></font></div><div><font face="Arial"><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">*From Linda Cunday in Canada:</span></font></div><div><font face="Arial"><div style="font-family: Calibri; ">Yes, indeed Canada does teach ASL as a second language. I know for sure Alberta, Manitoba and Ontario. I have assisted developing ASL as L2 for Edmonton Public Schools Board. We are now teaching Grades 4 to 12 ASL in public schools. Look up <b>Institute for Innovations in Second Language Education</b> in the internet. We are with Edmonton Public Schools. We have over 16 languages and ASL is on the list!</div><div style="font-family: Calibri; ">We have been teaching ASL as a second language in high schools for over 10 years now. We have started Grade 4 ASL L2 two years ago. Schools are required to teach second language, starting in Grade 4. There are three high schools that offer ASL and it is the most popular choice for students to take credits for second language learning. We teach 125 hours each term; students graduate with 375 hours of ASL instruction. </div><div style="font-family: Calibri; ">Then the University of Alberta recognizes ASL for matriculation and admission to the university if students do not have Math 30 (Grade 12).</div><div style="font-family: Calibri; ">Hope that helps.</div><div style="font-family: Calibri; ">Linda Cundy</div><div style="font-family: Calibri; ">Education Consultant for the Deaf and HH</div><div style="font-family: Calibri; ">Edmonton Regional Educational Consulting Services</div><div style="font-family: Calibri; ">Edmonton Public Schools</div></font></div><div><font face="Arial"><span style="font-family: Calibri; "><br></span></font></div><div><font face="Arial"><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">*From Terry Janzen in Canada:</span></font></div><div><font face="Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial; ">ASL is taught as a language in high schools in a number of cities in Canada for credit. Some folks who may be sources of information for that are Len Mitchell (Winnipeg) and Linda Cundy (Edmonton). I’ll find out more and send to you directly. <br>Cheers,<br>Terry</span></font></div><div><font face="Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial; "><br></span></font></div><div><font face="Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial; ">*From Inge Zwitserlood in The Netherlands:</span></font></div><div><font face="Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; "><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">Beppie and I just realized that we do have a so-called "twin school" in Vught, the Netherlands, a primary regular school where (a few) Deaf children integrate and there is instruction in both Dutch and NGT, and the hearing kids receive (some) NGT instruction. If your collegue is interested, I can try to find out more (or at least find a person who should know more ;-)</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; "><br></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">Cheers,</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; "><br></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">Inge</span></span></span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri; "><br></span></font></div><div><font face="Arial"><div style="font-family: Calibri; ">*From Beppie van den Bogaerde in The Netherlands:</div><div style="font-family: Calibri; ">Hi Adam, not in The Netherlands, as far as I know.</div><div style="font-family: Calibri; ">Bye</div><div style="font-family: Calibri; ">Beppie</div></font></div><div><font face="Arial"><font size="2"><span style="font-size:10pt"><blockquote type="cite" style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: medium; "><div><div><div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>A colleague is preparing a response to a recent Australian government paper on teaching languages other than English in primary and secondary schools here which lists a range of spoken languages as 'priority languages' for teaching, but does not list Auslan among those languages (a change from a former government language policy in which it was included as a 'prority language'). She asked me to ask colleagues on the SLLING-L: is/are your national sign language(s) taught to hearing children in primary/elementary and secondary/high schools in your country?</div><div>Does anyone know where my colleague can obtain information about sign language instruction in schools in other countries (NB: we are not looking for information about the use of sign language as a language of instruction in schools/units/programmes for deaf children)?</div><div>Thanks,</div><div>Adam</div><div><font face="Arial"><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">--</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; "> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; "><br></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">Associate Professor Adam Schembri</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; "><br></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">Director, National Institute for Deaf Studies and Sign Language</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; "><br></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">La Trobe University | Melbourne (Bundoora) | Victoria | 3086 | Australia</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; "><br></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">Tel: +61 3 9479 2887 | Fax: +61 3 9479 3074 |</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; "> </span><a href="http://www.latrobe.edu.au/nids"><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">www.latrobe.edu.au/nids</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri; "> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">(under construction)</span></font></div></div></div></div></blockquote></span></font></font></div></body></html>