[EDLING:576] Re: 'Sign language classes are on the rise'

[Miriam E Ebsworth]

Dear Shannon and group,

>>From my somewhat limited perspective ASL, despite the "A" for American
qualifies as a separate language associated with a separate culture.
Although it lacks traditional phonology, it has distinct syntax,
semantics, lexicon, and also have physical/spatial/movement
dimensions. As most of you are probably aware,unlike signed English,
ASL is NOT based on any variety of English- in fact I think it was
developed from French sign language and is based on English mostly
when finger spelling is required. First language development of ASL
for deaf children mirrors first language development for other L1's.

For many years at NYU we had a program for teaching the deaf, and I
was fortunate enough to take an introductory class in ASL and serve on
some dissertation and research committees. However, to my dismay, when
we had bilingual ed federal fellowships, ASL and English were not
accepted as "bilingual."

I'd like to read other perspectives on this.

Cheers,
Miriam

Miriam Eisenstein Ebsworth, Ph.D.
<MEE1 at nyu.edu>
Director of Doctoral Programs in Multilingual Multicultural Studies
New York University

----- Original Message -----
From: Shannon Sauro <totoro2 at dolphin.upenn.edu>
Date: Monday, January 24, 2005 10:59 am
Subject: [EDLING:571] Re: 'Sign language classes are on the rise'

> I find Henderson's rationale for Boston University's current
> policy of not
> allowing ASL to fulfill its foreign language requirement, namely
> that it
> is a North American language and does not provide access to the
> culture of
> another society, both interesting and troublesome.
>
> It is interesting that this policy seems to place value on
> learning about
> language and cultures which only exist overseas.  Of course, I am
> assuming
> that Henderson's concern about the North American roots of ASL
> also
> applies to Spanish and French, so that the varities of Spanish and
> French
> being taught on campus are not of the North American kind.
>
> What is troublesome is that this policy also seems to be based on
> the
> assumption that the society and culture of the deaf in North
> America is no
> different from that of English-speaking/hearing society.  However,
> as
> someone who is not a member of the deaf community, my perspective
> on this
> is limited to the books I have read on the subject.
>
> I would love to hear what others of you have to say on this matter
> and
> what your universities' policies are on recognizing the study of
> signed
> languages in fulfillment of foreign language requirements.
>
>
> Shannon Sauro
>
>