SUMMARY: Sign languages taught in primary/elementary & secondary/high schools?

[Adam Schembri]

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.
Thanks to everyone again who responded,
Adam
--
Associate Professor Adam Schembri
Director, National Institute for Deaf Studies and Sign Language
La Trobe University | Melbourne (Bundoora) | Victoria |  3086 |  Australia
Tel: +61 3 9479 2887 | Fax: +61 3 9479 3074 | www.latrobe.edu.au/nids (under construction)

*From Odd-Inge Schroder in Norway on the European Union:
Information may be found in
SIGN LANGUAGE LEGISLATION IN THE EUROPEAN UNION by Mark Wheatley and
Annika Pabsch, European Union of the Deaf, Brussels 2010 -
ISBN:9789081633901
Regards,
Odd-Inge Schröder
Associate Professor
Department of Special Needs Education,
University of Oslo,
Norway

*From Nedelina Ivanova in Iceland:
Icelandic Sign Language (ÍTM) is taught in some primary and some secondary
schools. For more information and details, please contact  Arny Gudmundsdottir
(arny at shh.is<mailto:arny at shh.is>) at the Communication Centre for the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing.
Best regards,
Nedelina Ivanova

*From Signlinda Pape in France:
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.
in 2009 it was extended to technical baccalaureat (504 inscriptions altogether).
in 2010 it was extended to professional baccalaureat (717 inscriptions altogether).
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!
if your colleague reads French and if she is interested by it, I can send her the official law texts setting up these exams.

*From Alessandro Zucchi in Italy:
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.
You can contact alessandra.battagin at gmail.com<mailto:alessandra.battagin at gmail.com>  (Alessandra Battagin) for more info.
Ciao,
Sandro

*From Thierry Haesenne in Belgium:
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.
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.
Hope this helps
Thierry Haesenne

*From Richard Meier in the USA:
I tried to send this to the list, but it doesn't seem to have gone through:
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.
http://www.texes.ets.org/tecprogram/
Richard

*From Rusty Rosen on the USA:
I took a survey of high schools in the US that offer ASL for foreign
language credit. The Modern Language Journal article is attached here.
It may give you some ideas on the scope of ASL as FL in the US.
Please let me know if you have questions.
Thanks.
Rusty Rosen

*From Kyle Duarte in France on the USA:
More on the US:
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.
Patty Ivankovic (pattyivankovic at burbankusd.org<mailto:pattyivankovic at burbankusd.org>) is the general contact for the program.
Kyle
kyle at kduarte.com<mailto:kyle at kduarte.com>

*From Dan Parvaz in the USA:
In the US, it's a mixed bag -- foreign languages aren't always
well-supported within the K-12 system -- but there are instances of ASL
courses taught within the primary and secondary schools. The organization
pushing for instructional standards within the US (and Canada?) is the
American Sign Language Teachers' Association...
http://www.aslta.org/
... and I think the Wilcoxes still maintain some material on standards and
justification ("Learning to See", etc.).
Two steps forward, one step back...
-Dan.

*From Christian Rathmann in Germany:
Some references might be helpful:
LIS jdsde.oxfordjournals.org/content/3/2/135.full.pdf
ASL
http://web.mac.com/swilcox/UNM/facts.html
http://www.listen-up.org/sign/state-asl.htm
In Germany, at very few schools DGS is offered as a elective subject
(i.e. not offered as a part of foreign language requirement). We are
currently in discusions with local governments.
All the best,
Christian

*From Linda Cunday in Canada:
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 Institute for Innovations in Second Language Education in the internet.   We are with Edmonton Public Schools.   We have over 16 languages and ASL is on the list!
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.
Then the University of Alberta recognizes ASL for matriculation and admission to the university if students do not have Math 30 (Grade 12).
Hope that helps.
Linda Cundy
Education Consultant for the Deaf and HH
Edmonton Regional Educational Consulting Services
Edmonton Public Schools

*From Terry Janzen in Canada:
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.
Cheers,
Terry

*From Inge Zwitserlood in The Netherlands:
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 ;-)
Cheers,
Inge

*From Beppie van den Bogaerde in The Netherlands:
Hi Adam, not in The Netherlands, as far as I know.
Bye
Beppie


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?
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)?
Thanks,
Adam
--
Associate Professor Adam Schembri
Director, National Institute for Deaf Studies and Sign Language
La Trobe University | Melbourne (Bundoora) | Victoria |  3086 |  Australia
Tel: +61 3 9479 2887 | Fax: +61 3 9479 3074 | www.latrobe.edu.au/nids<http://www.latrobe.edu.au/nids> (under construction)
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