integrating SW in school curriculum???

[Valerie Sutton]

SignWriting List
October 21, 2006

Hello James!
Thank you for this phenomenal story! Your dedication as a parent is  
impressive, besides your skill with Nicaraguan Sign Language and  
SignWriting!

What kind of serious follow-up do you want from us? Do you want us to  
write to the interpreter and teacher, to ask them for their anecdotal  
experiences on how SignWriting has helped their student?

or are you asking for someone to research this specifically, with the  
goal to show that SignWriting helps Deaf students learn more?

What next step do you suggest?  Val ;-)





On Oct 21, 2006, at 6:45 AM, James Shepard-Kegl, Esq. wrote:

> As some of you may be aware, earlier this year my wife and I adopted a
> Nicaraguan Deaf teenager (now age 16) and enrolled her in the  
> mainstream
> program for Deaf students at Portland (Maine) high school.  Our  
> daughter,
> Yuri, is not the only Deaf student in the class, but she is the  
> only one who
> can read SW.  This means, at least to a small degree, one may  
> compare and
> contrast the achievement level of a SW reader who is Deaf versus  
> none SW
> readers who are Deaf in a high school program of this nature.  (The  
> class is
> intended for immigrants from many nations and speaking many  
> languages.  Most
> of the students are hearing.  Deaf students are included because  
> they also
> are lacking in English abilities.)
>
> The teachers, of course, do not understand SW, or, for that matter,  
> ASL.
> The school accommodates Yuri with an ESL (English as a second  
> language)
> teacher who signs (somewhat) and an ASL interpreter who signs  
> natively.
> Neither read SW, but they wish they could.
>
> Why?  Because I spend a lot of time translating Yuri's school  
> assignments
> (all in English) into Nicaraguan Sign Language using SW, she has an
> opportunity to learn that others are denied.  Her teachers and  
> interpreters
> have noted it.
>
> Do they think this helps a little, or a lot; are they thoroughly  
> impressed
> or only half-convinced?  I don't know.  Someone ought to ask them.   
> In fact,
> someone ought to do some serious follow-up.
>
> The ASL interpreter is Regan Thibodeau:  eitar at tmail.com
>
> The teacher/interpreter is Tracey Frederick:  traceyf at tmail.com
>
> I will let them know I authorize their responses.
>
> -- James
>
>

Val ;-)


Valerie Sutton
Sutton at SignWriting.org

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