WHY SIGN LANGUAGE SHOULD BE TAUGHT IN SCHOOLS
ASL is a language like any other, and students should have the opportunity to learn it
For the deaf and hearing impaired, sign language is a necessity. While some believe that it is not important for hearing people to learn sign language, ASL (American Sign Language) is a language just like Spanish or French, and becoming familiar with this language will help students to broaden their minds and communicate with more people. In a time in which lip reading has been made impossible by the universality of mask-wearing, ASL is more necessary than ever. ASL is a language just like any other, and should be offered as a second language by schools.
When I was in preschool, my school made it mandatory for me and my classmates to learn ASL. It was a good way to communicate with my parents before I actually learned how to speak. I learned the basic signs like “more” or “food,” as well as some of the basic manner signs, such as “please” and “thank you.” My school continued to teach me ASL for the next seven years, until I truly felt like I had a good grasp on the language. When I was in school, my favorite class by a long shot was ASL, because it was so easy to pick up. It was also a great way for me to talk to a friend in my neighborhood, who happened to be deaf.
However, after I moved schools, the new school I had just transferred to didn't offer ASL classes; slowly, over time, I stopped using the language. During the lengthy quarantine, I wanted to pick the language back up again, so I started off by learning how to sign my favorite songs. I would sign these songs on a daily basis, until I could sign the whole song with no sweat. This just proves there are fun ways to learn ASL and why schools should offer ASL as a course.
Only about 500,000 people in the United States have learned sign language. In contrast, 2.1 million Americans have learned French, which is also a US minority language. While the United States does not include a great number of French-only speakers, many students learn this language in American schools. If sign language were offered in schools the same way French is, more Americans would be able to communicate with deaf and hearing-impaired people.
It is important to offer ASL in schools, since it has been proven that it is much easier for those under the age of 25 to learn a new language, since their brain is still developing. While it is still possible to pick up a new language after the age of 25, young age allows those who want to learn the language a head start into the world of ASL. Because young brains are poised to learn new languages and expand what knowledge they have, schools should use that to their advantage and teach younger children ASL.
In an age in which lip-reading is no longer an option, the importance of sign language has been illustrated. In order to expose students to this important language, schools should offer ASL as a second language.
This is Kennedy's first year on The Edge team and her second year here at Edgewood. She is on the JV volleyball team and does figure skating in her free time. You can always catch her nose in a book or talking to her friends.