American Sign Language Taught in Michigan Elementary Schools & High Schools

Brittany Rosendaul
September 26, 2017

This proposal suggests more elementary schools and high schools should get involved

with teaching sign language throughout Michigan. The proposal will decrease the amount of

problems people in the deaf community have towards people you dont know the language and

vise-versa.

Current Situation

The current procedure is that young schools, such as elementary and high schools, dont

offer any opportunities for students who dont know sign language to learn it. There are only

about twenty-one schools today that the state of Michigan who offers sign language as classes.

Most of them are colleges and universities but the others are places meant for the deaf

community (ASL Training). This procedure does offer a website you can use to learn the

language. If you dont go to any of these universities, you can visit this website and learn

yourself but no one is there to help you in person (ASL Training). Children are limited to the

opportunities to learn this important language as a young age. About 90% of children with the

United States suffer from hearing loss that have parents who dont have this disability (Quick

Statistics About Hearing). For people who are 18 years of age or older show that they are starting

to receive some loss of hearing within 15% of the U.S. population. Children who are deaf go to

school that have other hard-hearing students. Most of those types of schools can make the
children feel isolated to their families (Miller, Education Options for Children That Are Deaf or

Hard of Hearing).

Issues with The Situation

The issues with the original procedure contain many things. The schools that have the

ASL courses can be limited if you attend the school or not, such as colleges and universities or

schools who specialize with the deaf community. As well for the ASL dictionary website where

you teach yourself because you wont learn the language very good by yourself than you in a

class with others in person. You wouldnt get the full aspect of this complex language. There are

360 million people who suffer from loss of hearing in any format (Rivito, Why We Need to Teach

ASL In Schools). Since most of these people only suffer mild to severe hearing loss, they can rely

on hearing aids and dont need ASL to communicate with others (Deafness and Hearing Loss).

The use of sign language is the only way that a single person who is deaf could communicate

with others. People who dont use the language, the ones who are able to hear, can run into

someone who is deaf and is unable to help them. They can also be more unaware of whats going

on around them. Majority of schools, mostly high schools, all over the U.S, not just in Michigan,

encourages students to learn Spanish, French or any other language. Sign language is just as

important but no one seems to favor this option. People with this disability have to be in different

classes or even schools because no one knows how to communicate with them. These types of

schools can make the children feel sad since they are isolated from their families and can be in

the school for long periods at a time.

Solutions for The Issues

For those issues to become less of a problem in the Michigan elementary schools and

high school curriculum, theres going to be some changes we need to obtain. There can be a set

of systems for those who need assistance with learning ASL but cant afford classes. With the

few universities and colleges who have ASL can be more essential with this course for the

students. It should be a requirement to take a course about the language in the young schools

because it will benefit them in the future. In Michigan, at least one class that teaches ASL in each

city could make a big difference in the way the community can interact with one another. The

deaf community can help with the classes, the teachers and the young students, by giving each

person assistance on how the language can work. There can be fundraisers elementary and high

schools can run to help provide the funds to have sign language as a course for the state or a city.

The Benefits of The Proposal

There are many benefits to the proposal. People of different backgrounds can

communicate much better than before. Whether you have loss of hearing or if you can hear

perfectly fine, wouldnt be a major problem anymore since both parties can use the language.

There wouldnt be any awkward, heartbreaking situations if everyone knew at least a little of

sign language. The two different types of people can help each other out more. Especially with

the new teacher being involved can help people who are learning in a one to one manner. If you

learn sign language at a younger age, you will become more knowledgeable and open to more

opportunities. As well as if you learn ASL when you are older. You can become more aware of
your surroundings and the people youre around. The deaf community can be more comfortable

around others who know the language, and vise-versa. Schools in Michigan, and throughout the

U.S, would have such a positive mood because everyone would be together and not distinct from

each other.

References

"ASL Training." E-Michigan Deaf and Hard of Hearing. Web. 18 Sept. 2017.

<http://www.michdhh.org/asl_deaf_culture/asl_training.html>.

"Deafness and Hearing Loss." World Health Organization. World Health Organization, Feb.

2017. Web. 25 Sept. 2017. <http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs300/en/>.

"Quick Statistics About Hearing." National Institute of Deafness and Other Communication

Disorders. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 15 Dec. 2016. Web. 25 Sept.

2017. <https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/statistics/quick-statistics-hearing>.

Miller, John. "Education Options for Children That Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing." Signing

Savvy. 24 Apr. 2012. Web. 25 Sept. 2017.

<https://www.signingsavvy.com/blog/81/Education+Options+for+Children+that+are+De

af+or+Hard+of+Hearing>.

Rivito, Katie. "Why We Need To Teach ASL In Schools." The Odyssey Online. 7 Mar. 2016.

Web. 18 Sept. 2017. <https://www.theodysseyonline.com/teaching-sign-language-in-

schools>.