Teaching ASL:
Politics
Dear Dr. Bill,
How should I handle it when the ASL 2 teacher criticizes the sign variations of
students who took my ASL 1 class?
-- Name on File
Dear Name on File,
The best approach in my experience is for us as teachers to wrap up each
semester by strongly emphasizing to our students that for 15 weeks it has been
our privilege and honor to serve as their guru. And that if the student goes on
to take a class from some other teacher, that new teacher will get to be the new
guru for 15 weeks.
I remind my students that taking classes from different
instructors helps them to become a powerful communicator because they become
familiar with a wider range of signing styles and vocabulary items.
I prepare my students ahead of time that if their next teacher tells them that
"such and such a sign is done a certain way" -- then do the sign THAT way when
you are around THAT teacher. Afterwards go do your own research in the
Deaf Community and see how it is really signed by the majority of adult Deaf
signers.
-- Bill
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