From Theory to Practice: ASL-English Bilingual Education

Practices

Bobbie M. Allen, Ph.D.

University of California, San Diego

EDS 342A

Welcome to EDS 342A

Agenda

Class meeting K-W-L Powerpoint Overview of Syllabus Projects DVD: Beyond Strategies

Principles ASL is a language and a resource

The presence of ASL and English in the same classroom environment does not impede the development of either language, rather it facilitates cognitive, social, linguistic and cultural development.

To say a Deaf child has no language is a deficit view; They are human and have a need to communicate;Instead, they are emerging bilinguals

Total Communication and Oral classrooms use “English Only” approaches (subtractive).

Principles

1. Bilingual classrooms separate (when appropriate) ASL and English to promote equal status

2. Strong ASL and English connections are critical for development of both languages (EDS 125 Dynamic=Banyan Tree)

Deaf and hard of hearing children are language learners and members of the Deaf community, a linguistic minority.

UCSD promotes a bilingual, multilingual, multicultural program NOT just a “bi bi”

Principles Deaf students need to read and write through English with

ASL interpretations (not translations) to make the written English meaningful

Intense contrastive analysis or grammar translation (ASL vs English) is not necessary; use signals and strategies for emphasizing ASL or English

Signed English does not replace ASL as in traditional “transitional bilingual programs”

ASL remains the primary language of instruction; we

discuss English through ASL

Principles

All aspects of English (including oral language) is promoted in deaf bilingual classrooms.

Deaf students enter school developing 2 languages; most do not have a fully developed first language (exception Deaf of Deaf)

BICS/CALP. There is not ASL BICs or ASL CALP Language functions or genres cut across all languages e.g. comparison, persuading,explaining etc)

Reading and writing are not delayed until ASL is fully developed;” simultaneous” emerging bilinguals

Upon graduation from high school

8% of deaf students and 15% of hard of hearing students score proficient or advanced on the California Standards Test for Language Arts

10% of deaf students and 18% of hard of hearing score proficient to advanced on math tests

New approaches are necessary in order to provide deaf and hard of hearing students the education they deserve.

BICS & CALP

BICS & CALP: Classroom Application

Academic Language Language Functions for ASL & English are the

same as well as other languages, examples Compare & Contrast Evaluation Cognitively Demanding/Cognitively

Undemanding

ASL & English Forms can be different Irregular Past Verbs (run/ran); multiple

meanings for 1 word Run has multiple signs indicating different

meanings; English has 1 word with multiple meanings

Structure

ASL & English Structures can be different Passive Voice---ASL has no passive voice; English

does English Example:The boy was hit by the ball.

English Example for comparison____ have/has _______whereas _____have/has______.

What is the ASL structure for these English structures?

English Language Development (ELD)

American Sign Language Development ASLD

ELD lessons for hearing students focus on a

communicative approach, chants, songs,

language games using oral English.

For deaf it might be considered ASLD;

ELD is through print with strong connections

between the 2 languages.

Deaf students need a

communicative/interactive approach to

develop ASL and English print and if

appropriate, oral English

Comprehensible Input: Language that is

relevant and meaningful

Specially Designed Academic Instruction in English (SDAIE)

For Deaf students, connections between ASL and English

are necessary with purpose

Content and language learning goals

Hands on learning and student interaction

Authentic and meaningful tasks with realia--real objects,

movies, illustrations, visual representations/graphic

organizers

Practice higher level thinking skills

Advance literacy skills in both ASL and English print

Moving towards more complex linguistic text, concepts

and tasks in academic content

Empowerment

Early Visual Language, Literacy and Learning

By age of 4, ASL signing Deaf children self regulate attention to visual language

Use of eye gaze to regulate attention getting and turn-taking

Alternation of eye gaze is required; possibly a more demanding type of visual attention

ASL fluency correlates to reading achievement;

Phonological coding predicts 10% of reading outcomes

Associative skills; hand shape linked to English alphabet

Essential Questions

What is assessment? What assessments are reliable and valid

for Deaf children? How can we best meet the needs of

families of Deaf children? Families of other cultures?

What essential points/arguments can use to guide others’ thinking about a bilingual approach for deaf children?

What can we do to promote writing in our current student teaching placements?

Assessment/Evaluation A plethora of standardized tests to

evaluate children’s English development/skills

Very few assessments to determine children’s ASL proficiency

Deaf children’s ASL development should be observed in a variety of social and learning context.

Hallmarks of Good Assessment

• Use a Variety of Measures - Good assessment does not rely on a single yard-stick but compiles data based on both individual students’ learning plus school-wide data

• Involve Educators, Parents and Broader Community - Improved success for students relies on positive collaboration.

• Comprehensive & Balanced - Good assessment procedures provides for flexibility, data from multiple contexts and sources; child-centered, developmental and fair

• Based on Current Research & Theories about Teaching & Learning

Hallmarks of Good Assessment

• Supports Improved Learning - The assessment is designed to provide feedback that helps students improve their learning.

• Helps Teachers Teach Better - Good assessment provides an array of information that teachers can use to improve their teaching practices and help ensure students learning.

• Integrated with the Curriculum and Instruction - Assessment works best when it flows naturally from, and is part of, student work - i.e. a science experiment that becomes part of the student portfolio.

• Classroom Based, Authentic & Systematic - Most of the assessment is based on classroom work done by students and observations over a period of time with systematic record keeping

A New Generation with a New Attitude: Family Perspectives

Deafness impacts the entire family, not just the child. Teachers have a responsibility to facilitate the acculturation

process for families and children. An informative pedagogical perspective is a necessary condition that responds to the fears and misinformation about deafness.

The grieving process may not be a natural process. It is defined and influenced by how the dominant culture defines the expected “normal” skills of the person.

Families that are further along the continuum of the acculturation/enculturation process have a responsibility to new families.

The status of inequality of minority non-English speaking families disempowers them, prevents them from obtaining the necessary information and denies them the ability to manipulate the resources to the children’s advantage.