For the first time in Selma High School history, American Sign Language (ASL) has been offered as a foreign language class. While it is offered as a class, it is also offered as a club for those who don’t have room in their schedules and are wanting to learn. Club meetings are held every other Tuesday during lunch in room 1304, where the ASL leadership teaches students how to sign basic and seasonal signs.
“As hearing individuals learning basic ASL and cultural norms,” states ASL teacher, Ms. Wenstrand, “we can interact with members, share our understanding with other hearing individuals, all while acquiring a new language.”
ASL is not only a valuable skill to have, but also a way to expand your communication to a new group of people. With 10% of Fresno County’s population being deaf or having hard of hearing, learning ASL can make a real difference in everyday interactions. By knowing how to communicate using sign language, you are able to directly communicate with the Deaf community. You will not need a third party device to communicate with, just your hands and body language.
During the meeting, the ASL leadership teaches the members how to fingerspell and sign. Fingerspelling is when an individual spells out a word using the American Manual Alphabet. For example, if you don’t want to sign “Thank you” (which is placing a flat hand on your chin and moving it away from you), you can fingerspell it out (T-H-A-N-K Y-O-U). The American Manual Alphabet is one of the first things that is taught in the class and club. You learn and practice each individual letter.
“After I learned the alphabet, I was able to introduce myself to others,” expressed Julian Ramirez, a member of the ASL Club, “I am able to communicate and recognize the fingerspelling of many sentences.”
Along with learning how to spell, the members learn how to sign signs that correlate to the events of the month. In November, members were taught how to sign things like “mashed potatoes” and “family feast,” for Thanksgiving. Every meeting there is a new set of signs for the members to explore. Festive, practical, and even seasonal signs are taught. Moreover, they sometimes watch movies with a sign language interpreter signing along, to show what possibilities and opportunities there are.
“ASL is a complex language. It’s not just hand gestures,” explained Alliyah Davis, one of the ASL leaders, “it relies on facial expressions, body language, and movement to help fully communicate thoughts, tone, and emotion.”
Since you can not show your emotion through your voice, you have to show it through your facial and body language. Showing confusion through your eyebrows or the cold weather through the shivering movement of your body, helps to express your emotions. ASL does not only utilize facial expressions, it utilizes your whole body language. The ASL leadership teaches you how to use your expressions with what sign and explain why it matters. It helps the ones who are impaired of hearing, to understand your intention of saying something.
In the ASL Club, they laugh, learn, and connect through the learning experience. With every word spelled, they are paving a way for students to be exposed to the world of ASL. New members are always welcome to join in on the signing each meeting.
