Thoughts on American Sign Language
American Sign Language
Learning sign language is something that has been in the back of my mind for a very long time; I have just never found the time or proper motivation to start. I always found it interesting that all the schools I attended as a child required their students to take a second language class, usually offering the choice between French and Spanish, but never sign language.
Learning how to speak a second language in school is a very valuable opportunity that is given to almost all students in Canada. I grew up speaking English, and thanks to my education I have a semi-solid foundation of French. Even though I can’t fluently speak French, I would still be able to understand someone if they were not able to communicate in English. On the other hand, I would be completely helpless if I encountered someone that relied on sign language.
Being able to understand multiple languages gives us a huge advantage, but I think we often take for granted the biggest advantage most of us have, being able to hear. I have never met someone who relies on sign language to communicate, but I would like to be able to have a conversation with them when I do. I can’t relate to those who live in a soundless world, but I can imagine the feelings of frustration and isolation when they are not able to communicate with others.
Step 1
I decided the first thing I needed to do was take advantage of my resources. I messaged a friend of mine who spent three years in university learning American Sign Language and asked them if they would be willing to help me along my learning process. They were happy to provide me with resources, advice, and even offered to do video calls with me to help me practice!
My next step was to sit down and brainstorm everything I know, and everything I want to know about sign language. I ended up with a solid list of questions I want to research and a great foundation to kickstart my learning journey.
Is there an interesting history behind American Sign Language? Where did it come from?
Does sign language differ for different spoken languages? How many versions are there?
How many people in Canada (or British Columbia) speak and/or rely on sign language?
Why isn’t sign language offered as a chosen language in the BC Curriculum?
What is the first step to take when learning sign language?
