TTU K-12 Now Offering Courses in American Sign Language

By Leslie Cranford, Section Manager

TTU K-12 is happy to announce it is now offering American Sign Language 1 and 2, or four full semesters, which counts as language credit toward graduation.

Valerie Scott is the instructor for the course. Although new to TTU K-12, she has taught in the Lubbock Independent School District for 26 years - 20 teaching Deaf Ed and six teaching ASL.

"ASL is the third most-used language in the U.S., and it is easier for most people to learn because of the visual aspect," Scott said. "Having said that though, it is important for everyone to know that ASL is its own language with its own grammar."

Lisa Leach, director of Instructional Design & Curriculum Development, is excited to be able to offer ASL to individual students, classrooms, even entire districts. "It's a great option to add since many districts are unable to offer this set of courses for a student's foreign language option."

The courses, developed by eDynamic Learning, were designed to meet both the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages as well as Texas, Florida and Georgia state standards.

The courses also:

• cover everything students need to understand deaf etiquette.
• describe various aspects of Deaf culture, providing a glimpse into the rich and varied Deaf Community.
• offer more than 600 videos of well-paced sign demonstrations, allowing learners to follow and to mirror the signs.
• include videos of dialogues (or conversations) between two Deaf individuals as well as appropriate deaf etiquette.
• feature individuals from the Deaf community demonstrating signs.
• feature Deaf educators fluent in ASL and English, who serve as subject matter experts, consulting on course development, ensuring accuracy of content, instructions and respectful depiction of the Deaf community and Deaf culture; both teach American Sign Language and hold Master's degrees from Gallaudet University.

Scott says learning ASL can also uncover career options. "ASL opens the door to becoming an interpreter for the Deaf or an ASL teacher. Both of these jobs are in high demand across the state of Texas and the whole United States. What better reasons to learn ASL!"

"Also, it is always cool to be able to talk with food in your mouth and not gross people out," she laughed.