Deaf Anthology # 97: "ASL Immersion"

Commentary: Have you notice that when hearing children goes to a public school, they learn English as it is their primary language but in middle school (sixth grade) they get to choose a second language to learn, Spanish, French, etc. and be fluent in it. So why not be the same way for us Deaf. English is our second language, so I propose a radical thought, why not we just teach ASL only in the elementary school, the Deaf can take up English as a second language in middle school. That way we can put all of our energy in teaching the Deaf in social studies, mathematics, science, etc. without wasting our time on English. English is not the only thing in our education. You only have a six hours in a school day, obesity in Deaf children is a problem because of all that time sitting struggling to learn speech, instead of physical education. Deaf immigrants learn ASL first when they arrives in America, so shouldn't a Deaf child learn ASL first when he is born in America. As long you have any language structure base, you can learn another. If you go to Gallaudet, would you take up two foreign languages at the same time, guess you wouldn't, it will be too difficult (so I assume that is also true for a Deaf child in a bilingual environment), so you will take one foreign language at a time. Don't you think we should let a Deaf child learn to be fluent in one language at a time. If there is ever researches on this matter, do you think a Deaf child would score higher on a reading and writing test if he delayed learning English until middle school (or fourth grade at the latest). Vice versa, do you think a Deaf child will be more fluent in ASL if he is immersed only in his primary language during the elementary years. If parents have an option, could they choose between an ASL immersion program or a bilingual program. My hypothesis is that a Deaf child in an ASL immersion will have better English skills than a Deaf child who went through a bilingual program. If we are not satisfied with our educational system, then perhaps we need to take a radical approach. We have a bilingual education to appease our society, at the expense of our Deaf children, if our Deaf children comes first, then an ASL immersion program is the way to go, and bilingual programs may become a relics of the past. The Deaf child can pick up English without being taught, if he sees the Stop octagon sign post, he'll recognized the English word visually through association. I am sure their teacher will teach the words using fingerspelling, it is just that the grammar part that comes later in life. In our society we are immersed in English so that is enough, we just don't need it in our classrooms. ASL immersion may be the way to go.

Revised 8/19/08

This is Smokey, stay tuned to the next episode of Deaf Anthology. Good night, Deaf America!