1. British Sign Language in Schools, Colleges and Universities in Scotland: Lessons From America Russell S Rosen, PhD The City University of New York College of Staten Island

2. British Sign Language in Schools, Colleges and Universities in Scotland The British Sign Language (Scotland) Act mandates its promotion as a language for use in its public services and provisions. Much thanks go to Mr. Mark Griffin, MSP! The Scottish Education and Culture Committee seeks to promote British Sign Language (BSL): To enable deaf BSL to communicate in BSL with their friends, peers and colleagues; To provide sustainable opportunities for hearing children to learn BSL; and To create an inclusive society in schools.

3. Benefits of Sign Language for Learning Studies in sign language show that it is beneficial for deaf, hard of hearing and hearing individuals. Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students: Sign language provides visual-gestural language, representation of information, and learning. Sign language helps children learn how to acquire and use language effectively. Parents choose to learn sign language so they can communicate with their children. In classrooms, sign language makes it easier for the deaf children to learn.

4. Benefits (continued) Elementary and High School Mainstreaming Programs: Sign language can be beneficial to both hearing and deaf students. Sign language can help Bolster communication between the students, and Prevent mainstreamed deaf students from feeling isolated at their schools.

5. Benefits (continued) Regular students: Many failed spoken foreign languages. Those who failed, succeeded in sign language courses. Sign language gives them visual-gestural means of processing information. High schools can offer formal sign language classes to students who are interested in learning it. It helps prepares students for College study, and Career in sign language as an interpreter or a teacher of the deaf.

6. Benefits (continued) Students with Learning Disabilities: Particularly for those with auditory processing disorders, sign language: Provides visual-gestural cues and mnemonic aids; Helps retain vocabulary when matched with pictures and spoken words; and Helps organize information in visual-gestural sense before transcribing to signing, speaking and writing.

7. Student Motivation for Taking Sign Language Courses Research shows that students are interested in taking sign language courses because: They have family or friends who are deaf and sign language users, The have an intellectual interest in the linguistics and communication of sign language, They wish to have careers in sign language as teachers of the deaf, teachers of sign language, or sign language interpreters, They need to improve their English language skills, and They failed in spoken L2/Ln languages and are advised by their guidance counselors to take sign language classes.

8. British Sign Language in Schools, Colleges and Universities in Scotland (continued) The Question of the Day: How to implement BSL in schools, colleges and universities? Let’s look at the case of American Sign Language (ASL) in the U.S. for ideas and suggestions.

9. History of American Sign Language in the United States 1810s: ASL created via merger of French Sign Language (Clerc) and indigenous signed languages in northeastern US. ASL began as anglicized LSF and designated as ‘Old ASL.’ 1880s-1960s: ASL was influenced by the oralist movement. 1959-1960: Dr. William Stokoe of Gallaudet found that ASL shares linguistic principles with spoken languages. 1970s-now: Growth of linguistic research in ASL. ASL is learned and acquired by deaf people at schools and in deaf families, deaf clubs and organizations.

10. Growth of American Sign Language in U.S. Education Institutions 1970s-2000s: ASL in Education Growth in American Sign Language (ASL) in schools, colleges and universities. Colleges and Universities Number of national research universities: 1980: 5 1995: 40 1997: 66 2006: 148 2015: 181 Number of undergraduate colleges and universities: 2002: 552 2014: 730

11. Growth of American Sign Language in U.S. Education Institutions (continued) High Schools 1 Number of public 2 high schools (out of 16,500-17,300 public high schools): 1987: 17 1997: 33 2004: 701 Elementary schools 3 One school district in Virginia is piloting ASL program beginning in 2016. 1: U.S.’s “high” schools are equivalent to Scotland’s “secondary” schools. 2: U.S.’s “public” schools are equivalent to Scotland’s “non-fee-paying state” schools. 3: U.S.’s “elementary” schools are equivalent to Scotland’s “primary” schools.

12. ASL and the U.S. Government The U.S. Constitution does not grant the federal government with the responsibility to provide education. The federal role in education covers civil rights and equal access, overseen by U.S. Department of Education U.S. States can provide education for its inhabitants.

13. Education Provisions in the U.S. Structure of education provisions in the U.S.: U.S. Government (U.S. Department of Education): Oversees civil rights, equal access, among others (to be discussed later). States: Provide education and decide on curricular offerings and degree requirements, among others. School Districts: Approve curricular offerings, among others. Schools: Hire and implement curricular offerings, among others.

14. ASL and the U.S. Government (continued) Public Law 94-142 (1975)— Mainstreaming of deaf children in public education Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)— 1997: Deleted audist definitions. Added “language preferences,” including sign language. 1999: ‘American Sign Language’ was inserted. Public education schools cannot ignore sign language, including ASL, as Primary language, and Preferred mode of communication for the deaf students.

15. ASL and the U.S. Government (continued) Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)— 1997: Deleted audist definitions. Added “language preferences,” including sign language. 1999: ‘American Sign Language’ was inserted. Public education schools cannot ignore sign language, including ASL, as Primary language, and Preferred mode of communication for the deaf students.

16. ASL and the States of the US Only the states of the US can Offer recognition of, and Have its schools offer ASL as a foreign, world or modern language for its students to take classes and earn foreign language credit for graduation. The States are responsible to develop (a) requirements for graduation, (b) teacher qualifications. certifications, and licensures; (c) curriculum; and (d) instructional resources. School districts are responsible to develop instructional methods.

17. ASL and the States of the US (continued) The process that led to states’ recognition of ASL varied by states. In some states: National Association of the Deaf (NAD) American Sign Language Teachers Association (ASLTA) State education departments State legislatures In other states: Community members Faculty from colleges and universities State education departments State legislatures As of 2014, 45 out of 50 states recognized ASL as a foreign/world/modern language.

18. ASL and the States of the US (continued) However— Several states do not recognize ASL but its schools offered it for foreign language credit. To help its secondary students gain admission to colleges.

19. How is ASL Implemented in Schools? Implementation of ASL in Schools: ASL program implementation in schools involves these things: Classes needed to be established, Students to be enrolled, and Teachers to be hired. Support for ASL programs and courses in schools is needed from High school principals, Foreign language departments, and School districts

20. How is ASL Implemented in Schools? (continued) The process of implementation of ASL in U.S. high schools: (a) The teachers took the first initiative and asked their students. (b) The teachers and students requested their principals to create courses. (c) The principals surveyed parents for their support. (d) After the parents gave support, the principals requested approval from school districts. (e) The school districts surveyed the signing community members and gave final approval.

21. How is ASL Implemented in Schools? (continued) Not every state or school went through all parties. Any one group could start the process. In one case, a chairperson of a world language department. In another case, an ASL interpreter.

22. Departments Housing ASL Foreign Language Programs School Departments Hosting ASL Programs 78% in the department of foreign, modern, second, or world languages. 8% in more than one department. 2% of high school ASL programs in schools and programs for the deaf.

23. Teacher Qualifications ASLTA and school district administrators: Required knowledge and skills of ASL teachers— Proficiency in ASL, Knowledge of linguistic structures of ASL, Ability to explain ASL, Knowledge of Deaf culture and history, Public relations skills in advocating for ASL, and Disseminating information about ASL.

24. British Sign Language in Schools, Colleges and Universities in Scotland A National Plan for education needs to be drawn. Use Gaelic Language (Scotland) Act of 2006 as a model. Work with the following to ascertain channels of implementation: The Scottish Government Education Department The Scottish Government Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Department Local Authorities Local government—32 single tier councils. School Boards Primary and Secondary Schools Further Education Higher Education Institutions

25. British Sign Language in Schools, Colleges and Universities in Scotland (continued) BSL Teachers who are Deaf are: Actively involved in the Deaf community and its cultural activities. Useful resources in bringing BSL to Scottish students in education. Potentially effective employers and dynamic teachers of BSL: To serve as consultants and advisors to schools, To serve as role models for deaf and hard of hearing students, As knowledgable sources of Deaf community and culture, and Can provide resources for involvement and employment in Deaf community for students. The Deaf BSL teachers need to get organized to develop curriculum, instruction and assessment: ASLTA may serve as a model for the Deaf BSL teachers. For further information, their website address is: www.aslta.org.www.aslta.org