Proposed Standards for Teachers of American Sign Language

Posted May 1998

The proposed American Sign Language (ASL) Standards, outlined below, were prepared by the NAD Education Committee, chaired by Joseph J. Innes in 1998. The Education Committee seeks feedback from consumers. The accompanying letter states, in part:

Before reviewing the information it is important for people to understand two fundamental issues, the need for all teachers in public schools to be licensed by the state in which they teach, and for the NAD to make sure that people teaching the language of the deaf community possess the minimum competencies needed to do the job. I am using the word minimum here because educational standards, by their nature, are entry level and designed to ensure teachers entering the profession are minimally qualified.

The work is based on, and closely parallels the standards required by teachers of foreign languages, as developed and advocated by the American Council of Teachers of Foreign Languages (ACTFL).

Language and Teaching Proficiency

Area I: Proficiency in ASL

1. Signing:

a) satisfy the requirements of a broad variety of everyday, school and work situations;

b) discuss concrete topics relating to particular interests and special fields of competence;

c) display ability to support opinions, explain in detail and hypothesize;

b) use communicative strategies, such as paraphrasing and circumlocution;

c) use differentiated vocabulary and visual-based intonation to communicate fine shades of meaning.

d) follow essential points of signed discourse in areas of special interest and knowledge:

e) comprehend facts in signed reproductions (i.e., video texts, pictures), and make appropriate inferences;

f) understand parts of signed reproductions which are conceptually abstract and linguistically complex, signed reproductions which treat unfamiliar topics or situations and signed reproductions which involves aspects of Deaf culture;

g) comprehend a variety of signed reproductions, including those with literary elements, and demonstrate an emerging awareness of the aesthetic properties of ASL and its literary style.

h) sign narratives and descriptions of a factual nature, drawing from personal experience, readings and other verbal or non-verbal stimuli;

i) an ASLPI rating of advanced high, using ACTFL proficiency guidelines.

2. Attending (Listening):

a) understand the main ideas of most signing in ASL;

b) comprehend extended discourse of a general nature on a variety of topics beyond the immediate situation;

c) understand culturally implied meanings beyond the surface meanings of the message or statement;

d) an ASLPI rating of advanced high, using ACTFL proficiency guidelines.

Area II: Deaf Culture and Community

1. Discuss research and reflect upon the daily living patterns, societal structure, institutions and value systems of Deaf people;

2. Explore the variability of cultural concepts;

3. Obtain an overview of the literature of Deaf people with an emphasis on contemporary writers/signers and an in-depth experience with some major author or theme;

4. Obtain an overview of the Deaf culture and Deaf community from a variety of perspectives, including historical, geographical, political, and artistic;

5. Develop skills in processing information that promote the understanding and interpretation of Deaf culture and the Deaf community. These include:

a) observing, comparing and inquiring about cultural phenomena;

b) analyzing and hypothesizing about cultural phenomena;

c) synthesizing and determining the generalisibility of cultural phenomena;

6. Develop the skills and cultural norms necessary to function effectively within the Deaf Community;

7. Develop the ability to use the language in a manner considered culturally appropriate by native ASL signers;

8. Develop respect and understanding of the beliefs, traditions, and cultural values of Deaf people.

Area III: Applied Linguistics (Language Analysis)

1. Knowledge of the nature of spoken and signed languages and the significance of language change and variation which occur over time, space and social class;

2. Knowledge of the theories of first and second language acquisition and learning (ASL and English);

3. Knowledge of the cherological [phonological], morphological, syntactical and lexical components of ASL;

4. Knowledge of how communication occurs in the lives of Deaf people and the Deaf Community, to include:

a) the contribution of grammatical and lexical elements in expressing basic functions and notions of ASL within the context in which they occur;

b) analysis of discourse and communication strategies.

Area IV: Rationale for ASL Studies

1. Information about the impact of competence in ASL on modern society, including the Deaf community, and one’s own personal development;

2. Emphasis on the importance of ASL as it relates to the needs and interests of specific communities;

3. Opportunities to develop skills in conveying the benefits of proficiency in ASL to many different audiences (e.g., Students. Parents, Administrators, Businesses, and the Community as a whole);

4. Opportunities to integrate this rationale in curricular and instructional decision-making.

Area V: Theories of Child Development and Learning

1. Theories of physical, emotional, cognitive and linguistic development of children and adolescents;

2. The interrelationship of these processes in terms of developing competence in ASL and its relationship to other subject areas in the curriculum of a school.

Area VI: Curriculum Development

1. The role of curricular design in adapting the nature of the discipline to learner needs, interests and characteristics;

2. The objectives and characteristics of different curricular models and their applicability in the teaching and learning of ASL;

3. The rights and responsibilities of the teacher in making decisions about program planning as it relates to ASL.

Area VII: Instruction

1. Identifying the purpose and theoretical underpinnings of a variety of teaching strategies and anticipating the learning outcomes that result;

2. Making critical decisions regarding planning for instruction, selecting materials, sequencing and executing learning activities;

3. Evaluating effectively the total teaching-learning process, including daily interaction with students, continuous assessment of student learning and self evaluation;

4. Organizing a multi-media environment that capitalizes on the benefits of existing and emerging technologies;

Area VIII: Instructional Setting

1. Information about the roles and responsibilities of public schools in the United States;

2. Examination of the roles and services of school district/ state personnel: principals, guidance counselors, superintendents, school boards, foreign language supervisors, and State Department of Education personnel;

3. Awareness of protocols, reporting mechanisms and rules governing the various functions of schools;

4. Clinical and field experiences which provide contact with a wide range of students, settings, other subject areas and many non-instructional aspects of life in schools;

5. A plan for integrating clinical and field experiences into all phases of the ASL teacher’s preparation;

6. Procedures of and practice in self-assessment. Personal and Professional Development

Area IX: Communication

1. Effective communication skills and strategies in ASL and English, including:

a) determining the implied and intended meaning as conveyed by verbal and non-verbal signals;

b) conveying thoughts in a clear manner appropriate to the audience being addressed;

c) reading or viewing a variety of texts and visual reproductions, and deriving meaning consistent with the author’s intentions;

d) signing and writing clearly and concisely in a style appropriate to the intent of the task;

e) tailoring language (signed and written) for a variety of audiences.

2. Effective interpersonal skills, including:

a) an awareness of the diverse perspective of one’s audiences, including diverse cultures;

b) a sense of the appropriateness and effectiveness of behaviors within a range of social and professional contexts;

c) flexibility of thought in situations which offer a variety of interpretations and options;

d) recognition or creation of alternative resolutions to conflict.

Area X: Acquisition of Knowledge

1. An awareness of information sources and the ability to:

a) identify information sources and assess source reliability;

b) evaluate the thoroughness of reporting and the strength of arguments, and distinguish between fact and opinion.

2. The ability to analyze and synthesize new information with emphasis on the development of critical-thinking and study skills, including:

a) identifying issues or problems and their causes, securing relevant information and relating, comparing, or quantifying data form various sources;

b) making decisions which are based on logical assumptions and which incorporate all pertinent information;

c) recognizing personally appropriate and effective strategies for different types of learning.

Area XI: Leadership

1. Initiative, the desire and ability to start projects independently and take action beyond what is necessarily called for;

2. Skills in planning and organizing time, resources, setting and sequence of activities for goal-derived task accomplishment;

3. Utilization of both tactical and strategic decision-making.