By Linda Wilson Fuoco, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on September 1, 2017.
What’s the third most popular language course taught in the United States?
It’s American Sign Language, just behind Spanish, which is taught most often, and French, the second-most popular language, according to a survey from the Modern Language Association.
The nonverbal language, which uses hands and fingers to communicate with people who are deaf or hard of hearing, is taught at the Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf in Edgewood, with the next round of eight-week classes starting Sept. 27.
Last fall, 100 people signed up for classes — the largest enrollment ever at the school.
Teaching ASL has been a long-standing tradition for decades at the school, said John Gibson, who will teach the fall classes. “People take it for a variety of reasons.”
The classes traditionally have been taken by those who want to communicate with family members, but the school is seeing rising enrollments for a variety of reasons.
Some take the class to communicate with co-workers who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Police, ambulance workers and other first-responders have shown an interest in learning ASL, especially those who work in Edgewood and nearby eastern suburbs, said Marybeth Lauderdale, director of WPSD.
Others enjoy learning a new language, Mr. Gibson said.
Staff at the school have contacted companies and organizations that have deaf clients, Ms. Lauderdale said.
Mr. Gibson, who is deaf, conducted this telephone interview through an interpreter, Joan Stone. He will not have an interpreter when he teaches American Sign Language.
“I will teach by immersion,” Mr. Gibson said, like the high school Spanish teachers who speak only Spanish — no English — to students. He will have a whiteboard behind him, which he can use, if needed, to fill in any communication gaps.
Four levels of classes, from beginner to advanced, will be taught from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesdays. The cost is $60 for eight weeks.
“At Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf, classes go beyond sign language instruction,” according to the school’s website, www.wpsd.org. “Our instructors … also promote an understanding of Deaf Culture through interaction with Deaf and hard of hearing individuals.”
ASL 1 is for beginners, teaching “basic finger spelling, vocabulary and grammar skills.”
After the first course, “you will not be proficient” in American Sign Language “but you will learn the alphabet and you should be comfortable approaching a deaf person,” Ms. Lauderdale said.
Body language and facial expression are part of the communication process, Mr. Gibson and Ms. Lauderdale said. You can see that in the animated signing of those doing signing on television news conferences.
They are at the top of the proficiency heap, and they have gotten the speech in advance, Mr. Gibson and Ms. Lauderdale said.
To sign up for classes at the school: www.wpsd.org/asl-classes-2015-16/ or call 800-624-3323 and ask for registrar Crystal Davis.
Linda Wilson Fuoco: lfuoco@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1953.
This article is sourced from Pittsburgh Post-Gazette website.