Uploaded January 2024 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
From "58-IN-MIND: Multilingual Teaching Strategies for Diverse Deaf Students."
Edited by Debbie Golos, Marlon Kuntze, Kimberly Wolbers, and Chris Kurz.
Find out more at https://gupress.gallaudet.edu/58-IN-MIND
Published by Gallaudet University Press.
****This video may not be repurposed or incorporated into other works in any way without the express written consent of the signer and the chapter authors.****
Signed by chapter co-author Barbara Motyliński.
A woman with shoulder-length hair wearing a blue shirt stands in front of a grey background.
Transcript:
This chapter, titled "ASL Language Arts and ASL in Content Areas," was
authored by three of us:
The first author is Chris Kurz, an RIT Professor of Master of Science in Secondary Education (MSSE). The second author is Julie Stewart, an ASL Specialist from the Ohio School for the Deaf, and the third author is myself, Barbara Motylinski, an ASL/English Bilingual Coordinator at the New York School for the Deaf in Fanwood. We have been teaching for many years in varying content areas and ASL classes.
Historically, most deaf children lacked formal opportunities to learn ASL,
including its linguistic rules and cultural norms. Some of them
eventually enrolled in ASL classes at the college level. Even today,
not all deaf children have the chance to take ASL classes.
As a result, many of them struggle to analyze ASL effectively.
Most colleges that provide teacher preparation programs do not offer ASL
linguistics and teaching methods for ASL Language Arts. Teachers who know how to use technology tools for viewing and signing publications and instructing their students to use these tools will enhance students' content learning more effectively, and foster a greater appreciation for ASL literature.
The primary objective of the language arts curriculum includes
developing literacy skills in both ASL and English. Furthermore, it is
important to honor students' home languages and multilingual
backgrounds to broaden global perspectives in sign languages.
The core recommendations are:
1. Foster metalinguistic awareness such as grammar, spelling, and
punctuation known as mechanics, and how to use ASL. Also, increasing vocabulary knowledge, and developing viewing and presentation skills.
2. Cultivate an appreciation for ASL literature by exposure to various genres such as humor, jokes, stories, ASL poetry, presentations, rhymes and rhythms, etc. Encourage students with opportunities to create their own ASL genres.
3. Integrate ASL language and literature into various curricula across
content areas. Take the opportunity to teach ASL grammar and vocabulary, and form teacher collaboration for additional support.
Incorporating ASL language and literature into your classes will
enrich your students' learning experiences, making them feel more
connected, involved, and engaged in a positive way.
From "58-IN-MIND: Multilingual Teaching Strategies for Diverse Deaf Students."
Edited by Debbie Golos, Marlon Kuntze, Kimberly Wolbers, and Chris Kurz.
Find out more at https://gupress.gallaudet.edu/58-IN-MIND
Published by Gallaudet University Press.
****This video may not be repurposed or incorporated into other works in any way without the express written consent of the signer and the chapter authors.****
Signed by chapter co-author Barbara Motyliński.
A woman with shoulder-length hair wearing a blue shirt stands in front of a grey background.
Transcript:
This chapter, titled "ASL Language Arts and ASL in Content Areas," was
authored by three of us:
The first author is Chris Kurz, an RIT Professor of Master of Science in Secondary Education (MSSE). The second author is Julie Stewart, an ASL Specialist from the Ohio School for the Deaf, and the third author is myself, Barbara Motylinski, an ASL/English Bilingual Coordinator at the New York School for the Deaf in Fanwood. We have been teaching for many years in varying content areas and ASL classes.
Historically, most deaf children lacked formal opportunities to learn ASL,
including its linguistic rules and cultural norms. Some of them
eventually enrolled in ASL classes at the college level. Even today,
not all deaf children have the chance to take ASL classes.
As a result, many of them struggle to analyze ASL effectively.
Most colleges that provide teacher preparation programs do not offer ASL
linguistics and teaching methods for ASL Language Arts. Teachers who know how to use technology tools for viewing and signing publications and instructing their students to use these tools will enhance students' content learning more effectively, and foster a greater appreciation for ASL literature.
The primary objective of the language arts curriculum includes
developing literacy skills in both ASL and English. Furthermore, it is
important to honor students' home languages and multilingual
backgrounds to broaden global perspectives in sign languages.
The core recommendations are:
1. Foster metalinguistic awareness such as grammar, spelling, and
punctuation known as mechanics, and how to use ASL. Also, increasing vocabulary knowledge, and developing viewing and presentation skills.
2. Cultivate an appreciation for ASL literature by exposure to various genres such as humor, jokes, stories, ASL poetry, presentations, rhymes and rhythms, etc. Encourage students with opportunities to create their own ASL genres.
3. Integrate ASL language and literature into various curricula across
content areas. Take the opportunity to teach ASL grammar and vocabulary, and form teacher collaboration for additional support.
Incorporating ASL language and literature into your classes will
enrich your students' learning experiences, making them feel more
connected, involved, and engaged in a positive way.
