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Last Week of September is Deaf Awareness WeekTeach Students American Sign Language as a Communication Tool
Deaf Awareness Week (DAW) is held the last full week of September to educate people about the deaf community and to dispel misconceptions.
During DAW, educators can highlight different ways of communicating with each other with specific reference to American Sign Language (ASL). Educators may teach students basic phrases, words, and numbers in ASL to commemorate Deaf Awareness Week. ASL Communication ToolASL allows students to communicate using their hands and not their voice. An advantage of ASL is students can communicate across the room, behind glass, or in a noisy environment. Students can ask for an eraser from a neighbor without uttering a word and disrupting the class. As well, the responding student can answer with a simple yes or no using American Sign Language. ASL AlphabetBorrow or buy an American Sign Language book that is geared for students as a guide. As well, use the internet to view how to sign, as learning ASL is about learning the sign along with body and facial gestures. A book cannot always illustrate the continuance of the sign being presented. Student Activities Students sign their weekly spelling words to a partner. Since, a student is just beginning to learn sign language, this will assist in the spelling of the words, as it makes him slow down. However, this is only one strategy for learning spelling words, as some students may become frustrated because the fingering of the letters can be difficult to master. ASL NumbersLearning ASL numbers is quite easy. Print a page of all the numbers students are to learn on a single sided piece of paper for easy reference. Be sure the size of the sketch/photo is large enough for the student to see the hand gesture for the number. Student Activities Drill of multiplication tables is still a favorite activity in many classrooms. Students line up in rows and the teacher drills them on their timetables and students are to respond in less than 3 seconds. Before the drill, have students practice with a partner using ASL. Students are better able to retain information if they use more than one sense. Primary students ask each other simple arithmetic questions in ASL and they respond using ASL. Preschool students use ASL to assist them in learning their numbers and numeracy order. ASL Yes and NoTeacher and students say yes and no countless times a day. Learn the sign language for yes and no to communicate your answers non verbally. Student Activities Teacher asks a question and students respond with a yes or no answer using ASL. By responding with ASL, chaos is limited because unnecessary chatter will not be encouraged, as the room is still silent. As well, it allows students to reduce anxiety when answering because ASL is done towards the listener (teacher) and fellow students will be unable to see their answer. ASL Simple PhrasesSimple phrases such as "Hello, my name is…", and others enable communication with a hearing impaired person. Communication allows a student to make friends and to discover different individuals in his life. A smile is a universal way to say hello, however ASL can give you the tools to learn a language to engage you in a conversation. Student Activities Students introduce themselves using voice and ASL to include all members of the community. Many schools are inclusive and hearing impaired students attend the neighborhood school. Learning simple phrases allows the student to communicate with another student and closes the gap of the differences. Use Deaf Awareness Week commencing September 21, 2008 to educate and bring students together. ASL teaches students to communicate with their hands.
The copyright of the article Last Week of September is Deaf Awareness Week in Middle/High School is owned by Debbie DeSpirt. Permission to republish Last Week of September is Deaf Awareness Week in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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