Why should students learn ASL signs?

Students should learn ASL because it is an excellent practical skill to have. ASL introduces children to the deaf community and provides children a new way communicate. This promotes diversity and acceptance among all children in the classroom. Currently, there are more than 1.5 billion people worldwide who are affected by hearing loss in at least one ear, and more than 70 million people worldwide who are fully deaf. 

I have inserted a YouTube video of children meeting a deaf person. I think the video is very important as it answers some commonly asked questions children may have for deaf people and because I think it is very wholesome.

How can ASL benefit the classroom?

You can use basic ASL signs to help with classroom management. Using ASL can allow kids to communicate with you quickly and quietly without interrupting the lesson and you can maximize the time for teaching and learning in the classroom.

6 Basic Signs to Improve Classroom Management:

In the image above each hand signal refers to letters in the ASL alphabet – a for answer, b for bathroom, c for comment, d for drink, and p for pencil.

Using ASL signs in classroom can benefit you when you ask the class a question. Students can raise there hands and you can now scan through and see who has an answer, who has a comment, or who needs to use the bathroom. Once questions are answered you can allow the students who need need to use the bathroom to go to the bathroom etc.

References:

How To Use and Teach Sign Language (ASL) In Your Classroom (weareteachers.com) 

Deafness And Hearing Loss Statistics (2023) – Forbes Health 

Shhhh! Classroom Management with Sign Language (FREE POSTERS) | Learning Lab Resources | Bloglovin’