Senior Maddie Cole did not expect to communicate with her teacher using a whiteboard on the first day of class.
The American Sign Language 1 class, also known as ASL 1, teaches students the basics of ASL, such as the alphabet, numbers and vocabulary. Because students are not allowed to speak in class and most are unfamiliar with how to sign, students often use whiteboards to write down questions and messages to communicate.
“It’s almost a different way to express yourself,” said Cole. “You’re so used to just using your voice.”
According to Glenbrook ASL teacher Hannah Beucher, the class is a new opportunity for students to discover ASL and Deaf culture.
“It’s another way to communicate, and as somebody who loves to talk, I think any way to communicate is important,” Beucher said.
The ASL 1 curriculum requires students to go to one social event for the Deaf community during the year. Students are given a choice of events for deaf people, such as social nights at Panera or Starbucks, where they must socialize in ASL.
When it comes to the Deaf community, if there is not much opportunity for interaction, it is easy to say, ‘Oh, we are not the same, or there are all these differences,’ Beucher said.
“I think by actually meeting a deafperson,yourealizewearepretty much the same,” Beucher said.
Beucher, who is also an ASL teacher at Glenbrook South, has seen a rise in student interest to learn ASL over the past few years, she said. “It’s becoming more mainstream, people are just aware of it and there is a new desire to learn,” Beucher said.
Previously, students who wanted to take ASL had to travel to GBS to take the class.
The World Language Department at Glenbrook North noticed an increase in student enrollment for ASL after students learned the district would begin providing transportation to students who are primarily at one school but need to take a class at the other, said Josh Morrel, instructional supervisor for the GBN World Language Department.
More levels of ASL may be added at GBN if students continue to show interest, Morrel said.
“Ultimately, we want to give kids the opportunity to take the classes that they want to take,” said Morrel. “And if we could do that here at GBN and make it as easy as possible to do that, then that’s our goal.”
According to Cole, she hopes the ASL program will grow and become more popular.
“I just think it’s a great opportunity to have, and it’s different than speaking a verbal language,” said Cole. “It’s definitely different to learn to communicate in a completely different way.”