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American Sign Language 4-H 365.00 General OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY EXTENSION PROJECT IDEA STARTER American Sign Language by Marla Berkowitz, MA, CDI, ASLTA Certified, ASL Program, The Ohio State University; and Kara Detty, Clover Bees 4-H Club Member and Supporter of ASL, Ross County. Special thanks to Abby White, Deaf and Hard of Hearing Educator, Ohio School for the Deaf American Sign Language (ASL) is the official language used mostly by deaf and hard of hearing people who are immersed in the deaf community. The deaf community includes deaf and hard of hearing people, ASL interpreters and hearing people who use ASL and are familiar with deaf culture. Different sign languages such as French, Japanese, British and many more are used all over the world. ASL and its users have influenced our world. For bilingual, using ASL and English for all instruction, and instance, William “Dummy” Hoy (born in 1862) was is located in Washington, D.C. the first deaf baseball superstar and a graduate of As ASL became recognized as a language, it cleared the Ohio School for the Deaf. Hand signals became the path for various laws leading to the Americans necessary for Hoy to understand the plays during the with Disabilities Act in 1990. Most deaf and hard of games. Other players and the fans found them useful hearing people now have better opportunities in a and these signals became commonplace. The football wide array of jobs and careers. huddle was invented in 1892 by Paul Hubbard, a Today, awareness of ASL is growing rapidly and deaf student at Gallaudet University, who urged his classes are now offered in high schools, colleges and teammates to “huddle up” to prevent other teams in local libraries, agencies and other organizations. from seeing what they were signing to one another. Opportunities for jobs and careers include teaching Formal education for the deaf began in the early deaf and hard of hearing students, providing services 1800s and many schools for the deaf were built in the to the deaf community and interpreting for the deaf United States during this century. Gallaudet University and hard of hearing in a wide variety of settings was established in 1864 and was the first university for including hospitals, courts and at public events. the deaf and hard of hearing in the world. It is officially Speeches or entertainment are ASL interpreted at PLAN YOUR PROJECT Use this idea starter AND publication 4-H 365 Self-Determined Project Guide as the starting place for your 4-H self-determined project. TheSelf-Determined Project Guide is available from your county OSU Extension office or on the Web atohio4h.org/selfdetermined . You may choose to do a little or a lot depending on your level of interest. Be sure to register your project with your county OSU Extension office. – 2 – the Ohio State Fair, Ohio State Six Great Reasons to Learn American Sign Language University football games, political rallies and theaters, to name a few. • To learn a visual-gestural language using your hands, facial Many of these events are hosted expressions and body language. by the deaf community. Enjoy your • To learn about the culture and history of American deaf and exploration into this fascinating hard of hearing people. language and culture! • To communicate with members of the deaf and hard of hearing community. AREAS OF INTEREST AND THINGS TO DO • To build a foundation for further studies in deaf and ASL-related fields. Every self-determined 4-H project can be broken down into areas • To gain valuable skills and knowledge that can increase job of interest. These are the specific opportunities within a diverse group. things members want to address • To experience a different way of learning. during their project adventures. Using 4-H 365 Self-Determined Project Guide, identify at least The History of ASL ☐ Take an audiogram test and three areas of interest with at ☐ Research two famous deaf or find out how good your hearing least three activities per area to hard of hearing individuals who is. Compare your hearing to explore. Take your ideas from the used ASL. that of someone who uses a hearing aid, a cochlear implant list below or make up your own. ☐ Create a display that shows or is deaf. how the treatment of deaf and Components of a Sign hard of hearing people has ☐ Draw an audiogram and use it to explain audiology to your ☐ To learn about handshape, changed through the years. 4-H club. learn the fingerspelling ☐ Talk to your grandparents or alphabet (A–Z) and teach to other trusted, older adults Deaf Awareness a friend. about how deaf people were ☐ Learn a nursery rhyme to treated when they were ☐ In front of a mirror, practice the perform using ASL in front of a growing up. signs for the question words Cloverbuds club in your area. (who, what, when, where, why ☐ Explore the history of Gallaudet ☐ Create three sentences and and how). These signs have University and share it with learn how to sign them. facial expressions along with your club. hand movements. ☐ At your next 4-H meeting, Audiology play charades. Compare how ☐ Find out about different palm the reenactment of words orientations. ☐ What is audiology? Research this topic and find out how it or phrases is similar to signs ☐ Learn about single, double and relates to ASL. in ASL. multiple hand movements to ☐ Talk about the value of hearing perform a sign. Create a list of ☐ Meet an audiologist and at a local festival, charity event ten words that demonstrate shadow him or her at work. or some other gathering. different hand movements. ☐ What are hearing aids? What Show them to a parent. are cochlear implants? Find out ☐ Create a display for your county fair about the difference ☐ Use the handshape “a” to make why they are so controversial between you and your dog, and different words in different and host a debate with some of a deaf person’s service dog. locations on your body. your 4-H club members. ☐ Research the five components Community Service of a sign and make sure ☐ Teach students in a local you include it in your elementary school about project display. American Sign Language. – 3 – ☐ Call a deaf school in your area RELATED RESOURCES and ask if you may observe The American Sign Language a class to see how students Program at The Ohio State interact. If you are allowed to University, asl.osu.edu meet them, consider doing so. Fingerspelling practice, asl.ms ☐ Host a signing clinic where you ASL dictionary, lifeprint.com teach your students some ASL Deaflympics,deaflympics.com words they are likely to use. Best of deaf blogs and vlogs, ☐ Visit an ASL organization and deafread.com ask if you can participate in an upcoming community event to Deaf Studies internet resources, raise ASL awareness. infoguides.rit.edu ☐ At a local talent show, sign an entire song or speech in front of a crowd. ohio4h.org/selfdetermined Copyright © 2014, The Ohio State University CFAES provides research and related educational programs to clientele on a nondiscriminatory basis. For more information, visit cfaesdiversity.osu.edu. For an accessible format of this publication, visit cfaes.osu.edu/accessibility. 10/2020.
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