Society for American Sign Language Journal Volume 1 Number 1 Article 1 SASL Journal, Volume 1, Number 1 Follow this and additional works at: https://tigerprints.clemson.edu/saslj Part of the American Sign Language Commons, and the Education Commons Recommended Citation () "SASL Journal, Volume 1, Number 1," Society for American Sign Language Journal: Vol. 1 : No. 1 , Article 1. Available at: https://tigerprints.clemson.edu/saslj/vol1/iss1/1 This Full Issue is brought to you for free and open access by TigerPrints. It has been accepted for inclusion in Society for American Sign Language Journal by an authorized editor of TigerPrints. For more information, please contact [email protected]. et al.: SASL Journal, Volume 1, Number 1 SASL Journal Volume 1, Number 1 Fall/Winter 2017 A Society for American Sign Language Publication ISSN: 2474-8277 (online) Published by TigerPrints, 1 Society for American Sign Language Journal, Vol. 1 [], No. 1, Art. 1 SASL Journal Volume 1, Number 1 Editor-in-Chief Jody H. Cripps Department of Audiology, Speech-Language Pathology & Deaf Studies Towson University 8000 York Rd. Towson, MD 21252 [email protected] Fax: 410 704-4131 Copyeditors Betsy McDonald Sheryl B. Cooper Georgetown University (Retired) Towson University Andrew P. J. Byrne Framingham State University SASL Board of Directors Samuel J. Supalla - President Deirdre Schlehofer - Vice President University of Arizona Rochester Institute of Technology Andrew P. J. Byrne - Secretary Harvey Nathanson - Treasurer Framingham State University Austin Community College Gabriel Arellano Jody H. Cripps Georgetown University Towson University Ronald Fenicle Russell S. Rosen Montgomery College CUNY - Staten Island Copyright © 2017 A Society for American Sign Language Publication. ISSN 2474-8277 (online) 2 https://tigerprints.clemson.edu/saslj/vol1/iss1/1 2 et al.: SASL Journal, Volume 1, Number 1 SASL Journal Volume 1, Number 1 Table of Contents Editor’s Commentary SASLJ Unveiled: A New Frontier Jody H. Cripps ………………………………………………………………………………… 4 Featured Manuscripts American Sign Language: Access, Benefits, and Quality Russell S. Rosen ………………………………………………………………………………... 7 A Sketch on Reading Methodology for Deaf Children Samuel J. Supalla ……………………………………………………………………………… 35 American Sign Language Literature: Some Considerations for Legitimacy and Quality Issues Andrew P. J. Byrne ……………………………………………………………………………. 56 Understanding Signed Music Jody H. Cripps and Ely Lyonblum ……………………………………………………………. 78 Review Is Silence Music to the Eye? A Review of Signed Music: A Symphonious Odyssey Lisalee D. Egbert ……………………………………………………………………………… 96 3 Published by TigerPrints, 3 Society for American Sign Language Journal, Vol. 1 [], No. 1, Art. 1 SASLJ Unveiled Cripps SASLJ Unveiled: A New Frontier Jody H. Cripps Editor-in-Chief As the editor, I am pleased to announce the inaugural issue of the Society for American Sign Language Journal (SASLJ). This journal marks an important milestone by providing a new viewpoint for signers, both deaf and hearing, living in the United States and Canada. American Sign Language (ASL) has been in use for a long time by deaf people, the primary users of this language. 2017 marks the signed language’s 200th anniversary as marked by its origin with the first permanent school for the deaf founded in Hartford, Connecticut in 1817. Numerous people have contributed to the study of ASL over the years, and this journal provides a new platform for past and present work related to promoting the concept of linguistic accessibility. ASL is not merely another language for consideration, but it is a signed language that has ramifications for all aspects and functions of society. Deaf people are not only part of their own cultural community, but they also reside in the larger society as well. Including hearing individuals who are signers will help broaden the view as it shifts emphasis on deafness to a more socially enlightened agenda that encompasses differences, diversity, and inclusiveness. SASLJ is an academic peer-reviewed journal that aims to serve researchers, scholars, administrators, developers, assessors, practitioners, and students to impart and share knowledge towards ASL as a human language. The first part of this editorial commentary will include a brief historical account of the steps toward creating the Society for American Sign Language (SASL) and its first symposium in 2015. The second half will cover the establishment of SASLJ. History of SASL as an Organization The initiation of the SASL organization occurred at Deaf Studies Today! Conference in Orem, Utah on the evening of April 2014 at a hotel with approximately 20 to 25 people (scholars and conference participants). There was a discussion on the need for creating an organization that focuses on ASL and its role in current society. A small number of attendees (Drs. Samuel Supalla - Arizona and Jody Cripps - Maryland, Mr. Ronald Fenicle – Maryland, and Harvey Nathanson - Texas) volunteered as the working group to implement the establishment of the organization. This included planning the symposium for the Fall of 2015, and inviting all interested supporters across the country to consider becoming Executive Council (EC) members for this new organization. From this response, nine founding board members emerged (see names in the next paragraph). On September 11, 2015, SASL was formally recognized in the state of Maryland. SASL’s first symposium was given the theme and title: Celebration of Sign Language: Revisiting Language, Literacy, and Performing Arts. It was held at Towson University in Towson, Maryland on November 14, 2015. The symposium began with the first EC meeting in the morning with the following members: • Mr. Gabriel Arellano (Georgetown University) • Dr. Patrick Boudreault (Gallaudet University) • Dr. Andrew Byrne (Framingham State University) SASLJ, Vol. 1, No. 1 – Fall/Winter 2017 https://tigerprints.clemson.edu/saslj/vol1/iss1/1 4 4 et al.: SASL Journal, Volume 1, Number 1 SASLJ Unveiled Cripps • Dr. Jody Cripps (Towson University) • Mr. Ronald Fenicle (Towson University) • Dr. Russell Rosen (CUNY - Staten Island) • Mr. Harvey Nathanson (Austin Community College) • Dr. Deirdre Schlehofer (Rochester Institute of Technology) • Dr. Samuel Supalla (University of Arizona) At this meeting, Dr. Supalla was voted President, myself as Vice President, Dr. Byrne as Secretary, and Mr. Nathanson as Treasurer. Later in the afternoon, six scholars from the EC presented, beginning with Dr. Boudreault who discussed language preservation regarding Langue des signes québécoise (LSQ, also known as Quebec Sign Language, a signed language used in Quebec, Canada). He talked about LSQ and other signed languages which are declining in use among deaf people (see Dr. Boudreault’s article covering a similar topic in SASL’s newsletter (Fall 2016 - issue 3)). The second presenter was Dr. Rosen who presented on the rapid growth of ASL classes in high schools, college and universities across the country (which is now published in this first issue of SASLJ). Dr. Supalla talked about a new perspective on reading development issues with deaf children who sign, and he is also published in this SASLJ. The last three presenters focused on revisiting the performing arts. Dr. Byrne spoke on the importance of original literary works in ASL (also published in this issue). On the topic of ASL poetry analysis, Dr. Schlehofer investigated the interpretation of Clayton Valli’s poem Snowflake and found that there have been misinterpretations from well-meaning scholars. As the final presenter of the evening, I talked about how music performances made by deaf signers are real and worthy of attention (published in this issue). After the presentations, Dr. Boudreault led a town hall meeting with the panel and symposium participants. Participants had the opportunity to ask questions regarding the new SASL organization. At this time, the names of SASL’s elected officers, EC members, and the date that SASL was recognized as an organization were announced. The EC is now called the Board of Directors. The SASL mission statement was also revealed at the town hall as follows: The Society for American Sign Language (SASL) is a professional association with the credentials dedicated to basic and applied research about American Sign Language. SASL’s goal is to validate and expand linguistic accessibility. Linguistic principles are emphasized for understanding the signed language along with its aesthetics and role in literacy development and learning. SASL’s scope and forum includes theory, policy, and practice considerations, as well as addressing how an alternative language modality fulfills the needs and well-being of all citizens in society. Creating a Journal A few months after the symposium, I resigned my position as Vice President of SASL and accepted the role of Editor-in-Chief for SASLJ. Dr. Schlehofer is now the Vice President for SASL. In order to create this journal, I reached out to six symposium presenters, inviting them to write manuscripts for the first issue. Four presenters (including myself) were able to complete and submit manuscripts for review and publication. One of the symposium participants was SASLJ, Vol. 1, No. 1 – Fall/Winter 2017 Published by TigerPrints, 5 5 Society for American Sign Language Journal, Vol. 1 [], No. 1, Art. 1 SASLJ Unveiled Cripps asked to write a review of the evening performance for this journal issue on the evening performance called Signed Music: A Symphonious Odyssey (it can