American Sign Language (ASL) is a version of sign language used only in North America, as every country has its own variation on sign language. It is unclear how ASL was created, but many credit its creation to a Frenchman, Laurent Clerc, who founded the first school for deaf students.
According to the National Institutes of Health, ASL is the fourth most common language in the United States. Its complexity is equal to that of any other language, and it is fully independent of English with its own grammar and symantics. It is considered to be a manual or visual language because using it involves movements of the hands, body, and face.
When learning ASL, it is critical to have a properly trained teacher. The American Sign Language Teachers Association (ASLTA) is a national organization for teachers of the deaf and hard of hearing. They recommend that these teachers have a degree in deaf education from an accredited college or university, that they be certified by the ASLTA, that they be fluent in ASL, and that they have five years of experience in using ASL. Ideally, deaf students would learn ASL from a deaf teacher, but there are many programs across the country that produce hearing graduates who are enthusiastic about educating students and developing their independence.
Deaf education programs follow a curriculum similar to other areas of education. In addition to meeting general education requirements in math, science, and liberal arts, prospective teachers must complete a variety of courses on the basics of classroom management and instruction, as well as several special education courses. Additionally, they must take several semesters of ASL and classes in deaf curriculum and assessment. After completing several practicums, the prospective teacher will enter the classroom for an entire semester. Here, they will be mentored by a practicing teacher, observed by faculty members of their college and the partnering school, and will meet benchmarks set by their state's department of education. When these requirements have been met and standardized testing completed, the teacher can apply for certification.
ASL teachers follow curriculum standards just as teachers of students who are able to hear. They use language activities that teach students new signs, as well as to interpret and critique literature. They teach through signs, finger spelling, and teach their students when and how to use each method. They also teach deaf culture to help develop a sense of community between their students and other deaf people. Deaf culture is an important part of a hearing-impaired person's identity, as it maintains the uniqueness of a deaf person's condition without defining them by it.
Some teachers have a class full of deaf students, and they conduct their classes in ASL. However, many deaf students are mainstreamed into classes with hearing students for all or part of the school day. These students have interpreters that come into the classroom and translate the teacher's spoken words into ASL. Itinerant teachers serve as a connection between deaf students, their families, and the schools they attend. They make sure the student is receiving the appropriate services and that they are progressing as they should.