The history and establishment of deaf community and sign language

Sign Language Essay

The population of people that are deaf in the United States is quite large. The large size of the group has seen them develop their own community known as the Deaf culture or Deaf community. The Deaf culture can be best described as a social group that is made of people that consider themselves as deaf. It is composed of individuals that are deaf and hard-of-hearing that share common experiences, common language, and values as they interact with each other and interact with other hearing people. The deaf community in the United States predominantly communicates through the American Sign Language (ASL). The deaf community has a long history and has grown over the years to establish its own traditions, customs, behavioral norms, and speakers of the ASL need certification.

Historical Framework

The journey of the deaf community in the United States can be traced back to 1814 when Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet met his neighbor’s daughter, Alice Cogswell who was a deaf-mute. She found that Alice was separated from other people that played and sought to help her get integrated to the society. There was no formal education in the United States and Gallaudet went to study sign language in Europe. He established the first school for the deaf for the United States in 1817. The school saw the introduction of the American Sign Language which was made of signs that corresponded to that of the English language. The signs had a twenty-six letter alphabet that were made of different handshapes.

The first phase of the deaf community took place between 1817 and 1911 where the United States saw the establishment of more schools for the deaf. As time went on, the founders of deaf schools moved towards state legislatures. The move saw the government accept the deaf community and the need for formal education so that they could be accepted as formal members of the society. In 1965, a dictionary for American Sign Language was created by William Stokoe. While it was banned from the educational system, it brought a great deal of popularity of the language among the mainstream language. It assisted in the establishment and viewing of sign language like another true language.

Certification Requirements and Interpretation Options

There are various certifications that would require one to practice the teaching or interpreter as a profession. The main certification that is required to provide licenses to educational interpreters is the Educational Interpreter Performance Assessment (EIPA). The EIPA certification enables one to work as an educational interpreter that uses American Sign Language to help children cope with different school activities and tasks. One must pass the EIPA exams and score a grade of 3.0 or higher in order to become an educational interpreter. Additionally, one must complete a degree coursework in an educationally-related field so as to become an educational interpreter.

The other certification that will be required to practice American Sign Language as a career is the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID). Applicants of the sign language should first have a bachelor’s degree in any field. The certification requires that an individual should demonstrate fluency in American Sign Language and English and show competency in interpreting between the two languages. The course content that should be covered in the bachelor’s degree will include the deaf culture, interpreting, hands-on interpreting practicums, and the American Sign Language. A degree in ASL interpretation should enable an individual to cover the critical areas necessary to pass the exam and get the RID certification.

There are several career options that one can consider after getting RID and EIPA certification. Some of the common occupations can include sign language interpreter, social worker, child care worker, employment counselor, psychologist, and audiologist. Additionally, one may choose to work as a language instructor and specialize in the teaching of preschool children. Careers in the field can vary in terms of the settings, educational scope, and age range of the different careers.

Language Use

The American Sign Language has gained a huge amount of popularity in the United States. One of the reasons for the popularity is that there is a large population for the deaf. Estimates show that approximately 1 in 20 Americans are currently hard of hearing or deaf. The total number of individuals that are deaf are 1,000,000 while those that are hard of hearing amount to 10,000,000 (Leigh et al., 2016). The primary way of communication for these individuals is through sign language. Additionally, there is a huge number of hearing people that have increasingly learned sign language. Those that learn sign language do it as a career option or simply to establish a way to communicate with the deaf family members and friends.

Traditions and Customs

The deaf community has established itself over the past several years and has formulated their own traditions and norms. The deaf culture can be seen to be different from other cultures that have distinct cuisine, religious practices, modes of dressing, or folklore traditions. However, one thing that can be easily identified with the deaf culture is with the use of the sin language. The American Sign Language (ASL) is the native language for Deaf Americans and also Deaf Canadians. Individuals that also communicate through ASL can also be included into the deaf culture.

Behavioral Norms

The behavioral norms of the deaf culture are different from that used by the mainstream culture. One of the distinct behavioral norm is that individuals of the deaf community aim to maintain a good eye contact and proper visibility. It is thus common for individuals that speak ASL to maintain steady communication and a gaze into each other’s eyes. Doing this is important so as to ensure that the signing is easier and that more people are comfortable with the language (Wright & Reese, 2015). Additionally, the deaf community do not consider it offensive when they are touched by a stranger or when someone touches them so as to get attention.

Individuals from the deaf community have also faced several challenges in the mainstream culture. One of the most apparent challenge is that they are viewed to be somewhat disabled. The media and other information sources have put out negative information concerning the deaf and considered them as individuals that should be pitied. However, individuals from the deaf community maintain that they are not disabled but are just like any other culture that has its language and practices (Soldatic & Grech, 2017). A large percentage of Americans do not use American Sign Language and this can create several challenges as they try to communicate with other individuals.

Conclusion

The deaf culture can be described as a culture that has been adopted by speakers of the American Sign Language and generally individuals that are deaf. The deaf community have a long history from the time the first school was established to the modern day where the language is increasingly being used by several users. The deaf culture has established itself through the use of the ASL where they create understanding with each other. They also have unique behavioral norms such as maintaining eye contact which has been used to create and maintain understanding with each other. A learner of the American Sign Language has a career path that could involve being an interpreter, a language instructor, or working with the community. One needs certification by the RID and EIPA in order to pursue the different professionals.

References

Leigh, I. W., Andrews, J. F., & Harris, R. (2016).  Deaf culture: Exploring deaf communities in the United States . Plural Publishing.

Moore, E. A., & Mertens, D. M. (2015). Deaf culture and youth resilience in diverse american communities. In  Youth Resilience and Culture  (pp. 143-155). Springer, Dordrecht.

Soldatic, K., & Grech, S. (2017). Discovering deafness. In  Disability and Colonialism  (pp. 34-36). Routledge.