ASL instead of traditional language

[Anonymous]

DC is a 9th grader. He just stated that he is interested in switching to ASL and does not want to do traditional language. What are the drawbacks and benefits? How will this impact college applications or follow on years of HS? We don't know anybody that has taken ASL.

[Anonymous]

It's fine. It counts as a language and your kid will need to do a min of 2 yrs of it in HS.
A lot of people who aren't naturally doing well in the foreign languages really thrive in ASL

[Anonymous]

Just an anecdote:

I took ASL for about 4 years in high school (2009-2013). I recently was on the metro with a small girl signing with her mom. The little girl (probably 4) smiled at me and I signed back to her. We had a very short (rusty for me) conversation.

Her mom told me it was the first time any stranger has ever engaged her in her language. It actually sparked an interest in me and I have started volunteering with kids who need interpreters for extra curricular activities.

I think it’s a great language to take.

[Anonymous]

There was a thread recently in the College forum you might want to read:

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1061813.page

[Anonymous]

I knew some who did this in another state. Problem is - once they get into college, they will have to take 1 or 2 years of language as a degree requirement and their college probably won't offer ASL as an acceptable option. So, they're facing Spanish or whatever in college for the very first time. Pass it or don't graduate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I knew some who did this in another state. Problem is - once they get into college, they will have to take 1 or 2 years of language as a degree requirement and their college probably won't offer ASL as an acceptable option. So, they're facing Spanish or whatever in college for the very first time. Pass it or don't graduate.

Except this is BS as ASL counts as foreign language study.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I knew some who did this in another state. Problem is - once they get into college, they will have to take 1 or 2 years of language as a degree requirement and their college probably won't offer ASL as an acceptable option. So, they're facing Spanish or whatever in college for the very first time. Pass it or don't graduate.

Except this is BS as ASL counts as foreign language study.

Of course, but colleges often want students to learn to read and write in foreign languages too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I knew some who did this in another state. Problem is - once they get into college, they will have to take 1 or 2 years of language as a degree requirement and their college probably won't offer ASL as an acceptable option. So, they're facing Spanish or whatever in college for the very first time. Pass it or don't graduate.

This is entirely dependent on the college. Many don't have a foreign language requirement. And many that do still require foreign language in college regardless of years studied in high school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I knew some who did this in another state. Problem is - once they get into college, they will have to take 1 or 2 years of language as a degree requirement and their college probably won't offer ASL as an acceptable option. So, they're facing Spanish or whatever in college for the very first time. Pass it or don't graduate.

This is entirely dependent on the college. Many don't have a foreign language requirement. And many that do still require foreign language in college regardless of years studied in high school.

This is what I'm saying - choosing ASL as a Freshman or Soph in HS means you have to select a college that offers ASL as a "language" in the kid's degree path. Going ASL route cuts off some options down the road.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I knew some who did this in another state. Problem is - once they get into college, they will have to take 1 or 2 years of language as a degree requirement and their college probably won't offer ASL as an acceptable option. So, they're facing Spanish or whatever in college for the very first time. Pass it or don't graduate.

Except this is BS as ASL counts as foreign language study.

In HS, maybe but not in college. Many colleges have foreign language requirements for certain degrees. If a student takes ASL in high school and goes to a college that has a foreign language requirement, the student has to start the language in college instead of being introduced to it in HS. OP wanted to know the downstream ramifications of ASL to meet the language requirement in HS. This is a pretty big one.

[Anonymous]

ASL is fascinating and amazing. Deaf people are really separated from hearing people so I’d encourage any means of
communicating with them in their native language.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:ASL is fascinating and amazing. Deaf people are really separated from hearing people so I’d encourage any means of
communicating with them in their native language.

Incorrect terminology.