This week marks International Week of the Deaf which is a global observance recognizing Deaf culture, sign language rights, and the Deaf community. here's how that culture shows up in a Madonna classroom: Professor Bretange Whitford's SLS 1015.
Professor Bretagne Whitford teaches her SLS 1015 class entirely in sign, starting from day one. Whitford gives direction from the center of a circle of desks, entirely in sign. If a student gets confused, there is no spoken explanation to help in bailing them out. They work through it themselves or one of their classmates can lean over to help. As students are still learning proper grammar, the class was playing Go Fish and the Clap Clap Game.
Students made their own Go Fish cards, which were collected by Professor Whitford, shuffled, and passed back out. One student signs a card and the class watches to see if they have the matching English equivalent. This offers practice in both signing and receiving. Whitford says that the point of the game is to get students out of “translation mode” and into real-time communication, building visual attention and faster processing while allowing them room to make mistakes without pressure.
Whitford says that students are also learning facial grammar which is the expressions that change the meaning of a sign, along with cultural competency and Deaf community norms. Students sitting in a circle format helps with retention, as well. Research suggests that students need to see and use a sign around 17 times before it sticks, and games like Clap Clap are built to help solidify that knowledge.
She also described the class setup as “Deaf Space” which is built around teamwork. In order to ensure the space remains a Deaf Space, students are expected to never use Spoken English where a Deaf professor is present. Deaf culture is collectivist which puts an emphasis on supporting each other and the group’s progress. As many SLS students plan to become interpreters, learning to work well with others is just as important as learning vocabulary. A few students with stronger sign vocabulary are always there to help their other classmates and Whitford says that this is a huge part of what makes the class work.
Madonna’s Sign Language Studies department has trained interpreters, educators, and Deaf community advocates since 1975. This class allows us to step in and understand how that training happens day to day with students learning from Professor Whitford and often times, from each other.
If you are interested in learning more, you can visit Madonna’s Sign Language Studies department to explore programs in Sign Language Interpreting, ASL Education, and Deaf Community Studies.
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