Sign Language Teaching, Curriculum Models of

The last two decades witnessed growth in the number of schools that offer instruction in American Sign Language (ASL) and Deaf community and culture. Along with the proliferation of ASL classes and programs in schools, there was a rise in the number of curricular materials developed and used by ASL teachers.

The various ASL curricula that the teachers use differ in the selection of topics, the types of linguistic structures, and the degree of emphasis on vocabulary, grammar, and culture information in teaching and learning. The content, language forms, and teaching and learning strategies favored by each curriculum carry certain assumptions about language, teaching, and learning. The assumptions are often influenced by the prevailing theories and approaches in linguistics, psychology of learning and teaching, and value ...