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Rise and Sign

Posted December 15, 2022 in Articles

Rise and Sign

Learning to read, write, and spell is laborious for students with dyslexia and dysgraphia—a journey many high schoolers would prefer to leave in the rearview mirror! With challenges that typically cross over from one language to the next, the foreign language requirements common for college admissions are overwhelming just to think about. However, with American Sign Language (ASL), which has no verbal or written component, Lawrence students rise to the occasion!


All Lawrence students graduate with two world language credits. The school offers courses in Spanish and ASL, which are equal in popularity. Faculty introduce these languages and their associated cultures, by reimagining traditional language instruction and infusing it with the evidence-based strategies that bring kids with learning differences success.

Walk past Shannon Galambos’ ASL III classroom and there’s a good chance you won’t hear anything at all. She wouldn’t have it any other way.

ASL instruction at Lawrence began in 2007. However, this isn’t the case in the majority of high schools, despite ASL being the third most commonly used language in the United States, following only English and Spanish.

“It should be taught more because it’s deeply about culture, and Deaf culture is a lot different than American culture,” said Galambos, who, in seven years of teaching, has had a few students pursue sign language as a minor or major in college.

Rise and Sign

ASL is a sophisticated non-verbal language used to express needs, thoughts, and abstract concepts. Oftentimes, ASL and other sign languages are mistakenly thought of as being gestural or mimed versions of the spoken word, but this is far from the truth.

ASL does not translate speech into signs word for word. In fact, the language has its own grammar and syntax, separate from that of spoken English—and while hand gestures are one component, facial expressions like brow and lip-mouth movements as well as body orientation are also used to convey meaning.

Being a visual and kinesthetic language, ASL is a fantastic option for students with dyslexia. These learners struggle to discriminate sounds within spoken words and assign them to letter symbols they see, which makes reading difficult—a challenge that typically presents itself across languages. However, because ASL is non verbal, this processing obstacle doesn’t exist. Given that there’s no written form of ASL, it’s also a great option for students with dysgraphia, a learning difference that affects written expression.

“I took Spanish when I was younger, but I just couldn’t pick it up,” senior Alyssa said. “It was challenging, especially with my dyslexia; the letters and everything just confused me more. However, because ASL is more about movement, I was able to pick it up pretty quickly.”

Bottom line: If your child is a hands-on learner, this course is for them.

Rise and Sign

“It’s more active than a traditional foreign language class,” senior Zoey said, “and I’m more confident in it than I think I would be if I had to actually speak a different language.”

Developing students into fluent sign language communicators is just part of the objective in Galambos’ classroom, though. She wants her students to focus on how they can make people around them feel a sense of belonging.

“A lot of ASL is about being inclusive,” Galambos said. “It’s a culture within our culture that we should embrace, and I don’t think many do. Some view deaf people as having a disability. However, much like how Lawrence students learn differently, people who are deaf or hard of hearing simply communicate differently. It’s important for us to embrace all differences and work toward creating a more inclusive world. Understanding ASL is just one step in that effort.”

Hearing loss affects approximately 48 million Americans, and learning how to sign, even at an introductory level, can help bridge the communication gap between the Deaf and hearing.

A hearing person will almost certainly come into contact with a non-hearing person at some point in their life. When a hearing individual is unable to communicate through signing, a deaf person will often rely on lip reading. But it’s estimated that only 30 to 40 percent of speech sounds can be accurately lip-read even under ideal circumstances.

“I wish more people would take sign language and learn about the culture,” senior Jay said. “There’s a stigma that if you’re deaf, you’re not smart. I would love for Deaf culture to be normalized in society and for more people to know about it.”

Much like Charlie, a senior who’s been taking ASL for three years.

“By taking ASL, I know more about Deaf culture than I ever did,” he said. “It’s fun. You get to feel more and talk more with your emotions than with your words.”

April, a senior, agreed: “I love it. The way Mrs. G teaches makes it so fun, and it’s interesting how ASL is a way of communicating without using words.”

Alyssa, Zoey, Jay, Charlie, and April were among several seniors, enrolled in ASL III, who had the opportunity to visit Lower School last month and teach sign language to the younger students.

Rise and Sign

“It was so amazing to come back down here and teach it to these younger kids,” said Alyssa, who started at Lawrence in the second grade. “They had fun, I had fun—they were amazing at it.”

The seniors were just as excited to share their knowledge and brought with them the same vibrant, educational, and enjoyable experience that they’re accustomed to getting.

“When I see them teach and they’re using some of the same techniques I use, or they say the same things I say, it’s really touching and sweet,” Galambos said. “I encourage everyone who is interested to give ASL a try because it’s such a beautiful, expressive language with a lot to offer.”

Rise and Sign

Courses in ASL are offered through many online providers and local colleges, as well as at the Cleveland Hearing and Speech Center. Unlike the world language offerings at Lawrence, coursework isn’t designed specifically for students with learning differences, but the classes can still be a great option for kids with dyslexia. High schoolers who don’t attend Lawrence should speak with their guidance counselor to learn more about their school’s policies on earning credit through alternative placements.


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