Goshen College: First college in Indiana to license American Sign Language teachers

GOSHEN, Ind. – This fall, Goshen College became the first college in the state of Indiana to offer a license in American Sign Language (ASL) Teacher Education. This new four-year program will prepare Goshen College graduates for positions in classrooms (grades 5-12) teaching ASL.

In response to the growing interest in ASL and its acceptance as a foreign language in high schools and universities around the country, Goshen College designed a program with a goal to prepare “qualified professionals equipped for future employment as educators of ASL in high schools [and are] able to create and maintain classrooms that support learning for all students,” said Marg Mast, associate professor of education, director of teacher education and coordinator of teacher licensing at Goshen College.

Mast said there is a great need for ASL teachers in American schools as well as encouragement from the state level for Goshen College to help educate students and the public about ASL.

“American Sign Language is an area that a lot of school districts are moving toward. Goshen College values global citizens and global diversity, and embracing Deaf culture aligns with our mission,” said Mast.

Not only does this initiative offer students the “depth” and “breadth” of a liberal arts background, it provides them with an opportunity to study and explore a unique minority group. Part of the program requires students to spend a year off campus in different immersion experiences. The two programs offered through Goshen College include a semester at Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C. which, according to its Web site, is “the world’s only university in which all programs and services are specifically designed to accommodate Deaf and hard of hearing students.” At Gallaudet, students focus on second language teaching and learning.

The other immersion opportunity is a semester spent on the Jamaica Study-Service Term where students serve in schools for the Deaf. They can increase their language skills from interaction with Jamaican Deaf adults and children, and through assisting in the classroom. In 2007, the first study abroad group from the college with American Sign Language (ASL) as its primary language spent the summer in Jamaica. It is the first full semester academic ASL study abroad program in the country.

Associate Professor of American Sign Language, Myron Yoder, considers these immersion possibilities to be incredible learning experiences and emphasizes the distinctive opportunities offered through Goshen College’s program. “Currently most people teaching [ASL] in high school have little or no education in teaching methodology, and we see our program as changing that, therefore raising the bar and qualifications for American Sign Language teachers,” he said. “Goshen College is also hopeful that Deaf people will consider earning this degree and become qualified to teach their own language, similar to native users of Spanish becoming teachers of Spanish.”

According to Yoder, students who successfully complete the four-year program will be recommended for licensing in the state of Indiana for American Sign Language teaching in grades five through 12, an action that only a handful of colleges are able to do.

“Upon completion,” said Yoder, “GC graduates, whether native users of ASL or not, will strengthen the learning environment in secondary education ASL classrooms and promote cross-cultural interactions between the Deaf and those who can hear.”

Although ASL classes have been available at Goshen College for nearly two decades, a four-year degree in American Sign Language Interpreting began in 2002, and the college now offers both a major and minor. This program offers students the opportunity to appreciate the language, culture, contributions and history of the Deaf community in the United States. Goshen is one of only three ASL/English programs in the state of Indiana and it is the only Mennonite college to offer a four-year degree in ASL/English Interpreting. For more information about Goshen College’s ASL Interpreting major, visit www.goshen.edu/asl.

– by Emily Dougherty

Editors: For more information about this release, to arrange an interview or request a photo, contact Goshen College News Bureau Director Jodi H. Beyeler at (574) 535-7572 or jodihb@goshen.edu.

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Goshen College, established in 1894, is a residential Christian liberal arts college rooted in the Anabaptist-Mennonite tradition. The college’s Christ-centered core values – passionate learning, global citizenship, compassionate peacemaking and servant-leadership – prepare students as leaders for the church and world. Recognized for its unique Study-Service Term program, Goshen has earned citations of excellence in Barron’s Best Buys in Education, “Colleges of Distinction,” “Making a Difference College Guide” and U.S. News & World Report’s “America’s Best Colleges” edition, which named Goshen a “least debt college.” Visit www.goshen.edu.