there has been a controversy at some universities about allowing.....?

Question

there has been a controversy at some universities about allowing sluency in sign language to fulfill a second- language requierment for an undergraduate degree. what is your opinion?

fluency **** insted of sluency ...lolz

Answer 1

Fluency in sign language being accepted by a university as credit for foreign language requirements is a mine-field of problems for any administration, but I do not think it should be accepted.

It is problematic for any administration because of the threat of law suits that could occur if anyone claimed that the handicapped were being discriminated against. However, ASL, or American Sign Language, is only used in the United States and is merely the American version of English translated into signs. The purpose of learning a foreign language is to more understand the structure, theory and complexity of language and to possibly broaden the horizons and minds of the learners by allowing them to further understand another group here on earth.

ASL accomplishes many of the tasks, but it fails in some. There are valid arguments that could be made to squash my claim that ASL does not meet all the requirements, so the argument will continue.

I am an associate professor of Applied Linguistics in Kyoto Japan.

Answer 2

I think sign language should be allowed to fill the requirement only if fluency in another language is allowed. No all languages need to be spoken, and learning the proper gestures and how to talk without your voice can be alot harder than picking up another spoken language.

Answer 3

I've always believed it should be allowed only if two conditions are met: 1. It is not your primary form of communication (i.e. you aren't deaf and reliant on sign language), and 2. You are not either majoring or minoring in sign language. I mean, I had a 3 class requirement in a foreign language and I knew spanish speakers who took spanish as an easy A. If thats allowed, sign language should be too.

Answer 4

A friend of mine used ASL as a language requirement for her BS degree. I think it must depend upon the university and their individual policies. I know several people who've taken classes in ASL, and it seems just as difficult (if not more so) than foreign language, and definitely more useful in some cases, so I can't see why the universities should object.

Answer 5

Well I believe one reason universities enforce a foreign language requirement is to expose students to some culture. When you study a foreign language, you automatically get a small dose of the cultures of the nations that speak it. Sign language has no comparable culture attached to it. This may be one reason.

Answer 6

I think you mean fluency. But, my collage the University of Tulsa,
Does allow it, so long as you take 4 credit hours.

Answer 7

I think it's awesome! I would love to take sign language - and yes, I think it is a second language.

Answer 8

It's a second language......and should be treated as such...