September 2, 2008

Language program shows signs of ongoing popularity

"Learning American Sign Language encourages flexibility in thinking and in interacting with others," says Diane Brentari, professor and director of the American Sign Language program in the College of Liberal Arts. "It improves visual-spatial memory, as well."

Some Purdue students enrolled in the program are preparing for careers in speech pathology, teaching or interpretation, while others may be fulfilling the College of Liberal Arts foreign language requirement.

"More importantly, anyone who takes American Sign Language is reminded that Americans are a diverse group of people," she says. "A signing deaf person could enter your life at any time as a neighbor, classmate, co-worker, customer or patient."

There is a waiting list for the introductory American Sign Language classes.

Students who are not taking sign but are interested in learning more about deaf culture also can enroll in the "Deaf Community" class. The course covers the history of American Sign Language, including culture and literature, such as poetry and storytelling.

"We also discuss attitudes toward deaf people and the decisions that families with deaf children must make," Brentari says. "For example, the decision to get a cochlear implant and the decision to learn sign are not mutually exclusive, and this course encourages an approach in which families learn about the cultural sides of deafness, including sign language, as well as about new technologies."

American Sign Language is not only used in the deaf community, but it also is taught to normal hearing infants and young children to help parents communicate with them as they learn to speak, Brentari says. There are nearly 300,000 fluent sign language users in the United States.

Writer: Amy Patterson Neubert, (765) 494-9723, apatterson@purdue.edu

Source: Diane Brentari, (765) 494-9883, brentari@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

Note to Journalists: Journalists interested in covering an American Sign Language course can contact Amy Patterson Neubert, Purdue News Service, at (765) 494-9723, apatterson@purdue.edu

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