How do I start a career in sign language?

When i finish high school i want to start a career in teaching sign language to kids (please read)?

  • i know sign language (my parents are both deaf mute) so i basically grew up knowing sign language, what course should i take in college and how do i become a sign language teacher for kids? i want to teach in public elementary schools.

  • Answer:

    Hi, I'm actually in my second semester of college, but I want to become a teacher that is fluent in sign, not a teacher of sign, big difference yes? lol So basically I want to teach math to the Deaf using sign language. If I understand you right, you want to become a teacher that teaches sign language to kids. First of all before I continue I would like to commend you on your choice of occupation, it shows you are giving, and I’ve no doubt that you will be told this throughout your journey, but let me be the first to say thank you, truly and deeply. Lucky for you, you are most likely quiet apt in sign, so you won’t have to take as many courses as me...hopefully. While some of my best friends growing up were deaf (since I moved sometime in the middle of middle school and was the out sider and they excepted me, till about the end of my first year of high school when I moved again), I was by all means no where near fluent to begin with, (only knowing what I learned on my own, using my trusty little pocket dictionary, and bothering my friends every free chance we had for them to teach me as much as they could), but knowing no Deaf people where I moved to therefore having no one to sign with, (I still KIT with some of my old friends from time to time, but over the cp, so no ASL needed) well you know what happens when you don't practice... Because I have to get a degree in ASL, education, AND math, I'm going to be there for much longer. What every college should offer is placement tests though. Like, because I did so well on my math placement test I had the option to skip a couple of classes ahead. I'm sure there isn't an automatic test for sign but you might be able to request one. However, in my classes we aren’t just learning ASL we also have to learn a whole lot about Deaf history and culture. So you might have to take it anyway. BUT there is someone ahead of the department you should talk to. You see we have a bunch of people in our classes that are taking it because they needed, like, a language class for there major and they thought it would be easy (which it definitely isn't) and they plan to never see it again but there’s like 3 people in all of her classes combined that actually want to continue with sign classes (it’s the smallest school around, btw). So, though on the school web there isn't anymore classes for sign after ASLS I and ASLS II she teaches the rest of the classes for the major somewhere else and she put the other 2 students and I on the list to be in her program where we will get to take those classes and get the credits for them with our school as well. So if you have a chat with whoever’s in charge and they see you really are more advanced in sign and have no reason to take the basic classes, then they might let you skip ahead. Be careful, most schools don't even have an ASL OR education department, well at lest where I live they don't anyway. So make sure you go to a school that offers your majors in the first place. You can find out what courses a college offers easily enough by going to there web sites, just search for them and you should be able to find them. I'm on scholarship, so I can only go to schools that it allows me to and unfortunately for me, there is only one school that offers sign, and it doesn't have an education program. So, for now I'm going to take all my basic courses, all the sign, math, and what ever edu class that will transfer over, than go to another college that does have an edu department and finish up there. If you are in the same situation (which really depends where you live to tell you the truth) you might have to sit down with some advisors and figure out where you have to go (what college/s) to accomplish what you want. The best advice is to find the closest college that has an ASL professor and set up a meeting with him/her. Honestly they’re usually very happy to have someone that’s actually interested in sign, and not just passing through their class without a care, that they’re just jumping at the chance to pull someone under there wing and set them on the right path. My teacher gets more excited about planning my future and seems to care more about doing what’s best for it than I am half the time. If you don't have the same problem as I do and there is a good school around you that offers both sign and education (lucky you, if so) than on the first day (orientation) you'll get this big catalog that will have all the degrees in it (Look for ASLS and Care & development of young children) and under it will be a list of courses you have to complete in order to get that degree. Bring your catalog with you on scheduling day, tell the advisor (they make the sched's) what you want, and they'll look in their cp and tell you the times all those courses are available and you pick out the ones that have the best times for you. That’s it....next stop is to go to your classes and make good grades! Yeah! Wah-who! Sorry, I’m actually extremely tired right now (falling asleep at the keyboard), so I’ve probably droned on a bit too much, huh? Well, I’ll check back with this tomorrow when I’m a bit more alert and make corrections were revisions are due, lol. But if you have any questions, or if this answer I’ve just given is completely off bass, feel free to send me an email. And I am a bit curious as to where you live (wow that sounded a bit creepy, lol) I mean like just what state, country that sort of thing. Oh wow I hope you’re from the US cuz I said ASL like a dozen times, huh? Well, if you’re not from the US, I’m sorry for assuming… and if anything else, let me know how it all turns out…

Hugo M at Yahoo! Answers Visit the source

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Other answers

you need to get your bachelors of education no matter what you want to teach. specialize in english and teach sign as well.

Medea G

Get a degree as a special education teacher. Since you know sign language that is great, but you need to be a certified special education teacher, that way you will have all credentials and you can learn various methods of teaching all the diverse learning styles.

2Cute2B4Got

Business Economics

J T

Well before you go to higher levels of colleges, for your major, take phsychology, englishes, and languages to start off with in your general college.

RayyRayy

thats nice........ teach at a private school. they pay more and have better behaving kids

.:Hinata:.

Speech and Language Pathology.

jeir35

I would ask someone that u r close with and is in college. They may know some courses. Good luck! Thats a great ideal job. I will keep that in mind.

Pineapple Supreme

You're gonna need to get into education as a major and then focus on elementary education and from there depending on the school you pick to go to you will have to let them know what you want to do. Most likely you'll end up having to take courses in sign language as well so you need to look for a college that has what you want to do. When considering what college make sure to call and talk with advisors who work at the school of education and see what they can help you with. I did this when I was considering being a business major, I called every college I wanted to attend and then saw what program looked the best for me. Now in education, I strongly recommend doing that so that you get what you want. Good luck!

Amanda

thats great!!! Yes, you have to go to college, and get a B.A. in Sign language, and then get your credential and teach special education classes at a public school.

Maria

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