THE BILINGUAL DEAF EDUCATION,

AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE,

AND FILIPINO SIGN LANGUAGE
 GROUP MEMBERS

Mary Kirie
Queenie Bacla-an Joyce Diapera KimAnne
Gelbolingo
Alisoso
Parahinog
 OBJECTIVES
1. Define and discuss the following: Bilingual, Deaf
Education, American Sign Language, Filipino Sign
Language

2. Discuss the following: Bilingual Deaf Education Principles,

Common issues and concerns of Bilingual Deaf Education, and
Strategies for Literacy Instruction for Bilingual Deaf Students
 OBJECTIVES

3. Show attentiveness and display active

participation during discussion.
 INTRODUCTION

Educating Deaf students with a bilingual approach

means seeing Deaf culture in a unique way. This
involves treating sign and spoken languages as
separate but equally important, fostering pride in
being Deaf, introducing students to Deaf role models
and peers, and handling issues with cultural sensitivity
(Enns, 2006).
 INTRODUCTION
However, this approach hasn't been fully implemented
because bilingual education for deaf students differs
from bilingual education for spoken languages (Evans &
Seifert, 2000). These differences include: language
modalities, written form of first language, and
different levels of first language development among
learners.
BILINGUAL DEAF EDUCATION
PRINCIPLES
 1. Importance of establishing a first language base
Having a strong first language is crucial for deaf students
because it lays the groundwork for important skills such as
language skills, thinking skills, and social understanding skills.
It provides a foundation for academic learning and literacy in
English. If a deaf student starts school without a solid language
base, it's essential to focus on building that before moving on
to other subjects.
 2. Students learn to transfer skills from one language to the
other through the development of metalinguistic awareness
When students understand how language works in their minds,
they can use skills from one language in another. It's like having
a common set of thinking skills that apply to both languages,
according to Cummins (1984). Even though deaf students need
to learn English words and grammar, using what they already
know can make it easier for them to read and write in English.
 2. Language and culture intertwined

In teaching Deaf students with a bilingual approach, culture is

closely connected. This often means having Deaf role models
and friends. Research shows that when there's a cultural
presence, like grouping Deaf students together in a class or
school, or having Deaf teaching assistants, it leads to more
successful experiences for all students (Ramsey, 1997).
 COMMON PRINCIPLES OF
BILINGUAL DEAF EDUCATION
PROGRAMS
✔ Living as a bilingual person in society is the primary educational
goal
✔ Viewing Deaf people from a cultural perspective
✔ Developing pride, linguistic confidence, and a sense of identity in
being Deaf
✔ Exposing students to Deaf role models and peers
✔ Seeing language and culture as intertwined, and therefore
developing heritage through literacy
✔ Understanding the importance of establishing a first language
base and how this influences second
language learning
 COMMON ISSUES AND
CONCERNS OF BILINGUAL
DEAF EDUCATION PROGRAMS
 Further, here are the common issues and concerns of
Bilingual Deaf Education Programs identified by Enns
(2006) in his study
✔ Similarities and differences between Deaf bilinguals and hearing
bilinguals
✔ Empirical evidence to support the theory that learning signed
language leads to increased literacy
skills
✔ Mixing languages in the classroom
✔ Knowledge of signed language transferring directly to knowledge
of written or spoken language
 STRATEGIES FOR LITERACY
INSTRUCTION WITH BILINGUAL
DEAF STUDENTS
a) Motivation and Self-Concept

✔ This is particularly important with bilingual students who may

not feel that their skills and knowledge are recognized because
they cannot easily express what they know verbally. Accepting the
students most familiar language as equal to any other language
encourages a sense of self-worth. Having faith that second
language learners will learn and maintaining high expectations for
them are also important.
b) Language Development
✔ Teachers must have a thorough understanding of language
development, so that they can monitor and sequence the linguistic
"load" they place on the students.

c) Basic Knowledge of First Language

✔ This is in order to be aware of points of linguistic interference
or conflict between the two languages. The knowledge helps
teachers to identify errors that are systemic in nature and can be
eliminated by emphasizing the distinction between languages
rules.
d) Speak Then Read
✔ Teach them the spoken form of a language before introducing
reading in the language.
e) Allow Translation
✔ Bilingual children should be allowed to translate to their first
language (Sign Language) when reading in their second
language (English or any 2nd language), and the translations
should not be considered errors. This is a useful reading strategy
for making print meaningful.
f) Emphasize Comprehension
✔ In teaching second language learners, teachers should try
to make information meaningful and
comprehensible.

g) Use Children’s First Language to Determine Comprehension

✔ Written text in the child's second language can be
discussed in the child's first language to ensure
comprehension of the textual information and to develop
vocabulary knowledge in context
h) Incorporation of Culture
✔ Teaching bilingual students also requires having an
understanding of their cultural values. Incorporating the visually
oriented features of Deaf culture is essential in teaching Deaf
children.
i) Use of Language/Cultural Role Models
✔ An essential element of BDE is having teachers who are true
role models for Deaf culture. In practice such teachers need to
be Deaf themselves, as well as fluent signers and skilled
readers of written English.
AMERICAN SIGN
LANGUAGE
 WHAT IS AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE?
American Sign Language (ASL) is a complete, natural language
that has the same linguistic properties as spoken languages, with
grammar that differs from English.

ASL is expressed by movements of the hands and face. It is the

primary language of many North Americans who are deaf and hard
of hearing and is used by many hearing people as well.
 WHAT IS AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE?
It has been a recognized language through the Americans with
Disabilities Act (ADA) in 1990 which requires governments,
nonprofit organizations and private businesses to make their
services accessible to Deaf people, and mandates equal access to
telecommunications services.
 HOW DOES ASL COMPARE WITH
SPOKEN LANGUAGE?
ASL is a language completely separate and distinct from English.
It contains all the fundamental features of language, with its own
rules for pronunciation, word formation, and word order. While
every language has ways of signaling different functions, such as
asking a question rather than making a statement, languages differ
in how this is done.
 HOW DOES ASL COMPARE WITH
SPOKEN LANGUAGE?
Fingerspelling is part of ASL and is used to spell out English
words. In the finger spelled alphabet, each letter corresponds to
a distinct handshape. Fingerspelling is often used for proper
names or to indicate the English word for something.
AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE
AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE
FILIPINO SIGN
LANGUAGE
Filipino Sign Language or FSL is the primary form of
communication between members in the local deaf community.
FSL is believed to be part of the French Sign Language family. It
has been strongly influenced by American Sign Language (ASL)
since the establishment in 1907 of the School for the Deaf and
Blind (SDB) (now the Philippine School for the Deaf) by Delia
Delight Rice (18833 1964), an American Thomasite teacher born
to deaf parents.
In terms of grammar, there are differences and similarities
between FSL and ASL. There are similarities in terms of
hand shapes, positioning, hand location, movement, facial
expression, and palm orientation. But the conversation and
discourse are different depending on the culture.
 FSL AS A LAW
Last October 30, 2018, President Rodrigo Duterte signed RA
11106 3 -- An Act Declaring The Filipino Sign Language As The
National Sign Language Of The Filipino Deaf And The
Official Sign Language Of Government In All Transactions
Involving The Deaf, And Mandating Its Use In Schools, Broadcast
Media, And Workplaces wherein this act shall be known as 5The
Filipino Sign Language Act 6.
 FSL AS A LAW

With this, the State also furthers the vision taken with the Early
Years Act (Republic Act No. 10410) and the Enhanced Basic
Education Act (Republic Act No. 10533), which have already
recognized Filipino Sign Language in the education of the deaf
learners from early childhood up to the secondary level.
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