District
says all signs indicate new language a hit with
pupils
Sunday, January 22, 206 • By
LYNN OLANOFF • The Express-Times
MANSFIELD TWP. | Robin Iaione's class
cheered wildly but not a sound could be heard.
That's because the fourth-grade students
were using American Sign Language, a skill they're learning
for the state's world language requirement.
After many frustrations finding Spanish
teachers, the Mansfield Township School District switched
this year to American Sign Language, which officials say has
proven successful.
Pupils speak to each other in the
language while waiting for the bus or during lunch even
sometimes during school assemblies when they're not supposed
to be talking, Principal Ed Kemp said. A Mansfield soccer
coach was recently confused why his team was so quiet, only
to find his players speaking to each other in sign language,
school officials said.
"They love it and I'm not just saying
that because I'm their teacher," said Kathy Duda, who
teaches the language to the school's first- through
sixth-grade students once a week for 40 minutes.
"It's more visual, it's more hands-on
they can see what they're doing," she said. "One of the
things they're learning is that learning a language can be
fun."
Heather Gilmartin's second-grade class
had fun when Duda visited them last week the students were
eager to show off the words they know in sign
language.
Jayson Sansevere signed "fire" his arms
extending upward from his waist to his face with his fingers
extended and wiggling.
Abby Cuff placed her index fingers on the
top of her head, the sign for "devil" -- one of the words
the class learned for Halloween. Another was "witch" a sign
they sometimes motion jokingly toward their
teacher.
Hanna Eberle's favorite signs are
animals. "I like to do turtles and birds," the 7-year-old
said.
The second-grade students also know a
very practical sign -- "bathroom" (signed by shaking a fist
with a thumb tucked under the index finger) -- which they
need to use to get permission to go there. Fifth- and
sixth-grade students must speak only in sign language during
Duda's weekly lessons.
A fifth-grade student put his sign
language skills to practical use when he was able to speak
to deaf visitors to his family farm, Duda said.
In Iaione's fourth-grade classroom, the
pupils were preparing last week for a numbers and spelling
test, with words including "world," "rule" and
"always."
Ashley Perry had "zoo."
"Easy to spell in English, but in sign
language," Duda said.
The 9-year-old hesitated for a moment
before extending her index finger and tracing the letter "z"
and then making two "o"s with open fists.
"It's fun doing sign language," she said.
"Sometimes it's hard when Mrs. Duda gives us a hard
word."
Positive responses like Ashley's are all
school officials say they are hearing, but they will soon
conduct a formal evaluation to decide whether to continue
the pilot program.
"The kids and the teachers are loving the
program, but we do have to run the survey because that's
what was promised to the parents in September," said
Superintendent Rita Seipp. "People weren't apprehensive
about sign language as much as they thought we should have
Spanish."
Reporter Lynn Olanoff can be reached at 908-475-8044 or by
e-mail at lolanoff@express-times.com.
© 2006 The Express-Times. Used with
permission.
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