While Quartz Hill High School offers foreign language courses such as French and Spanish, it would benefit the student body to provide another class – American Sign Language, or ASL. 

ASL is the language of North Americans who have hearing difficulties or hearing people who wish to communicate with former individuals. 

ASL is the fourth most studied second language in American universities, so it would only make sense for a school like QHHS to offer the class. The school provides numerous exciting courses. Thus, when I was enrolling in classes the months before freshman year, it was a bit of a shock that ASL was not offered on the course list. It is also noteworthy that QHHS’s rival school, Highland High School offers ASL. So for that petty reason, our school should as well. 

According to Lead with Languages, “Studying ASL promotes better awareness of and sensitivity to the deaf and hard of hearing community.” I know two other people who can sign well enough to communicate in the language effectively. While one learned to “speak” to someone with a hearing impairment, the other learned because someone he is close to is mute, so it was necessary for the relationship.

The fact that not that many people are taught or equipped with the skills to communicate with someone who regularly uses ASL is a saddening thought- individuals with hearing disabilities cannot change their circumstances like someone who speaks another language can. 

If QHHS students had the opportunity to learn ASL at school, it would open up so many options for those looking into becoming interpreters for hospitals, courts, or governmental agencies. Sign language interpreters’ salaries range from $30,000 to $94,000, which definitely is not that bad for merely learning another language. Certain students taking the class might even decide they want to continue learning more advanced ASL and pursue other careers related to the language. They could teach others how to sign by becoming an ASL instructor.

The benefits of teaching and learning ASL are plentiful, and there are virtually no drawbacks to offering the course to students.  By providing this course, QH would train possible future interpreters and grant students the skills to communicate without words. As of right now, the students who are interested in learning American Sign Language are forced to watch YouTube videos or use sites to help them advance their signing skills.