Whose ASL counts? Linguistic prescriptivism and challenges in the context of parent sign language curriculum development

ABSTRACT

This paper discusses issues of language revitalization and linguistic prescriptivism related to the teaching of American Sign Language (ASL) in Canada. I describe the current and historical context for ASL teaching, including the increase in ASL course offerings at some postsecondary institutions, and discuss findings related to challenges in curriculum development and issues of prescriptivism as they recur in my study of developing an ASL curriculum for parents of deaf children that is aligned with the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.

KEYWORDS:

• Acquisition planning
• education of deaf children
• parents of bilingual children
• sign language
• second language acquisition
• language ideologies

Notes on contributor

Kristin Snoddon is Assistant Professor with the School of Linguistics and Language Studies, Carleton University.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada [grant number IDG 430-2014-00792].