Language Planning

Language Planning in Deaf Education

Part of CAEBER's vision is to facilitate the strategic use of school-based language planning as a key element in the implementation and maintenance of an ASL/English bilingual educational program for deaf and hard-of-hearing children. CAEBER continues to be a catalyst in deaf education by collaborating with schools for the deaf and deaf education teacher preparation programs in order to promote bilingual instruction using ASL and English for deaf and hard-of-hearing children.

Action Framework

The primary focus of school-based language planning in deaf education and deaf communities is the promotion of bilingualism, multilingualism and respect for all languages of deaf and hearing people. Since school-based language planning takes place within the overall paradigm of social transformation, the development of historically marginalized signed languages (e.g., ASL, LSM) is a high priority.

CAEBER promotes a national collaborative effort among educators, parents, and researchers who work together to respond to the educational needs of deaf and hard-of-hearing children and provide leadership in school-based language planning. Our mission is accomplished through the following strategies:

• Promotion of the appropriate use of scientifically research-based language planning in educational settings;
• Promotion of the acquisition, development, and use of both ASL and English for academic purposes for deaf and hard-of-hearing students as well as their parents and educational staff;
• Training for educational staff in the strategic use of ASL and English as languages of instruction in educational settings; and
• Promotion of an understanding and appreciation of language and cultural diversity.

Some of the other language planning projects in which CAEBER is involved are:

Enhancing Deaf Education: Language Planning and Leadership

In collaboration with Gallaudet Leadership Institute (GLI), this project, started in 2004, is designed to enhance the infusion of an ASL/English bilingual education framework into the total schooling experience through school-based language planning. Instead of targeting classroom teachers, this professional development is aimed at key school administrators who, through planning and structuring the school-wide learning environment, can insure long-term development and change. See http://glips.gallaudet.edu for more information or contact Dr. Simon Guteng, Director at: simon.guteng@gallaudet.edu.

National Language Planning Committee for Deaf Education

After the 2005 CAEBER conference held March 9-12, 2005 at Gallaudet University, a small group of peers began exploring the possibility of language planning as well as the creation of ASL Proficiency Standards for Pre-K-12 students. Ideas were discussed, and on September 29-30, 2005, the National Language Planning Committee for Deaf Education (NLPC-DE) held its first official meeting. This committee, under the direction of CAEBER, is a group of organizational peers/leaders who are providing guidance on overall strategic direction with the ultimate goal of establishing ASL Proficiency Standards for Pre-K-12 students which will be reviewed, field-tested, and adopted by NLPC-DE. At the meeting in September, three sub-committees were formed: the ASL Proficiency Standards Subcommittee, ASL Instructional Language Materials Development Subcommittee, and ASL Instructional Language Assessment Committee. Members of the ASL Proficiency Standards Subcommittee were chosen due to their expertise in curriculum development as well as their involvement in the field of ASL/English bilingual education. This subcommittee will collaborate on producing ASL Proficiency Standards for Pre-K-12 students. Members of the latter two groups will begin their work sometime in 2006. It is anticipated that the work on the subcommittee's goal of designing, field-testing and disseminating the ASL Proficiency Standards for Pre-K-12 students will take approximately five years.

Some schools for the deaf have started the school-based language planning process at their schools. Below are links to various schools' PowerPoint presentations involving language planning activities. Please click on the links to view these schools' presentations.

Language Planning PowerPoint Presentation from Pennsylvania School for the Deaf

California School for the Deaf-Fremont