Ontario to offer sign-language classes in high schools in all boards

Thestar.com
March 12, 2021
Kristin Rushowy

Ontario will be offering for-credit courses to high school students in American Sign Language, making it one of the first jurisdictions in the country to do so, says Education Minister Stephen Lecce.

“These new courses will position Ontario as a leader in providing second-language curriculum for the development of language and cultural skills in ASL and LSQ (Langue des signes québécoise),” he said Thursday at Queen’s Park.

All boards will have access to the curriculum, and school boards will have ASL instructors to help teach it, he said.

As well, a qualification course will be available to teachers should they wish to learn the language and about ASL culture.

Wanda Blackett of Silent Voice Canada, who was also at Queen’s Park, said the organization is “thrilled that ASL and LSQ curriculum is available in the province of Ontario. It has a tremendous impact on our community” because sign language has “traditionally been looked down upon. This initiative will show that these languages are equivalent to spoken language.”

She added, however, that more instructors will be needed as the new courses get rolling.

Starting this fall, Ontario will be among the first provinces to offer American Sign Language credits to all students, and the first to have ministry-created curriculum for a French sign language class.

The classes were created with the input of representatives from the ASL and LSQ communities.

“This new curriculum is much needed and will be a rich addition for students across the province,” said Donald Prong, who heads the Ontario Association of the Deaf, in a written statement.

“It will enhance students’ understanding of the language and identity of ASL people in Ontario, ASL people’s sense of self, of membership, of culture and of humanity, and encourages students to develop respect for human diversity,”

While the Ontario government runs a handful of provincial schools that serve deaf students, the new curriculum is aimed at students in mainstream public schools.

The Toronto District School Board already offers a credit to its students in sign language at Northern Secondary School, which has instructors on hand as it runs a program for deaf and hard-of-hearing teens.

The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board also lists a course in American Sign Language and Deaf culture, for hearing students.