New sign language club
By Kellie Corbett
eSomethin Staff
American Sign Language
There is a new sign language club this year with the arrival of a new deaf student at Perrysburg High School. We are now giving students an opportunity to learn ASL.
ASL (American sign language) is the sign language predominantly used in the United States and most of Canada. Many people do not understand that American Sign Language is actually a foreign language. It is very closely related to French Sign Language (FSL). American School for the Deaf in Hartford, Conn. is where ASL started in 1817.
According to Gallaudet University, 2 percent of the U.S. population is deaf and 2 million people use ASL everyday. It is the third largest language used in the United States behind Spanish and English.
This growing form of communication should not be underestimated. If you learn sign language, you will be able to communicate with 2 million new people and learn 2 million new things.
“I joined because I wanted to learn sign language,” said student Lauren Delp. “I think learning different languages is the smartest thing anyone can do.”
The club meets every Wednesday after school for about an hour in room 162.
Right now they are still learning basic signs, so it is not too late to join.
There are many students in our school learning sign language, and if you want to be on it is not too late. Come to sign language club after school on Wednesday in room 162.