In a vibrant classroom at Harry Stone Montessori, fourteen eager fourth and fifth graders actively participate in an American Sign Language (ASL) lesson led by their enthusiastic teacher, Kiara Yancy.
On a sunny Monday morning, the students mimic Yancy as she demonstrates the sign for ‘hearing’ by placing her thumb on her ear and bending her two longer fingers.
With excitement, Yancy encourages them to try the sign themselves, and one by one, the children happily raise their hands to their ears, echoing their teacher’s movements with newfound confidence.
Just two weeks ago, most of these students had never signed before, but Dallas school officials are optimistic that by the end of a four-week ASL summer camp, they will have gained a valuable skill that will foster greater understanding and communication with the deaf community.
Emma Pumarejo, a fifth-grade camper, reflects on her motivation for learning ASL, expressing a desire to connect with friends who are deaf or hard of hearing.
“If I ever meet a friend that’s deaf or hard of hearing, they might not have any other friends because nobody else knows sign language,” Emma shares.
Lisa Whitaker, the director of health and physical education for Dallas ISD, explains the initiative behind the camp, which aims to increase early exposure to sign language in education.
Typically, students must wait until high school to take an ASL elective, which is offered at only two schools.
Whitaker believes fluency in language is easier to attain at a younger age, highlighting the camp’s goal of broadening access to sign language education for younger students.
The Dallas ISD serves over 400 students in its deaf education program, designed to support those who are deaf or have hearing difficulties.
However, the real number of hearing-impaired students is likely higher, as some may not enroll in official programs.
The newly established ASL summer camp, catering to 40 third to fifth graders, is part of an effort to reduce stigma surrounding hearing loss and increase understanding of the deaf community.
Yancy begins each class by prompting students to empathize with individuals living in a world without sound, encouraging them to share their thoughts.
Responses range from ‘scared’ and ‘sad’ to a unique perspective from Derick Jackson, a 9-year-old with partial hearing loss, highlighting his eagerness to learn more sign language.
“I would feel a little bit happy because I could start learning more sign language,” Derick writes on an orange Post-it, illustrating the positive attitude many campers have embraced.
Initially hesitant about summer camp, Derick became excited upon discovering he would learn sign language.
His mother has encouraged him to learn ASL, especially as a precaution in case he loses hearing in his other ear.
He also looks forward to using his newfound knowledge to teach classmates about his hearing aid, wishing that they would understand its function better.
The camp is not just about learning signs; it’s also about fostering a sense of community among students, particularly for those who have always wanted to communicate in ASL.
When Emma’s mother suggested the camp, Emma thought learning sign language would be “really cool” as she was also studying Spanish.
She has taken to practicing each evening, fiercely determined to learn 200 signs by the end of the camp, actively keeping track of her daily progress.
While the students enjoy various aspects of ASL, they agree that numbers pose the biggest challenge, with the signs for six, seven, and eight being particularly tricky to differentiate.
Yancy enthusiastically answers the students’ questions, exploring the breadth of sign language and its worldwide variations, including Spanish sign language.
Her responses provide an engaging educational experience, with one lesson including a hands-on activity where students build a model eardrum to understand sound waves.
Using plastic cups, they create a makeshift eardrum and measure the sound’s impact by tapping on the bottoms, an experiment that deepens their comprehension of hearing.
Bryelle Johnson, a 10-year-old student at the camp, demonstrates that sign language is already a part of her life; she has communicated in ASL since birth due to having a deaf mother.
Bryelle’s mother, Lyntaniere Arnold, who volunteers at the school, notices a shift in how her daughter’s peers interact with her since the camp began.
“Before this class, there were some kids who tried to talk to me, but they had to ask Bryelle, ‘What’s she saying?’” Arnold shares through an interpreter.
With the exposure to ASL growing among students, Arnold expresses hope that these children will continue to engage with the deaf community, creating friendships and bridging gaps.
Derick, inspired by the camp and his parents’ encouragement, dreams of going back to school equipped with more nouns to teach his friends: bee, ship, cheetah.
His enthusiasm reflects the shared sentiment among campers—learning sign language not only equips them with a new skill but also empowers them to support their peers and foster inclusivity.
As the camp progresses, both students and educators demonstrate the transformative power of such initiatives, aiming to cultivate a generation that values communication, understanding, and acceptance across all abilities.
image source from：dallasnews
