Every day, hundreds upon thousands of people make their way through the world in a unique way: without sound. People who are deaf and hard of hearing have to communicate in a different way than a spoken language. Their solution? ASL, or American Sign Language. ASL can certainly make their lives easier because they finally have a way to understand other people and communicate with them even with their disability. However, if other people don’t take the time to learn the language, there is no use in society. 

I believe sign language should be taught at all high schools across the country. The deaf and hard of hearing communities are being under-represented even though there are many members of the community that live in the Omaha area. Language learning is often at its peak in high school, and by teaching sign language, we are offering more inclusivity and learning opportunities for students. Learning sign language has many benefits in society today and adding it to your schedule could truly change lives. 

According to the Commission on the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (CDHH), American Sign Language is the third most common language in the United States, after English and Spanish, and it accounts for over half a million people. Teaching the top languages of your country will ultimately be the most useful later in life, which is one reason why sign language should be added. Many high schools, like East, offer a wide range of languages, including German, Latin, and French. While the diversity that comes out of it is a benefit, this curriculum ignores other major languages students are likely to run into in their local communities. Also, if people need ASL later in life, they have to go pay for classes whereas they can get it free in high school. 

Taking the time to learn ASL can impact both yourself and others. For others, it means their lives are easier and they can communicate comfortably without worrying about whether people will understand them or not. According to the CDHH, only about 30% of English words are easily recognizable through lip reading- that is, watching someone’s mouth move and guessing the words they are saying. Not everyone can adapt into a world that doesn’t fit their  needs. According to a study from Boston University, as many as 70% of deaf children are experiencing language deprivation, which means they haven’t had enough exposure to language, especially when they are still young and developing. Learning ASL would prevent any miscommunications and make social interactions smoother and more enjoyable.

Learning sign language also has many benefits for you, too. Many jobs are more willing to hire you if you speak more than one language. According to Workforce Essentials, people who are fluent in more than one language can earn up to 20% more than those who aren’t. Knowing ASL also opens up new job opportunities entirely. For example, sign language interpreters are important in many settings, like in schools or even in the courtroom. There is a wide range of job opportunities for both people who use ASL full-time and those who know ASL and will have to use it occasionally. Overall, it’s a useful skill to have in your back pocket and can make an impact on many people’s lives. 

The main solution to the lack of ASL learning is to start teaching it in all high schools. High school could even make it a required language. Once out of school, people have real jobs and become much busier. If you have hours of your week already cut out for ASL learning and you get credit for it, more students would start taking it. Another way to help solve the problem is for universities to accept ASL as a foreign language credit. Currently, there are still colleges that do not recognize it as a foreign language, such as Stanford. This could impact students’ willingness to learn it if they get no credit for their work. All in all, sign language is useful for everyone to learn and should be available in more high schools.