Duval County Public Schools - Every Student. Every Day.

Global understanding, professional success, personal growth: In today’s global environment, the knowledge of other languages and cultures is an absolute necessity. The study of a world language has always been an integral part of what it means to be educated, yet this is even more urgent today. You often hear that English is becoming the lingua franca in much of the world, and that especially in Europe, most educated people speak English. So why should you bother to learn another language? Well, here are just a few reasons. In the first place, contrary to popular belief, not everybody speaks English. Even if this were true, unless you are able to speak another language with some degree of fluency, you will always be at a decided disadvantage. For one, your monolingual, monocultural view of the world will limit your perspective, your ability to really understand global events and interactions, even if you never leave the United States. For another, you will never truly be on equal footing with people from another culture if you know nothing of their language. Perhaps the most important reason to study another language is for your own growth as a person. Most people who have had the opportunity to live in another culture and learn another language will tell you that the experience changed their lives profoundly. Speaking another language challenges who we are, involves us in a process of becoming, and this is what growth is all about. Take advantage of this opportunity while a student in Duval County to learn another language. Each opportunity for language acquisition offers our students unique advantages. World language study enhances the young person’s ability to master critical learning skills necessary for academic success.

American Sign Language (ASL) is the preferred language of the Deaf community in the United States and much of Canada. Recent data indicates that ASL is the fastest growing language in the USA and is estimated to be the fourth most commonly used language on the North American continent. This unique language uses visual-gestural modalities of manual signs, facial expressions, and body signals to convey complex linguistic information as well as rich Deaf traditions of visual poetry, narratives, and theater. ASL studies also provide Deaf cultural insights into the values and outlooks of Deaf people, and social and educational aspects of
deafness.

In 2001, the Florida State Legislature passed a law making American Sign Language equal to all foreign language courses. In doing so ASL became a popular option for high school world language graduation requirements. This legislative recognition also established ASL as an admission requirement to any public community college or university in the state of Florida, but more importantly the Florida Bright Futures Scholarships program fully funds ASL an acceptable eligibility option.

Finally, ASL students gain practical training for entering a range of professions. As social, community, legal and educational services have expanded nationwide; many career possibilities have opened up for those interested in professional work in deaf-related fields. ASL studies provide excellent preparation to students for professional careers as sign language interpreters, sign language instructors, counselors, government specialists, audiologists, speech pathologists, program administrators, community service personnel, and many other related vocations.