Last spring, students in Donna Dell’s second-year American Sign Language (ASL) class were informed that they were eligible for another year of “silent days” and sitting in horseshoe formation.

Tacoma School District was recently approved by the Office of Superintendent of Private Instruction (OSPI) to offer a third year of ASL, something that Dell had been pushing for since she started at Stadium six years ago.

Her second-year students jumped at the opportunity for another year of signing, despite the fact that only two years of language is required for college admission.

“They really wanted it,” Dell observed.

ASL counts as foreign language credit in the eyes of college administrators, but it is classified under career and technical education in Tacoma at the district level, which is part of the reason why it wasn’t being approved for a third year.

According to Anita Jinks, director of career and technical education, OSPI didn’t weigh ASL as a foreign language (which are often offered three or more years) but strictly as a career preparatory course, which are only offered two years for juniors and seniors.

However, Betty Klattenhoff, a longtime teacher and new director to OSPI, checked out the curriculum for ASL from teachers around the state and approved a third year as fast as Dell’s students could fingerspell it.

Jinks said the addition of a third year not only allows for more training, but also is a way to keep students’ signing in shape for those who plan to continue ASL in college.

“Students often start (ASL) in ninth and 10th grade,” she commented. “We didn’t have an opportunity for them to continue practicing and honing their skills so there’s not a gap between high school and college.”

Some of Dell’s students who enrolled in the third-year class were in a similar situation. Several students took ASL their freshman and sophomore years - and without the knowledge of the third year on the horizon, chose to be teacher assistants for Dell during their junior year - a lucky move that kept their hands and minds agile for ASL their senior year. 

“It’s a great feeling for me - I love to see that my students are excited about what they are learning,” Dell observed.

Dell has 21 students in her third-year class and about 130 total.

While a few of the students are interested in pursuing interpreting as a career, the actual job market for ASL interpreters isn’t equal to the number of students enrolled in the classes, according to Jinks.

Dell’s students realize the idea that being able to communicate with the deaf is an invaluable tool in any profession, however, and most of her students said they plan on using ASL in their future careers.

“I tell my students that sign language does not have to be your lifelong profession, but it might pay your way through college,” Dell offered.

Brooke Robertson, a third-year ASL student, got her job at a video store because she was well-versed in signing, and Hailey Johnson, another of Dell’s students, said she signs to customers at work on a regular basis.

Dell said that the opportunity to teach for a third year not only gives her more time to get to know her students, but also allows her to slow things down in years one and two, and focus on community interaction and interpreting in year three.

“In third year, we’re more so interpreting and interacting,” pointed out ASL student Erin Graham. “It’s going to be a lot more fun this year.”

While looking back on years one and two, Dell’s third-year students agree that it would have been nice to have spent a little extra time on certain subjects. Dell said having a third year allows her to do that.

According to Dell, Stadium was the first school in the district to offer ASL back in 1999, and it is currently the only high school offering all three years of the language.

Mount Tahoma and Wilson high schools also offer ASL; however, neither offer a third year.

Rebecca Rhodes transferred from Mount Tahoma to Wilson this year to start an ASL program there, and plans to offer ASL three once her students have completed one and two.

“There’s a very strong interest in ASL (at Wilson),” she observed. “I think a third year gives the kids an opportunity to go outside the building and work inside the community.”

Rhodes currently has two full classes of ASL one at Wilson, and said she thinks the new program has been very successful.

Mount Tahoma has ample opportunity for ASL and deaf student interaction, as it is the location for all deaf students in the district. At this point, only ASL one and two are offered there, but Principal Gregory Eisnaugle sees this changing in the future.

“We were looking at downsizing (the ASL program) because of a lack of interest,” Eisnaugle noted. “But the number of deaf students (at Mount Tahoma) has basically doubled. I bet the program is going to flourish, and in a couple of years this is going to be the program that everyone is talking about.”

Whether or not Eisnaugle’s prediction about ASL at Mount Tahoma will come true, the enthusiasm for the silent language is more than evident in the Dell’s third-year classroom at Stadium.