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Sign Language Classes

Abigail McLinden

Ivy Tech Community College

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There are a lot of different kinds of people that the library serves. Many type of programs

the library runs, to enhance a lot of different people’s lives. A program the library offers that

offer a significant, positive impact on patron’s lives is English Second Language classes. For my

program, I’ve chosen a theoretical program I’ve never seen but that I think would have a similar

impact on lives. Namely, a Sign Language class.

For the demographic, I believe Deaf or Deaf-adjacent people would benefit the most from

this program. Perhaps more Deaf-adjacent—people who are themselves not hearing-impaired but

have someone significant in their lives who is. Or people who wish to be able to communicate

better with Deaf people, even if they don’t have someone they interact regularly who fits in that

community.

I chose this group because I picked my program first, and I think I’d be an atypical

person who attended it. I just think it’d be neat to learn, I have no need to in my life. So I worked

backwards and figured out who would be the people more likely to benefit from the program.

Learning Sign Language is vital to many people to be able to function in everyday life. I

believe people who are Deaf are already taught Sign Language, but I don’t know what the

provisions are for people close to them. And speaking for myself, I have had times when in my

life when it would have been useful. I’ve worked fast food and retail, and I’ve had Deaf

customers come in and rely on an interpreter or typing on their phones in order to communicate.

I think it’s the general need of the population to learn Sign Language, even if most people don’t

recognize it. Deaf people in the community will be able to communicate with non-Deaf people

easier.
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I’d name the program “American Sign Language Classes.” There’s no need for a fancy

title, simple gets the point across. I’d set it up with an instructor teaching the students. The

instructor would need to be fluent in ASL, so they could speak and sign simultaneously.

I’m not sure how many people would attend. Perhaps we’d plan for 5-10 at first and see if

there’s a need for more. I think a meeting room would be best for the class, with the chairs facing

forwards towards the instructor. PowerPoints are useful, as visual mediums they are accessible to

Deaf and non-Deaf people alike, so a projector set-up would be useful as well. Make sure that

there is an ability to print handouts if needed too.

60 minutes, with maybe a 5 minute break at the half-hour mark would be a good run-

time. Long enough to get plenty of done but not too long to fry everyone’s brains.

We’d need an instructor, there’s no guarantee that anyone in the library will be fluent in

ASL. It may cost to find an instructor to teach the class, but an hour a week should be a fairly

small cost. We’d need to take the time to arrange the meeting room and set up the projector.

Handouts might need to be printed, but I think the PowerPoint would be best be done by the

instructor.

It would be best for attendees to register, so the instructor and library staff know how

many people to expect to show up. Also it would be a gesture of commitment from the patrons,

learning ASL would be a time-consuming process and it would be good for patrons to commit.

I’d advertise on the library website for sure, the library’s social media, if it has one.

Flyers put up in various community centers is good too, and depending on the budget perhaps a

radio and/or TV promo as well.

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The press release would go:

Sign Language Classes at Elkhart Library

The Elkhart Library is proud to offer ASL classes to its patrons. On Tuesday evenings

from 6 to 7 PM classes will be held for Deaf and non-Deaf people alike who want to learn

American Sign Language. It’s an important skill to improve the lives of the Deaf community,

and the more hearing people know it the better for them as well. No more relying on interpreters

or pen-and-paper to communicate with one another! Classes are free, but space is limited and

registration is required. Call (XXX) XXX-XXXX or walk in to register.

The flyer I designed, see next page:

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