THE BILINGUAL DEAF EDUCATION,

AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE,

AND FILIPINO SIGN LANGUAGE

Educating Deaf students with a bilingual approach means seeing Deaf culture in a unique way. This
involves treating sign and spoken languages as separate but equally important, fostering pride in
being Deaf, introducing students to Deaf role models and peers, and handling issues with cultural
sensitivity (Enns, 2006).

However, this approach hasn't been fully implemented because bilingual education for deaf students
differs from bilingual education for spoken languages (Evans & Seifert, 2000). These differences
include: language modalities, written form of first language, and different levels of first language
development among learners.

BILINGUAL DEAF EDUCATION PRINCIPLES

1. Importance of establishing a first language base

Having a strong first language is crucial for deaf students because it lays the groundwork for
important skills such as language skills, thinking skills, and social understanding skills. It provides a
foundation for academic learning and literacy in English. If a deaf student starts school without a solid
language base, it's essential to focus on building that before moving on to other subjects.

2. Students learn to transfer skills from one language to the other through the development of
metalinguistic awareness
When students understand how language works in their minds, they can use skills from one language
in another. It's like having a common set of thinking skills that apply to both languages, according to
Cummins (1984). Even though deaf students need to learn English words and grammar, using what
they already know can make it easier for them to read and write in English.

3. Language and culture intertwined

In teaching Deaf students with a bilingual approach, culture is closely connected. This often means
having Deaf role models and friends. Research shows that when there's a cultural presence, like
grouping Deaf students together in a class or school, or having Deaf teaching assistants, it leads to
more successful experiences for all students (Ramsey, 1997).

COMMON PRINCIPLES OF BILINGUAL DEAF EDUCATION PROGRAMS

✔ Living as a bilingual person in society is the primary educational goal

✔ Viewing Deaf people from a cultural perspective
✔ Developing pride, linguistic confidence, and a sense of identity in being Deaf
✔ Exposing students to Deaf role models and peers
✔ Seeing language and culture as intertwined, and therefore developing heritage through literacy
✔ Understanding the importance of establishing a first language base and how this influences second
language learning

COMMON ISSUES AND CONCERNS OF BILINGUAL DEAF EDUCATION PROGRAMS

Further, here are the common issues and concerns of Bilingual Deaf Education Programs identified by
Enns (2006) in his study
✔ Similarities and differences between Deaf bilinguals and hearing bilinguals
✔ Empirical evidence to support the theory that learning signed language leads to increased literacy
skills
✔ Mixing languages in the classroom
✔ Knowledge of signed language transferring directly to knowledge of written or spoken language