A group of passionate students are working to expand the role of American Sign Language classes on campus. A few of their goals include expanding the program to have more classes, obtaining RSO status for their organization and having ASL classes count for general education foreign language credit.
“I’m very pleased,” said Basil Kessler, assistant professor of counselor education. “Students really really are committed…I’ve been really impressed with the students and their desire to not only learn the language but to reach beyond the classroom.”
Kessler began teaching ASL at Emporia State in 1988. He took various other jobs teaching and working with those who sign before returning to ESU last year.
“Right now they only go up to Sign II, but there is a group of us in Sign II currently who are extremely passionate about signing and we really want to continue our studies,” said Isabella Tate, junior theater education major. “We are hoping we can find a way to get a class for Sign III for next Fall.”
A main goal is to formalize the process that allows ASL classes to count as foreign language credit.
“I have been visiting with Dr. (Kevin) Rabas, the chair of English, modern languages (and journalism) and he has indicated that he has granted, from time to time, students an opportunity to have the sign language class recognized as a foreign language,” Kessler said. “My interest is formalizing that and seeing it being recognized as such.”
There is also an organization, the American Sign Language Club of Emporia, that informally meets weekly at 8 p.m. Wednesdays in the Memorial Union in front of the CSI. They are working on obtaining RSO status through ASG.
“We are planning on working with the Emporia Police Department and the Campus Police Department,” Tate said. “We are planning on showing them 5 to 15 signs that every officer should know. We just want to make Emporia, and ESU specifically, a more deaf friendly place.”
Courtney Barger, junior physical science education major in earth science and physics, and Katie Farrant, junior music education major, practice ASL together.
“I’ve just always wanted to learn,” said Barger. “It has absolutely no prevalence or relevance to my major at all, except that I would love to be able to communicate with any students I might get. I feel it is a good skill to have to put on my resume, even though I’m already guaranteed to get a job wherever I want because (I know) physics.”
For Tate, ASL is an important part of ESU and she wants to see it expanded.
“The ultimate dream, further down the road, is if we could obtain the Kansas Certification for Interpreters Program here at ESU,” Tate said. “That would be nice to have.”
