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A new American Sign Language class is now available for students at NS. The school has been trying to find someone to teach this class for a while, and this year they finally found a teacher.
ASL teacher Katrina Palmer grew up in Logan, Utah. When she was a freshman in high school, there was a night community education class that taught American Sign Language. She took the class with her mother and sister. Her first job involved with ASL was to help lip reading or hearing students in their classes at the Utah School for the Deaf and Blind. She would help them at school, and even translate for them at church on some occasions.
Palmer was asked to start teaching this year last spring by Principal Nan Ault. She agreed to do it, even though it would be her first time teaching ASL.
So far, Palmer loves teaching ASL because the students make the class fun and interesting. She hopes that students can use it in their everyday school life.
“Most of the students are taking a class with a friend, so they have someone to practice with at school,” Palmer said.
Many of the students in the class do use what they have learned in class to communicate regularly.
“My friends and I use sign language to talk to each other almost every day,” junior Makade Talbot said.
Daily practice will help students not forget the language since it has become a part of their everyday life with their friends at school.
At NS there is only one class period of ASL I. Next year there may be two available class periods, one of which could be an ASL II for students who want to advance their knowledge of sign language even further. The students are enjoying the class, and a lot of them want to take ASL II next year if they have the opportunity.
