BC One of Few Offering American Sign Language

When you think of a college language class, you might think of Spanish, French or even Hebrew. But not many people think of American Sign Language (ASL), because not many colleges offer ASL as a language option.

Bluefield College does, and in fact it just might be a way to help BC recruit more students since ASL is not your typical language offering. The college has offered ASL for the past six years now. Currently, 13 students are enrolled in Beginning Sign Language, and 14 students are in Intermediate Sign Language classes.

BC professors say ASL is a good alternative for the foreign language requirement, because it is the third most widely used language in the United States. ASL is also a language, they say, that is used for many individuals, not just the deaf, including those who are hard of hearing, individuals that are non-verbal, those who may have various communication boundaries, individuals who are intellectually disabled, and individuals who fall within the autism spectrum, just to name a few. 

“I think that ASL is a great language to learn because not only does it help provide equal access to those in deaf culture, but many individuals later in life do find themselves with hearing difficulties,” said Melissa Linkous, a BC ASL professor. “As my hearing continues to decline, I am thankful that I will still have a way to communicate with those around me.”
 
Linkous added that ASL is a language that many underestimate the dedication it takes to become a fluent communicator. American Sign Language, she said, is one of the only languages that requires a person to use both sides of the brain simultaneously.ASL is also a living language, as it grows and changes over time. Linkous says she has signed for 40 years and is still learning every day. 

“I try to make it as enjoyable as I can,” said Linkous about her approach to teaching students ASL. “Learning a new language is a daunting task that is stressful, to say the least. Students certainly don’t need the professor making it any more difficult than it must be.” 

Linkous said she enjoys many things about teaching ASL, including watching her students grow over the four semesters they spend with her.

“I see them go from being terrified to a confident communicator,” she said. “I also enjoy passing on my love for the language, deaf culture, and the deaf community.  It does my heart good to hear stories from my students, both previous and present, and watch their faces light up as they share stories about interacting with deaf individuals while in the community.” 

ASL student Jakobi Montgomery said that Professor Linkous is “one of a kind” and that he enjoys her classes.

“I like the class because she’s one of those professors that you can understand,” Montgomery said, “and she makes it easier because she makes the class funny and relatable so it’ll be easier to remember things in it.”  

For more information about American Sign Language or to register for an ASL class, contact Professor Linkous by email at mlinkous@bluefield.edu.