With the increasing popularity of American Sign Language (ASL) across the United States, more kids are learning this language as a fun and interesting way to communicate with their peers and family members. For parents and teachers who are looking for more information about ASL as a language for their children, a timeline of its development is an invaluable resource.
A timeline of ASL for children can be an integral part of any language teaching program. Through this timeline, young learners can get a better sense of the history and development of ASL as a language. It can also be used to help give the children a greater appreciation of the language’s unique qualities and the amount of work that goes into its preservation.
Today, ASL is a full language with its own rules and grammatical structure. The timeline of ASL for children can help to provide an understanding of how the language developed and evolved over time. To start, the use of sign language by communities of people who were deaf and had limited access to speaking and reading skills can be traced back to the early 18th century.
In the centuries that followed, American Sign Language slowly but surely gained widespread acceptance in the United States. By the middle of the 19th century, ASL was being used in schools, churches, and homes across the country.
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the influence of ASL spread beyond the United States. During the 1920s, educational institutions across the world began to recognize ASL as a viable language with its own unique qualities and features. By the 1940s and 1950s, ASL had made its way into radio and television broadcasts as well as books and other materials.
Further advances in ASL were made in the late 20th century. With the advent of modern technology, more detailed materials were available for children to learn ASL. The advances in technology also made tools such as dictionaries and teachers’ aids more widely accessible. Moreover, ASL was becoming more of a mainstream language in the United States.
By providing a timeline of the development of ASL, parents, teachers, and children can gain an understanding of the history and legacy of American Sign Language. Through this timeline, kids can gain an appreciation of the language’s unique qualities and the amount of work that goes into its preservation.