SASL Newsletter - Spring 2020 Issue Issue 17 - Spring 2020 | Page 12

concerned, bilingualism in the signed language modality has become a reality in the United States.
Unfortunately, little if any education on LSM is provided via the classroom setting in the
interpreter preparation programs that have been established in Texas and throughout the United
States. Lessons that are available are few and far between, thus not allowing for steady growth of
LSM learning opportunities within the collective body of those seeking to establish careers as future
interpreters. Present interpreters focus honing their skills in ASL. Few are familiarizing themselves in
LSM and its grammatical structure beyond identifying a few signs. The percentage of deaf signers
wielding information entirely or in part in Mexican signs is high compared to the low number of
interpreters who have a decent grasp of them.
Source: https://periodicooficial.jalisco.gob.mx/sites/periodicooficial.jalisco.gob.mx/files/manual_de_lengua_de_senas_mexicana-sistema_municipal_dif_puebla.pdf
There is another related topic that I wish to discuss. The importance of LSM being offered as
a foreign signed language for deaf students throughout the United States cannot be further
emphasized. I reason that if many hearing students are taking ASL as their foreign language for
study, deaf students must have the opportunity of learning a foreign signed language as well. I can
promise you that studying LSM as a foreign language will be a powerful learning experience for
many deaf students. These students would develop a much deeper understanding about signed
languages in general and the Mexican deaf culture, for example.
As far as I know, LSM does not constitute a high priority for learning in schools or higher
education settings. I look forward to a change to this situation in the near future. I personally believe
that the bilingualism associated with LSM and ASL will continue to thrive in El Paso, Texas. I am
proud to be part of this American city. I hope that the remarks that I made are of value to you and
help in shedding a new light on the signed language situation in the United States.
The Power of ASL
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Spring 2020 – Issue 17