Are There Enough Universities Offering Master and Doctorate Degrees in Teaching ASL?

Are there enough universities offering Master’s and Doctorate degrees in Teaching ASL?
Student name
University of Northern Colorado
Introduction
Education is considered one of the basic and fundamental human rights in the world. It is expected that every person, regardless of their race, nationality, ethnic background, physical challenge or limitations, religion, gender, etc., should be able to be educated. However, different countries often fall short, especially where the physically challenged are concerned. For example, in the U.S., only three prestigious universities offer Masters’ and Doctorate degrees in Deaf Education and American Sign Language. These three universities include Lamar University, Gallaudet University, and the University of Northern Colorado. Common sense dictates that students need teachers, and if there are not enough faculty members, the chances are high education will be largely impaired. Therefore, questions linger on whether there are enough qualified faculty personnel to teach American Sign Language, and this question provides the key issue that this research will focus on.
Literature Review
As in any profession, the first thing to be concerned about is whether a person is qualified for a position or not. The same applies to individuals interested in teaching American Sign Language. In their article titled “Who is Qualified to Teach American Sign Language,” Kanda and Fleischer (1988) detail the qualifications of individuals who could teach American Sign Language (ASL). From their article, the authors take note of several notable qualities and skills that ASL teachers should have to be considered qualified teachers who can make a significant impact in the community. Kanda and Fleischer (1988) discussed in their article that an ASL teacher should (1) have the utmost respect for ASL and its history, (2) be comfortable with interactions with the deaf community and culture, (3) have formal education on ASL and pedagogy, (4) be familiar with teaching second languages, (5) have aspirations for personal and professional growth, and (6) be human beings first, teachers second, and teachers of ASL third. These characteristics and skills were noted to be of the highest importance among others, and these characterize what it is to be a good teacher and a good ASL teacher. The authors place values on teaching and humanity and their impacts on teaching ASL, as they should because these areas are at the core of teaching ASL. These areas are centered on the students and the effect of the teachers on their learning, which then maximizes the learning effects and provides a good foundation for communication. Furthermore, the authors emphasized that ASL teachers should have a well-rounded competence that allows them to serve as role models for their students. Since the ASL community is growing due to advancements in research and increased awareness and sensitivity, it is important that there are good ASL teachers who can not only teach the language but also share how the language can be used for good. For Kanda and Fleischer (1988), teaching ASL is not simply about relaying information to students but calls for so much more. This article offers great insight because it shares the skills and qualities that one ought to have to be considered an ASL teacher. It speaks to the essence of this research because it helps to start the research off. Further, the article is a great addition to this research because of its credibility and reliability which are exemplified through its research process.
Steward’s article titled ‘The Master’s Degree in Modern Languages since 1966’ is an article that discusses how the number of Master’s (M.A.) enrollments and conferment for M.A. English and M.A. Foreign Languages have changed over time. Notably, the authors discovered that while there was a decrease in the total percentage of enrollees during the period, this decrease was a result of internal and external factors such as stagflation, conflict, war, and the changing social equilibrium. This article is a great resource, and its use of peer-reviewed journals, as well as other reputable articles, enhances its credibility as a reliable source. With its approach and contribution to literature, this source is a great addition to this research paper because it helps offer context with regard to enrollment trends. Further, the paper clarifies or sheds light on some of the factors that have contributed to or impacted enrollment.
There are three things that make Steward’s article stand out. These three include:
* As earlier indicated, Steward used peer-reviewed journals, credible reports, and reputable articles that were published from 1968 to 2003. From the years provided, it is evident that the studies used were published two years after the analysis period of 1966 to 2001. However, it is crucial to note that not all articles were used, and some articles and studies were done between 1970 and 1971, as well as 1994 and 1995 were not used. Further, the author used meta-analysis to determine the trends and patterns as revealed in these areas. Through the studies, Steward was able to weave a pattern and develop a trend.
* Steward synthesized the findings across all studies by using their quantitative data as the primary determiner of trends and qualitative data as evidence for its causes. For example, while he did synthesize and present these trends in numerical and graphical format, he also used cohort and other related reports to provide an in-depth and detailed explanation.
* The third thing that stands out is the trend of Master’s degrees for the period 1966 to 2001. For example, the results have showcased a consistent trend in Master’s degrees. In line with the above, Steward discovered that for both Master’s in English degrees and Foreign Languages, there had been a decline of 72% and 80%, respectively. These are big drops considering the growing need for faculty members in both fields of study. Such a result helps to paint a clear picture of enrollment trends where languages are concerned.
In line with ASL, knowing these trends and ...