CHARLOTTE, N.C. — In schools across the Charlotte area, TikTok is playing a significant role in introducing American Sign Language to students.
American Sign Language, or ASL, is a visual language that is primarily used by the Deaf and hard-of-hearing communities to communicate with each other and the world around them.
Students have been watching videos and tutorials on the app to learn simple phrases and watch signed music videos.
"I see a bunch of music or just teaching simple phrases," Grace Lowery, a South Mecklenburg High School student, said.
South Mecklenburg High School's ASL teacher, Katie Linker, said she has noticed the trend and is glad to see that exposure to the language has increased.
"It's really important that people know ASL and how to communicate with them,” Linker said. “Right now, we don't have enough of that,"
The impact of TikTok on ASL education has been significant. However, there is some controversy.
"One of the biggest arguments right now in the deaf community is between two groups of people: Hearing people who teach ASL and Deaf people who teach ASL," Linker said.
In her class, she teaches about why it's important to learn ASL.
“Just make sure if they're deaf, or a CODA -- a child of a deaf adult -- you learn from them because it's the best way that you can learn," Linker said. "Because if you learn from a person that doesn't really know ASL, you're learning wrong, and you're exposing it to other people."
Students, and others navigating the social media app are sometimes faced with incorrect information about the language and the community that uses it.
“I don't only teach language, I also teach culture,” Linker said.
A cultural lesson they've learned in class is the life of Helen Keller, the famed American author and disability rights advocate who was both deaf and blind. Students did activities that show how Keller may have navigated the world and her story.
"We've learned a lot about the struggles that they face and how to respect them and just communicate with them in the best way possible," Maggie Moore, a South Mecklenburg High School student, said.
They all agreed ASL is a language with a culture that needs to be respected and understood.
If you're interested in learning American Sign Language (ASL) in North Carolina, there are several resources available.
- North Carolina Community College System: Many of the community colleges in North Carolina offer ASL classes as part of their curriculum.
- NC Department of Health and Human Services Division of Services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing: There is a list of statewide resources to free ASL classes.
You can also learn ASL American Sign Language (ASL) online in addition to resources to fact-check sign words and phrases.
- Start ASL: This website offers free ASL lessons for beginners, as well as more advanced lessons for those who want to improve their skills.
- Sign Language 101: This website offers a free ASL course that covers basic vocabulary and grammar. https://www.signlanguage101.com/
- Handspeak: This website offers free ASL lessons and resources, including video tutorials, a dictionary, and information about Deaf culture.
Contact Shamarria Morrison at smorrison@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.