Deaf Education Scholar to Lecture on Sign Language in Education

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WACO, Texas (March 25, 2015) - Baylor University’s department of communication sciences and disorders in the Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences will welcome deaf education scholar Jean Andrews, Ph.D., for lectures at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Friday, March 27, in the Cowden Room of the Bill Daniel Student Center.

Andrews serves as interim chair of the deaf studies/deaf education department at Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas. She has authored several books, published more than 100 journal articles and has served on the editorial board of the American Annals of the Deaf since 1986. Her research interests include language and literacy education, forensics and deaf offenders, and developing reading materials for deaf children.

“Information about American sign language in higher education hasn’t really been shared with the Baylor campus,” said Lewis Lummer, Ed.D., senior lecturer of American sign language. “Sign language has been exploding rapidly, and its usage rates are increasing while usage rates of other languages are decreasing. Dr. Andrews will discuss how the demand for sign language in communities is rapidly increasing.”

Andrews morning lecture, titled “The Vibrancy of American Sign Language in Higher Education,” will explain how American sign language learning has become popular on university campuses for professionals preparing for careers with deaf persons as well as those choosing medical careers. This lecture will take place from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Her afternoon lecture, “The Role of Signs and Fingerspelling in Language and Literacy Development of Deaf Individuals,” will review the current research in language and literacy with deaf individuals using sign language and fingerspelling from a theoretical and a practical perspective using theories of bilingualism and second language. She also will present data from studies on early literacy and the role that sign language played in mapping printed English. This lecture will take place from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.

“Many students will find learning the language a benefit in their future careers,” Lummer said. “Hopefully the lecture will open the gates for understanding what’s going on in America in regards to sign language in education.”

Both lectures are free and open to the public, although seating is limited. The Cowden Room is located on the third floor of the Bill Daniel Student Center at 1311 S. Fifth St.

For more information about the department of communication sciences and disorders, call 254-710-2567 or click here.

by Ashton Brown, student newswriter, (254) 710-6805

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