The original version of this article contained an error and has been changed. See the bottom of the article for additional information.
Seated in her American Sign Language class, Christina Pettus assuredly moved her fingers and hands to communicate, a task she has done since she was six months old.
Only this time her translations felt more nuanced, more precise and easier to understand. Pettus, a second-year linguistics and English student, who is not deaf, is currently taking American Sign Language 5 to learn how to more effectively communicate with her deaf mother.
The UCLA Department of Linguistics decided to offer the class for the first time this quarter, despite earlier concerns about low enrollment. It is currently the last and most advanced of the series of ASL instruction courses that began in 2012 as a two-year pilot program.
The staff decided to offer ASL 5 after seeing a relatively high level of student interest, said Kyle McJunkin, director of curriculum coordination and operations of the Undergraduate Education Initiatives.
Compared to the 20 students who took ASL 4, 13 students are currently taking ASL 5, which exceeds the set cap of 10 students. As of now, 64 students are taking ASL classes, including “History of Deaf Communities in America,” which was added last year. During fall quarter, 48 students took ASL classes.
“I think the UCLA administration’s interest in funding courses in ASL depends directly on the level of student interest in these courses,” said Bruce Hayes, chair of the linguistics department.
High enrollments in ASL 1 to 3 last year prompted the humanities department to fund ASL 4 and ASL 5, Hayes said. He added the linguistics department may offer ASL 6, depending on student demand for the class.
Pettus said she is glad she can continue to learn ASL at UCLA because she is the sole interpreter for her mother in her family, the rest of whom can hear, but can’t sign as fluently as she can.
“Personally, (I took the class) to communicate with my mom, her friends, (and for) communicating with the (deaf community),” she said.
With her eyes fixed on Benjamin Lewis, who teaches ASL 5, she began to translate the phrase “in a glass case of emotion” into ASL. Pettus hesitantly outlined the silhouette of a square case with her fingers and proceeded to slide a finger of her right hand through a hole she had shaped with the fingers of her left hand. Then she flexed her facial muscles to make a frustrated frown representing the emotion of being trapped in the invisible glass case she had crafted.
The small room may be noiseless at most times, but vivid facial expressions – a quivering eyebrow, toothful smile, gaping mouth – spoke louder than words as the students and Lewis signed in response to Pettus’ translation.
“One of the best things about the class that you don’t really get here at UCLA is being intimate with and really close with your classmates,” Pettus said.
Mariam Janvelyan, a third-year linguistics and psychology student who takes ASL 5 said she feels the class is like a family.
“It’s like we grew up together. We care about each other,” Janvelyan said.
The American Sign Language program is currently funded by the Vice Provost for diversity and faculty development Christine Littleton, Dean and Vice Provost of undergraduate education Patricia Turner and Humanities Dean David Schaberg, McJunkin said.
He added it is too early to determine whether they will increase funding for the program.
As of now, ASL courses aren’t offered multiple times throughout the year because there is only one lecturer teaching all the ASL courses at UCLA, Hayes said.
Increasing the number of faculty who teach ASL is still a topic on the table, Lewis added.
“(Administrators have) been very supportive of the program like they are with other programs (on campus),” Lewis said. “But we need to make sure that (the program) is viable and successful first.”
Pettus said she thinks UCLA needs to offer more ASL courses to students to reduce misconceptions about deaf people and give students opportunities to interact with a more diverse group.
Formally learning how to use ASL has helped improve her relationship with her mother, now that they can understand each other at a deeper level, she said.
“Our relationship has skyrocketed,” Pettus said. “When I was talking to my mom (and) her friends, I felt way more confident. I (am) able to articulate myself 10 times better and for once, I didn’t get a look of confusion (from) them.”
Correction: Notes by Bruin editors were left in the published version of the article.