For some students at American Falls High School learning, a new language can prove to be challenging. In Caroline Wight’s Language Arts class, students are learning more than just the basics of the English language, they are also learning to understand Spanish and American Sign Language.
As a bilingual teacher, Wight’s class is a mix of native and non-native speakers of English and Spanish. This helps students transition into their other classes where teachers may not be bilingual.
With the addition of Kirie Welch, a senior at AFHS who uses American Sign Language to communicate with, Wight decided not only was she going to learn sign language, but her students were going to learn too.
Each day students begin by practicing the alphabet in sign language, as well as common terms a student might use during the school day. Students have been practicing terms such as: homework, chill, days of the week, and some basic classroom rules and lingo.
This situation has placed Wight in the place of not only being the teacher, but a learner as well.
“What I love about teaching is that there is constantly something new. I always have to think on my feet and come up with something to keep my students engaged,” she explained. “That’s also how I keep myself in a good place. If we’re all learning at the same time, we’re all engaged.”
Wight felt it was important for her students to learn sign language because of the relationship it would build between the student and their classroom community.
“It’s been really cool to see my Spanish speakers get into learning sign. We’re literally learning three languages at the same time,” Wight said. “Kirie has come to me asking what written words mean in Spanish.”
Overall, Wight feels the students are having fun learning sign language and believes it’s good for students to see her struggle with learning this new language.
“My working memory is kind of crap, so it’s taken me more time than most of my students to memorize words and letters in sign. They need to see me work through this; I’m modeling a growth mindset,” Wight acknowledged.
Where Welch is a senior, Wight is not certain as to whether or not she will continue to teach sign after she graduates.
“My goal was to make Kirie feel comfortable, to empower her, and help the other students connect with her and her language,” she concluded.