A New Science Term With No Agreed Sign
In a Grade 10 integrated science class of 18 Deaf learners, the teacher introduces 'photosynthesis' and 'stomata'. The class has no agreed NSL signs for either term. The hearing teacher's aide proposes fingerspelling the English words every time. A Deaf learner suggests a descriptive sign built from 'sun', 'leaf' and 'air'. Another learner wants to borrow an ASL sign seen on social media. The teacher has 40 minutes, a test in two weeks, and some learners with low English literacy who cannot reliably read long fingerspelled words. The class also needs to record 'CO2', 'O2' and 'two stomata' in a diagram. The teacher must choose a consistent classroom strategy without pretending that a class invention is an established community sign.
1. Recommend a classroom strategy for the two new terms. Justify it against the three proposals.
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Use a two-part strategy: a short fingerspelled English label for written science vocabulary, plus a transparent descriptive sign for classroom discussion. The descriptive sign should be explicitly labelled as a classroom sign, not as an established NSL sign.
- Fingerspelling every time fails for learners with low English literacy and slows the lesson. It also does not show the concept.
- The descriptive sign ('sun' + 'leaf' + 'air') is visually motivated and supports understanding, but it may be long and may not fit every context. It should be used consistently for discussion.
- The borrowed ASL sign should not be adopted automatically. It may be opaque to learners, and borrowing without community discussion can create confusion about what is NSL.
The teacher should write the English term on the board, fingerspell it once, then use the agreed classroom sign consistently. The class should record the decision in a science glossary so the test uses the same forms.
2. How should the teacher handle 'CO2', 'O2' and 'two stomata' in the same lesson?
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These are different vocabulary problems and should not be forced into one solution.
- CO2 and O2 are written chemical formulae. The teacher can fingerspell the letters and simultaneously point to the formula on the diagram. A descriptive sign may be unnecessary and could confuse the chemistry.
- 'Two stomata' needs number incorporation or a clear numeral plus the noun sign. The teacher should show the numeral 'two' integrated with the stomata sign or placed immediately before it, and then point to two locations on the leaf diagram.
- The class should practise the phrase in a diagram-labelling task, not as an isolated drill.
The teacher should keep the written formula visible and use the same sign order each time. If learners invent a different number construction, the teacher should check whether it is a regional or developmental variant before correcting it.
3. How should the test accept different sign choices while still requiring scientific accuracy?
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The test should separate science content from sign form. A learner who uses the class descriptive sign, a fingerspelled label, or a clear combination should be credited if the scientific meaning is correct. The rubric can state:
- correct process identified: credit;
- correct inputs and outputs: credit;
- use of a consistent classroom sign or clear fingerspelling: credit;
- use of an idiosyncratic sign that the teacher cannot interpret: ask for clarification, do not automatically penalise.
The teacher should not require one exact sign as if it were an official NSL standard. At the same time, the class should agree on a shared form for teaching and testing so that learners are not guessing. The glossary should record the agreed classroom sign, its English label and a note that it is a class convention.