Let FSL be declared as the National Language for the Deaf but to mandate it as the medium of instruction in schools is questionable.In my opinion this issue is like declaring Filipino as our National Language but do we make it a law in the Philippines for ALL our schools to use it as the medium of instruction? School is a formal set up where we educate them and guide them as they become productive and self-sufficient individuals. What FSL fails to do is that it fails to develop the reading(written) and writing skills of those who use it because FSL DOES NOT FOLLOW A FORMAL GRAMMAR.Does it matter? YES IT DOES. The very reason why we have schools that use SEE (Signing Exact English) and Oral Deaf schools (where they don't use sign language and rely on lip reading), is that we want leave it to our brothers and sister who are deaf to make their choice and choose the school that uses a curriculum where they will BEST BENEFIT. Leave the schools out of this.

#8: Anika -

There is no DepEd mandate that Filipino be used as medium of instruction in all Philippine schools, but they are pushing for the use of the mother tongue to be used instead (see http://www.deped.gov.ph/cpanel/uploads/issuanceImg/Enclosure%201.pdf).

Is SEE the mother tongue of the majority of Deaf people? NO.

Are there proofs that SEE is a better medium of instruction than FSL, nor proofs that it indeed helped the Deaf students have better English skills? I DONT THINK SO.

Yes, you are right that FSL does not follow a formal grammar --- if your basis is the written/spoken English. But as the Deaf people have been painstakingly making some misguided hearing people understand, FSL IS A VISUAL LANGUAGE THAT HAS ITS OWN SYNTAX AND GRAMMAR.

You are saying we leave the decision to the Deaf people regarding this issue? Yes, that's what we are doing --- and the Deaf are clamoring that FSL be used instead. But why is it that certain hearing people --- albeit not fully aware of the deaf's learning process nor fully understanding sign linguistics --- keep getting in the way of what the majority of the Deaf community want --- and pretending they know what is best for the Deaf?

Lastly, schools cannot be left out of this issue because this is where they will have their first formal exposure to sign language.

#8: Anika -

what you are saying is like, "hey, Filipino shouldn't be taught in the schools, because its grammar is not formal."

take this example:

Filipino: "Mahirap ako kasi wala akong trabaho."
English: "Poor me because no me work." (that's a direct, word for word translation, and in your point of view, we could clearly say that Filipino grammar is wrong? No, absolutely not. The grammar is simply different.

Now, as hearing people, who are we to say that FSL does not follow a formal grammar? Can't it not be their grammar and not ours? Of course. In the same way that Filipino does not follow English grammar, FSL does not need to follow it either, and should not. The world is a place rich with language, and each one deserves respect. I think it is high time that the Filipino Deaf be able to decide for themselves in which language they wish to learn. Why force upon an entire group of people to learn using a signed system (SEE) that was developed by hearing people after the Milan Conference of 1880? If you would read about the oppressive history that led up to the emergence of SEE, perhaps you would understand this much better. 

I do sincerely hope that in the near future, we see FSL in the classroom being used by Deaf students and teachers alike.

More power :)

#8: Anika -

Anika are you working with Deaf People?

 

#8: Anika -

"What FSL fails to do is that it fails to develop the reading(written) and writing skills of those who use it because FSL DOES NOT FOLLOW A FORMAL GRAMMAR.Does it matter? YES IT DOES"

In response to this part of your statement..it was claimed by the Department of Education through it's Special Education Division that they have been using SEE as medium of instructions for years in all pubic schools as a result they have been producing graduates with poor English reading and writting skills shouldn't be the blame put to SEE not FSL?..

Further more FSL has it's own unique language stracture, syntax, grammar that differentiate it from any spoken language so it shouldn't be compared to any spoken language like English which have it's language structures of it's own..Sign language does not equates Spoken language..

#8: Anika -