From Awards to the Stage: the Rise of High School Asl Programs in 2026
By Maya Lin-Takahashi
Q1: Does high school ASL count as a foreign language for college admissions?
Yes. In the overwhelming majority of US states, public universities and private colleges recognize multi-year secondary ASL sequences as fulfilling standard world language entrance requirements.
Q2: What is the main difference between Signed Exact English (SEE) and ASL in high school?
Signed Exact English is a manual communication code that mimics English word order, prefixes, and suffixes. American Sign Language is an independent, natural language possessing its own distinct visual-spatial syntax, idiomatic expressions, and grammatical rules.
Q3: How do high schools evaluate student performance without written exams?
Teachers assess students through video recordings, unscripted interpersonal conversations, and live expressive presentations. Tests evaluate spatial organization, classifier usage, vocabulary accuracy, and non-manual facial grammar under real-time receptive conditions.
Maya is a hardware enthusiast who tests and reviews smart home devices, smartphones, wearables, and audio gear. She focuses on practical consumer value and build quality.
