SAN ANTONIO – Macarthur High School students say deaf culture isn’t something to be ignored in San Antonio. As the city continues to expand, they’re offering free sign language classes to help people learn a new way to communicate.
The students are offering free American Sign Language classes to the public on Sundays at the Brookhollow Library this year. The classes, held from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m., started on Oct. 13 and will run until Nov. 24.
Students say it’s a great way for them to get valuable teaching experience while offering the growing community of San Antonio an easier way to engage with deaf culture.
“A lot of people have misconceptions when it comes to deaf people. They will think deaf people — they need help or are seeking help. They do not need help,” said Victoria Madrona, MacArthur High senior and ASL Honor Society treasurer. “They actually want to just communicate with you and have a conversation with you.”
There’s no need to register ahead of time to sign up for the ASL classes, and students say you can show up to any class with any level of experience and they’ll create a lesson for you.
“I want to go into ASL, so I want to be an interpreter. So that’s just a great career to have and it’s also like a useful skill,” said Macarthur Senior and ASL Honor Society President Grace Robinson. “Since not a lot of people know it, it’s very helpful to be able to interpret for other people that don’t understand”.
