Enabling Pedagogy and Andragogy for 21st-Century Sign Language Users and Learners

Enabling pedagogy and andragogy is discussed as a form of lifelong learning in which learners attain competences and skills as children (pedagogy) and as adults (andragogy) that enable them to engage in independent learning in the 21st century. Throughout the article the author avoids as much as possible the labels "deaf" and "hearing" and instead use "sign language learner" or "sign language user" to refer to persons who wish to learn, study, and use sign language as a first or second language. Such terminology is used in order to focus on language acquisition rather than hearing status. When a second language is involved, bilingualism must be addressed. The internationally known researcher on all kinds of bilingualism, François Grosjean (2001), writes about the deaf person as being bilingual and often even multilingual. He argues that not only are most deaf persons bilingual, but that every deaf child, whatever the level of his/her hearing loss, should have the right to grow up bilingual. By knowing and using both a sign language and an oral language... the child will attain his/her full cognitive, linguistic, and social capabilities. [This article is excerpted from Hermann-Shores, P. (2016). "Enabling Pedagogy and Andragogy for 21st Century Sign Language Users and Learners." In G. A. M. De Clerck & P. V. Paul (Eds.), "Sign Language, Sustainable Development, and Equal Opportunities" (pp. 91-104). Washington, DC: Gallaudet University Press.]