Students throughout the district, who are enrolled in the middle and high schools’ American Sign Language (ASL) courses, attended a unique assembly with performances given by the Little Theatre of the Deaf, which is the children's ensemble troupe of the National Theatre of the Deaf. This troupe’s mission is to simultaneously educate and entertain through their performances. The actors use sign language in an effort to broaden the audience’s awareness, understanding and appreciation of deaf culture.
Using simple props, the actors combined the spoken word with sign language during a performance of a show called “The W 5.” During this act, students were asked to identify the essential components of the story including “who, what, when, where and why.” In addition, students were selected to participate in the presentation of the many other stories that were told, including “Time Machine to 601,” “Why There are Stars in the Sky,” “What Happens Next?” and “Your Game.”
For the students in the audience, the assembly was an opportunity to sharpen their sign language skills. The district’s ASL program is the largest in New York State with over 450 students enrolled.
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