"Dancing Hands: A Story of Friendship in Filipino Sign Language" show us that language is music: (Week 2: Diversity Children's Literature Selection)

“Our new neighbors’ hands are dancing”-- Joanna Que & Charina Marquez

        I am so excited to share this wholesome tale of friendship, as my pick for diversity in children’s literature. After I read The Silence Between Us, I wanted to find a children’s picture book that focused of a member of the Deaf community. However, there were not many books to choose from. When I found Dancing Hands: a story of friendship in Filipino sign language, I was elated. Joanna Que & Charina Marquez create a story of not only acceptance for diversity, but a celebration of it. Fran Alvarez’s joyful illustrations provide a whimsical quality to the tale.

         When a new family moves into Sam’s neighborhood, she notices that the family uses facial expressions and their hands to communicate with each other. Sam peaks through their window and wonders what the movements mean. Soon after, Sam meets Mai, but the two do not communicate. The girls meet again and become friends. Sometimes when they play together, they do not understand each other, but this does not discourage them. Instead, it provides a learning opportunity for Sam; Mai teachers her Filipino sign language.

        The book is full of illustrations that show how the girls discuss their interests, dreams, and the world around them. though FSL which are like ASL, but uniquely beautiful. The book features a FSL picture dictionary and an explanation of FSL. It also includes an explanation of the decline of sign languages. I use some ASL in my classroom, so I think my students would be very excited to see the sign for water in this book.

        From this book, I actually learned the Filipino sign language exists: something that I was ignorant of before. The additional information in this book make me curious to explore sign language and other ways people communicate. If you are interested in the topic of sign language and Deaf Culture, I highly recommend reading True Biz by Sara Novic (2022); it covers the history, culture, and dialects of the Deaf Community in a narrative form with tidbits of information about the context of the novel. If you are interested in learning ASL the Oklahoma School for the Deaf offers online courses in the Spring and Fall.

In the Classroom

        This is a book that could be used in a primary classroom anytime of the year. It can be used as a jumpstart conversation about the ways people communicate. A teacher could pair students and give one partner a word to convey to his or her partner without words. I could use this book in a SEL lesson to discuss ways we express our feelings through facial expressions. On the first read aloud of this story, I would read the text and have students guess what the sign means using the pictures as clues. They could check their guesses using the dictionary in the book. If your students are completely unfamiliar with ASL, Kindergarten and First Grade students would benefit from and enjoy See it, Say it, Sign it by Jack Hartman on YouTube. The text in this story is short and the language is not intimidating, so this could be a book that students can read on their own in a First Grade classroom.

We can navigate "The Silence Between Us". (Week 2: Diversity YA Selection)

“Just because you didn’t understand something didn’t make it any less significant.”—Alison Gervais

        This week’s diversity pick, The Silence Between Us follows Maya, a Deaf teenager, as she navigates attending her first hearing school. Prior to her family’s move in the summer between her junior and senior year of high school, Maya attended a school for the Deaf, in which she was immersed in Deaf Culture. Everyone understood her culture and knew sign language. Maya wonders how she will find her place and friends when she is thrown into a world where the only person who speaks her language is Kathleen, her interpreter.

Maya’s first day of school is difficult. While she finds a friend in Nina, the students and faculty confirm Maya’s belief: hearing people do not understand Deaf people. This belief is exacerbated by Beau, the popular scholar, when he is amazed that Maya can speak and asks her why she choses not to. Throughout this story, Maya questions who she truly is and whether she is capable of reaching her goal of becoming a respiratory therapist. Maya was inspired by the doctors that treat her brother’s cystic fibrosis to follow this career path. This spirited teen finds her voice, experiences first love, suffers heartache, and finds a way to bridge the gap between the hearing and Deaf worlds. She shows us all, even if we will never have the same shared experience, we can find understanding.

I love this book for so many reasons. Maya is feisty and unapologetic about her culture and beliefs. However, she is not without faults; Maya is stubborn and has her own biases that are laid bare in detail. I love that this story does not rely on the progression of one or two characters; in fact, most of the characters in this story experience major shifts in understanding. Alison Gervais provides a realistic perspective of young women who is a member of the Deaf community. This glimpse is not always pretty or easy, but it allows readers to find commonality with an underrepresented community. The Silence Between Us provides dialogue that bridges the linguistic aspects of ASL and written language. When Maya is communicating in sign language, the dialogue is written in a short choppy format, for example “you sad, what wrong?” instead of “What’s wrong? You are sad”. Additionally, when Maya is lip reading, the book omits words that Maya cannot decipher. I have gained a lot of knowledge about interacting with Deaf people, Deaf Culture, and how they communicate and navigate the world around them. 

In the Classroom

I would recommend The Silence Between Us to 7- 12th grade classrooms. While this book is written on a 6.9 grade level, readers in secondary school will find the characters and themes relatable. Prior to reading the book, it is important for students to have some background knowledge of Deaf Culture, American Sign Language, hearing aids, and cochlear implants. Creative ASL provides an excellent webquest on Deaf Culture and ASL that can be used as a Cross-curricular activity between History and ELA, linked below. This book lends itself nicely to activities that compare Maya and Beau and activities that discuss the growth of Maya, Beau, Nina, and Maya’s mother. A fun activity to showcase ASL and perhaps, illustrate to students how difficult it may be to learn is to engage in a whole group activity where students watch and interact with the first 10-15 minutes of  Learn Sign Language: Lesson One (Vicars, 2017). Additionally, students could read Draper’s novel Out of my Mind, a story about a girl’s struggle with communication due to her cerebral palsy and compare the texts, characters, and themes. Through this book, students and teachers will gain understanding and appreciation for Deaf Culture. 

References

Creative ASL Teaching. (n.d.). Deaf Awareness Webquest - asl, deaf culture. TPT. https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Deaf-Awareness-WebQuest-ASL-Deaf-Culture-4244879?st=9bb0de0ae4554aeb2e32bc5f8527f465 

Draper, S. M. (2013). Out of my mind. Atheneum Books for Young Readers.

Vicars, B. (2017, November 8). Learn sign language: Lesson 01 (ASL). YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DaMjr4AfYA0&t=17s

"You Should See Me in a Crown", because we all shine bright! (Week 1: SEL YA Selection)

“I never needed this race, or a hashtag, or the king to be a queen. I was born royalty. All I had to do was pick up my crown." --Leah Johnson

        While exploring the theme of Social Emotional Learning in YA novels I came across this “obscene” piece of literature that is really quite innocent, You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson. Yes, the main character is a queer teen; yes, the book does include a couple lines of vocabulary that are frowned upon as indecent by society. However, when we dive deeper into the story; readers explore themes that are common in young adult literature: teen angst, social pressure, and issues with self-esteem. This novel is the embodiment of the geek to prom queen trope with a twist. 

Liz Lightly is a high school senior navigating the intricacies of fitting into an upper-class, Midwestern town as an economically challenged, black youth. Liz struggles with insecurity, anxiety, and a sense of awkwardness. When the scholarship to Pennington College falls through, Liz’s dreams of escaping Campbell, Indiana to eventually become a doctor are in peril. However, inspired by her brother, Liz and her friends devise a plan to turn this social outcast into the Prom Queen in the hopes of winning the scholarship the title provides. Throughout the novel, Liz faces anxiety, challenges with friends, and societal pressures all while dealing with the loss of her mother and the very real possibility that her brother may fall victim to the same fate. This novel challenges readers to be true to themselves and don their own crowns. 

In the Classroom

The themes of this novel make it a great book for high school students to delve into. There are a variety of conflicts to explore in this story: man vs. man, man vs. nature, man vs. self, man vs. society; teachers could facilitate a variety of discussions or group assignments for students to find evidence of these conflicts. Students could write a scene in this story from the perspective of a supporting character; this would be an excellent extension. A fun idea would be to watch The Princess Diaries after reading the novel and encourage students to prepare a synthesis or comparative essay. Since the novel discusses a technique Liz uses to ground herself when she is feeling anxious, I would be remiss if I did not mention that this would be an excellent starting point for discussing methods students can use to deal with stress, anxiety, and other emotions. 

"The Day you Begin" to share yourself is the day you are seen! (Week 1-SEL Children's Selection)

  "Your own voice, once huge, now smaller"-- Jacqueline Woodson       

               This week we will explore the Jane Addams Children's Book Award winner, The Day You Begin. Jacqueline Woodson's poetic words come to life with lovely  illustrations created by Rafael Lopez. The beautifully crafted characters and illustrations create a universe that I want to climb into to experience this charming world first hand.

        Woodson's children's book explores the dreaded first day of school after a long summer break. The characters navigate emotions children face when they aren’t sure what the new year will bring. Feelings of inferiority and otherness plague these youngsters as they interact with their peers during introductions, at lunch, and during recess.

Rigoberto, a student who has just arrived from Venezuela, struggles when students do not understand the language that is so precious to him

Angelina struggles with feelings of inadequacy when other students discuss their travels of summer, while she spent hers taking care of her sister.

When Angelina boldly discusses her summer experience, she and Rigeberto find common ground. Suddenly, the room that felt full so foreign became familiar. We are all encouraged to push past fear in order to discover the commonalities on which friendship grows.

In the Classroom

This story is an excellent introduction to exploring the commonalities between students as well as fears they may have entering a new school year. While activities need to be tailored to student interest and ability, I would recommend this story for students in 1st - 5th grade. While reading the story the teacher could ask questions that prompt the students to empathize with the characters. I would also create an interest survey or activity where students would be prompted to find another student that shares a similar interest or answer to a question. For earlier grades, a teacher might use this as a gentle introduction to story maps, by identifying the beginning, middle, and end of the story.