Competencies Important to Teaching ASL: Perceptions between Groups

The data reported in this paper were collected as part of the Job Analysis of Teaching American Sign Language (JATASL) survey. Background variables of the survey respondents was reported on in Newell (1995a, SLS 56), and overall importance ratings for the 105 competency statements included in the survey were reported in Newell (1995b, SLS 57). This paper reports comparisons of group perceptions based on survey respondents’ characteristics; e.g. gender, age, and hearing status. These comparisons show strong consensus among respondents regarding the skills and knowledge important to teaching ASL, with only 13% of the comparisons between groups showing ratings significantly different, and these different by degree only; e.g. Extremely Important vs. Very Important. Respondents grouped by self-rating of signing skills (Native/Native-like, Near-Native, and Advanced) differed on four of the five domains of skill and knowledge competencies being investigated, with the domain measuring the importance of linguistic knowledge (the Linguistics of ASL sub-scale) resulting in the highest level of rating differences. This scale was rated differently when respondents were grouped by Gender, Deaf-Hearing Identity, and Level of Education. The most striking result of these group comparisons is the strong degree of consensus among respondents and this consensus supports the use of JATASL results to guide revision of the ASLTA’s Evaluation and Certification System for teachers of ASL.