Abstract-In this study, the researchers examined how deaf children could demonstrate their awareness of ASL by evaluating the correctness of ASL signs, sentences and discourse presented in stories in American Sign Language (ASL) signed by deaf native signers. To this end, a metalinguistic awareness test--the Test of American Sign Language-Receptive (TASLA-R), was created with eight short stories. The test consisted of 40 items presented in a multiple choice format test. Each of the 40 test items presented correct and incorrect statements about ASL formation using phonology, semantics, morphology, syntax and pragmatic aspects. One hundred and forty deaf children between the ages of 5 and 21 from four state schools for the deaf were administered the TASLA-R. Significant findings were as follows: 1) As the children got older, there was an increase in their ASL metalinguistic awareness and ability to identify incorrect ASL structures; 2) the deaf children of deaf parents group outperformed the deaf children of hearing group on the TASLA-R; 3) comparisons of TASLA-R scores between the junior high group and the high school were not significant; 4) scores on the TASLA-R showed moderate correlation to the English language, vocabulary and reading comprehension subtests on the Stanford Achievement test, 9 th Hearing Impaired edition. These findings were discussed in relation to Ellen Bialystok's (2001) theories of metalinguistic uses of language in cognition and language development and in relation to the learning of ASL of bilingual deaf children.

This presentation will cover the early history of the first few public schools for the Deaf in the world and the far-reaching impact of these schools on the languages and communities of Deaf peoples. We will discuss events leading to the founding of Deaf schools and how these early schools contributed to the formation of over four hundred signed languages. Research shows that language and schools are vital to a child's educational and social development. Language acquisition early in life and continuous learning in signed languages become a springboard to academic and social achievement for Deaf people. As the world moves rapidly toward multilingualism and cultural competency, the trend in Deaf education has moved in the opposite direction. Events in 1880 redirected teaching through signed languages to the over-emphasis on speaking and listening in the majority language, stunting a Deaf person's chances at success and leading to the prevalence of language deprivation. Schools for the Deaf and signed languages are currently under threat. Preserving these schools becomes even more urgent. Through a literature review justifying the benefits of signed languages in schools for the Deaf, we will present the case for more support to schools for the Deaf.