Ralena McDevitt, M.A., an instructional assistant professor of American Sign Language in the UF College of Public Health and Health Professions’ Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, presented at the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages Annual Convention and World Languages Expo held November 22-24 in Philadelphia.
Ralena shared strategies and insights with educators passionate about teaching American Sign Language through her presentation, “ASL Activities for Large Groups of Students.”
This year’s convention marked a major milestone in ASL education, she said.
“ACTFL officially recognized the Sign Language Special Interest Group for the first time. This recognition signifies a pivotal step forward in advocating for ASL and its inclusion within the broader language education community.”
About 45 ASL teachers, including Ralena and Zulma “Yary” Santiago, M.A., an instructional associate professor in the Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, attended the convention, which created opportunities for networking and collaboration.
“It was inspiring to connect with both familiar colleagues and new faces, exchanging ideas and celebrating the growth of our field,” Ralena said.
This was Yary’s first year attending the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages Annual Convention and World Languages Expo and she is already brainstorming presentation proposal ideas for next year’s convention, to be held in New Orleans.
“During the conference, I had the privilege of meeting many amazing ASL professors and gained valuable insights from their presentations,” Yary said. “The experience was incredible inspiring and gave me ideas on how to improve my teaching practices and better empower my students to enhance their language skills.”