It is easy to mix up a language with the teaching approach built around it, but they are not the same thing. Use this comparison chart to keep them clear: on one side are languages such as American Sign Language, English, and other spoken and signed languages; on the other are the instructional approaches often paired with them, like listening and spoken language, bilingual-bimodal teaching, and balanced literacy. Seeing the two side by side helps teams talk precisely about language and method, and make bilingual decisions without confusing the language a child uses with the way that child is taught.
Because of your selected audience type, you may also enjoy the following related resources.
A walkthrough tool administrators use to observe literal translation, where students compare ASL and English directly to see how each language builds meaning through structure.
A form observers use to give teachers feedback on how they use instructional time, language, and language modeling in an ASL/English bilingual classroom.
A walkthrough checklist administrators use during class visits to capture evidence of ongoing, ASL/English accessible assessment that guides day-to-day instruction.