The College Welcomes New ASL & LSQ Second-Language Courses

April 01 2021

(Toronto) - The Ontario College of Teachers applauds the provincial government's plan to provide high school students with the opportunity to learn American Sign Language (ASL) and Langue des signes québécoise (LSQ) as a second language.

"Diversity and inclusion are foundational pillars of the College's mandate," said Paul Boniferro, Transition Supervisory Officer, Ontario College of Teachers. "We have, and will, always welcome programs that create opportunities to introduce diverse lived experiences to classrooms."

The College is working closely with the Ministry of Education to develop new additional qualifications that will support teachers who will deliver the new ASL and LSQ courses in classrooms this fall.

"It's critical for all of Ontario’s education stakeholders to work together and support student well-being," said Dr. Derek Haime, OCT, Registrar and CEO, Ontario College of Teachers. "The introduction of these courses is another important step towards that goal. We look forward to continued collaboration with the government on this initiative."

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The Ontario College of Teachers licenses, governs and regulates the profession of teaching in the public interest. It sets standards of practice and ethical standards, conducts disciplinary hearings and accredits teacher education programs affecting more than 234,000 members in publicly funded schools and institutions across Ontario. The College is Canada’s largest self-regulatory body.

For more information, contact:

Gabrielle Barkany, OCT, Senior Communications Officer (Bilingual)
416-961-8800, ext. 621
Toll-free 1-888-534-2222, ext. 621

Andrew Fifield, Senior Communications Officer
416-961-8800, ext. 655
Toll-free 1-888-534-2222, ext. 655

Olivia Yu, Senior Communications Officer
416-961-8800, ext. 620
Toll-free 1-888-534-2222, ext. 620