American Sign Language I SGNL 2311E Beginning American Sign Language

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1 American Sign Language I SGNL 2311E Beginning American Sign Language Contact Information and Office Hours Instructor: Traci Gorsuch Prather Master of Science in Rehabilitation Counseling: Texas Tech University 2005 BEI certified ASL interpreter Level I 1999 Bachelor of Art English: West Texas A&M University 1991 American Sign Language certified teacher tprather@canyonisd.net Office Phone/Office Hours: I do not have an office on campus. If you need to contact me by phone during the day you may do so at (urgent calls only) (806) ext It will go to voice mail if I am teaching class. Leave a message and I will call you back as soon as possible. After 4:00 pm you may reach me at my cell phone (806) Syllabus Purpose: This syllabus sets forth the policies, procedures, materials and assignments for this course. Required Texts and Materials Zinza, Jason E. Master ASL! Level I. 6 th ed. Burtonsville, MD: Sign Media, Inc, (This is a packet that includes the hardback text, the Student Companion, a separate, soft-cover book focusing on developing fingerspelling, numbers, and glossing skills, and DVD.) ISBN Moore, Matthew and Levitan, Linda. For Hearing People Only. 3 rd ed. Rochester, NY: Deaf Life Press ISBN Course Description This introductory course to American Sign Language (ASL) includes finger spelling, vocabulary, basic sentence structure, history, Deaf culture, current trends, principles of linguistics and grammatical structures. Basic expressive skills using the manual alphabet, numbers, and signs prepare the student to communicate on a basic level with deaf individuals. Syllabus Page 1 of 8

2 Purpose and Goals of the Course: ASL as a Language The purpose of this course is to introduce learners to fundamentals of American Sign Language. The goals of this course are: the ability to express basic concepts using ASL, compare and contrast some aspects of Deaf Culture, and explain the basic linguistic components of ASL. It is a visual language and it has its own grammatical rules and semantics. ASL is primarily used by deaf and hard of hearing Americans and Canadians. In addition, ASL is used by: hearing children of deaf parents; hearing siblings and relatives of the deaf and hearing adults who are becoming deaf and are learning ASL from other deaf individuals. Additionally, a growing population of hearing, second language students are learning ASL in the elementary, secondary and post-secondary classrooms. ASL is deeply rooted in the Deaf Community and Culture. Early sign language was already in use in Colonial America, notably in Martha s Vineyard, an island off the Massachusetts coast where many deaf people once lived. In 1817, Laurent Clerc, the first deaf teacher in America came from Paris, France to Hartford, Connecticut, with Thomas Gallaudet to set up the first school for the deaf. He used French Sign Language (FSL) in his teachings, which lead to the standardization of early American Sign Language into modern American Sign Language. The folklore, the history of Deaf people and cultural values are expressed and preserved through ASL. Objectives/Student Learning Outcomes The students in this course will: Learning Outcome 1: demonstrate the ability to present and comprehend information presented in American Sign Language based on Master ASL! Units 1-5. Topics include: introducing oneself, exchanging personal information, talking about surroundings, telling where you live, talking about your family and telling about activities. Learning Outcome 2: demonstrate the ability to EXPRESS information in American Sign Language based on Master ASL! Units 1-5 Topics include: introducing oneself, exchanging personal information, talking about surroundings, telling where you live, talking about your family, and telling about activities. Learning Outcome 3: learn the differences and similarities of cultural norms and behaviors of people who are deaf based upon interaction with the local deaf community and For Hearing People Only. Learning Outcome 4: learn the linguistic components of American Sign Language based on Master ASL! Syllabus Page 2 of 8

3 Course Requirements and Evaluation There are a total of six assessments: three unit exams (Units 1-3), deaf contact time, class participation and the final exam. Unit Exams: (3) Comprehensive assessments covering material from the Unit studied. These exams are given in two sections. One section is receptive (vocabulary, numbers, fingerspelling and sentences) and the other section is a written format regarding ASL grammar, Deaf culture and its community. The content from Units 4 and 5 will be not tested on a Unit Exam. It will be included on the final exam. (100 points per exam) 300 points total Deaf Time Log (community Interaction/conversation): There will be activities in the local Deaf community that students are encouraged to attend to begin conversational skills with a deaf person and exposure to the Deaf culture/community. Students attend 10 hours of Deaf Time. A log sheet is provided with this syllabus to record contact hours. Information regarding the meeting time and places for this activity will be provided as the semester progresses. 100 points. Class Participation: ASL is a visual and participatory language. Students are expected to participate and show their progress in class. You will be assigned a participation grade for each class meeting. If you fail to attend, a grade will not be assigned for that day. A signup sheet will be made available at the beginning of each class. You must sign the sheet to verify your attendance. The signatures will be verified during class. Do not ask someone to sign for you in your absence. If you are unable to attend a class, please contact me ahead of time. 70 points (5 points per class meeting) Final Exam: A written, comprehensive final exam will be given at the end of the semester during the regularly scheduled final exam time. The exam will cover key concepts discussed during the semester specifically from Master ASL! Units 1-5 and selected chapters (1-65) from For Hearing People Only. The exams will be given as scheduled unless the college is closed due to bad weather. In the event that classes are cancelled, the exam will be given at the next scheduled class period. The final exam will not exceed two and one-half hours. 100 points Grade Computation: Your final grade for this course is based on the 3 unit exams, the final exam, the Deaf Log, and class participation (14 class meetings not counting the final exam taken in week 15). A maximum total of 570 points can be earned in this course. Assessments % of Final Grade Grading Scale passed on Points Earned Unit Exams 50% A = Final Exam 20% B = Deaf Time Log 20% C = Class Participation 10% D = F = 247 and below Syllabus Page 3 of 8

4 Policies and Responsibilities Cell phones and pagers: Please keep cell phones in the off or silent position. If a family emergency is imminent, please let the instructor know before class. You will be allowed then to put your phone on vibrate mode. Texting: Texting is not allowed during class. Food and beverages: Due to the length of class, snacks are permitted. Academic Integrity- All work must be completed individually unless otherwise stated. Commission of any of the following acts shall constitute scholastic dishonesty: acquiring or providing information for any assigned work or examination from any unauthorized source; informing any person or persons of the contents of any examination prior to the time the exam is given in any subsequent sections of the course or as a makeup; plagiarism; submission of a paper or project that is substantially the same for two courses unless expressly authorized by the instructor to do so. For more information, see the Code of Student Life 1. Acceptable Student Behavior Classroom behavior should not interfere with the instructor s ability to conduct the class or the ability of other students to learn from the instructional program (Code of Student Life). Unacceptable or disruptive behavior will not be tolerated. Students engaging in unacceptable behavior may be instructed to leave the classroom. Inappropriate behavior may result in disciplinary action or referral to the University s Behavioral Intervention Team. This prohibition applies to all instructional forums, including electronic, classroom, labs, discussion groups, field trips, etc. ADA Statement West Texas A&M University seeks to provide reasonable accommodations for all qualified persons with disabilities. This University will adhere to all applicable federal, state and local laws, regulations and guidelines with respect to providing reasonable accommodations as required to afford an equal educational opportunity. It is the student's responsibility to register with Student Disability Services 2 (SDS) and to contact faculty members in a timely fashion to arrange for suitable accommodations. Contact Information: Student Success Center, CC 106; phone (806) Syllabus Page 4 of 8

5 Evacuation Statement If you receive notice to evacuate the building, please evacuate promptly but in an orderly manner. Evacuation routes are posted in various locations indicating all exits, outside assemble area, location of fire extinguishers, fire alarm pull stations and emergency telephone numbers ( or 911). In the event an evacuation is necessary: evacuate immediately do not use elevators; take all personal belongings with you; report to outside assembly area and wait for further information; students needing assistance in the evacuation process should bring this to the attention of the instructor at the beginning of the semester. Tentative Class Schedule Class Meeting Date Week 1 Assignment Intro to ASL I Unit 1 Week 2 Unit 1 Week 3 Unit 1 Week 4 Test Unit 1 Begin Unit 2 Week 5 Unit 2 Topics to be Covered Unit 1 Objectives: *To learn proper greetings and farewells in ASL *To introduce yourself and others *To learn basic ASL sentence structure *To ask and answer questions *To learn how to interact appropriately with Deaf people *To learn the role of facial expression and NMS Unit 2 Objectives: *To ask for help and clarification in ASL *To engage in basic conversation on a variety of topics *To understand the cultural view of deafness *To improve familiarity with ASL grammar and structure *To learn and apply WHsigns and facial expression *To understand iconic and non-iconic signs Week 6 Unit 2 Syllabus Page 5 of 8

6 Week 7 Week 8 Test Unit 2 Begin Unit 3 Spring Break *To expand ASL skills and topics of conversation Unit 3 Objectives: *To understand topiccomment structure *To incorporate numbers in conversation *To understand how ASL name signs are made *To use possessive signs and deixis appropriately *To talk about favorites Week 9 Unit 3 Week 10 Test Unit 3 Begin Unit 4 Week 11 Unit 4 Week 12 Unit 4 and Unit 5 Week 13 Unit 5 Unit 4 Objectives: *To recognize and use gender distinction in ASL *To understand and use contrastive structure *To gain exposure to Deaf art *To sign about family, friends and relationships *To use pronoun signs appropriately Unit 5 Objectives: *To improve conversational skills *To sign about school and school life *To identify and use the Agent Marker appropriately *To understand contemporary Deaf education options *To understand and use classifiers *To tell time and sign about time related issues Week 14 Complete Unit 5 Semester test review Units 4 and 5 Week 15 For Hearing People Only Week 16 Final exam Syllabus Page 6 of 8

7 This schedule is subject to change due to changes and scheduling activities, deaf events, guest speakers and weather. You will be responsible for keeping up with the DVD in the Master ASL and the readings in For Hearing People Only. Syllabus Page 7 of 8

8 Deaf time log You must have 10 hours of Deaf contact time. Document correctly and don t forget to get information to attach to the form! You may use a Ziploc bag to collect and turn in on the night of the final exam. 1. Event Date Signature of person of authority Total hours: Syllabus Page 8 of 8