THE COLLEGE OF STATEN ISLAND Department of World Languages and Literatures Program in American Sign Language ASL 215--AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE IV Instructor: Russell S. Rosen, Ph.D. Email: Russell.Rosen@csi.cuny.edu Office: 2S--117A Hours: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 2:30-4:00 pm * COURSE DESCRIPTION This course is a continuation of ASL 213 course. Topics to be covered are: education and occupation; medicine and health; travel; and the Deaf Expo. Materials on basic conversational aspects in ASL will be introduced for the students to talk education and occupations, health, food, and the exposition of deaf people. This course provides opportunities for students to use ASL in different situations that reflect real-life experiences. Regular attendance in the ASL Club and the Modern Language Media Center is required. * STUDENT LEARNING OBJECTIVES Students will learn vocabulary and grammar. The students will also apply vocabularies and grammars learned, and develop skits to reflect real-life situations in ASL for each topic. They will also perform the skits and demonstrate advanced proficiency in American Sign Language as defined by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL). Through completion of the required assignments and participation in class activities, students will acquire skills in receptive and expressive language functions in interactive contexts, in getting attention, negotiating a signing environment, exchanging, confirming and correcting information, expressing degrees of uncertainty, and asking for clarification and repetition, using appropriate phonological, lexical, syntactical, semantical, and pragmatic aspects of American Sign Language. * REQUIRED TEXTS There is no textbook to purchase for the course. Student worksheets for the course are drawn from three units in the ASL at Work (Newell, et. al.) textbook. The materials are available on Blackboard. *
COURSE REQUIREMENTS 1. Attendance Continuous attendance in class is required. Unexcused absences will LOWER YOUR GRADE. If you know you will be absent from class make arrangements for a classmate to take notes and collect handouts for you. Getting notes and class handouts are student s responsibility, not the instructor. 3 OR MORE LATE ARRIVALS EQUALS 1 ABSENCE. Excused absences and lateness must be accompanied with medical documentation. 2. Assignments ALL ASSIGNMENTS ARE DUE AT THE BEGINNING OF CLASS ONE WEEK AFTER THE COMPLETION OF THE UNIT including all videos, papers, and YouTube links to instructor s email submissions. If assignments are handed-in after 10 minutes, it will be considered as a late assignment. Late assignments will be reduced by a letter grade. Assignments received after due dates will not be accepted: After the due dates, papers will not be read, videos will not be watched and the grade will be an F. Notes and information from the lecture or upcoming events will occasionally be on Blackboard or sent to you by your instructor. It is your responsibility to print out the notes and documents. 3. In-Class Performances There will be THREE in-class performances. Students will work in groups and create skits that reflect real-life situations for each of the unit topics in the course. 4. Unit examinations There will be THREE unit examinations in the course, one examination per unit. 5. Final Examination The final examination will cover the entire course. 6. Analytical Paper: Deaf Events and ASL Club Meetings Students must attend a combination of FOUR Deaf events and ASL Club meetings. A minimum of one Deaf event and ASL Club is mandatory; the rest can be distributed among the Deaf events and ASL Club meetings as students can attend. If an event or meeting is scheduled during class time, the class will be informed that attendance of the event or meeting will count as satisfying
one requirement and will not result in an absence if attended. The instructor will announce Deaf events periodically. The ASL Club meetings are held during Thursday club hours in 2S-219. Students will choose a topic, create questions to do research, attend Deaf events and ASL Club meetings, make notes on their observations from Deaf events and ASL Club meetings, and write and hand in ONE analytical paper based on their notes on their experiences at the Deaf events and ASL Club meetings. Analytical papers should be between 750 words and 1,000 words long. **** COURSE AND INSTRUCTOR POLICIES Instructional Strategies This course will be taught voice off meaning that all instructions will be done in American Sign Language. Students will be expected to participate in class using entirely American Sign Language. The method of instruction utilized in this course will be lecture, class discussions, demonstrations, individual and small group work as well as large group instruction. Worksheets, role playing and expressive activities will be prepared to reinforce the information, vocabulary and skills presented. The use of specific audio-visual materials, games, stories and video-taping individual students for peer-teacher evaluation will supplement classroom instructions. Classroom Decorum All cellphones, smartphones, and pagers must be turned-off or set to vibrate. If a student needs to answer personal calls, he/she must leave the classroom. Texting and phone usage is prohibited during class sessions. If student use phone or texting during class, the student will be instructed to leave the classroom and return for the next class session. If this occurs, it is students responsibility to obtain class notes and handouts from classmates. The ASL classroom is a NO-VOICE environment. We insist on maintaining a signing environment at all times inside and outside of classrooms. If a Deaf person comes to class for any reason, no talking will be tolerated under any circumstances. All communication must be expressed through sign language. RESPECT AND DECENCY IS REQUIRED FROM ALL STUDENTS AT ALL TIMES. FAILURE TO ACT IN A RESPECTFUL AND DECENT MANNER WILL RESULT IN IMMEDIATE DISCIPLINARY ACTION.
As a college student, it s his/her responsibility to inform the instructor of any situations that may affect his/her performance or fall behind in assignments. No considerations will be given after the fact. Academic Integrity In compliance with the College s policy on academic integrity, cheating, plagiarism, or obtaining an unfair advantage is prohibited. The instructor retains the right to: 1) Issue a failing grade for the assignment, 2) Issue a failing grade for the course, and/or remove the student from the course if a student has violated this policy. Reading from a script provides the student with an unfair advantage and will result in the aforementioned actions. Finally, American Sign Language is a doing language. Students who rely solely on studying class materials will not progress at the same rate as students who take an active part in the Deaf community. * Final Grade Breakdown Grading System Attendance and Class Participation 20% A 96-100 4 Unit Assignments 20% A- 91-95 4 Unit Examinations 20% B+ 86-90 4 Performance Skits 20% B 81-85 1 Deaf Events and ASL Club Paper 20% B- 76-80 Total: 100% C 66-70 D 60-65 Passing * TOPICS OF STUDY
January 30 Introduction Course Description, Requirements, Visits to Deaf Community Overview of Course Syllabus February 1, 6, 8, 13, and 15 Education and Occupation Topics: Education institutions Education levels Subjects, Majors, Minors Types of occupations Job tasks, duties and responsibilities Homework #1: Read ASL at Work, Units 3 and 5 Complete and hand-in Unit 3 Comprehensive Practice 3.1, 3.2, 3.3. Complete and hand-in Unit 5 Comprehensive Practice 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4, 5.5 In-class Performance #1: Work in groups, develop skits, and give performances. February 22 Unit Examination #1 Dialogue and Q/A with classmates Narrate about your education and future school and employment plans. Students meet in World Languages and Literatures Media Lab, room 2S-114.
February 27, March 1, 6, 8, and 13 Body and Health Topics: Body parts (anatomy). Body functions (physiology). Sicknesses and Illnesses: Diagnosis. Types of treatments for different sicknesses and illnesses Food and Health: Food Groups Healthy Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Snacks Homework #2: Read ASL at Work, Unit 12 Complete and hand-in Unit 12 Comprehension Practice 12.1, 12.2, 12.3, 12.4, 12.5. In-class Performance #2: Work in groups, develop skits, and give performances. March 15 Unit Examination #2 Dialogue and Q/A with classmates Narrate about your past experiences with illnesses, causes, diagnoses, medical visits, treatments, and prognoses. Students meet in World Languages and Literatures Media Lab, room 2S-114. March 20 and 22 Film showing and discussion Holcomb, See What I Mean? Class discussion Holcomb, American Deaf Culture (book) Holcomb, See What I Mean? (video) March 27, 29, April 10, 12, and 17 Travel and Vacation Topics: Vacation Places Vacation activities Transportation Lodging Museums and Historical Landmarks Food and Restaurants Travel itinerary
Homework #3: Read ASL at Work, Unit 11 Complete and hand-in Unit 11 Comprehension Practice 11.1, 11.2, 11.3, 11.4. In-class Performance #3: Work in groups, develop skits, and give performances. April 3 and 5 No class. Spring break. April 19 Unit Examination #3 Dialogue and Q/A with classmates Narrate about your education and future school and employment plans. Students meet in World Languages and Literatures Media Lab, room 2S-114. April 24, 26, May 8, 10 Deaf Expo Topics: Deaf exposition Deaf community and Deaf culture Exhibitions Clothing Jewelry Arts and Crafts Shows In-class Performance #4: Work in groups, develop skits, and give performances. May 1 and 3 No class. Conference. May 15 Unit Examination #4 Dialogue and Q/A with classmates Narrate about your experiences with flea markets.
Students meet in World Languages and Literatures Media Lab, room 2S-114.