CASPER COLLEGE COURSE SYLLABUS ASL1200 Section 01 American Sign Language I FALL 2016 Lecture Hours: 4 Lab Hours: 0 Credit Hours: 4 Class Time: 8:00-9:00 a.m. Days: Monday-Thurs Room: LH 283 Instructor: Gail Schenfisch, MS RID CI/CT, QMHI, Legal Certificate Candidate Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf: Certificate of Interpreting (CI) Certificate of Transliteration (CT), and Qualified Mental Health Interpreter (QMHI) Instructor's Contact: Office located in LH 296 Office Phone: (307) 268-2588 Office Hours: Monday 7:00-8:00 a.m., Monday- Thursday 10:00-11:00 a.m. Email: gschenfisch@caspercollege.edu Course Description: This course will provide beginning level knowledge of American Sign Language, fingerspelling, deafness, and deaf culture. Emphasis will be on developing receptive and expressive language skills within the parameters of sign language using the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Language 5C s to include: Communication, Culture, Connections, Comparisons and Community. Statement of Prerequisites: No prerequisites for this course. Goal: To apply conversational strategies to develop and maintain conversation at a basic level of communicative competency in American Sign Language. Outcomes: #1 Demonstrate effective signed and receptive communication [oral and written comparatives] #4 Demonstrate knowledge of diverse cultures and historical perspectives #5 Appreciate aesthetic and creative activities Course Objectives: Students will develop an understanding of American Sign Language, Deaf culture, its diversity, and the historical development of American Sign Language in the U.S. and Canada. Students will be exposed to deaf cultures from around the world and current sociological issues as they relate to deafness. Methodology: Focus will be on introducing language in context and reinforcing skill development through a variety of interactive activities. Students will learn to expressively and receptively fingerspell, produce individual signs, and produce combinations of signs and phrases using correct grammar through teaching models, demonstrations, cultural interactions, structured activities as well as group work. Work will be evaluated through written receptive tests, individual projects, group feedback and observations. The direct experience method will be used to enhance language acquisition. Evaluation Criteria: 90-100=A, 80-89=B, 70-79=C, 60-69=D 59 and below = F Assignments & Quizzes, Midterm, Final Exam will be considered equally for grading purposes. All work will be graded using point correct out of total points (example 9/10). Points will be averaged from the total number of possible points and the grade will be determined using the above criteria. Page 1 of 5
Attendance is critical to you success. Students will be allowed up to three unexcused absences per semester. Each unexcused absence after three will result in a reduction of your final grade by half a letter grade. Beyond these 3 absences, only a college sanctioned absence or medical absence will be excused (an official college or department excuse form or a note from your doctor or campus nurse will be necessary to excuse you. The note must be submitted by the next class meeting following your absence.) No absences of any kind will excuse you from class responsibilities. 3 absences = no grade reduction 4 absences = a half letter grade reduction of your final grade 5 absences = a complete letter reduction in final grade and so on Tardiness: Attendance will be taken promptly at the start of class. If you enter the room after the roll call has been completed, you will be considered tardy. 3 tardies = 1 absence. Assignments are due on the posted date. Assignments will be accepted one day late with reduction of one letter grade. It is the student s responsibility to follow up with the teacher if you are absent. Late assignments after the grace day will NOT be accepted. No electronic submissions will be accepted for written work. Written receptive quizzes will be administered for each unit. *****Casper College may collect samples of student work demonstrating achievement of the above outcomes. Any personally identifying information will be removed from student work. Required Text, Readings, and Materials: Learning American Sign Language (2 nd ed.) WITH DVD-by Humphries and Padden ISBN 0205275532 or ISBN-13:9780205275533 Deaf Like Me by Spradley and Spradley Gallaudet University Press; Reissue edition (January 1, 1985) ISBN-10: 0930323114, ISBN-13: 978-0930323110 See above for attendance policy as it relates to your grade. Class Policies: Last Date to Change to Audit Status or to Withdraw with a W Grade: (withdrawal deadline; see: Admission and Registration Schedule Changes in the catalog) Student Rights and Responsibilities: Please refer to the Casper College Student Conduct and Judicial Code for information concerning your rights and responsibilities as a Casper College Student. Chain of Command: If you have any problems with this class, you should first contact the instructor to attempt to solve the problem. If you are not satisfied with the solution offered by the instructor, you should then take the matter through the appropriate chain of command starting with the Department Chair/Program Director, the Dean, and lastly the Vice President for Academic Affairs. Academic Code Violations: (Cheating and Plagiarism) Casper College demands academic honesty. Academic code violations focus on academic dishonesty, which includes but is not limited to, cheating, plagiarism, buying, selling, or stealing exams; substituting for another person, collusion when collaboration is not approved; knowingly furnishing false information; and copyright violations. Violations of the college's academic code can result in a range of negative consequences from failing a graded assignment to expulsion from the college. See the Student Code of Conduct for more information on this topic. Students plagiarizing any portion of work may be immediately withdrawn from class by the instructor. Academic dishonesty is not tolerated in this classroom. Official Means of Communication: Casper College faculty and staff will employ the student's Page 2 of 5
assigned Casper College email account as a primary method of communication. Students are responsible to check their account regularly. This is also, where you will find course evaluation links during course evaluation periods. ADA Accommodations Policy: If you need academic accommodations because of a disability, please inform me as soon as possible. See me privately after class, or during my office hours. To request academic accommodations, students must first consult with the college s Disability Services Counselor located in the Gateway Building, Room 344, (307) 268-2557, bheuer@caspercollege.edu. The Disability Services Counselor is responsible for reviewing documentation provided by students requesting accommodations, determining eligibility for accommodations, and helping students request and use appropriate accommodations. Harassment and discrimination: Casper College seeks to provide an environment that is free of bias, discrimination and harassment. If you have been the victim of sexual harassment/gender or sex discrimination/sexual misconduct/assault, we encourage you to report this. If you report this to an employee, she or he must notify our college's Title IX Coordinator, Linda Toohey, Associate Vice President for Student Services, 125 College Drive, GW 412, Casper, WY 82601; (307) 268-2667; linda.toohey@caspercollege.edu about the basic facts of the incident. Employee concerns should be directed to the Human Resources Director. For more information about your options, please go to: caspercollege.edu/nondiscrimination The provided syllabus is your guide for this course; specific information regarding assignments will be given in class. Assignments are subject to revision and /or deletion based upon the instructor s assessment of needs and progress of the class working from the syllabus. The only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision Helen Keller Page 3 of 5
American Sign Language I ASL 1200 Student Calendar - Fall 2016 Instructor - Gail Schenfisch, MS RID IC, CI/CT, QMHI WEEK 1 Aug 22-Aug 25 Unit 1 Introductions and Personal Information Deaf Culture pre-test * Info questions, nods, Repeat pronouns WEEK 2 Aug 29-Sept 1 Unit 2 Learning ASL /common letter combinations 25 slow Deaf Like Me Chapters 1-3 (Unit 1) Due Wednesday *Yes/no questions, repeating verb, there/here, info questions WEEK 3 Sept 5 No Class - Labor Day Sept 6-8 Unit 3 Politeness / common letter combinations 1-25 med. Deaf Like Me Chapters 4-6 (Unit 2) Due Wednesday *Verbs show location, verbs indicate subject/object WEEK 4 Sept. 12-15 Unit 4 Descriptions / names 25 slow Cochlear Implants Sound and Fury Movie Deaf Like Me Chapters 7-9 (Unit 3) Due Wednesday *Look^like?, Descriptive adjectives, topicalization WEEK 5 Sept 19-22 Unit 5 Requests / names 25 medium Deaf Like Me Chapters 10-12 (Unit 4) Due Wednesday *Verb pairs, noun-verb pairs WEEK 6 Sept 26-29 Unit 6 Expressing Yourself / main menu 25 slow Deaf Like Me Chapters 13-15 (Unit 5) Due Wednesday *Negative incorporation, other negative forms, modals Hear and Now Movie WEEK 7 Oct 3-6 Review Units 1-6 / main menu 25 med Deaf Like Me Chapters 16-20 (Unit 6) Due Wednesday WEEK 8 Oct 10-13 Midterm Exam/ main menu 25 med Assign #1: 2 page Cochlear Implants Reaction Paper Due October 12 WEEK 9 Oct 17-18 Fall Break Class is canceled Oct 19-20 Unit 7 More Descriptions / main menu 25 med *Classifier predicates: size, shape, movement, location WEEK 10 Oct 24-27 Unit 7 More Descriptions (cont.) / main menu 25 med WEEK 11 Oct 31-Nov 3 Unit 8 Family and Friends / main menu 25 fast WEEK 12 Nov 7-10 Unit 9 More Descriptions / main menu 25 fast Assignment #2: Response paper Deaf Experience Due November 9 WEEK 13 Nov 14-17 Unit 10 At Home and Daily Living / main menu 25 fast *Verbs, Classifiers, Plurals WEEK 14 Nov 21-22 Unit 11 Food and Food Shopping/ main menu 25 deaf Nov 23-24 Thanksgiving Break No Classes WEEK 15 Nov 28-Dec 1 Unit 11 continued / main menu 25 deaf WEEK 16 Dec 5-8 Unit 12 Offering and Declining / main menu 25 deaf *Inflection of verb, declining, Deaf Culture Post-Test WEEK 17 Dec 12-15 Final Exam to match the published College Schedule This schedule is a guideline for students (and the teacher). All assignments are due on their due date. No electronic submissions accepted Page 4 of 5
ASSIGNMENTS ASL I - 1200 Weekly Assignment Students will be required to submit weekly fingerspelling on paper using the following web site http://asl.ms/()/().htm Fingerspelling papers are due every Monday at the beginning of class. This assignment will be worth 5 weekly completion points. Deaf Like Me: For the first 8 weeks you will be reading the book, Deaf Like Me. Homework papers will be due Wednesdays at the beginning of class as noted in the syllabus. Assignment #1 Reaction Paper Cochlear Implants Using all the information you learned in class about cochlear implants, write a full 2 to 3 page reaction paper about cochlear implants. Briefly explain the two main perspectives of cochlear implants referring to information from class. This is your reaction to this topic... tell me how you feel about all the information you have processed. Based on what you have learned; how would you counsel a parent of a deaf child regarding cochlear implant? Support your decision (you may include information from Deaf Like Me). Would you encourage parents to learn signs even if their child had a cochlear implant? No outside research is necessary for this assignment. Your paper is due at the beginning of class on the posted due date. Your paper should be a full 2 to 3 page typed using a 12 point font and double spaced and will be graded on grammar, spelling and content. This paper will be worth 25 points. No electronic submissions will be accepted. Assignment #2 Response Paper Observation of a Deafness Related Activity During the semester you will be required to attend and participate in at least one hour of a deaf event off campus. These events might include: Deaf bowling, Casper Deaf Social, a Deaf Expo, observe a classroom which uses an interpreter, or attend an interpreted event in the community. You may attend more than one event. You must interact with at least one deaf or hard of hearing participant whom you don't already know and attach proof of this visit with your paper. Please refrain from mentioning specific names of participants in your paper or in class. Describe the person in a way that clarifies your story but respects the Deaf community's privacy Possible activities will be listed in class or you may create your own observation. Please check with the instructor to make sure the activity would apply for this assignment. Deaf events in Casper do not happen often -- Do NOT wait until the last minute to complete this assignment. Using the information gleaned from your observation, write a full 2 page response paper telling about your experience. How did you feel at first? How did you feel during and after the event? What did you learn? What did you see there? How many people were involved? Who did you talk to while you were there? Also, you will report back to the class about your experiences within a week of attendance giving your thoughts on your adventure. Your paper is due within a week of attendance. Your paper should be typed; a full 2 page in length, using a 12 point font and double spaced and will be graded on grammar, spelling and content. This paper will be worth 25 points. Your classroom presentation will be worth 10 points. No electronic submissions will be accepted. See syllabus for due date. Page 5 of 5