Issaquah School District / Issaquah High School
World Language Department

 

COURSE SYLLABUS AND COURSE DESCRIPTION

Course Title / ASL 3
Room: D-3

Instructor: Rosie Gremmert

Phone: 425-837-6073 (no message)

Email: gremmertr@issaquah.wednet.edu (email is best)

Website: http://www.ihs.issaquah.wednet.edu/Teachers/gremmertr/

 

Prerequisites:  To be eligible for ASL 3 you must meet one of the following conditions:  (1) Successful completion of ASL 2 with a 70% or better; (2) completion of an equivalent course at another campus with 70% or better; (3) demonstration of an equivalent proficiency in ASL, or (4) permission of the instructor.
Description:  This is the thrid year of ASL available at Issaquah High School.  Emphasis is on expanding (1) grammatical understanding of ASL, (2) functional application of ASL, (3) vocabulary and (4) understanding and appreciation of the Deaf culture and Deaf community .Since ASL is a visual/gestural language, you will need to develop communication skills of which you are not accustomed: using one’s hands, face, body, eyes and space.  In order to progress, it is important that students become comfortable using their bodies and “listening” with their eyes.  To encourage and foster the development of these skills, voicing in the classroom will be avoided.

ASL Zone:  Now that you are in ASL 3 the use of voices in the classroom will be highly discouraged.  You are ready to use the language to try to talk about most things.  Some activities will entail talking, but these will be few.  Please respect your classmates' and teacher's wish to keep the environment a signing one free of English interference.  When necessary, the last five minutes of class will be available for voicing questions.

Methods of Instructions: The best way to learn a language is to actually use it.  To encourage the development of your ASL skills, you will not be using their voices.  Much of the classroom activities involve small and large group activities. The instruction and activities will vary widely in format and will include props, miming, pictures, overhead projections, written instructions, etc.

 

Course Goals: The underlying premise of our ASL curriculum is that you will not and cannot become a skilled signer by simply attending class.  The classroom is merely an arena for exposure to new material, modeling and some limited practice. Your real learning occurs out of the classroom as you struggle to apply the material.  You are encouraged to take control of your learning, to utilize the resources that are available to you, and to develop your own learning support systems.  As an instructor I will provide you with resources and activities to help you on your way.  I realize that people have diverse learning styles.  Some students learn better through trial and error, while other students learn better through modeling and copying.  During this course you can expect to participate in activities which will benefit students of all varieties of learning styles.  I expect you will commit to creating a classroom environment that will accommodate persons of diverse backgrounds, experiences and needs.  If you are able to appreciate, respect, and benefit from the varied personalities and behaviors of your peers, then you will be better prepared to do the same with the myriad encounters you will have with members of the Deaf community and our society as a whole.
Student Outcomes and Competencies:

During this quarter you will be asked to demonstrate your (1) receptive and expressive accuracy in and/or (2) knowledge of each of the following grammatical, functional, and cultural components of ASL:

Grammatical Components                                                                                
Core vocabulary – SN Units 12-17
Core vocabulary – SN Units 1-11 from ASL 1 and 2
Idioms and expressions in American Sign Language; functions and types of classifiers; Adverbial non-manual signals
Prosodic features:  intensity and character; confirming and correcting information; reference points;
Aspect Inflections:  temporal and distributional
Numbers - cardinals 1 to 1 billion / movement features 67-98,  ordinals
Sentence Structures - rhetorical questions / conjunctions and compound sentences / relative clauses
Functional Components
Describing family and relationships / sibling ranking                    Locating things around the House
Describing occupations                                                                      Complaining, making suggestions and requests
Describing personalities and characteristics                                   Exchanging personal information: Life events
Describing typical routines                                                                Describing and identifying things

Talking about the weekend                                                               
High context cultures - maintaining relationships, keeping each other informed
Name signs; reoccurring time signs; roleshifting; conditional sentences; contrastive structure;
Deaf children, families and education; sequencing events;
Deaf-blindness – Primary causes / modes of communication / navigation and guiding

 

Required Materials:

Each student needs 2 blank RE-WRITABLE CDs.  Please send them to school marked with the students name, class and period.

 

SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS: There are no additional materials required but it is best if each student has a Sign Language

Dictionary for home use: There are several sign language dictionaries available at bookstores and libraries.  There is no one complete ASL dictionary and some signs vary from book to book, however I recommend the following: American Sign Language Dictionary, By Elaine Costello.  (published by Random House Webster) There is a softcover version for about $20.00 or a hardbound edition for about $50.00.  I do not recommend the smaller paperback versions as it is very difficult to see the signs.  You will find it online or at any major bookstore.  The cover is the color of gold.  If they do not have any in stock, they will order it for you.

 

STUDENT ASSIGNMENTS

Skill and Knowledge Enhancement Exercises: These in-class activities are designed to help you gain natural use of ASL.  They will be assigned participation points and are graded based on your effort and cooperation.

Fingerspelling, Numbers and Core Vocabulary Review: Constant review of the vocabulary and regular practice of fingerspelling and numbers is critical to your progress in this course.  You will be asked to study your vocabulary regularly. Studying for 20 min. a day will help you retain the information you receive in class.  Practice for 10 minutes in the morning, and 10 minutes in the evening.  Practicing in front of a mirror or with a partner will also help you learn visually and tactilely.

Dialogues:  In class you will be practicing dialogues.  The purpose of this exercise is to develop your grammatical and functional application of the language and give you an opportunity to get feedback on your progress.

Cultural and Grammatical Readings:  Culture and language are highly interwoven with each other.  To fully appreciate any language you must also have a sense of the community that uses the language.  We will begin to explore the Deaf community by reading Seeing Voices.  You do not need to purchase this book.  In addition you will be given several handouts that partially describe the grammatical components discussed in class.

Class Participation: All classroom instruction and interaction is voice free.  Instruction is delivered in ASL only and all concepts are demonstrated.  Attendance is critical for learning and each day is valued at 5 points toward your participation grade.  This is a college level course and these points can not be made up.  Lack of participation or using your voice also results in lost daily points.

 

ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION

Assessment techniques are often imperfect and arbitrary.  My own perspective is that any opportunity for feedback and evaluation is an opportunity for learning and growth, which I also believe, is more important than an actual grade.  The class is structured so that you will receive feedback continually throughout the year from which to determine your progress.

Late Assignments: We will spend quite a bit of classroom time practicing and playing together.  Keeping up on your assignments and your practice helps you AND your classmates participate in classroom activities.  In addition, I have planned out-of-class time to review and assess your homework assignments and evaluations, but I have little flexibility for adjustments. 

                I have e-mail and a 24–hour voice mail.  Use them if you need to.  Any student who misses an assignment or test with an excused absence will be required to make it up on their own time.  It will be the student’s responsibility to discuss with me options for making up the assignment or test.  They will have 3 days upon their return to arrange a timeline for completion of missed assignments and tests.  Assignments and tests will not be available for make up if the absence is unexcused.  All assignments and activities will be posted at http://ihs-asl-three-06.blogspot.com/ and a copy of the post will be in a binder in the classroom.

Quizzes and Exams:

Vocabulary, Fingerspelling, and Numbers / Phrases – You will have several quizzes during the year, including a cumulative final exam at the end of each semester.  Fingerspelling quizzes are weekly and each one has the opportunity for 2 points extra credit.  I will drop the worst fingerspelling quiz grade each semester. 

Culture and Grammar – You will have several quizzes on your knowledge and understanding of the cultural and grammatical information presented to you in class and from your assignments.

Deaf Community Events – Each student in ASL3 will be required to attend community events throughout the year.  Without these events, the best grade a student can earn is a 69 %, regardless of scores earned in other categories of the class.  A bulletin board will be located in the classroom with a continuous and changing list of opportunities for Deaf community contacts.  There may also be a variety of events brought to Issaquah High School by the ASL club for the students and their families to experience Deaf culture.  Give me your email for a Deaf Culture contact list.

Extra-Curricular Projects (s): Learning really does occur mostly outside of the classroom.  Therefore you will be expected to explore the language and/or the users of the language and share with your peers what you have discovered and learned.  You will receive more information on project guidelines in class.

Enjoy yourself: Using a new language can be intimidating.  Don't let it be.  Relax.  Have fun.  Don’t be afraid to make mistakes.  They are part of the language learning process.  Students should challenge themselves to use as much sign as possible.  Challenging yourself is part of every assignment criteria; you will be graded on what you choose to learn in your individual assignments.

Ask for help: If you fall behind or you are not remembering the new vocabulary, please come to me and ask for help.  I am ready to deal with any struggles students may have with the learning process.

 

Grades will be determined by the following categories:

Tests 40%             Quizzes 20%          Participation 20%                 Homework 10%                    Final exam 10%

World Language Department Grading Scale:

A             93-100%

A-           90-92%

B+           88-89%

B             83-87%

B-            80-82%

C+           78-79%

C             73-77%  

C-            70-72%

D+           68-69%

D             63-67%

F              0-62

 

You must have a 60% or better after the first semester to continue in this class.  You must have a 70% or better at the end of the year to enroll in ASL 4, if offered.