Syllabus and Class Information

The College of St. Scholastica, Duluth, Minnesota
Intermediate American Sign Language II
ASL 2202, 4 credits
Spring Semester
“As long as we have deaf people on earth, we will have signs. And as long as we have our films, we can preserve signs in their old purity. It is my hope that we will all love and guard our beautiful sign language as the noblest gift God has given to deaf people.” – George Veditz, 1913. (Former President of National Association of the Deaf )
Instructor: Monica K. Marciniak, M.A.
Office and Contact Information: Tower 3607 email only please (deaf) mbutche@css.edu

Class time & Place: 11:45-12:50 MWF T3141
Office Hours: MWF 1:00-2:00, T 11:00-11:50 or by appointment
Contact Requirements: All emails need to be signed using your full name, course name, course number, and class time.
Required Text and DVD: Building ASL interpreting and Translation Skills: Narratives for Practice. Scheetz, N. 2009
Required Materials: Video camera (flip cameras are easy to use and convenient), DVD, and a folder to keep all assignments, quizzes, and exams. All signed recordings must be posted on YouTube.
** I strongly suggest you purchase an ASL dictionary**
Description
This is the second semester sequence of Intermediate American Sign language study. Students continue to learn sentence structures and patterns and develop intermediate expressive communication. Focus is on expressive and receptive skills. Prerequisite: ASL 2201, placement exam or consent of instructor.
College Outcome
This course directly addresses the College Outcome of Intellectual and Foundational Skills in that it helps students achieve proficiency in a second language, American Sign Language. It also addresses the need and importance of living and working in a diverse community.
The Intermediate American Sign Language sequence intends to broaden students' understanding of both themselves and the world through the process of second language learning. Beyond providing students with concrete language skills (including receptive, expressive, writing, comprehension and translation the course exposes them to the culture of Deaf people in America that use American Sign Language as their primary source of communication. This course will also increase awareness of a student’s own cultural heritage.
Course Outcomes
Receptive: Student will understand and respond appropriately to greetings, questions and commands, and will understand short familiar communications based on recombination’s of learned material. Student will understand vocabulary in areas of practical need, as well as understand main ideas and facts from texts dealing with basic personal and social needs covered in classroom.
Expressive: Student will communicate about topics of personal interest and need as covered in classroom material, forming and responding appropriately to simple questions and statements.
Writing: Student will write in coded ASL to list, identify, and label familiar vocabulary, as well as write statements, questions and messages on familiar topics.
Culture: Student will discriminate between cultural contrasts as covered in classroom materials, blogs, and vlogs and be able to demonstrate an understanding about the nature of language in general and its integral connection to language. Students will work on translating cultural focused dialogues and stories with Deaf narrators.

Course Objectives
The American Council for the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ATFL) has identified several major levels of second language competence: Novice, Intermediate I, Intermediate II, Advanced, and Superior. In general, the Novice level is characterized by the ability to communicate minimally with learned material. The intermediate level is characterized by the ability to communicate on familiar topics, ask and answer simple questions, initiate and respond to simple statements, and carry on face to face discussions, in addition to the ability to understand native speakers when they repeat or sign slower. This class will function primarily at the Intermediate I level with the goal of arriving to the Intermediate II level during the semester.
Introduction to Course
Welcome to Intermediate American Sign Language II. As you have learned, American Sign Language is the only true language of the Deaf because it is used by and was created by Deaf people. American Sign Language is not universal, many other cultures have their own sign language, and it is the third most commonly used language in the United States today. American Sign Language is not a series of signs in English language word order. It has its own vocabulary, grammar, structure and syntax that are not like English at all. The course is going to expand on your prior knowledge. We will continue to learn American Sign Language and together work towards being able to initiate, respond, comment, ask detailed questions, and end conversations in American Sign Language (expressively and receptively). In additional we will continue to improve our story telling techniques.
Specifically, by the end of the semester, students should be able to do the following:
• Handle more complex questions about oneself, including marital status, nationality, occupation, and place of birth, major, interests, wants and needs, and tell stories about past, present and future events.
• Discuss topics with friends and feel comfortable that one can understand and be understood.
• Get the gist of conversations comfortably and with ease.
• Feel comfortable immersed in the language by engaging in short conversations conducted entirely in ASL.
Course components and grading
Success in this course requires study outside of the classroom, including completing the assignments given by the instructor, the on-line blogs and vlogs, and expressive and receptive practice with the tutors. It is best to set aside some time each day to review your notes, study and practice new vocabulary, and go over the grammar explanations and exercises using the on-line resources (asl.pro and cyberasl). Learning another language is a skill that is best learned through repeated frequent practice and it does take time. Please do not plan to coast along upon what you learned in any previous American Sign Language courses.
Class participation, preparation, and attendance: 10%.
The only way to become proficient in a second language is through frequent practice, and it does take time. Therefore, the instructor will conduct the course primarily in American Sign Language. The occasional and I hope forgivable, use of English will be to explain concepts using language that is likely to be beyond the frustration level of most students in this course. Because I expect you to make use of every opportunity to practice in the classroom, plan on using ASL to communicate with the instructor as well as with other members of the class, even if it takes longer.
Participation: Students are expected to attend each class and participate in a meaningful manner daily. Attendance and class participation are an important part of the final course grade. Every day I will assign each student a class participation grade. This is inherently a subjective evaluation that I will make based upon my observations of the behaviors noted below. I will qualify these grades with a “–” or a “+” as appropriate. Participation includes volunteering answers and comments as well as asking questions. It also includes sharing writings with the class, arrival on time and staying through the entire class, and the use of ASL.
A: participates readily, assignments completed, works diligently, does not stray from the task in group/partner work, uses time wisely if completes an in-class activity ahead of the rest of the class, contributes positively to the class. It is extremely obvious that the student has come to class prepared and is making every effort to participate.
B: participates often, assignments completed, works on the task in group/partner work without significant distraction, uses time wisely as much as possible, contributes positively to the class. It is apparent that the student has prepared for class. However, the level of participation is not as high as noted above.
C: makes a small effort to participate, assignments completed, distraction from the task in group/partner work is evident. The student appears to make little effort to contribute to full class or small group activities, but can respond when called upon.
Note that for the above grades the student is taking the initiative to participate in class.
D: no real effort to participate is noted. Incomplete assignments or working to complete them just before class begins. Student appears apathetic about learning and practicing; when called upon he or she does not know where we are. It is apparent that student spent little time preparing for class.
F: does not participate, assignments for class are not completed or are working on it while class is already in progress; student is unable to participate in class activities or declines to do so. No effort is apparent. Student is absent either physically or mentally. Student is attending to electronic communications during class.
Leaving class early or arriving late will always have a negative effect upon the daily grade.
Please turn off your cell phone or other electronic communications equipment during class. Checking messages or texting during class is highly disrespectful to the instructor and other students in the class and will result in a substantial class participation penalty (F for the day).
Attendance: A student will be granted one “free” absence without penalty. Otherwise, failure to attend a class will result in a grade of “0” for that day. A waiver of the “0” will be granted at the discretion of the instructor in emergency situations. The “0” will also be waived if the student must miss class due to an official CSS-sponsored activity, with advance warning. The “0” will not be waived if the student schedules an appointment (medical, job interview, leaving early for breaks, etc.) during class time. The average of the daily participation grade at the end of the semester will determine the student’s class participation portion of the grade.
Preparation/Written Assignments: Incomplete or extremely poorly done work will not receive any credit. I expect you to turn in assignments that show that you have taken the time to do them, and you have thought about what you are doing. Late assignments will not be accepted unless the student was absent (excused). It is up to the student to turn in the assignment at the beginning of the period the first day the student returns to class.
Receptive and expressive Practice Sessions with Tutors: 10%: Every odd week, students will be required to individually practice signing skills with a TA in T3615. These assignments will be posted on the class blog. Assignments will be from your required textbooks. The TA will watch your assignment, discuss areas you are doing well and areas you are struggling in each session will be graded on a pass/fail basis. If you are unable to attend your appointment, it is your job to email the tutor before your appointment. If you do not do this, you cannot make up your appointment. In order to avoid scheduling bottlenecks you will be required to sign up in T3615 for a specific time during a specified week. Assignments are posted weekly in the tutoring section of our class blog. http://aslinaction.blogspot.com/

Assignments (listed below): 35 %

Small Group Assignments Song Translation and flash Mob10%:
Students will work together to translate a song of their choice (instructor approval is necessary). This assignment requires ASL written and signed translations. Students will record themselves signing and post on YouTube. Students will be required during week 11, Friday to perform a flash mob of this son in Storm’s Den. This assignment will have a rubric that will be discussed in class. The assignment will also be posted on our class blog. http://aslinaction.blogspot.com/

IT IS IN YOUR BEST INTEREST TO MAKE SURE YOU ARE A GOOD AND PRODUCTIVE GROUP MEMBER, AND THAT YOU TAKE ACTIVE STEPS TO GET ALL GROUP MEMBERS TO FULFILL THEIR OBLIGATIONS AND PARTICIPATE FULLY.

Weekly Assignments 5%:
The assignment corner on our class blog will have our weekly assignments posted. These assignments will be posted weekly. The assignments will be from Building ASL interpreting and Translation Skills: Narratives for Practice or I will create them based on the topic we are focusing on that week. Assignments will be given in class and then posted on Monday following our class meeting. Assignments will always be due at the beginning of our class meeting on Friday of the week it was assigned. It is expected that students provide written ASL translations and be ready to sign to the class. http://aslinaction.blogspot.com/2012/02/weekly-assignments.htm


Exams: 55%
Midterm 20%: Students will create a visual game. Students may work in groups or individually. Students will be responsible to create the board game, provide directions in ASL (recorded) , and demonstrate how to play their game. Students will present their game during weeks 8 and 9. Students will be assigned a time and day that they are to present. Students that are not ready to present will receive a “0” unless previous arrangements have been made.

Chapter Tests 20%: There will be four chapter tests, given upon the completion of the text lessons. Each test will have expressive, receptive and writing sections. Students absent on a test day will receive a “0” unless previous arrangements have been made. Fridays week 6, 10, 12, 15

Final Exam 15%: The final exam has two parts, a signed presentation and an interview with the instructor. The signed presentation will be held during week 15. Each student will do this exam with a partner and receive an individual grade. Sign up sheet will be posted on my door.

Expressive interviews will be held during on final exam time during finals week. TBA

Grading Scale
95-100: A 76-79: C+ 65: D-
90-94: A- 74-75: C 0-64: F
86-89: B+ 70-73: C-
84-85: B 68-69: D+
80-83: B- 66-67: D
Language Mode: The language mode in the class will be ASL. I will not voice in English and I require that you do the same. When you arrive into the classroom it is expected that voices are OFF. Students will lose class participation points for the day if they engage in this disrespectful behavior. This is not only respectful to the Deaf community; it gets everyone out of the language mode our classroom is being conducted in. I will ask students to repeat questions and comments to ensure everyone understands. I want students to try to use their ASL skills to the best of their ability to communicate with me and their classmates. Therefore, it is crucial that students sit so everyone is able to see each other. Our classroom arrangement will be set up as a Deaf classroom. Please arrive and arrange our desks so everyone can see each other. Remember to help put the desks back when we leave as well.
Expectations: Students are expected to respect our language mode and make it known they are not understanding. I will do everything that I can to help students understand what is being presented to them at all times. At times this may mean to “hang in there” and try to put the pieces together to get the bigger picture. This is part of the learning process and takes great patience on your part. Remember this is only an hour of your time, Deaf people experience this all day everyday. Embrace this experience; it will only enhance your learning experiences.
Students will actively engage and participate in class lectures as well as assigned group work. Each week, students will be involved in lectures, vlogs, in-class assignments, and group work. Participation in this course is the key to successful learning. Group work is not only expected of each student, it is required. Students that are simply sitting together and chatting will not get participation points for the day. If this continues to be a problem, grades will be affected.
Students are expected to be completely prepared for class and to participate fully in all activities. The work that students hand in is to be their best work. No late work will be accepted unless arrangements have been made prior to the assignment due date. Talk to me if you are struggling, I am here to assist you any way I can.
Class Meetings: Since this class is divided into 3 days a week, we will have our class meeting divided into 3 parts. Mondays and Wednesdays, will typically be our required text book for building our ASL skills Fridays are typically assignment and conversation and work days.

Tentative Weekly Schedule
Please use this schedule as a guide to our weekly lessons. I may need to change the pace of this schedule to meet the students’ needs. I will let you know if I need to do this. Do keep in mind that the information that is placed here will however be covered by the end of the semester.

Week #1
• Topic: listing, grouping, prioritizing, role shifting
• Read and Study: Building ASL interpreting and Translation Skills: Narratives for Practice pgs 111-1118
• Complete assignment weekly #1 http://aslinaction.blogspot.com/2012/02/weekly-assignments.htm
• TA Session http://aslinaction.blogspot.com/

Week #2
• Topic: listing, grouping, prioritizing, role cont.
• Read and Study: Building ASL interpreting and Translation Skills: Narratives for Practice pgs 111-118
• Complete assignment weekly #2 http://aslinaction.blogspot.com/2012/02/weekly-assignments.htm

Week #3
• Topic: listing, grouping, prioritizing, role cont.
• Read and Study: Building ASL interpreting and Translation Skills: Narratives for Practice pgs 111-118
• Complete assignment weekly #3 http://aslinaction.blogspot.com/2012/02/weekly-assignments.htm
• TA Session http://aslinaction.blogspot.com/

Week #4
• Topic: voice Contrasting and Comparing,
• Read and Study: Building ASL interpreting and Translation Skills: Narratives for Practice pgs 119-121
• Complete assignment weekly #4 http://aslinaction.blogspot.com/2012/02/weekly-assignments.htm
• Assigned: Small Group Assignments Song Translation and flash Mob10%:
Students will work together to translate a song of their choice (instructor approval is
necessary). This assignment requires ASL written and signed translations. Students will record themselves signing and post on YouTube. Students will be required during week 11, Friday to perform a flash mob of this son in Storm’s Den. This assignment will have a rubric that will be discussed in class. The assignment will also be posted on our class blog. http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=1125676370002257013




Week #5
• Topic: Instrument Classifiers,• Read and Study: Building ASL interpreting and Translation Skills: Narratives for Practice pgs 124-131
• Complete assignment weekly # 5 http://aslinaction.blogspot.com/2012/02/weekly-assignments.htm
• TA Session http://aslinaction.blogspot.com/
• Midterm Directions given

Week #6
• Topic: Characterization

• Read and Study: Building ASL interpreting and Translation Skills: Narratives for Practice pgs 128-130

• Complete assignment weekly #6 http://aslinaction.blogspot.com/2012/02/weekly-assignments.htm
• Exam #1 111-130

Week #7
• Topic:Topic: More Work with Conjunctions,
• Read and Study: Building ASL interpreting and Translation Skills: Narratives for Practice pgs 132-136
• Complete assignment weekly # 7 http://aslinaction.blogspot.com/2012/02/weekly-assignments.htm
• TA Session http://aslinaction.blogspot.com/

Week #8
• Midterm 20%: Students will create a visual game. Students may work in groups or individually. Students will be responsible to create the board game, provide directions in ASL (recorded) , and demonstrate how to play their game. Students will present their game during weeks 8 and 9. Students will be assigned a time and day that they are to present. Students that are not ready to present will receive a “0” unless previous arrangements have been made.



Week #9
• Midterm 20%: Students will create a visual game. Students may work in groups or individually. Students will be responsible to create the board game, provide directions in ASL (recorded) , and demonstrate how to play their game. Students will present their game during weeks 8 and 9. Students will be assigned a time and day that they are to present. Students that are not ready to present will receive a “0” unless previous arrangements have been made.



Week #10
Topic: Active/passive voice
Games cont.


• Week #11
• Exam #2 Chapters 9-11 Due Wednesday, April 4

Topic: Sequencing
• Read and Study: Building ASL interpreting and Translation Skills: Narratives for Practice pgs 141-144
• Complete assignment weekly # 11 http://aslinaction.blogspot.com/2012/02/weekly-assignments.htm
• TA Session http://aslinaction.blogspot.com/
• Small Group Assignments Song Translation and flash Mob10%:
Students will work together to translate a song of their choice (instructor approval is necessary). This assignment requires ASL written and signed translations. Students will record themselves signing and post on YouTube. Students will be required during week 9, Friday to perform a flash mob of this son in Storm’s Den. This assignment will have a rubric that will be discussed in class. The assignment will also be posted on our class blog. http://aslinaction.blogspot.com/


Week #12
• Topic: Practice selections
• Read and Study: Building ASL interpreting and Translation Skills: Narratives for Practice pgs 145-150
• Complete assignment weekly # 12 http://aslinaction.blogspot.com/2012/02/weekly-assignments.htm
• Exam #3, pgs 140-150 (cancelled)

Week #13
• Film: TBA
• TA Session http://aslinaction.blogspot.com/

Week #14
• Topic: practice selections
• Read and Study: Building ASL interpreting and Translation Skills: Narratives for Practice pgs 150-154
• Complete assignment weekly # 14 http://aslinaction.blogspot.com/2012/02/weekly-assignments.htm
• Student Expressive Final Interview (sign up sheet will be posted on my door during week 14

Week #15
• Topic: practice selections
• Read and Study: Building ASL interpreting and Translation Skills: Narratives for Practice pgs 155-185
• Complete assignment weekly # 15 http://aslinaction.blogspot.com/2012/02/weekly-assignments.htm
• TA Session http://aslinaction.blogspot.com/
• Exam #4 pgs 140-185



Days TBA Student Expressive Final Interview (sign up sheet will be posted on my door during week 14)
Final:

Miscellaneous
Please do not hesitate to see me about any concerns concerning your performance in this course. It is best to discuss problems with the subject matter, materials, or other difficulties as soon as possible. If circumstances prevent a student from completing the course work by the end of the semester, the student must speak with me before the final exam to draw up and incomplete contract. One of the duties of the ASL TA’s in T3615 is to tutor students in ASL. Please feel free to contact them for help with material in this course in addition to your required TA Expressive Practice Sessions.
Disability Policy: Students with disabilities are entitled to appropriate and reasonable auxiliary aids and accommodations through The Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. It is the student's responsibility to notify the Disability Resource Center as soon as possible to ensure that such accommodations are implemented in a timely fashion. For more information or to request academic accommodations, please contact Melissa Watschke, Coordinator of the Disability Resource Center in Tower Hall 2139; by phone at (218) 723-6747 or via e-mail at mwatschk@css.edu.
Academic Honesty Policy: Academic honesty and integrity are highly valued in our campus community. Academic honesty directly concerns ethical behaviors which affect both the academic environment and the civic community. Academic dishonestly seriously violates the integrity of the academic enterprise and will not be tolerated at St. Scholastica. The full text of the CSS Academic Honesty Policy is found in the Student Handbook or online at http://www.css.edu/Academics/Office-of-Academic-Affairs/Academic-Honesty-Policy.html. Please note that this means you should not have native signers, interpreters, or more advanced students of ASL“correct” your work before you turn it in. At all times turn in your own work.
You are also invited to join the ASL club at CSS. Information on meeting times will be announced in class. This is an excellent way to extend your interest in all things related to Deaf culture and language outside the classroom