SPAN 1010 • Concurrent Enrollment Benchmarks 2

Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures
Course Syllabus

ASL 1010

First Year American Sign Language – Part I

Semster and Year Instructor's Name

Time and Days Instructor's Office Hours

Instructor's Email Address

Prerequisites

This is an introductory course assuming no significant previous experience with the language. Students with more than a basic skill level in ASL may not take this course. Please contact your instructor or the Department of Foreign Languages for other options, including ways to receive credit for this class.

Course Overview and Objectives

The principal aims of this beginning-level ASL course are to develop basic communicative skills, as well as knowledge regarding Deaf culture and history, by following the National Standards in foreign language learning: communication, cultures, connections, comparisons, and communities. (Kurz & Taylor, 2008).

1-Communication: engage in one-to-one communication by comprehending and expressing basic information related to common instructor-led topics

2-Culture: Identify beliefs, values, and attitudes within Deaf culture, as well as basic products made and used by Deaf people

3-Connection: engage in one-to-one conversation to discuss other disciplines, as well as viewpoints of Deaf people

4-Comparison: engage in one-to-one conversation comparing and contrasting ASL and Deaf culture with another language and culture

5-Community: engage in one-to-one conversational experiences with the Deaf community outside of the classroom, and watch and use ASL to access information about Deaf culture and activities

Course Benchmarks

At the conclusion of this course, successful students will be able to:

·  Identify important people, dates, and events in Deaf history and culture

·  Identify beliefs, values, and attitudes within Deaf culture, and technology used by Deaf people

·  Participate in basic personal introductions

·  Understand and discuss personal information regarding family, home, and their surroundings

·  Understand and discuss routine activities


Required Textbook & Materials

1- Signing Naturally Level 1, Units 1-5 Workbook and DVD

2- For Hearing People Only, 3rd Edition by Moore & Levitan

*Please use only the 3rd Edition. It is drastically different that previous editions.

Course Requirements

In order to meet the course objectives, the following requirements were developed:

In class performance and participation

Daily attendance is required. Consistent and enthusiastic participation in class is expected. Students who miss class or are habitually late will lose points for attendance, their homework will be late or not accepted, and they may miss quizzes, exams or other assignments that cannot be made up.

Workbook

Workbook assignments will be made on a regular basis, based on class lectures and discussions.

Culture Reading and Responses

There will be a number of readings and responses required from your text For Hearing People Only. Topics include: What is ASL?, Deaf People, Deaf History, Deaf Culture, Deaf Interactions, Deaf Education, and Hearing Aids & Cochlear Implants.

Deaf Activities

Learning ASL is more than learning a language. It is also important to learn about Deaf people, their culture, and how they communicate in everyday life. For this reason, at least one deaf activity or experience will be required in this course.

Lab Attendance

To increase your exposure to a variety of signing styles, and to improve your ASL receptive and expressive skills, attendance in the Foreign Language Lab is required. (This assignment isn't required until adequate materials are aquired for lab use.)

Exams and Quizzes

Quizzes

There will be quizzes from time to time throughout the semester. These may or may not be announced. They may involve ASL comprehension and/or signing ability, or knowledge of cultural and historical information studied up to that point in the course.

Interviews

Each student will have at least one interview during the course of the semester. Interviews will be in ASL and may be conducted one-on-one or in groups. These interviews will resemble conversations and will attempt to assess general proficiency—they will not include a laundry list of prepared questions and answers on a prepared or predetermined topic.

Midterm and Final Exams

Each student will have two exams, one at midterm and the other at the end of the semester. Material will come from form course discussions, lectures, readings, and homework assignments, primarily based on Deaf history, culture, and norms. The final exam will be administered at the scheduled time during finals week.

Policies

Language Use

For optimal learning and experience, only ASL will be used before, during, and after class. Use of spoken or whispered English during class will result in loss of points and possibly a poor grade in this class. One-on-one appointments made with the instructor may be conducted in either ASL or spoken English.

Attendance

Consistent, punctual attendance and enthusiastic participation are necessary to succeed and receive good grades in this class.

Late work & Make up

Course work must be turned in on time and exams taken when administered to the class.

Plagiarism

It is expected that students will submit their own work. A complete description of cheating and plagiarism can be found in the WSU Student Code (Section IV, Part D, Paragraph 2). Plagiarism will result in failure on an assignment or in the course, or being reported to appropriate University personnel, depending on its severity. On the other hand, students are encouraged to collaborate on assignments and to have others read their work and give comments and suggestions before turning work in.

Students with Disabilities

Any student requiring accommodations or services due to a disability must contact Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) in room 181 of the Student Service Center. SSD can also arrange to provide course materials (including this syllabus) in alternative formats if necessary. If you require accommodations for this course, please make an appointment to see me as soon as possible.

Emergency Closure

If for any reason the university is forced to close for an extended period of time, we will conduct our class [via e-mail, WebCT, Blackboard, etc.]. Look for announcements on [Weber e-mail, our listserv, etc.].

Grading

Your grade in ASL 1010 will be determined as follows:

Attendance & Participation / [pts. or %] / [Date or comment]
Workbook
Culture Reading & Responses
Other Homework
Deaf Activities
Lab Attendance
Quizzes
Midterm Exam
Final Interview & Exam
TOTAL

Letter grades will be assigned using the following scale:

A / 93 - 100 % / points if used / C / 73 - 76 %
A- / 90 - 92 % / C- / 70 - 72 %
B+ / 87 - 89 % / D+ / 67 - 69 %
B / 83 - 86 % / D / 63 - 66 %
B- / 80 - 82 % / D- / 60 - 62 %
C+ / 77 - 79 % / E / 0 - 59 %

Calendar

Week / Dates / Topic / Assignment
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Final Exam: day, date, time, place

Weber State University
Department of Foreign Languages
ASL COURSE BENCHMARKS • 1010

The focus in proficiency is on what the students can do rather than on what they know.

ASL 1010 – First Year American Sign Language I (3) NOVICE

Introductory course assuming no significant previous experience with the language. Beginners and students with less than two years of high school language should register for this class. Emphasis on everyday conversation and exposure to cultural perspectives.

WSU Catalog, 2010-11

Updated August 2013 by Amelia Williams

SPAN 1010 • Concurrent Enrollment Benchmarks 2

·  The entry proficiency is presumed to be Novice Low or Novice Mid.

·  The ending proficiency expectation is Novice Mid.

TEXTS

·  Signing Naturally 1 (Revised Edition), Units 1-5, Workbook & DVD

·  For Hearing People Only, 3rd Edition by Moore & Levitan

At the university, ASL 1010 meets for approximately 45 hours. Each student is expected to have his or her own book and to complete workbook and other assignments, generally outside of class. This implies a homework load of at least 1 or 2 hours for every hour spent in class. The total hour requirement for ASL 1010 is 90 to 140 hours.

GENERAL PROFICIENCY PROGRESS INDICATORS

At the end of ASL 1010 students should be able to

·  Recognize and understand commonly used words, phrases and expressions.

·  Use visual and contextual clues to assist in comprehension.

·  Sometimes recognize previously learned material when presented in new context.

CULTURE, RECEPTIVE AND EXPRESSIVE BENCHMARKS

Successful students will be able to:

·  Identify important people, dates, and events in Deaf history and culture

·  Identify beliefs, values, and attitudes within Deaf culture, and technology used by Deaf people

·  Participate in basic personal introductions

·  Understand and discuss personal information regarding family, home, and their surroundings

·  Understand and discuss routine activities

ASSESSMENT

Students completing ASL 1010 will be required to:

·  Enroll in ASL 1010.

·  Participate actively in the course throughout term.

·  Complete at least two interviews, one at midterm and the other near the end of the course.

·  Display spontaneous expressive and receptive abilities (see below).

·  Attend and participate in a minimum of one Deaf activity.

TOPICS

·  Introducing Oneself

·  Exchanging Personal Information

·  Talking About Surroundings

·  Telling Where You Live

·  Talking About Your Family

·  Telling About Activities

Updated August 2013 by Amelia Williams

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Updated August 2013 by Amelia Williams