Bellevue College
World Language Department
AMERICAN SIGN
LANGUAGE 121
|
Quarter |
FALL Quarter 2012 |
Credits: |
5 |
|
Title |
ASL 121-B |
Item #: |
1406-A |
|
Session Hours |
9:30a.m.-10:20
a.m. M-F |
Room: |
L220 (Mailbox
: R230) |
|
Instructor |
Michael A.
Cooper |
Email: |
|
|
Office Hours |
Appointment/Email. |
ASL 121-B |
Total of 51
classes |
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
ASL
121 is a five credit, transferable, college level, language course. It is
an introduction to American Sign Language (ASL) and to the community of people
who use it. As a second language, ASL 121 also covers fundamental issues
of basic human language, grammar and conversation. Above all, it is a
class that requires your attendance, involvement, and practice if you plan to
succeed. Success in this class will bring you valuable skills that will
enrich your life significantly, by introducing you to a unique, diverse, rich
culture that coexists throughout North America, namely the Deaf Community; it
empowers you to connect with members of that community by means of a natural
language, and broaden your understanding of human communication, culture, and
language.
ASL 121 OBJECTIVES:
At the
end of this course students will be able to:
1.
Demonstrate understanding of fundamental definitions of Deaf Culture and
knowledge of the Deaf Community through interactions and written work.
2.
Demonstrate knowledge of basic issues common to American Deaf Culture, its
history and values, through written work (reports, tests, group work and
videos). Also identify elements of Deaf Culture that are different from
or similar to their own and identify elements of Deaf family life that are
different from or similar to their own family lives.
3.
Explain and illustrate the substrates of a natural language as opposed to
artificial languages or codes.
4.
Demonstrate knowledge and comprehension of fundamental ASL language functions,
grammatical structures and general principles of human language functions that
apply not only to ASL but also to various natural languages. (Grammatical
Elements – noun, verb, adjective, adverb, pronoun, preposition, subject,
object, topic, comment)
5.
Demonstrate knowledge and comprehension of the rules governing the use of
finger-spelling and ASL numbers by correct responses and translations in
conversations and exams and correct application in conversations and expressive
assignments.
6.
Translate ideas from ASL to English and English to ASL and demonstrate their
skill through quizzes, exams, class presentations and interactions.
7.
Recognize and understand correct use of ASL through daily practice of core
vocabulary by correct responses, translations and application in classroom
conversation, receptive exams and expressive assignments.
8.
Gain a general knowledge of grammatical constructs, rules, and functions of
American Sign Language and demonstrate this knowledge through usage, responses,
translations and application in classroom conversation, receptive exams and
expressive assignments.
REQUIRED MATERIALS:
SIGNING NATURALLY-STUDENT
WORKBOOK
(by Cheri Smith, Ella Mae Lentz and Ken Mikos) –
Please bring this book to class everyday.
1001
Signs for ASL Students: DVD/workbook, Vol.1 (by Rick Mangan, ASL program
Coordinator) - can be purchased in BC bookstore – Please only bring the
DVD workbook everyday.
Deaf
Culture Log Paper –
This log paper is for you to document all deaf culture events. The Deaf
Culture log paper is posted on the ASL 121-B class webpage for you to print
out. It is your responsibility to check upcoming Deaf Culture events at
the ASL 121-B class website. For more information, please feel free to
contact the ASL Club President. I will announce his email address in the
class first week of class.
Four Scantron Test
Quizzes and #2 pencil for
the Culture Book/Grammar Quizzes (depending on if we can find room for Lab to take online Culture Quiz)
Earplugs- Will be
distributed to class
Stapler: For you to staple your
reports.
RECOMMENDED MATERIALS:
Random House Webster’s American Sign Language Dictionary
(Hardback Edition) – a
good Sign Language Dictionary
Quick Study: Academic: “New” American Sign Language by
BarCharts, Inc. For more information, go to www.quickstudy.com (Good “Study
Guide” for ASL 121)
Websites to check out for additional information:
http://www.asl.ms http://www.deafread.com
http://www.handspeak.com http://www.deafvideo.tv
http://commtechlab.msu.edu/sites/aslweb/browser.htm http://www.youtube.com
http://www.hsdc.org http://www.asl.pro
GRADING:
|
A |
96% |
Your
grade is a numerical reflection of the effort and dedication that you invest
toward your learning of this subject and your ability to apply what you have
learned. You are the only person responsible for your grade. The
sum of all of your work points comprises this numerical value that is your
grade. As per BC policy, you will receive a letter grade after the
completion of the quarter. This letter grade is assigned as an
equivalent to your total earned numerical points. You must have no less
than 60% of all possible points to receive a passing grade in this class. You
must achieve a minimum of a C grade to transfer to the next level of ASL. There
is a total of 1215 points possible for this
quarter. Your grade will be a fraction of that number. |
|
A- |
90% |
|
|
B+ |
87% |
|
|
B |
83% |
|
|
B- |
80% |
|
|
C+ |
77% |
|
|
C |
73% |
|
|
C- |
70% |
|
|
D+ |
67% |
|
|
D |
63% |
|
|
D- |
60% |
POSTING ON BOARD:
I will be posting all assignments/guidelines/syllabus
all on the ASL 121-B class website. I
will explain in class how you can create your own student email account and use
that account to access to all of my documents/assignments. When you have successfully accessed to my ASL
121-B class website, I would like for you to write a brief introduction of
yourself on the Discussion Board.
10 points = Introduction of yourself = Discussion Board
TESTS:
We will be covering Units 1 through 4 in Signing Naturally Student Companion workbook. The tests will be from Signing Naturally Student Companion workbook and Bellevue College’s 1001 Signs for ASL students:
ASL DVD disk and workbook. There will be four tests. There will be no
make-up tests.
Topics of Each Chapter (From Signing Naturally
Workbook)
Unit 1 = Introducing Oneself
Unit 2 = Exchanging Personal
Information
Unit 3 = Discussing Living
Situations
Unit 4 = Talking about Family
4 tests = 50 points each = 200
points total for Tests
EXPRESSIVE PROJECT ASSIGNMENT (FINAL EXPRESSIVE)
ASL
requires a person to practice their expressive signing skills. For this
assignment, all students are required to have an expressive skills project
designed to help the students utilize their expressive signing skills. For
this project, the students will be allowed to pick selected topics that the
teacher will provide in the guideline. The teacher will submit the
assignment guidelines to students. There will be no make up for this assignment.
1
Expressive Signing Assignment = 200 total possible points
FINGERSPELLING:
We will have ten fingerspelling Quizzes. ASL 121
students are expected to master their fingerspelling skills. Each
fingerspelling quiz will consist of ten points. There will be no
make-up quizzes.
10 Fingerspelling Quizzes = 10 points each quiz =
100 points total for Fingerspelling
CULTURE BOOK/GRAMMAR QUIZ:
We will be using a new book called Signing Naturally Student Companion Workbook. The class will have four tests. Each test is worth 25 points. I will post
the study guides on the ASL 121-B class websites and will inform to the class
when the study guides are posted. There will be no makeup Culture Quiz.
4 Culture Quizzes = 25 points each = 100 points
total for Culture Quiz
DEAF CULTURE EXPERIENCE:
The
best means of mastering ASL and understanding the Deaf Culture is to attend
Deaf Culture events and use ASL. It is for this reason that I require you
to have 4 Deaf Culture contact experiences. The instructor will submit a
detailed guideline on how to succeed in your Deaf Culture contact experiences.
For each Deaf Culture contact you have acquired, please document this in your
Deaf Culture Log Paper and write a 2- 3 pages paper documenting and detailing
your experience with Deaf Community for this quarter. The 2-3 pages paper
will be typed and covers the entire
Deaf Community experiences you have acquired during this particular quarter. The students are also required to submit proof of
documentation (i.e. brochure, business card, signatures, flyers, etc) that they
have attended to the events. If it is not typed, I will return the paper back to
you. The instructor will announce other
upcoming Deaf Culture events in the class. The instructor will also post
upcoming Deaf Culture events in the ASL 121-B class website. The deadline for the
Deaf
Culture Log Paper and the
2-3-pages report will
be on the
last day of the course. Late papers will not be accepted. The
teacher will not accept Deaf Culture Report papers via email.
4
Deaf Culture Contact Experiences = 100 points total for Deaf Culture
Experience.
HOMEWORK PROJECTS:
Homework projects will be assigned to
you as a take home learning/practice experience. I will provide homework
semi-weekly. Late work will not be accepted. There will be no make-up
homework. Homework is due at the beginning of the class. Homework projects pertain to the topics we discuss
during the course. I prefer for you to submit to me the hard
copy, not to me via email. If
you do not have printer, you can use a
printer at any computer that is available to students throughout Bellevue
College and also please staple all of your
reports/homework assignments.
5
homework projects = 20 points each = 100 points total for Homework project
RECEPTIVE SKILLS ASSIGNMENTS:
At the end of each unit, I will be posting a video
of myself signing 10 sentences on YouTube. I will give the students directions
on how to find my YouTube address and also will post a handout on mybcc.net for
the students to print then write down the video translations. Students will
translate my ASL sentences and write down the answers on the handout and turn
the handout to me in person.
4
Receptive Skills assignments = 25 points each = 100 total points
UNIT DIALOGUE EXERCISES:
Around at the end of each unit, I will assign a
scripted dialogue exercise to students. Each student will have an assigned
partner. I will grade the student on their individual work, not the group work.
The student will sign the scripted dialogue exercise to his/her partner. I will
give strategies and guidelines on how students can succeed in this assignment
on mybcc.net
4
Unit Dialogue Exercises = 25 points each = 100 points
“AUTHENTIC” EARPLUG EXPERIMENT:
It is the philosophy in the ASL Program Department
and the Deaf Community that students learn ASL the best way by being
“culturally” immersed in the culture that they are learning.
For this reason, I require all students to
wear earplugs for the first three weeks of school so the students can acquire
“authentic” experiences on what it feels to have reduced hearing. Earplugs also can help prevent noise
distractions. With less noise
distractions will enriches the learning environment.
Earplugs can be purchased from the BC
bookstore. It is yours to wear the
earplugs for the next three weeks. In
case if you do lose your earplugs, it is your responsibility to purchase a new
earplug.
In case if you have medical
reasons that prevent you from wearing an earplug, please notify me
about that and please submit me a doctor’s note stating that you have medical
reason for not wearing earplugs.
Within three weeks of our earplug adventure, I
require for all of the students to write a paper detailing your experiences,
comments, thoughts on this earplug adventure.
Please type one to two page papers.
I have good news J J J : If you want to wear earplugs for the rest of
the quarter (after 1st three weeks),
I will award 25 free points for simply
wearing earplugs to each class.
Please keep in mind, I will be checking all of your
ears for each class during the first three weeks of the quarter: 1) At the beginning of the class, 2) after
break ends, and 3) when the class ends.
If I see a student not wearing earplug, I will deduct 2 points for each time the student is not wearing
earplugs in the first three weeks.
Also, when each class session ends, always remember
to remove your earplugs for safety reasons.
1 “Authentic Earplug Experiment” Report = 100
points
CLASS PARTICIPATION/ATTENDANCE:
Your
attendance is required if you are to succeed in any sign language class.
ASL 121 is no exception. Your attendance will be recorded and your
percentage of attendance will be added to your final grade. 100 percent
attendance will earn 100 attendance points. If you are not able to show
up the class, you are required to inform me via email. My email address is mcooper@bellevuecollege.edu. If there is an
emergency, page me at 206-393-7366. Please page only if
you have an emergency; otherwise email to my work email address. If the student
arrive class late, I will give a warning and if the student is late repeatedly,
I will count the excessive tardiness as an absence. When the student leaves during the class
without notifying me, I would count this as an absence.
Total
maximum attendance points = 100 points for perfect attendance
ONLINE GRADING CHECKING:
All students
are required to check in periodically on how they are doing. For this reason, when I have seen the
students check in online to check their own grades, I will award 5 points. The
online grading website is found at www.engrade.com
At least 1
grade check-in = 5 points
ASL TUTORING:
We do have
ASL tutoring for all ASL students. For more information, please check out at www.bellevuecollege.edu/tutoring.
ASL 121-B CLASS WEBSITE:
It is the Student’s
responsibility to check the class website frequently for resources and class
materials.
www.bellevuecollege.edu/artshum/materials
Click on FALL Quarter 2012
Click on World Languages
Click on American Sign
Languages
Click on ASL 121-B (Cooper, M)
NO VOICES/NO CELLULAR PHONES:
ASL is
best mastered if the students turn off their voices because by not using voices
will enable the students to develop better receptive ASL skills. This is
the reason why I prohibit students to use voices at all times. You can
use your voice only during the break. Whispering is not allowed. You are
expected to assist your classmates and facilitate their effective learning by
letting them wrestle with their own questions. Whispering answers
to them do not help them learn anything .I will
give 2 warnings to students who use voice during class. For 1st
warning, I will give a verbal warning and write the warning on paper and if the
students use voice for 2nd time again, I will ask the student to
please leave the class for the day.
Students
are not permitted to use cellular phones during the class for the reason that
cellular phones do disrupt the class.
STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT:
All
BC students are required to adhere to BC Policy on Student Code of Conduct. If you are uncertain
of what is the BC Policy on Student Code of Conduct, please go to http://www.bellevuecollege.edu/catalog/policies/studentcode.asp
or go to BC Student Services Department to obtain the 2012-2013 College
Catalogs. In stating that, I will give you the benefit of the doubt that
you as an adult can handle responsibility for your actions. I will expect
courtesy, attentiveness, and a willingness to learn. In so doing, you
will earn my respect as a responsible adult and be treated accordingly. I
will not tolerate any ridicule, harassment, distracting noise or behavior,
cell-phone use, whispering, insults, cruelty. Sometimes, in class, when
we make signing mistakes that these mistakes can be funny and laughter follows
naturally, good-natured laughter is welcomed, especially where we learn to
laugh at ourselves – with our classmates not AT them. Keep in mind that
no one feels free to take risks in an environment where they fear being
ridiculed or criticized where you, yourself, feel free to make mistakes, and
find understanding and support from those around you.
ACCOMMODATION / ACCESSIBILITY:
If you
require accommodation based on a documented disability, emergency medical
information to share, or need special arrangements in case of emergency evacuation,
please make an appointment with me as soon as possible. You will find
that Bellevue Community College has many resources for its students with
learning differences or disabilities have many options for developing
strategies that for academic success.
If you
would like to inquire about becoming a DRC student, you may call 564-2498 or go
in person to the DRC (Disability Resource Center) program office at B-132 or
check out their website (http://www.bellevuecollege.edu/drc).
INCLEMENT WEATHER INFORMATION:
In
case of inclement weather, check the status of BC opening/closing by going to
web: http://www.bellevuecollege.edu/status
or call (425) 401-6680 to obtain recorded message regarding the status of BC
opening/closing. In case of the inclement weather on the day when the class
is taking the test, the test will be postponed till the next class. You also can have the status information be
downloaded to your mobile cell phone. For more information on that, feel free
to contact me.
ASL CAN BE FUN!
American
Sign Language is said to be one of the most beautiful languages in the
world. It literally is an art. It is a visual-spatial language
which enables you to express yourself in 3-D. Learning ASL also can
be fun! We will have lot of group activities and play games.
HOLIDAY DATES / NO
CLASSES HELD ON THESE DATES:
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9,
2012 (COLLEGE ISSUES DAY)
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 26,
2012 (FACULTY DEVELOPMENT DAY)
MONDAY, NOVEMBER
12, 2012 (HOLIDAY)
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER
22, 2012 (THANKSGIVING)
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER,
23, 2012 (THANKSGIVING)
LAST DAY OF COURSE:
TUESDAY, DECEMBER
4, 2012
(SEE TENTATIVE SCHEDULE ON A SEPARATE DOCUMENT POSTED BY MYBC.NET.)