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Heritage High School

American Sign Language 1
Course Syllabus for 2010/2011 School Year
INST!CT"# Ms. Melissa Cayton
[email protected]
C$%ITS# American Sign Language Interpreting 1
2 Credits (1 CTE 1 !oreign Language" !ull
#ear Course$
T$&T/$S"!C$S#
Materials %or t&is course are pulled %rom t&e %ollo'ing te(ts"
'ista# Signing Naturally Le(el 1 Smith, Lentz, & Mikos (1988)
)aster ASL Le(el 1 Zinza (2006)
H$L*+!L ,$-SIT$S " .../asl0ro/com an1
.../ lifeprint.com
$2!I$% $A%IN3S/'I$,IN3S 'ill )e c&osen %rom t&e %ollo'ing"
T&roug& *ea% Eyes
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T&e Miracle ,or-er (1./0s$
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Mr. 1olland2s 3pus
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Sound and !ury 4 Sound and !ury" Si( #ears Later
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C"!S$ %$SCI*TI"N#
American Sign Language nter!reting 1 is a uni5ue
interactive course t&at %ocuses on learning an1
e40eriencing the fun1amentals an1 linguistics of
American Sign Language 5ASL67 %eaf Culture 8
History7 an1 Inter0reting/ T&is course 'ill &elp improve
your understanding o% t&e *ea% 'orld as 'ell as gain
understanding o% t&e principles o% Interpreting %or t&e *ea%
and 1ard o% 1earing so t&at you may 'or- 'it& t&e *ea%
community e6ectively in today2s 'orld.
In t&is course you 'ill also gain e(perience in leaders&ip
team'or- presentation s-ills career pat& compassion and
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muc& more. Active participation is required %or t&is type
o% language7learning process. Active participation includes"
reading 'riting 8listening 'it& your eyes9 signing:spea-ing
activities cooperative games attending ASL:dea% events
role playing and class discussions.
T&is &ands7on course 'ill e(pose you to t&e *ea% 'orld and
community as 'ell as teac& you s-ills to last a li%etime.
C"!S$ *"LICY/$&*$CTATI"NS 8 3!I%$LIN$S
ASL is a N"N9'"CAL language 'it& its o'n
grammatical structure '&ic& ma-es it impossible to
communicate in signed ASL and spo-en Englis& at t&e
same time. ,e 'ill 5uic-ly transition %rom spo-en
Englis& to signed ASL. A%ter a %e' 'ee-s o% instruction
lectures and class activities 'ill )e conducted almost
e(clusively in ASL. In t&is class (ASL 1$ you 'ill 5uic-ly
)e e(pected to use ASL to communicate 'it& your
instructor and %ello' students 'it&out using your voice.
Atten1ance7 Assignments 8 %aily *oints *ue to
t&e &ig&ly interactive nature o% ASL students 'ill ;nd it
di<cult to succeed i% t&ey are not in class E+E=#*A#
(e(cused or non7e(cused$. #ou can receive up to ;ve
(>$ points during eac& class meeting you attend. T&ree
(?$ tardies@ 1 re%erral.
*artici0ation 'ill )e t&e single )iggest %actor in your
success and is t&ere%ore t&e single )iggest part o% your
grade. T&e 8+oice 369 class policy 'ill &elp you learn
retain and apply t&e content you 'ill )e learning.
Lectures presentations classroom activities
assignments and attendance at *ea% events all re5uire
participation t&at entails respect. T&is includes )ut is
not limited to" games songs and role playing. Please
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note that just showing up on time (Attendance)
does not mean that you are participating
appropriately (Participation).
,riting Assignments9,ritten assignments are due at
t&e beginning o% class on t&e due date. ,&en turning
in 'ritten (typed$ 'or- remem)er to put t&e %ollo'ing
in%ormation in t&e upper rig&t corner o% t&e ;rst page"
name period course (ASL 1$ date and instructor
(M.Cayton$. Include a title:assignment name on t&e top
line o% t&e ;rst page. A3TE" Correct spelling
punctuation and usage are al'ays important.
All assignments s&ould )e typed dou)le spaced and proo%7read %or
accuracy in )ot& grammar and spelling.
Late ,or:9Late 'or- is not accepted and 'ill not
receive credit. T&is is department policyB certain
e(tenuating circumstances can )e e(cused. It is t&e
student2s responsi)ility to contact t&e instructor to
determine '&et&er late 'or- 'ill )e accepted %or %ull or
partial credit.
*ro;ects# Students are re5uired to demonstrate t&eir
receptive and e(pressive ASL s-ills in a variety o%
per%ormance7)ased video recorded proCects.
3ra1e %iscussion *olicy I% you disagree 'it& a grade
earned on an assignment you must turn in a 'ritten
e(planation o% your dispute 'it&in one 'ee- o%
receiving t&e grade. #ou 'ill receive a 'ritten response
%rom t&e instructor during t&e %ollo'ing 'ee-.
ASL/%eaf $(ents 5(oice9o< at these e(ents6
o Students are re=uire1 to attend at least 2 *ea%:ASL
events t&is semester.
o Turn in a *ea% Event report 'it&in D days o% t&e event to
receive credit.
-eha(ioral $40ectations"
o es0ect yoursel%. Attend class )e prepared .or: har1
)e &onest an1 0artici0ate.
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o es0ect ot&ers" Ee considerate o% ot&ers2 %eelings and
t&eir property use appropriate language and s&o' good
Cudgment. Avoid unsa%e )e&avior (t&ro'ing o)Cects
&orseplay etc.$
o es0ect your sc&ool environment" Feep t&e classroom
clean and orderly. At t&e end o% class students 'ill )e
dismissed )y t&e instructor '&en t&e room is in order not
)y t&e )ell. $ating an1 1rin:ing are not
allo.e1 in the classroom/
No $lectronic %e(ices
T&is is a 1eritage 1ig& Sc&ool policy. T&is )an includes ()ut
is not limited to$" cell p&ones G*As pagers iGods cameras
and gaming devices. $lectronic 1e(ices .ill be ta:en by
the instructor an1 turne1 in to the front o>ce7 to be
retrie(e1 only by a 0arent or guar1ian/
-athroom *ri(ileges" 3nly 1 student at a time is allo'ed
out o% t&e classroom %or )at&room privileges. A)use o% t&is
policy (e(cessive re5uests e(cessive time a'ay %rom t&e
classroom$ 'ill result in t&e loss o% privileges.
Note# Students may )e p&otograp&ed or videotaped %or
learning purposes suc& as group assignments e(ams etc.
3ra1ing
!inal Hrades are determined according to t&e %ollo'ing scale"
?@9100A A BB9B?A CC
?09?2A A9 B@9BDA C
EB9E?A -C B09B2A C9
E@9EDA - D09D?A No Cre1it
E09E2A -9 09F?A +
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Stu1ents ha(e the o00ortunity to earn 0oints by satisfying the follo.ing
re=uirements#
*artici0ation 5D0A6
As t&is is an ASL class it is crucial t&at you participate in every class
meeting )y" (1$ arriving on time and prepared %or classB (2$ ad&ering to
t&e +oice736 policy at all times re5uestedB (?$ paying visual attention
to t&e signing o% t&e instructor and ot&er studentsB (I$ e(&i)iting
respect%ul )e&avior and language at all timesB and (>$ spending all
class time on7tas-.
2uiGGes 8 )i1term 520A6
In addition to t&e %eed)ac- you 'ill receive %rom your proCects your
receptive and e(pressive signing a)ilities 'ill )e tested via 5uiJJes
and t'o tests during t&is semester. 3ne test 'ill occur near t&e middle
o% t&e semester and one at t&e end (i.e. Signing Idol$.
%ialogues 510A6
Appro(imately every 27? 'ee-s you 'ill 'rite gloss (ASL notation$
memoriJe and per%orm a dialogue in ASL 'it& one or more
classmates on an assigned topic. T&ese dialogues 'ill )e recorded and
evaluated )y t&e instructor in terms o% e(pressive and receptive
signing a)ility Kuency and t&e e(tent to '&ic& you %ollo' directions.
ea1ing/'ie.ing Assignments 510A6
*uring t&e course o% t&e semester students are re5uired to read a
minimum o% 200 pages and vie' a minimum o% 2 &ours o% video %rom
approved sources related to *ea% culture:t&e *ea% community.
Students 'ill )e graded on 'ritten reKection:response to '&at t&ey
&ave read:vie'ed. See page 1 o% t&e sylla)us %or a partial list o%
approved sources.
"ther 3ra1e1 e=uirements
%eaf $(ents
*uring t&is semester you 'ill )e re=uire1 to atten1 t.o 526 e(ents
'it&:'it&in t&e *ea% community. #ou are re5uired to su)mit a 'ritten
report o% your e(perience 'it&in D days o% t&e event. To determine
'&at types o% events may 5uali%y see t&e instructor.
Stu1ent Contract
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To indicate t&at you understand t&e re5uirements o% t&is course and
t&at you are responsi)le as an active participant in your learning you
are re5uired to revie' t&is sylla)us 'it& a parent:guardian and print L
sign t&e Student Contract (last page$. The signe1 Stu1ent Contract
is 1ue by +ri1ay7 Se0tember 127 2011/
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Sign and Print THIS PAGE ONLY and turn in for points.
ST!"#T #!"$STA#!%#&S ' (ontract
1. I understand the standards in this course and that I am responsible for my own learning.
2. I understand that this class is a hands-on college-worthy course and will focus on: Deaf culture
and history, foundations of American Sign Language, and voice-off ASL communication sills.
3. I understand that at times I will be woring in groups.
4. I understand that woring together in a group means that I will be responsible to tae an active
part in advancing the assigned wor of the group.
5. I understand that the nature of this course re!uires consistent classroom attendance and
interactive participation.
6. I understand the attendance policy and the grading system.
7. I understand that if I do not agree to the re!uirements of this course that I will drop the class in a
timely manner to allow room for another student.
8. I understand that this "student understandings" form must be signed and turned in by the end of
the first full wee of class.
I have read, understood, and agree to the requireents and grading !riteria of this !ourse.
Student" _________________________ __________________________ Date: __________
(print) (sign)
Parent#Guardian: _________________ ___________________________Date: __________
(print) (sign)
*lanning .ithout action is a 1ay1ream/
Action .ithout
0lanning is a
nightmare/ HChinese
*ro(erb
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