SLS 1030: American Sign Language IV

3 Credit Hours Semester

Room Information Class Meeting Times

Instructor: Jennifer Berrigan

Office Hours: https://jenniferberrigan.youcanbook.me/
Email: [email protected]

Course Description
This course provides vocabulary building and mastery of grammar through rigorous receptive and
expressive language activities. American Sign Language (ASL) skills development with application to
complex grammatical structures is continued. Topics to be discussed in ASL IV build from those covered
in the ASL III course (descriptions, complaints, suggestions, requests, Deaf culture).

Prerequisites: C+ or better in SLS 1020; or consent of departmental designee

Required Materials

Signing Naturally Units 7-12: Student Workbook by Cheri Smith, Ella Lentz,
and Ken Mikos, Dawn Sign Press, San Diego, CA. 2014. ISBN: 978-1-58121-
221-1

GoReact To submit your video assignments, www.goreact.com

will be used. This software code can be obtained at the bookstore.
The instructor will provide you with the registration link to
connect to the course folder in GoReact.

Common Course Outcomes (SLOs)

Students will be able to:

1. Demonstrate comprehension of intermediate conversations in ASL that includes everyday topics
using intermediate level vocabulary.
2. Demonstrate production of conversations and narratives in ASL that includes everyday topics
using intermediate level vocabulary.
3. Demonstrate intermediate fluency and comprehension with fingerspelling and number
incorporation.
4. Apply appropriate grammatical and affective non-manuals signals used in ASL conversations.
5. Examine the traits of cultures norms and values found in Deaf culture and Hearing culture.
Special thanks to Oakland Community College and Joanne Forbes for the use of their templates. Some
revisions were made.
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 6. Compose an oral tradition by creating story in ASL.

Teaching Methods
Class meetings will be taught using a variety of methods including lectures, group activities, individual
presentations, class discussions, class activities, videotapes and handouts. The acquisition of a new
language requires considerable expressive and receptive skill practice. Class participation is the core of
this experience and is the primary opportunity for all students skill development. Participation and
discussion are strongly encouraged.

Extended Responsibilities
Learning ASL is challenging and requires a lot of practice, memorization, critical thinking and developing
skills in real communication situations. You will need to find time to practice outside of class to be
successful. For best results, students are expected to do at least 3 hours of coursework outside of the
classroom per week.

Course requirements

Attendance and Participation Policy

Regular class attendance and participation is expected. Students are expected to contact the instructor prior
to missing class. Students who miss class are expected to contact another student for notes and information
from the missed class or check the blackboard before contacting the instructor with questions.

Arriving more than 15 minutes late or leaving early, or non-participatory actions during class, such as using your
cell phone to text someone, sleeping, having excessive side conversations using your voice, or repeatedly leaving
the room for long periods of time (more than 5 minutes), will first result in a warning and subsequent non-
participatory actions will result in a full absence after two warnings.

Language Policy
When you are entering my classroom, you are entering the Deaf-World environment, which means you are
in total language and cultural immersion of the Deaf Community and American Sign Language (ASL).
Since ASL is a visual-spatial language, a strict no-voice policy is observed upon arriving in my classroom.
This language immersion will benefit your comprehension and production skills. All conversations,
questions, and answers are expected to be given in ASL. You will use ASL, gestures, or written form to
convey meaning whenever necessary. Experience has shown that students are generally more successful at
learning ASL when they immerse themselves in it. Please be respectful of this policy.

Supplemental Materials

The ASL App: ASL for People You can find more information
about The ASL App at http://theaslapp.com/#about

SignOn For authentic practice with real deaf people via video camera software
for a one-on-one conversation as additional practice outside of the classroom.
For more information, go to https://www.signonconnect.com/

A EXCELLENT 4.0 95-100%

A- 3.7 90-94%
B+ 3.3 86%-89%

Special thanks to Oakland Community College and Joanne Forbes for the use of their templates. Some
revisions were made.
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Evaluations/grading
B GOOD 3.0 84%-85%
B- 2.7 80%-83%
Grading will follow the college grading policy as follows:
C+ 2.3 76%-79%
C AVERAGE 2.0 74%-75%
Grading Components C- 1.7 70%-73%
Attendance and participation are mandatory and there are no make-ups D+ 1.3 66%-69%
given other than for excused absences. Excused absences include: Illness D 1.0 60-65%
with a doctors note, jury duty with documentation, or a death in the FFAILURE 0.0 0-59%
family with documentation. Students may arrange to make up some work
missed during an excused absence. Certain practical assignments cannot be made up at a later date.
Instructor reserves the right to determine the nature of an absence.

If you miss a class, you are responsible for checking with a classmate to learn what you missed and what
will be due at the following class meeting. Homework and Deaf Event Report, or quizzes, whether you
attend class or not, by midnight of the date listed on the syllabus.

All assignments are expected to be turned in a timely manner. Late assignments will be penalized a full lett
er grade per class they are late regardless of your excused absence. Due to time constraints when
giving out the quizzes/exams, make-ups for quizzes and exams are not permitted.

Grading Components
Comprehension Quizzes 20%
Production Quizzes 15%
Deaf Event Reports 10%
Homework 15%
Big Bad Bat Story 15%
Exit Assessment 25%

Comprehension Quizzes
- Instructor will quiz students weekly on vocabulary and grammar structure.
- Students will write down in equivalent English.
- Total of 5 or 6 quizzes
- No Make-Ups; Instead the lowest quiz will be dropped.

Production Quizzes
- Students will produce ASL dialogue incorporating vocabulary and grammar structure learned in a
particular unit.
- The quizzes will have specific topic/instructions provided for each quiz. These instructions, along with
the rubric, will be are posted on D2L.
- The report must be videotaped and posted to www.goreact.com by the date it is due. Refer to your
syllabus schedule for due dates.

Deaf Events Report

- Attend at least TWO Deaf Events, one due by Week 4 and one due by Week 7.
o The main focus of this report is to detail your thoughts, opinions and reactions to the
information presented or to the event itself. Instead of a paper, you will do this report in
video. Plan ahead and check the course schedule for due dates.
- The report is to be two to three minutes videotaped and should include discussions of each bullet points
below:

Special thanks to Oakland Community College and Joanne Forbes for the use of their templates. Some
revisions were made.
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 o Event Name/Date/Location
o Summary of the Event What was the purpose of the event? What did the event look
like? What was your first impression upon arrival? Who did you interact with? How did
the event progress?
o Discussion of your feelings/thoughts Are there questions that you want to ask or
wondering about? What differences did you observe between Deaf and Hearing cultures?
How did you feel about the event? What would you want to change about it?

- Plan your Deaf Events in advance. Possible Deaf Events includes the following:
o Michigan School for the Deaf Sport Events http://www.michiganschoolforthedeaf.org/
o Facebook: Join SIGN Group Page for information (OCC Sign Club)
o Flint Association of the Deaf and/or Detroit Association of the Deaf
o Churches with Deaf Ministries
o Volunteering at Deaf-based agencies
o What Does Not Count:
Observing sign language interpreters
Bumping into Deaf person(s) in public or at work
- Attend two different types of events. If you attend a church service for your event #1, then you
should not use a church service for event #2. If you do attend similar event, points will be
deducted.

Homework
- Homework will be assigned at the end of the classes; Important to keep up with the workbook as it
will be checked throughout the semester.
- Total of three current news reports to present in front of class. See additional handout for guidelines
and expectations.

Big Bad Bat

- Students will read about a story called Bad Bat and participate in exercises related to that story.
This assignment will culminate in a videotaped re-telling of the Bad Bat story in ASL.
- The story is to be posted to www.goreact.com by the due date.
- Rubric is posted on D2L.

Exit Assessment
1. Dialogue: Sign Production 15%
2. Comprehension Exam 10%

Additional Students Requirements

Videotaped Homework Guidelines

- Be sure to have the background clear of any distractions (television on, glare from sunlight through the
window) and be sure to videotape yourself from waist and above.
- The camera must be set down on something so that the video quality is nice and clear, not choppy.
- If your video is over the time limit and the content that was assigned is not within the time limit
will be graded accordingly.
- Videos that have any of the following will have the grades impacted negatively:
inappropriate clothing
bad video angle (should be on an eye level)
bad lighting
video that are uploaded sideways
videos that are handheld
edited videos
Special thanks to Oakland Community College and Joanne Forbes for the use of their templates. Some
revisions were made.
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 Desire to Learn Software
- PowerPoints and other class materials will be posted on Desire to Learn (D2L).
- Your grades will be posted here as well. Check in often; Do not wait until the end of the semester to
address your questions or concerns about the grades posted.
- All rubrics can be found in D2L for your reference.
- Discussion Boards are used as extra credit opportunities. Check often to take advantage of that
opportunity!

SLS 1030: American Sign Language IV Tentative Course Outline

Class Date Topic Homework

Syllabus & Introductions

Class 1 3/10
Review ASL III


Unit 10:1- Giving Opinions About Tendencies
Class 2 3/15 Unit 10:2- Numbers: Telling the Price 1
Unit 10:3- Wh-Questions 1
Unit 10:4- Giving Opinions about Personal Qualities 1
Class 3 3/17 Unit 10:5- Numbers Telling the Price 2
Country Signs (Parts of O-Unit 15)
Unit 10:6- Giving Opinions about Personal Qualities 2
Class 4 3/22 Unit 10:7- Telling Where Items Are Located Michigan News (due in class)
Unit 10:8- Wh- Questions 2
Unit 10:9- Comparing Personal Qualities
Class 5 3/24 Unit 10:10- Culture: Interrupting Others

Unit 10:11- Comprehension
Unit 10:12- Looking for a Misplaced Item

Class 6 3/29 Unit 10 Review

Deaf Event Report #1 Due
O-Unit 15- Nationalities
Unit 11:1- Discussing Ones Knowledge and Abilities
Class 7 3/31 Unit 11:2- Numbers Review 1 Production Quiz #1 Due
Big Bad Bat Presentations Discussion
Unit 11:3- Asking for Opinion about Someone
Class 8 4/5 Unit 11:4- Describing Reactions International News (due in class)
Unit 11:5- Fingerspelling States and Provinces
Big Bad Bat Presentation Discussion

Class 9 4/7 Unit 11:6 Making and Cancelling Plans (with O-Unit 17)

Big Bad Bat Presentations- in-class
Unit 11:7- First and Last Time You Did Something
Class 10 4/12 Unit 11:8- Numbers Review

Unit 11:9- Discussing Personal Goals
Unit 11:10- Fingerspelling States and Provinces 2
Unit 11:11- Comprehension
Class 11 4/14 Unit 11:12: Culture: ASL Student
National News (due in class)
Unit 11:13: Culture: Deaf Artist
Unit 11 Review

Class 12 4/19 Unit 16: Objects

Production Quiz #2 Due
Unit 16: Food

Class 13 4/21 Final Dialogue Deaf Event Report #2 Due

Class 14 4/26 Final Comprehension Exit Exam

Class 15 4/28 Silent Supper and ASL Movie Night

NOTE: Department and instructor reserve the right to make changes to this syllabus at any time
during the semester with advance notice to students when possible.
Special thanks to Oakland Community College and Joanne Forbes for the use of their templates. Some
revisions were made.
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 OCC ITP Program Policies

Attendance Policy
Regular class attendance and participation is expected. As this is a practical skills course, missing class
will negatively affect the students development of sign language. Students are expected to contact the
instructor prior to missing class. Students are allowed two (2) absences. If a student has three excused
or unexcused absences, the student will be asked to withdraw from the course. Excused absences are
as follows: death in the family, illness with a doctors note, and jury duty. Student is responsible for
providing instructor with documentation of the above excused absences. Instructor will use his or her
discretion in determining if other absences may be excused. Students who miss class are expected to
contact another student for notes and information from the missed class before contacting the instructor
with questions.

Program Requirement
Students must maintain a C+ or better in all required Sign Language Interpreting Program courses,
including required supportive courses, in order to advance from course to course and ultimately obtain the
Sign Language Interpreter Associate in Applied Science degree. Students must complete ENG 1510 and
ENG 1520 prior to enrollment in SLS 2050. See 2010-2011 Catalog page 208 for more information.

Cell Phone Use Policy

In order to create a safe and comfortable learning environment, we must minimize all possible distractions.
Cell phones may not be used in the classroom. All cell phone ringers must be turned off or on vibrate. If
anyone needs to use a cell phone he or she must go out of the classroom to do so. Should a student use a
cell phone in class (whether for a voice call or for texting purposes) the student will be asked to leave the
class and will receive a 0 for the coursework that day. In addition, cell phones must be off of the desk
surface and out of sight during testing; any student found using a cell phone, PDA, pager or other device
during a test will receive an automatic 0 on the test.

Technology Policy
Technology problems are not an excuse for late or incomplete work. If you do not have
appropriate technology software or gadget to complete your assignment, technology software or
gadget are available at the library or computer labs on campus.
Always save your work, even if you have submitted your assignment.
No papers or videos will be accepted via email.
TAUR policy must be complied: information can be found at: https://www.oaklandcc.edu/TAUR/

Late Instructor Policy

If I will be late for class, I will have a college employee inform you of my approximate time of arrival. If
you have not heard from a college employee before 30 minutes have passed since the scheduled beginning
of class, you can leave for the day without suffering grade penalties. Check your OCC student email
account for instructions from me after I have been absent.

Meet With the Instructor

If for any reason you need to meet with me and prefer to use English to communicate, you have the right
to request for an ASL to English interpreter to accommodate your needs.

Special thanks to Oakland Community College and Joanne Forbes for the use of their templates. Some
revisions were made.
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 Oakland Community College Policies

Students Code of Conduct

Violation of College Policies and Procedures
Students are expected to be familiar with college policies and procedures as defined in the College Catalog
and Student Handbook. Any violation of these policies and procedures, including attendance, disruptive
classroom behavior, plagiarism or other academic dishonesty, harassment or threat/commission of an
assault, verbal or physical, will result in the following:
1. Instructor will verbally warn the student depending on the severity of the first offense
2. If the behavior persists, the student will be directed to leave the class.
3. In order to be reinstated, the student must arrange a meeting with the appropriate dean for possible
reinstatement.

Plagiarism Policy
Plagiarism, or the copying of others work without giving credit to the source, is unacceptable behavior and
will not be tolerated. Examples of plagiarism include:
Buying a term paper on the internet
Taking work directly from an article or book without crediting the source
Copying information directly from your classmates paper (or using a paper from a student who
took the course in a previous semester)
Students who have plagiarized anothers work will receive a 0 on the assignment.

ADA Accommodation Notification

The Academic Support Center (ASC) has tutors available on all subjects at all levels at no cost to students.
Students requiring special assistance (including those affected by the Americans with Disabilities Act)
may contact the ACCESS Office [WH220, 248.942-3080] who will inform the instructor of any special
conditions pertaining to their learning.

Equal Opportunity/Sexual Harassment Complaint Procedure (OCC website, College Catalog)

Oakland Community College does not discriminate against applicants, employees or students on the basis
of race, religion, color, national origin or ancestry, sex (including sexual harassment), age, height, weight,
marital status, sexual orientation, Vietnam era veteran status, or disability in its employment practices
and/or educational programs or activities.

Concerns about the above should be communicated to:

Equal Opportunity Compliance Officer
Oakland Community College
2480 Opdyke Road
Bloomfield Hills, Ml 48304-2266
Phone: 248.341.2000

Special thanks to Oakland Community College and Joanne Forbes for the use of their templates. Some
revisions were made.
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