Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

Communication and comprehension proficiencies are the main objective of the course. This course meets for 4 hours a week. This course continues the study of the major grammatical features of ASL to develop competency in communication, comprehension, and interaction in the language and culture of the Deaf. This course also focuses on ASL literature by introducing students to ASL storytelling techniques, story analysis and the techniques used to develop ASL poetry and. This course develops students’ receptive skills through the use of DVDs/videotapes. Students are expected to experiment with ASL storytelling and poetry. Cultural information is shared through readings, DVDs, and classroom discussions.
This course uses curriculum from Signing Naturally Level 3, American Sign Language Literature Series: Bird of a Different Feather & For a Decent Living Student DVD and the Student Workbook (Sam Supalla & Ben Bahan), ASL Poetry Student DVD and ASL Poetics (Clayton Valli), and A to Z: ABC Stories in ASL DVD. Optional: U.S. of ASL poetry videotape by Peter Cook, The Treasure videotape by Ella Mae Lentz and ASL storytelling techniques modeled by instructors. The curriculum and the lessons are designed to help the students and the program satisfy the requirements of the five areas of Communication, Cultures, Connections, Comparisons, Communities outlined by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL). In addition, students will gain cultural awareness and appreciation of ASL and Deaf Culture.
Due to the design of the curriculum and the lessons, instructors and students will be required to have access to computers in order to use CD-ROMs and DVDs in order to teach and to do the assignments. In addition, ASL is a visual language so it is critical that the classrooms are of the appropriate size (square not long and narrow). The students will sit in a semi-circle and be able to see everyone so as to participate in the dialogues and develop their receptive skills by viewing other students and the instructor. This is critical when creating the most effective learning environment.
ASL 210 is offered for 4 hours of transferable credit. It satisfies part of the foreign language requirement for the B.A. degree, counts as an elective for the A.A. degree, and contributes to the general education requirement for other Associates Degrees.

Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
· Narrate and describe events in all the major time frames including relevant and supporting facts in a connected, story/concept length ASL discourse
· Apply ASL linguistic features; e.g. use of communicative strategies such as rephrasing, register, explanation or anecdote
· Apply receptive and expressive skills in ASL narratives, ASL poetry and ASL storytelling; e.g. Deaf jokes and Deaf folktales
· Discuss the linguistic and cultural diversity within the Deaf World; appreciate and understand the morals behind culturally Deaf folktales, Deaf jokes, Deaf poetry, and be able to compare and contrast Deaf storytellers’ works.
· Meet the skills required for Advanced/High proficiency (ACTFL Guideline)

Uses activities and materials from Signing Naturally Level 3, American Sign Language Literature Series: Bird of a Different Feather & For a Decent Living Student DVD and the Student Workbook (Sam Supalla & Ben Bahan), ASL Poetry Student DVD and ASL Poetics (Clayton Valli), and A to Z: ABC Stories in ASL DVD. Optional: U.S. of ASL poetry videotape by Peter Cook, The Treasure videotape by Ella Mae Lentz and ASL storytelling techniques modeled by instructors. Students are expected to attend all classes, participate actively in classroom activities, and prepare expressive homework assignments. Students are expected to tell stories and express narratives in front of other students and the instructor. Students may video record their work in the classroom or lab or at home (as indicated by the instructor). ASL will be used in the classroom at all times. No spoken language or voice will be permitted in the classroom. Students should plan to spend at least one hour in preparation and practice outside of class for each class hour.

Assessment strategies include observation of students’ in-class receptive and expressive use of ASL storytelling/narratives, written quizzes on cultural knowledge and receptive skills, and videotaping of students’ expressive use of ASL storytelling/narratives. Student competence in using ASL will be assessed by the quality of receptive and expressive preparation and participation and assignments. Attendance is an important factor but it is not used as assessment tool. As part of this course, the students will also take quizzes online through Cyber ASL.

Includes all or most of the following:
· Manages dialogues on a variety of topics
· ASL Storytelling
· ASL Poetry
· Signing Stories – ABC stories, Handshape stories, etc.
· Providing information
· Analyzing ASL Stories
· Manages small group discussions
· Discussing/analyzing ASL literature
· Discussing/analyzing ASL stories and narratives
· Sharing Cartoons and jokes
· Sharing short stories
· Discussing/analyzing ASL Poetics
· Sharing students created ASL poetry
· Discussing transition markers
· Narrating unforgettable moments
· Sharing interesting facts
· Analyzing language usage
Themes, Concepts and Issues:
Includes all or most of the following:
· Vocabulary
· ASL expressions
· Plurality in ASL
· Time Signs
· Feelings
· Opinions
· Action Verbs
· ASL Storytelling techniques
· ASL Narrative structure
· Classifiers
ASL Grammar:
· Sentence Types
· Time
· Pronominalization
· Subjects and objects
· Classifiers
· Locatives
· Pluralization
· Temporal aspect
· Distributional aspect
· Transition markers
ASL storytelling and narrative techniques:
· Analyzing and discussion of ASL story and narratives
· Utilizing signing space
· Practicing role shifting
· Acting out different characters
· Showing changing perspectives
· Acting out inanimate objects (personification)
· Showing appropriate expressions
· Discussing setting a scene
· Discussing periods of time
· ASL Poetics
· Analyzing ASL poetics
· Discussing ASL rhyme
· Discussion of ASL Poetics and storytelling
· Utilizing handshape rhyme
· Showing movement rhyme
· Showing location rhyme
· Showing palm orientation rhyme
· Utilizing non-manual signal rhyme
· Discussing symbols and metaphors
· Discussing classifier epdr icates
· Discussing personification and irony
· Discussing stanza, meter and rhythm
· Spatial agreement
· Character development
· Movement of characters and objects
· Discussing placement
· Discussing classifier epdr icates
· Discussing personification and irony
· Discussing rhythmic sign movement
· Discussing metamorphosis
· Verb inflections
· Cultural Information
Cultural Information:
· Deaf Theaters, events, and clubs
· Deaf Actors, Actresses, Performers, and other well-known Deaf people
· ASL Storytelling
· Narratives
· Deaf Jokes
· Accessibility
· Comparative cultural analysis of: For a Decent Living and Bird of a Different Feather
· A Deaf experience: Bird of a Different Feather
· A Deaf Experience: For a Decent Living
Process Skills:
· Participate actively through conversation, demonstration, modeling, visual readiness, storytellling, narratives and videotaping.
· Discover patterns and meaning in the language through dialogues, storytelling and narratives
· Receive information and express as clearly in ASL.
· Work collaboratively with all students in the class
· Prepare expressive content using ASL storytelling and narratives that illustrate that these goals have been reached.