Tuesday, November 30, 2010

ASL 1102: Final Exam Study Guide and Schedule


8:00 a.m.
Tuesday, December 21
12:00 noon

9:15 a.m.
Wednesday, December 22
8:00 a.m.

The exam will cover units 1-12.



*The Receptive and Written Exam will cover units 1-12 and all information covered in class. This includes information that was not in your book (lectures, films, media clips). There will be specific sections on the exam. These sections are:

• Vocabulary section (mulitple choice)
• Grammar section (be able to identify specific grammar)(wh?, yes/no?, topics, modals, directional verbs, noun/verb pairs, verb pairs etc.) and answer specific questions
• Parameters section testing your vocab knowledge
• Structure, grammar, and culture (True & false, fill in, essay and multiple choice)
• Classifier section Be sure to be able to identify the concept of a classifier



Half of the exam will be live (instructor (s) will be signing. The other half will be written questions *For all units, be sure to read all grammar and culture notes in your book, review sentence structure and grammar, and review your vocabulary. I recommend studying with a group or a partner. You may want to give each other practice exams. What is listed below is important for the exam.

Film: Through Deaf Eyes

Unit 1
Yes/no? Facial grammar
Wh? Facial grammar
Nodding and head shaking
Difference between live and from (culture)
Introductions (names) (culture)
Who is important for bringing French Sign language to America
Who is an important American man that helped establish the first Deaf School in America? Where? What is it know as today?


Unit 2
Use of Oh-I-See for feedback
Repeating in your responses
Understanding parameters (rules of signs) (lecture)

Unit 3
Verbs change movement to show meanings (help, show, tell, etc.)
Topic statements – eyebrows raised for topic and appropriate for comment
Signing excuse me and walking between speakers (culture)
Signs are in present time unless you state otherwise
Noun/verb pairs

Unit 4
Colors can appear before or after the noun
Compound sign: look-like
It is always appropriate to describe a person as they look (culture)

Unit 5
Verb pairs
Noun verb pairs
Getting Deaf people’s attention (culture)
Polite ways to ask for help: don’t mind, for me, and don’t care (lecture)

Unit 6
The difference between some noun/verb pairs (nouns are smaller/repeated verbs are larger/one movement)
The concept of all with day, morning, afternoon, evening and all night
Showing emotions
Negatives of like, know and want
Modals showing how something is done

Unit 7
Classifiers (be sure to review handout as well)
Classifiers concepts need to be memorized not labels
Quantifiers
Number incorporation with min, week, month year

Unit 8
Tenses
classifiers
Use of finish
Bad joke
Just friends
All done
Stop it
Past tense

Pronoun and incorporation with numbers
2-of-us
2- of-you etc.

Unit 9
Use of numbers with age
Numbers
Contraction signs
Story telling techniques

Unit 10
Every with days of the week and time
Directional verbs
Classifiers
Lexicons
Playing with fingerspelling

Unit 11
Use of run out and deplete
Negatives of modals
Money
Concept of none

Monday, November 29, 2010

ASL 1102 (9:00): Blog #12: Story TIme!


It is time for you to begin creating your story in ASL to show to the class during Monday Wednesday or Friday of week 15. I would like you to think of a personal story (basic) that is funny and meaningful to you. I have demonstrated several stories in class and now it is your turn to sign a story for me. This story needs to be 3-5 minutes in length. We will spend time preparing in class and I will be able to help you if needed and check over your stories, but you will want to sign and practice your story with the tutors several times as well. The next few weeks of tutoring will be set aside for review and story practice. You will be required to write your story in English and then translate it into ASL grammar and structure following the guide the book gives you. This will be turned into me the day you are assigned to do your story.

Here is an example:

English: A long time ago when I was nine years old, I went to the store with my mom.

ASL: LONG-AGO ME AGE NINE, MY MOM, ME TWO-OF-US STORE GO-TO.

Directions and Expecations for Story Exam:

For this exam you will need to incorporate key concepts and vocabulary that you have learned from ASL 1101-1102 and sign a personal story of short length. This story needs to be recorded and will be shown to the class. Students may burn it to a disc, or have it on a flashdrive. I will watch these in class, but will also need to access them later to ensure proper grading. Be sure to have everything that I will need so I may view your story again after class. I will not accept student’s cameras. Students will not receive credit for this exam if they do not do one of the two options above. I will not be responsible for your equipment so plan accordingly and be sure to do this properly and professionally.


Your story must be ready for viewing on your assigned day. Days will be assigned in class. There will be no exceptions.
Requirements:

• Vocabulary: 25 points
o A wealth of vocabulary from units 1-12
o Correct parameters
o Correct concepts
o Clear, crisp, concise and smooth

• Grammar (you must incorporate one or more of the following unless otherwise noted) 40 points
o Yes/no?
o Wh?
o Directional verb
o Classifiers (3 or more)
o Pronoun incorporation
o Noun/verb pairs
o Modal
o Descriptives
o Locative (setting your story up in space using people, places or things)
o Topic statement
o Correct order
 Object, subject, verb
 Topics
 Tenses
 Politeness

• Fingerspelling: 10 points
o Spell your name
o Spell your title of the story
o Clear, crisp, smooth and concise
o Correct letters (common errors: d,1,f,a,s)
o Do not use fingerspelling for signs already known

• Mime: 25 points
o Use appropriate mime (do not overuse or use in place of signs or classifiers)
o Use appropriate facial expressions
o Use body language
o Use character shift
o Become characters

Here is are two stories by ASL students. Please comment on what you think this student did well and what he needs to improve on. What will you do well and what do you see yourself struggling with? What story will you share (brief overview).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJ1X_759OX8&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMXK0jwg1kU&feature=related

ASL 1102-002 (8:00) Blog #12: Story Time!









It is time for you to begin creating your story in ASL to show to the class during Monday Wednesday or Friday of week 15. I would like you to think of a personal story (basic) that is funny and meaningful to you. I have demonstrated several stories in class and now it is your turn to sign a story for me. This story needs to be 3-5 minutes in length. We will spend time preparing in class and I will be able to help you if needed and check over your stories, but you will want to sign and practice your story with the tutors several times as well. The next few weeks of tutoring will be set aside for review and story practice. You will be required to write your story in English and then translate it into ASL grammar and structure following the guide the book gives you. This will be turned into me the day you are assigned to do your story.

Here is an example:

English: A long time ago when I was nine years old, I went to the store with my mom.

ASL: LONG-AGO ME AGE NINE, MY MOM, ME TWO-OF-US STORE GO-TO.

Directions and Expecations for Story Exam:

For this exam you will need to incorporate key concepts and vocabulary that you have learned from ASL 1101-1102 and sign a personal story of short length. This story needs to be recorded and will be shown to the class. Students may burn it to a disc, or have it on a flashdrive. I will watch these in class, but will also need to access them later to ensure proper grading. Be sure to have everything that I will need so I may view your story again after class. I will not accept student’s cameras. Students will not receive credit for this exam if they do not do one of the three options above. I will not be responsible for your equipment so plan accordingly and be sure to do this properly and professionally.


Your story must be ready for viewing on your assigned day. Days will be assigned in clas. There will be no exceptions.
Requirements:

• Vocabulary: 25 points
o A wealth of vocabulary from units 1-12
o Correct parameters
o Correct concepts
o Clear, crisp, concise and smooth

• Grammar (you must incorporate one or more of the following unless otherwise noted) 40 points
o Yes/no?
o Wh?
o Directional verb
o Classifiers (3 or more)
o Pronoun incorporation
o Noun/verb pairs
o Modal
o Descriptives
o Locative (setting your story up in space using people, places or things)
o Topic statement
o Correct order
 Object, subject, verb
 Topics
 Tenses
 Politeness

• Fingerspelling: 10 points
o Spell your name
o Spell your title of the story
o Clear, crisp, smooth and concise
o Correct letters (common errors: d,1,f,a,s)
o Do not use fingerspelling for signs already known

• Mime: 25 points
o Use appropriate mime (do not overuse or use in place of signs or classifiers)
o Use appropriate facial expressions
o Use body language
o Use character shift
o Become characters

Here is are two stories by ASL students. Please comment on what you think this student did well and what he needs to improve on. What will you do well and what do you see yourself struggling with? What story will you share (brief overview).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJ1X_759OX8&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMXK0jwg1kU&feature=related

Monday, November 22, 2010

Announcements and Take Home Quiz #3

*****NO BLOG THIS WEEK****
*****Take Home Quiz #3 Due: December 3rd (Friday)*****

Complete 10a, b, c, and d from your text.

10a, write the sentences in correct ASL structure. Be sure to list which direction the directional verb needs to be. (towards body. away from body)

10b, write the sentences in correct ASL structure and list the classifier(s) needed and for what.

10c, list the correct classifier needed.

10d, write the sentences in the correct ASL structure.

*****IMPORTANT REMINDER! Exam #1: Units 1-11, December 3rd (Friday)*****

****Important Review Information From Units 9 & 10

The signs OLD and AGE are signed slightly different
The signs DON'T KNOW and KNOW-THAT are slightly different
Cochlear Implant was added t vocabulary
ODD and be STRANGER if you add an agent or person marker
DIRTY and PIG are slightly different
The sign STUBBORN comes from Mule or Donkey
DEVIL is signed with only one movement and MISCHIEVOUS is repeated
Be sure to sign House with open palms
The sign GOOD-LOOKING is actually SEXY
The sign GO-AWAY is used for leaving or going to
PLAY and PARTY have differnt movements
OH-GEE is used humorously

Lexicons or loaner signs are borrowed from fingerspelling. See page 133.
The concept of EVERY with days of the weeks is a continous downwards motion (think of a calendar) when using it with time of day, it sweeps across the body
(think of a week on the calendar)
The sign FULL can also be used for FED-Up facial grammar allows us to know the difference.
You may sign Lunch, Dinner and breakfast with the first intial on your chin.
Classifiers in this unit are predicates that represent a catagory or size and shape
Directional verbs in this unit move in the opposite direction to convey meaning

Monday, November 15, 2010

ASL 1102-002 (8:00) Blog #11: Waiting for the World to Change


For this blog discussion, listen to the songs, "Waiting for the World to Change" by John Mayer and "Beautiful" by Christina Aguilera. Think about your feeling of the message being sent. Now watch and listen to the music videos, Beautiful and Waiting for the World to Change, by Deaf Performing Artist Network. ("Waiting for the World to Change" can be accessed directly on the right through the YouTube link. To access "Beautiful," you will need to click on the D-Pan weblink to view it through their homepage.) As you watch these videos look for the cultural message that the signers and the Deaf community are trying to portray. Why do you think that this song was selected to be sign language interpreted? After watching the interpretation, how has the song message changed for you? What other culture could use this song to send their message to the majority and why?

ASL 1102-002 (9:00) Blog #11: Waiting for the World to Change




For this blog discussion, listen to the songs, "Waiting for the World to Change" by John Mayer and "Beautiful" by Christina Aguilera. Think about your feeling of the message being sent. Now watch and listen to the music videos, Beautiful and Waiting for the World to Change, by Deaf Performing Artist Network. ("Waiting for the World to Change" can be accessed directly on the right through the YouTube link. To access "Beautiful," you will need to click on the D-Pan weblink to view it through their homepage.) As you watch these videos look for the cultural message that the signers and the Deaf community are trying to portray. Why do you think that this song was selected to be sign language interpreted? After watching the interpretation, how has the song message changed for you? What other culture could use this song to send their message to the majority and why?

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Weej #10: Agenda and Class Anouncements

This Weeks Focus:


Tenses:
Past:
yesterday
before, later or last
long ago
recently/just

Future:
tomorrow
will (often placed at the end of the sentence more often than not)
later
after-awhile
far-in-future


TENSE PRACTICE

1. I will go to school tomorrow.
TOMORROW, SCHOOL I GO-TO WILL
2. Yesterday I went the bookstore.
YESTERDAY, BOOKSTORE FINISH GO-TO
3. I recently saw the movie called, “How to Train Your Dragon”.
RECENTLY, MOVIE CALLED, httyd, I FINISH SAW.
4. My sister has been married for 10 years!
MY SISTER MARRIED FINISH 10 YEARS
5. I will finish school someday!
SCHOOL, FINISH I WILL.
6. My class will finish in 6 weeks.
MY CLASS FINISH 6 WEEKS WILL.
7. I have class today not tomorrow.
TODAY CLASS HAVE TOMORROW NOT
8. I saw my cousin yesterday.
YESTERDAY MY COUSIN FINISH SEE I
9. I will see my family tomorrow.
TOMORROW MY FAMILY SEE WILL I
10. Later I will sign with friends.
LATER MY FRIENDS SIGN WILL I





Family Signs:

Added to your list:
partner
foster
1/2
step
relatives
2 moms (partners) (parents)
2 dads (partners) (parents)

Signs to be aware of:

-Birthday has several signs, I taught you a regional sign for birthday in class
-with and go-steady are differnt
-girlfriend and boyfriend are signed for intimitate relationships, not friendships
-to indicate the sex for the sign cousin, you move the sign to the female or male location. If you are signing in general, use the neutral space on your face.
-the sign long, is for time not hair etc.



Grammar:

TENSE INDICATORS


THESE SIGNS ARE USED TO INDICATE THE TIME IN WHICH SOMETHING HAS OR WILL HAPPEN. ASL IS ALWAYS SET UP IN PRESENT TIME UNLESS YOU USE THESE. TENSES ARE PLACED AT THE BEGINNING OR THE END OF THE SENTENCES. THE PREFERENCE IS OFTEN THE BEGINNING TO ESTABLISH TIME RIGHT AWAY IN A CONVERSATION. HOWEVER, THE SIGN WILL IS OFTEN USED ONLY AT THE END.

PRESENT PAST FUTURE
NOW YESTERDAY TOMORROW
BEFORE LAST WILL
TODAY RECENT
JUST LATER
LONG-AGO AFTER-AWHILE
FINISH FAR-IN-FUTURE

***DAYS OF THE WEEK, MONTHS AND YEARS (WITH AND WITHOUT NUMBER INCORPORATION UP TO 9) CAN ALSO BE USED TO ESTABLISH TENSES ( WILL LEARN LATER)


Uses of Finish:
Stop it!
already
bad joke
that's all
all done
past tense

Pronoun incorporation:

Some personal pronouns can incorporate numbers. You may go up to 9.

2-0f-Us
2-Of-You

Joke of the day: King Kong is Deaf!


Story: Thanksgiving Gathering

Feedback of the day: YOU ARE THINKING IN ENGLISH YOU NEED TO THINK IN SIGN!

Monday, November 8, 2010

ASL 1102-002 (9:00) Blog #10: Discussion: How to Succeed in ASL


"Learning is doing. It is an active process in which you must be involved. You do not learn effectively by sitting on the sidelines; you must be involved and participating in what you are trying to learn."

Your high school learning experience took place in a "teaching environment." How much you learned depended largely on the knowledge and skills of your teacher. Now you are in college – in a "learning environment." The responsibility for what you learn is yours, NOT the instructor’s. You are expected to be an independent learner.

You know you need to study. You know it is important. But, maybe it has been a while since they were in classes in high school or college. And very few people have studied a visual language before. So, while you are committed to doing whatever it takes to be successful in learning sign language, you wish you had a better idea of exactly what it does take.

Want to be successful? Here are some study tips.


Study Hints for Sign Language Students

Interact with the Deaf community or even just your instructor and tutors!! You may also wish to join the ASL club on campus! There is nothing that can substitute for seeing the language in use by fluent signers. Immersion in the language setting is acknowledged by all as the best way to learn a language. Take advantage of every opportunity you can.

Review your videotape and workbook.
The purpose of your videotape is to provide experience with the language in natural settings. Follow the directions in the workbook to complete the exercises. Remember, your purpose it to exercise your eyes and mind, not to understand every sign and nuance the first time. Recognize the familiar and use context to fill in the blanks.

After completing the workbook, review the videotape several more times. Sign along with the tape or stop the tape at the end of a sentence and sign what you have just seen. Practice not only the hand shapes, but the posture, facial expressions, and phrasing. Or, after seeing a sentence or dialogue, stop the tape and invent one of your own following the same format just observed. These are good partner activities, where you can get feedback on your accuracy.

Practice fingerspelling and numbers.
Do not go straight through the alphabet, or say the letters as you spell. Practice spelling letter or word combinations: bat, cat, sat, mat, hat, attic. Many games can be played with fingerspelling rather than spoken or written words: Boggle, Password, Scattegories, etc.

Make sure that you work with a partner to practice reading fingerspelling, which is much more challenging than producing the letters yourself. As you improve, begin fingerspelling within phrases and sentences.

To practice numbers, play bingo or math drill games. Look up phone numbers in the yellow pages. List birthdates. Fingerspelling and number comprehension are among the most difficult skills for the sign language learner. To become proficient you must practice with others routinely.

(Hint: If it is impossible to get together with a partner on a regular enough basis, consider making videotapes for each other. For example, fingerspell the names of restaurants, movies, streets in Atlanta, the 50 state capitals, the names of people at the Oscar broadcast, etc. These categories make it easier to think of items to add to the list, and give the reader context in which to comprehend the word that is fingerspelled. A study group could easily make enough tapes to rotate and practice with all semester. Then, the tapes could be donated to the department for use by future students.)

View sign language videotapes. The Clarkston campus library has a large collection of sign language and interpreting videotapes for viewing and checkout. Public libraries may be another source.
Watch the videotapes and note new vocabulary items.

Notice the natural "accent" of ASL. What is the signing space? What expressions and body movements are used? Try to copy what you see on the screen. First the expressions and movements, then the signs, then the two in combination.

Notice the sentence structure. You may want to take notes and see how the word order in ASL differs and resembles English.

Watch a selection, signing along with it, until you feel familiar and comfortable with it. Then, videotape yourself signing the material, and compare your production to that of the original tape.

Look for one specific feature of ASL while viewing a selection. For example, you might want to find instances where the verb is modified to show who is acting and what is being acted upon (directionality). Or, find instances where a classifier is used to describe a thing or an activity. Note use of a specific classifier (for example, the vehicle classifier) and list how it is used. Watch the signer's mouth movements and note what movements accompany what signs, and for what purpose. Select features you have discussed in class.

Retell the story you have watched. Videotape it for completeness and accuracy.

Remember: you are training your brain to new ways of thinking and your body to new ways of communicating. It takes time, repetition and concentration. But, you can do it! And the rewards are tremendous, when you find yourself communicating with a new friend in a new language.

Okay, now lets talk. I mean really talk. This is all easier said then done right? Here we are in our second term already and things are picking up and may feel like they are moving really quickly. I am using ASL as our targeted language for the majority of the class meeting now since we have completed our first half of the semester. Is this easy for you? Of course not! I know that. I know this is very challenging for you. I know it takes a lot of concentration and dedication to stay focused for an hour regardless what class you are in. I know that I often express what I am seeing from you during class. I want you to know that I am not the only ASL teacher that notices your every move and has something to say about it!

I want you to watch this clip. It was made by an ASL teacher. She too wants you to be aware of what you are doing and how it can hinder your learning process.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EB060N1SvkM&p=94A0B899751BDC09&playnext=1&index=23

After watching this, I want you to think about what yourself in class. What will you change? How will you help yourself learn? What is working for you? What have you done to memorize vocabulary and grammar? What helps you during class? What hinders you? What do you struggle with?

For your second post I want you to give advice to each other.

Learn from each other you are all in the same boat!

Monica

ASL 1102-001 (8:00) Blog #10: Discussion: How to Succeed in ASL



"Learning is doing. It is an active process in which you must be involved. You do not learn effectively by sitting on the sidelines; you must be involved and participating in what you are trying to learn."

Your high school learning experience took place in a "teaching environment." How much you learned depended largely on the knowledge and skills of your teacher. Now you are in college – in a "learning environment." The responsibility for what you learn is yours, NOT the instructor’s. You are expected to be an independent learner.

You know you need to study. You know it is important. But, maybe it has been a while since they were in classes in high school or college. And very few people have studied a visual language before. So, while you are committed to doing whatever it takes to be successful in learning sign language, you wish you had a better idea of exactly what it does take.

Want to be successful? Here are some study tips.


Study Hints for Sign Language Students

Interact with the Deaf community or even just your instructor and tutors!! You may also wish to join the ASL club on campus! There is nothing that can substitute for seeing the language in use by fluent signers. Immersion in the language setting is acknowledged by all as the best way to learn a language. Take advantage of every opportunity you can.

Review your videotape and workbook.
The purpose of your videotape is to provide experience with the language in natural settings. Follow the directions in the workbook to complete the exercises. Remember, your purpose it to exercise your eyes and mind, not to understand every sign and nuance the first time. Recognize the familiar and use context to fill in the blanks.

After completing the workbook, review the videotape several more times. Sign along with the tape or stop the tape at the end of a sentence and sign what you have just seen. Practice not only the hand shapes, but the posture, facial expressions, and phrasing. Or, after seeing a sentence or dialogue, stop the tape and invent one of your own following the same format just observed. These are good partner activities, where you can get feedback on your accuracy.

Practice fingerspelling and numbers.
Do not go straight through the alphabet, or say the letters as you spell. Practice spelling letter or word combinations: bat, cat, sat, mat, hat, attic. Many games can be played with fingerspelling rather than spoken or written words: Boggle, Password, Scattegories, etc.

Make sure that you work with a partner to practice reading fingerspelling, which is much more challenging than producing the letters yourself. As you improve, begin fingerspelling within phrases and sentences.

To practice numbers, play bingo or math drill games. Look up phone numbers in the yellow pages. List birthdates. Fingerspelling and number comprehension are among the most difficult skills for the sign language learner. To become proficient you must practice with others routinely.

(Hint: If it is impossible to get together with a partner on a regular enough basis, consider making videotapes for each other. For example, fingerspell the names of restaurants, movies, streets in Atlanta, the 50 state capitals, the names of people at the Oscar broadcast, etc. These categories make it easier to think of items to add to the list, and give the reader context in which to comprehend the word that is fingerspelled. A study group could easily make enough tapes to rotate and practice with all semester. Then, the tapes could be donated to the department for use by future students.)

View sign language videotapes. The Clarkston campus library has a large collection of sign language and interpreting videotapes for viewing and checkout. Public libraries may be another source.
Watch the videotapes and note new vocabulary items.

Notice the natural "accent" of ASL. What is the signing space? What expressions and body movements are used? Try to copy what you see on the screen. First the expressions and movements, then the signs, then the two in combination.

Notice the sentence structure. You may want to take notes and see how the word order in ASL differs and resembles English.

Watch a selection, signing along with it, until you feel familiar and comfortable with it. Then, videotape yourself signing the material, and compare your production to that of the original tape.

Look for one specific feature of ASL while viewing a selection. For example, you might want to find instances where the verb is modified to show who is acting and what is being acted upon (directionality). Or, find instances where a classifier is used to describe a thing or an activity. Note use of a specific classifier (for example, the vehicle classifier) and list how it is used. Watch the signer's mouth movements and note what movements accompany what signs, and for what purpose. Select features you have discussed in class.

Retell the story you have watched. Videotape it for completeness and accuracy.

Remember: you are training your brain to new ways of thinking and your body to new ways of communicating. It takes time, repetition and concentration. But, you can do it! And the rewards are tremendous, when you find yourself communicating with a new friend in a new language.

Okay, now lets talk. I mean really talk. This is all easier said then done right? Here we are in our second term already and things are picking up and may feel like they are moving really quickly. I am using ASL as our targeted language for the majority of the class meeting now since we have completed our first half of the semester. Is this easy for you? Of course not! I know that. I know this is very challenging for you. I know it takes a lot of concentration and dedication to stay focused for an hour regardless what class you are in. I know that I often express what I am seeing from you during class. I want you to know that I am not the only ASL teacher that notices your every move and has something to say about it!

I want you to watch this clip. It was made by an ASL teacher. She too wants you to be aware of what you are doing and how it can hinder your learning process.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EB060N1SvkM&p=94A0B899751BDC09&playnext=1&index=23

After watching this, I want you to think about what yourself in class. What will you change? How will you help yourself learn? What is working for you? What have you done to memorize vocabulary and grammar? What helps you during class? What hinders you? What do you struggle with?

For your second post I want you to give advice to each other.

Learn from each other you are all in the same boat!

Monica