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American Sign Language (ASL) 1 A Self-Paced

Syllabus

Course Essential Questions

  • How does the understanding of Deaf culture and its history influence meaningful interactions with the Deaf community?
  • What strategies can be used to accurately communicate in sign language in various contexts?
  • How do the unique structures of ASL grammar and vocabulary contribute to effective communication?
  • How can nonverbal communication, including facial expressions and body language, enhance clarity and meaning in ASL?

Course Learning Objectives

  • Describe the people and the historical events that have shaped ASL and Deaf culture.
  • Compare and contrast cultural aspects and social norms of the Deaf community with the hearing community.
  • Converse with others in ASL by demonstrating comprehension and the use of foundational vocabulary.
  • Demonstrate an understanding of ASL linguistic markers to communicate clearly and accurately.
  • Develop fluency in ASL at the novice level by applying basic linguistic and cultural elements to engage in effective communication.

Unit 1: Greetings and Basic Conversations (Topics 1-4)

Unit Level Essential Question

  • What are the necessary language components for basic communication in ASL?

Topic 1: Introduction to ASL 1A

Learning Objectives

  • Share prior experience with ASL.
  • Identify foundational vocabulary to greet others.
  • Analyze environmental factors to create clear ASL videos.
  • Explain the cultural significance of name signs.
  • Demonstrate proper expression of double letters when spelling a word.
  • Identify and apply the alphabet to spell out words using proper ASL fingerspelling techniques.

Topic 2: Greetings

Learning Objectives

  • Recognize the cultural appropriateness of alerting the Deaf.
  • Apply the five parameters to communicate effectively in ASL.
  • Greet and introduce oneself to the teacher in ASL.

Topic 3: Colors and Numbers

Learning Objectives

  • Explain how to navigate signed conversations respectfully.
  • Use one's dominant hand consistently and nondominant hand to support clear communication.
  • Communicate colors and numbers appropriately.

Topic 4: Who am I?

Learning Objectives

  • Identify the difference between medical deafness and a culturally Deaf identity.
  • Compare ASL gloss with English sentence structure to write a script.
  • Present basic personal information in ASL.

Unit 2: School and Hobbies (Topics 5-8)

Unit Level Essential Question

  • What is the cultural importance of school experiences and leisure activities in the Deaf community?

Topic 5: Classroom and School Life

Learning Objectives

  • Explore the cultural impact of Thomas Gallaudet and Laurent Clerc on the Deaf community.
  • Give and receive simple commands.
  • Identify items found in a classroom.
  • Reflect on the different schooling options for Deaf children.
  • Demonstrate appropriate facial expressions to ask and answer yes or no questions.
  • Describe one's current school experience.

Topic 6: Extracurricular Activities

Learning Objectives

  • Explore the role of Deaf sports and Deaf clubs in the community.
  • Demonstrate non-manual markers to ask and answer WH-questions using appropriate facial expressions.
  • Describe one's favorite extracurricular activities.

Topic 7: Hobbies

Learning Objectives

  • Describe the cultural significance of the Deaflympics.
  • Use the ASL sign for ""to do"" to express likes and dislikes in the present tense.
  • Express preferences when choosing hobbies.

Topic 8: My Schedule

Learning Objectives

  • Explain the historical importance of the Deaf President Now protest.
  • Use the transitional sign "FINISH" to express order of events.
  • Apply unit vocabulary to describe one's daily schedule.

Unit 3: Relationships (Topics 9-14)

Unit Level Essential Question

  • How does being Deaf impact personal relationships and familial interactions?

Topic 9: Family and Friends

Learning Objectives

  • Explore the experience of a Deaf child in a hearing family.
  • Use appropriate palm orientation to demonstrate listing techniques.
  • Share information about one's family and friends.

Topic 10: Family Tree

Learning Objectives

  • Compare and contrast the experiences of Deaf children within the Deaf community.
  • Use possessive adjectives to communicate about relationships.
  • Describe the relationships between family members and friends.

Topic 11: Pets

Learning Objectives

  • Explore how ASL can be used to communicate with animals.
  • Use possessive pronouns to indicate ownership.
  • Share information about pets.

Topic 12: Physical Appearances

Learning Objectives

  • Define the experiences of CODAs and SODAs.
  • Compare and contrast qualities using indexing.
  • Describe the physical appearance of others.

Topic 13: Personality Traits and Emotions

Learning Objectives

  • Argue in support of or against the use of cochlear implants.
  • Use appropriate hand shapes to show similarities among different people.
  • Describe the character traits and feelings of oneself and others.

Topic 14: End-of-Course Assignments

Learning Objectives

  • Share feedback about the ASL 1 course.
  • Take the proctored final exam to demonstrate proficiency at the novice level.