Syllabus
ASL Level 1 to 3
August 11, 2015 to May 27, 2016
Instructor: Deanne Bray-Kotsur, M.A
Email: dbray@oakparkusd.org
OPHS Teacher’s Webpage: Deanne Bray
Class meets: Room i-7;
(http://www.oakparkusd.org/Domain/866)
Course Description:
Everyday communication is the centerpiece of every lesson. Topics revolve
around sharing information about our environment and us. Grammar is
introduced in context, with an emphasis on developing question and answering
skills. You learn conversational strategies to help you maintain a conversation.
Storytelling techniques will be introduced incorporating grammar rules.
Interaction activities allow you to rehearse what you’ve learned.
ASL Level 2
Course Outline (Signing Naturally, 2014)
August to December 2015
Unit 7: Describing People and Things
Unit 8: Making Requests and Asking for Advice
Unit 9: Describing Places
Unit 10: Giving Opinions about Others
January to May 2016
Unit 10: Giving Opinions about Others
Unit 11: Discussing Plans and Goals
Unit 12: Storytelling
Approach:
The curriculum parallels what we know about language development and second
language learning. We focus on introducing language in context and reinforcing
what is learned by engaging you into various interactive activities. A
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conversational curriculum requires you to be an active learner. You need to
come prepared to sign with me and other classmates. Our classes are conducted
in American Sign Language (ASL) from the very first day. You are immersed in
the language for an average of 4 hours a week to maximize your language
learning. Without using an interpreter, the teacher will use gestures, drawings and
act out situations to get the point across and your job is to keep trying. This may
sound daunting at first, but trust me, it works! However, keep in mind that the
more you sign, the more fluent you will become.
No Talking Policy:
We insist on maintaining a signing environment at all times in the classroom for
two reasons: One, it is considered rude and insulting to talk in front of a Deaf
person and not make the information passing between you and the other person
accessible. Since a good number of your teachers/guests will be Deaf and your
goal is to get to know Deaf people in the community. It is imperative that you
develop the habit of signing when Deaf people are present. Secondly, this is an
immersion class, which means only the target language is used. Using only ASL
helps you to develop both your comprehension skills and your expressive skills
quickly and effectively. Talking disrupts this process and delays your language
development.
If a fellow student asks you for help, feel free to help by using signs
you have learned or by writing back and forth focusing on classwork. In this way,
I can see what is being said and can join in to help, if needed.
All cell phones must be turned off during class. Ms. Bray will take
the cell phone away and give it to the office so the student can pick it up at the
end of the day.
Materials required:
Signing Naturally Units 7-12; Student Workbook and DVD
Join in GoReact.com (for ASL 3 only)
For lab activities on comprehension and production skills assessments
Three ring binder with paper
Pencils
Highlighter of 5 different colors
High-speed internet to have access to GoReact.com (For ASL 3 only)
Possibly have own account for fingerspelling curriculum (ASL 2 only)
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Attendance:
Participation in class activities is crucial in your success in this class. The class
forms a small community and your effort or lack of impacts the success of the
group. Please make every effort to come to every class with homework done and
ready to learn and participate. If you come late or leave early (25 minutes) this
will be considered as an absence. If you know you will be absent from class,
make arrangements for a classmate to take notes. Based on research, students
with high score and good grades are related to good attendance. Please come to
school ready to learn.
Homework:
You will have homework after every class, anywhere from 30 minutes to 1 hour
of work. It is important that you do the homework because the next class builds
on the material covered. The more you practice with your hands, body and face,
the more your muscles will communicate to your brain which can help you
remember the contexts of ASL.
Lab:
The purpose of lab is to focus on productive skills aspect of language learning.
This is where teacher will assess and give you feedback. You are expected to
review the feedback so you can practice the correct concepts or parameters of
your production skills. ASL 3 will use GoReact.com for this process of language
learning. ASL 1 and ASL 2 will use the computer lab on campus. ASL 2 will be
able to practice fingerspelling at home with account (tentative).
Grades are based on the following:
40% Assessments—in-class quizzes, tests, presentations (in GoReact)
20% Homework/Classwork/projects (some in GoReact and in class)
10% Final Exam—summative measures of student’s achievement
20% Participation/cooperation—eye contact on who is signing at all times, being
an active learner, contribute to group, and writing/gestures/ASL are only used in class. (No
Spoken English or too much mouth movements in English order.)
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10% Lab Activities-storytelling and activities to analyze and improve
production skills
Classroom rules:
Food or drinks are not allowed in the classroom excepted for water bottles.
Syllabus
Credit to Signing Naturally team
Class Schedule:
Odd days
1st period
ASL 1 8:30-10:05
Even days
2nd period:
Bray’s conference period
8:30-10:05
3rd period
ASL 2 10:25- 12:05
4th period:
ASL 2 10:25-12:05
5th period
ASL 1 12:50-2:25
6th period:
ASL 3 12:50-2:25
For ASL 3 only
GoReact assignments
(Length of prep time: from 30
minutes to 1 hour)
1. Students rehearse
until comfortable
(maybe 3 to 4 times)
before recording.
2. Set up video with
good lighting.
Record and watch yourself to
see if you feel you need to
redo or not. Turn in your best
work
Final Exam:
The exam will be a summative exam from what you learned from the beginning to
the end of the school year. There will be two parts of the exam, which will assess your
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production skills and your comprehension skills. Make sure you take good notes on ASL
grammar and concepts to help you review for the final exam.
Additional information:
Information on Deanne Bray
Other than teaching and acting, Deanne Bray empowers deaf/Deaf children and their
hearing parents and is an ASL educator.
BA in Biology—California State University of Northridge
MA in Sign Language Education—Gallaudet University
Literacy advocate for Deaf children.
Member of American Sign Language Teacher’s Association
Sponsor for Oak Park High School’s American Sign Language Honor Society
Woman of the year recognized by Arizona Association for the Deaf-2012
Awarded from the Los Angeles City Hall for increasing Deaf awareness-2011
Acting work—look her up in IMDB
Guest Teacher (sub teacher):
If Deanne Bray is sick or needs to be out of town, Jodie Gardner will try her
best to be available for OPHS.
Guest Teacher, Jodie, is a Deaf individual and signs ASL fluently. She is
married with a Deaf man named David. This is another wonderful
opportunity to interact with a signer! Communicate with her when you can
and make her feel at home, please.
Possible Deaf and hearing guest speakers visiting to OPHS throughout
the year.
Troy Kotsur (actor/director)
Amber Zion (Actress/Superbowl signer from 2013)
John Maucere (Comedian/entertainer)
Lisa Hermatz (ASL instructor at Pierce Community College)
Matt Daigle (Deaf Cartoonist)
Marlee Matlin (Academy Award winner--Best Actress)
Ryan Lane (Deaf actor, Switched at Birth)
And more…
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Scheduled Deaf events for interaction skills:
Throughout the year, Bray will post up public Deaf events on the wall in the
classroom to encourage students to go and interact with other signers there.
Contract:
We (student/parent’s names),
__________________________________________, have read this
syllabus on (put date here)_______________________and
we understand what is expected from passing ASL level 1, 2, or 3
course. I will be a responsible student by showing up to my
classes prepared with completed tasks as we go throughout the
school year. My goal is to meet the standards of ASL and to pass
the class by committing to what is required in language learning.
I will support the No Talking Policy and understand this
disrupts the process and delay language learning for the other
classmates and for myself.
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Due by or before August 14. (10 points)
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