American Sign Language II
Warnock
Directions: You are to create a Biography about someone. This will include the vocabulary from
the Unit 15 along with nationalities. (if you can’t find the persons nationality, make it up).
1. You may choose either a famous Deaf person (I have a list of Deaf people in history if you
need assistance with brainstorming) or choose one of your own ancestors. (Ask your family).
Either way you will be doing some research. Your resources may be your ASL text, the internet,
books, your family members, etc. Completing and practicing this assignment, it will prepare
you for when we are back from the weekend to sign the person’s whole biography.
2. Your presentation should follow the format of either “Jose’s Life Story” or
“Cinnie’s Biography”. (in your work books)
3. After you have chosen your person, do some research and taken notes.
4.
Researching the important events in this person’s life, a biography (English or ASL:
writing/typing it out in ASL will make it easier for you to sign later.) Then work on the correct
ASL grammar combining when clauses, sequencing events and using transition
signs/contrastive structure plus conjunctions.
5. You will also be making a poster, including pictures, highlighting the important events in this
person’s life. If you don’t want to, you don’t have to do a visual. Say you cannot find any
pictures and just find it impossible to make a poster, O.K, you may type up a well done report
(two page minimum) on this person’s life in lieu of the poster. Of course, signing still required.
You must include the following:
o Significant events in the person’s life, starting at birth, ending at
death
o Tell their life story using at least one of each of the following:
o by age 2) by referring to another event 3) by year 4) by sequencing
o Use the transition signs LATER-ON, FINISH and ALL of a SUDDEN
o Correctly use the sign for indicating periods of time that elapsed between events
o Use at least five vocabulary words from this unit
o Add some sort of a comment such as “up until now…..” or your opinion or how this person
has affected you personally or is significant to the Deaf community
American Sign Language II
Warnock
On the day of your presentation:
o
o
o
o
o
Be ready, come prepared
Bring a short printed summary of your presentation (14 font)
Bring visuals, pictures: poster format
Highlight your five vocabulary words
To be successful:------- practice, practice, practice
- memorize so you can have eye contact
- be ready to present on the due date
- use correct ASL structure that has been practiced in class
- breathe, have fun, learn something about the past
Example:
ANDREW FOSTER
•
•
•
•
•
•
1925 – 1987
He attended Alabama School for the Colored Deaf, applied to Gallaudet and was
turned down.
In 1951 he entered Gallaudet University.
Three years later he graduated.
Later on he met women named Berta Zuther. They fell in love and got married.
When he was 43, he had set up 5 schools for the deaf in Africa.
He was working to set up schools in 16 countries in Africa and unexpectedly, he died
in 1987 from a plane crash.
Works Cited
1. "Andrew Foster." National Black Deaf Advocates Programs & Advocacy. National Black Deaf
Advocates. Web. 31 Oct. 2009. <http://www.nbda.org/foster.html>.
2. "Articles by Dr. Andrew Foster." About.com. About.com. Web. 31 Oct. 2009.
<http://deafness.about.com/gi/o.htm?zi=1/XJ&zTi=1&sdn=deafness&cdn=health&tm=
12&f=10&su=p284.9.336.ip_p736.8.336.ip_&tt=2&bt=0&bts=0&zu=http%3A//www.cm
deaf.org/>.
3. Carroll, Cathryn, and Susan M. Mather. Movers & Shakers. Dawn Sign, 1997. Print.