Department of Deaf Studies
DST 102 Italian Deaf Culture & History
Summer 2014
Instructor: Rita Sala
Office Hours: By appointment via skype: sala.rita
e-mail: salarita@gmail.com
Course Description
This course examines the History, Culture and Education of the Italian Deaf Community from a
multidisciplinary perspective. The course will explore the sociological meanings of culture and
community and their application to the Deaf community in general. We will focus on the history
and the educational experience of deaf people in Italy and in Siena, where one of the oldest
Residential School for the Deaf was founded in 1828 by priest Tommaso Pendola. Now it is no
longer a school but it is used as a place where deaf students can get tutored in school subjects
during the afternoon. Education of Deaf individuals in Italy is strongly related to the development
of Italian Sign Language (LIS). Students will receive the sociological and cultural context that
allows them to understand and reflect on the Deaf way of life and the historical evolution of the
Italian Deaf Community and Culture.
Special guest lecturers come from all over Italy to provide insight on the multi-faceted and evolving
Italian Deaf community. Students will further contextualize course topics and discussions through
active engagement with the Italian Deaf Community in Siena, surrounding communities on daytrips—unique with their own histories and cultures, as well as overnight trips, during semester
programs, to other regions in Italy to fully experience the linguistic, cultural, and historical
differences that still exist across Italy today.
Prerequisites
Current enrolment in required DST courses (LIS, and Italian)
Course Hours
The course meets for a total of 30 hours with workshops, lectures and class excursions.
Suggested credits: 2
Student Learning Expectations
Italian Deaf Culture has history well before the 1880 Congress of Milan -- perhaps one of the most
well-known events taking place in Italy, and has recent culture and history well worth looking at
today. Exploring sociological perspectives in Italy, Italian Sign Language, teaching methods in
ISLA srl
Via Tommaso Pendola 37 • 53100 Siena (ITALY) • Part.IVA 01112810526
Tel. +39 0577 532001 • Fax +39 0577 1959107
www.sienaschool.com
Italy, Italian Deaf community and culture, as well as Interpreting and Sign Languages in Europe,
students will have a full overview of Italian Sign Language and Culture in Italy upon completing
this course.
Course Outline
Week I
Week II
Week III
Intro (Diario)
(Diario) Italy and Deaf
(Diario) Italian Deaf History: Pre-Milan
(Diario) Italian Deaf History: Intro LIS & Culture
(Diario) LIS & Culture Post-Milan
(Diario) LIS & Culture
(Diario) Visit Pendola Institute for the Deaf
(Diario) Intro Interpreting
Italy and Europe: legislation and connection
(Diario) Interpreting
Student Presentations
Visiting Speakers
Prep. Video Clip
FINAL Video Clip Due
Assignments:
Students partake in intensive course-work both inside and outside of the classroom throughout the
program. However, students have the unique opportunity to be continuously immersed in the
language and culture during their entire time in Italy. They may come across an unknown word,
have a communication exchange, or have an opportunity to experience cultural difference, thus
inviting reflection, growth, and hands-on application to apply what they are learning.
To capture this culmination of Italian Language, Italian Sign Language, Italian Deaf Culture &
History, as well as Italian Culture & History, students will produce video journals or video clips of
these moments.
Each day, students must film themselves using ASL, Italian, or LIS, and share their reflection of a
new word they learned, a fascinating linguistic element in a favorite new LIS sign, or a cultural and
socio-linguistic moment of overlap when a hearing Italian walking down the street seamlessly
gestures a LIS sign in mid-conversation. Students will journal these moments and are encouraged to
share them with others, creatively documenting their learning experiences as they interweave
ISLA srl
Via Tommaso Pendola 37 • 53100 Siena (ITALY) • Part.IVA 01112810526
Tel. +39 0577 532001 • Fax +39 0577 1959107
www.sienaschool.com
between topics of study, and moments both inside and outside of the classroom.
These short, daily clips are filmed using a smart phone or similar device that students have, or with
computers in the school if students don’t have their own mobile device.
For completion of the course, students create a longer 3-5 minute video clip that effectively
demonstrates mastery of course content, and conveys it in a creative manner so that they might be
able to refer to it in the future and see their extent of knowledge of Italian, LIS, and Italian Deaf
Culture & History.
Textbook and required materials:
Articles handed out by the teacher. Some of the articles are from the recommended materials listed
below.
Recommended optional materials/references: Semester articles
Carty, B. (1994), “The Development of Deaf Identity”, in Erting J.C., Johnson C.R., Smith L.D.,
Snider D.B. (eds.) The Deaf Way. Perspective from the International Conference on Deaf Culture,
Washington DC, Gallaudet University Press, pp. 40-43
Hehir, T. (2002), “Eliminating Ableism in Education”, Harvard Educational Review, col. 72, No. 1,
Spring 2002.
Kannapell, B. (1994), “Deaf Identity: An American Perspective”, in Erting J.C., Johnson C.R.,
Smith L.D., Snider D.B. (eds.) The Deaf Way. Perspective from the International Conference on
Deaf Culture, Washington DC, Gallaudet University Press, pp. 44-48.
Lane, H. (1984), When the Mind Hears. A History of the Deaf, New York, Vintage Books.
Padden, C. (1989), “The Deaf Community and the Culture of Deaf People” in Wilcox S. (ed.),
American Deaf Culture: An Anthology, Burtonsville, Md, Linstok Press, pp. 1-16.
Ruben, J.R. (2005), Sign language: Its history and contribution to the understanding of the
biological nature of language, ActaOto-Laryngologica, 2005; 125, pp. 464-467
Sacks, O. (1989), Seeing Voices, Great Britain, Picador.
ISLA srl
Via Tommaso Pendola 37 • 53100 Siena (ITALY) • Part.IVA 01112810526
Tel. +39 0577 532001 • Fax +39 0577 1959107
www.sienaschool.com
www.ens.it
www.eudnet.org
www.istc.cnr.it/mostralis/index.html
www.wfdeaf.org
Grading System
Participation / Attendance
50 %
Individual Presentation / Video Clip
50 %
Individual Presentation/Video Clip:
The topic will be discussed in class with the teacher. It must show both the knowledge acquired
during the course and the students’ personal thoughts. Presentation will be organized with the LIS
class. The length of the presentation/video will be decided by teachers depending on the number of
students.
An abstract and printed version of the presentation must be handed into the teacher before the
presentation, complete with bibliographic references, also cited in the presentation/video.
More information about the assignments and the deadline for the presentation/video will be given
during class.
Course Policy
Attendance
Students are expected to attend all lectures and excursions and to actively participate in classroom
discussions. Only one absence per course is allowed during the program. All other absences are
considered unexcused. Each unexcused absence will incur an academic penalty of 10% off the
overall grade of the course missed. Three tardies count as an unexcused absence. A student having
more than 3 unexcused absences will earn an 'F' in their course work and if they accumulate such
absences in more than one course, will be dismissed from the program.
Retests/makeup tests
No makeup tests
Excursions
School for the Deaf "T. Pendola"
Day trips to local communities and events
ISLA srl
Via Tommaso Pendola 37 • 53100 Siena (ITALY) • Part.IVA 01112810526
Tel. +39 0577 532001 • Fax +39 0577 1959107
www.sienaschool.com