Instructor: Tammy Sobotka
E-mail Address:tammy.sobotka@gbcnv.edu
Text Number: 541-294-1647
Office hours: By appointment please.
Meeting Time and Days: Tuesday and Thursday 5:15pm to 7:15pm.
Course Description: Introduces the natural signed language of American Deaf people. Includes instruction in proper sign formation, ASL grammar and vocabulary, expressive and receptive skills. Emphasis on history of ASL, the Deaf community in North America, and Deaf education.
Must be taken in sequence. ( Fa13AM145_1001_P, American Sign Language I, must be completed or approval received).
Grading:
Grading is based on the following criteria:

Reading and discussion of the book For Hearing People Only (chapters 61 – 131) By
Matthew S. Moore Linda Levitan
 14 written responses to chapters

15 Expressive Presentations

5 in class Receptive Quizzes
 2 Book quizzes.
Each of these components is further described in this syllabus.
Texts Required:
Signing Naturally: Units 7-12 (St Wkbk) (w/DVD) Edition: N/A ; Smith, Lentz, and Milkos; Dawn
Sign Press. 2008, ISBN-10: 1581212100
(SN) = Signing Naturally Units 7-12

For Hearing People Only: Answers to Some of the Most Commonly Asked Questions about the
Deaf Community, It’s Culture, and the "Deaf Reality; Moore and Levitan; Deaf Life Press 2003;
ISBN-10: 0963401637
(FHPO) = For Hearing People Only
Policies and Procedures:
Classes are conducted in ASL only. There will be 10 at the beginning of class for verbal discussions.
There is NO cell phone, or personal laptop use in the classroom. If you are paying attention to something else you are missing what is going on in the classroom.
ADA Statement: Great Basin College is committed to providing equal educational opportunities to qualified students with disabilities in accordance with state and federal laws and regulations, including the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. A qualified student must furnish current verification of disability. The Director of
Services for Students with Disabilities (Julie G. Byrnes) will assist qualified students with disabilities in securing the appropriate and reasonable.
Objectives:
A.
Cultural Awareness:
1) The student will demonstrate expressive readiness in the silent environment
2) The student will acquire the book, For Hearing People and will read it and write a one page response to the instructors questions for each chapter.
3) The student will receive information about the history of ASL, Deaf Education, and
Deaf cultural norms.
4) The student will attend 3 Deaf socials and participate in signed conversations with other participants.
B.
Grammar:
The student will receive exposure to targeted grammatical forms
1) Expressive a) The student will demonstrate proper sentence structure for targeted ASL sentence types. b) The student will demonstrate proper non-manual grammar for statements, commands, yes-no questions, wh-questions, and negation.
2) Receptive: a) The student will demonstrate receptive mastery of non-manual grammar for statements, commands, yes-no questions, wh-questions, and negation b) The student will demonstrate receptive mastery of targeted sentence structure within context specific dialogues
C.
Vocabulary

The student will receive exposure to a targeted set of lexical items
1) Receptive: a) The student will demonstrate receptive mastery of targeted vocabulary within context-specific dialogues and interactions b) The student will demonstrate receptive mastery of fingerspelled words that are context specific and presented at 50% of normal rate c) The student will demonstrate receptive mastery of targeted lexicalized fingerspelling
2) Expressive: a) The student will demonstrate expressive mastery of targeted vocabulary within context-specific dialogues and interactions b) The student will demonstrate ability to analyze the four parameters of a sign. c) The student will demonstrate correction of a mis-formed sign during conversation
D.
Conversational Skills
1) The student will demonstrate the ability to open, conduct, and close short, contextspecific conversations in ASL
2) The Student will demonstrate the ability to respond to a context-specific conversation initiated by the instructor
3) The student will demonstrate both receptive and expressive mastery of certain conversational behaviors such as: a) Failure to understand b) Request for repetition c) Turn-taking d) Attention-getting
Attendance:
Attendance will count towards your grade. If you are not in class you cannot learn what the rest of the class is learning.
Dates
January 21
January 23
In Class
Syllabus,
Term Calendar: (Subject to change)
Online
1.
Presentation: Getting to know you.
2.
(SN)Chapter 7 Discuss giving directions and snack time.

January 28
January 30
February 4
February 6
February 11
February 13
February 18
1.
Presentation: Name and giving directions to your favorite place, discuss what you like to do there.
2.
(SN)Chapter 7 Discuss college campus and where things are located.
1.
(SN) Chapter 8: Discuss describing people (hair, faces, racial identity, bdy type)
1.
Presentation: Describe one person using descriptions that were used in the last class. (You will be provided a name of a famous person and other students will have to guess who it is)
2.
(SN) Chapter 8 Describing style and pattern of clothing.
1.
Continue with describing style and pattern of clothing.
2.
Receptive Quiz
1.
Presentation: Bring a picture that can be shown on the computer, describe the person to the class.
2.
(SN) Chapter 9. Giving commands (spatial verbs), and locations
FHPO read Chapters 61-
66. Write your response to the questions provided online. Paper is due by
January 31 at 5:00 pm
FHPO Read Chapters 67-
72. Write your response to the questions provided online. Paper is due by
February 7 at 5:00 pm.
FHPO read Chapters 73-
78. Write your response to the questions provided online. Paper is due by
February 14 at 5:00 pm
1.
(SN)Chapter9 Giving commands (inflecting verbs)
Numbers 51-75
Giving reasons, Make
Requests
1.
Presentation: Give two examples of giving commands using spatial verbs
FHPO read Chapters 79-83.
Write your response to the questions provided online.
Paper is due by February 21 at
5:00 pm

February 20
February 25
February 27
March 4
March 6
2.
(SN)Chapter9 “Please for me”
Offering assistance.
Finish chapter 9
1.
(SN) Chapter 10 Age numbers
Ranking by age
2.
Receptive Quiz
3.
Play Bingo
1.
Presentation:
Describe 5 people, list by age. Make sure you give descriptive information such as gender, height, hair color.
2.
(SN) Chapter 10
Talking about family and occupations.
Establishing relationships.
1.
Receptive Quiz
2.
(SN) chapter 10 Guess the Relationship, discuss occupations,
Work places
1.
Presentation: Discuss where your parents work and what their occupations are.
2.
(SN) Chapter 10
Before and Now, Lost and Found family activity,
1.
Book Quiz up to chapter 94
2.
(SN) Chapter 11
Describing personal qualities.
3.
Play Head Bandz using descriptive learned so far. vocab
FHPO read Chapters 84-89.
Write your response to the questions provided online.
Paper is due by February 28 at
5:00 pm
FHPO read Chapters 90-94.
Write your response to the questions provided online.
Paper is due by March 7 at
5:00 pm

March 11
March 18
March 20
March 25-27
April 1
April 3
April 8
1.
Presentation:
Describe 3 people you have introduced to the class previously and describe their personal qualities.
2.
(SN) Opposites attract, Contrasting personal qualities, talking about pets.
1.
Presentation:
You are placing a personal ad for a friend. Please describe what your personal ad would say. Remember to describe the person using personal qualities, and well as physical qualities.
2.
(SN) Chapter 11
Continue discussing personal qualities.
1.
Receptive Quiz
2.
(SN) Chapter 11
Continue discussing personal qualities.
3.
Play Head Bandz
SPRING RECESS
1.
Presentation: discuss
3 things you did over
Spring Recess.
2.
Review
FHPO read Chapters 95-100.
Write your response to the questions provided online.
Paper is due by march 12 at
5:00 pm
FHPO read Chapters 101-106.
Write your response to the questions provided online.
Paper is due by March 21 at
5:00 pm
FHPO read Chapters 107-112.
Write your response to the questions provided online.
Paper is due by April 4 at 5:00 pm
1.
(SN) Routines
Morning, Afternoon, night, how often
1.
Presentation:
Describe
Morning routine.
2.
(SN) Chapter 12 your
FHPO read Chapters 113-118.
Write your response to the questions provided online.
Paper is due by April 11 at
5:00 pm

April 10
April 15
April 17
April 22
April 24
April 29
May 1
May 6
1.
Receptive Quiz
2.
(SN) Chapter 12
1.
Presentation: Develop a story about a person and give their daily routine.
2.
Chapter 12
1.
Chapter review and game
1.
Presentation: Be prepared to tell a story in class. Describe the characters and the location the story takes place.
1.
Review
2.
games
1.
Presentation: Present a movie review.
1.
Written Book Quiz
2.
Movie
1.
Term Review
1.
Term Review
FHPO read Chapters 119-123.
Write your response to the questions provided online.
Paper is due by April 18 at
5:00 pm
FHPO read Chapters 124-131.
Write your response to the questions provided online.
Paper is due by April 25 at
5:00 pm
May 8
Guidelines for Assignments and Quizzes:
Online discussions: All students in this class will participate in reading and online discussions.
Discussions should be no less than 100 words and posted no later than Friday at 5:00 pm.
Responses are at your discretion as long as they follow the guidelines and should be completed no later than Monday at 5:00 pm. I will post questions on the MYGBC site on Tuesdays. Once you have submitted your response to the questions I will expect you to reply to two other posts.
Please make your posts relevant and well thought out to the discussion. Simply posting “I agree” will not provide you with a grade. I will also not accept bullying, bad mouthing or any such behavior. This will be a safe place to discuss your thoughts on the topics we are reading about.
If you have any issues accessing the MYGBC website please seek assistance right away. There is no making up posts and responses.
Receptive Quizzes: There are 5 receptive classes that will be taken in class. These are short quizzes designed to test how well you can understand ASL. Students are NOT allowed to make up these quizzes if they are missed.

Reading quizzes will be based on chapters that have been assigned. So if you have chapters assigned on Tuesday and your quiz is on Thursday it will cover the chapters assigned on Monday.
GRADING:
Presentations
Receptive Quiz
Reading quizzes
3.5 pts. each
5 pts. each
20 pts. each
Weekly posts and responses
Final
Total
Grading Scale:
A = 200-180
B = 170-150
C = 140 – 120
3 pts. each
50 pts. each
200 pts.
D = 110 – 80
Anything below 80 is Failing.
A "W" will only be given up until the 13th week. Incomplete grades will become an "F" if not completed. Incomplete grades are permitted only for medical reasons. Please let me know if you have signed up as an “audit “student. Sometimes this does not get recorded.
Great Basin College considers academic honesty one of its highest values. A student who obtains academic credit for work that is not the product of his or her own effort is being dishonest and undermining the academic integrity of the college. Students are expected to be the sole authors of their work. Use of another’s ideas must be accompanied by specific citation and reference. In addition, a learner may not submit the same work for credit in more than one course. The disciplinary consequences of plagiarism and other forms of academic dishonesty include non-acceptance of work submitted, a failing grade in the course, and/or or other disciplinary action as outlined in Great Basin College’s Student Conduct Policy.