American Sign Language 1

SPR 24 - ASL-1-42429 [Hybrid]

02/14/24 - 06/12/24
Units 4.00

Class Meeting Faculty Information:

Information:
[email protected]
Date: Wednesdays Office: QD 22J
VP: 951 801 5677*
Time: 7:15 PM to 9:20 PM
Office Hours:
Location: Quad Room 107 TTH: 12:30 PM-2:00 PM
Assist. Professor Tommy Korn, MA

Course Description:
Focus on developing basic principles and skills of American Sign Language (ASL) through cultural appreciation
and non-verbal instruction. Emphasis is placed on Deaf culture and Deaf people in history, visual training, sign
vocabulary acquisition, comprehension, communicative skills development, and basic structural and
grammatical patterns of ASL discourse at the beginning level.
72 hours lecture (face-to-face) and 18 hours laboratory (online).

Required Textbook & Material: [Interactive]

1. Signing Naturally Units 1-6 Student Online Interactive Workbook by Ella Mae Lentz, Ken
Mikos, and Cheri Smith.
a. Dawn Press Sign (click here for more information)
i. Purchase from the website directly OR from RCC Bookstore.
ii. It only works on a laptop or desktop computer.
iii. Chrome or Firefox browsers are compatible with Canvas. Do not use Internet
Explorer or Safari browsers.
2. Access to high-speed Internet, Canvas, YouTube, Canvas email, and Pronto is mandatory.

ATTENTION! Please read!

We will not be using the physical book in the class! If you have ordered/received a physical book, please return it
to Dawn Sign Press (or RCC Bookstore) AND purchase the interactive online student materials textbook instead.

Please be informed that your unique access code will be on the email receipt you receive immediately after
purchase. Keep your email as a record of your access code. You must have the access code to complete
interactive assignments in Canvas. If someone else is the purchaser, please communicate with them regarding
the access code in the email receipt.
 ● These materials are only accessible through your school's learning management system (LMS): Canvas
and course.
● This set of materials corresponds to classroom lessons. Review what is learned in class through
interactive activities, watching videos and answering questions, reading culture notes and bios of
amazing Deaf people, and studying relevant vocabulary to increase your understanding of ASL and the
Deaf World.
● Seven and a half hours of video featuring 12 diverse native signers modeling clear American Sign
Language are at the heart of many homework activities. Signing is paced for new learners. Activities
ranging from multiple-choice, fill-in-the-blank, drag-and-drop, and reading grammar notes and tips are
equally distributed throughout the course. LINK

Course Objectives:
Upon successful completion of the course, students should be able to demonstrate the following activities:

1. Comprehend American Sign Language related to the individual and their surroundings, likes and
dislikes, daily routine, leisure activities, and past experiences with a recognition vocabulary of 1000
signs.
2. Use acquired elementary vocabulary and grammar to communicate expressively in American Sign
Language about the individual, school and work, family relations, plans and needs, emotional states;
leisure activities, dialogue exchanges, and past experiences with an active vocabulary of approximately
750 words.
3. Recognize and apply numbering rules relating to cardinal numbers, ordinal numbers, clock time, age
and plural pronouns.
4. Utilize standardized fingerspelling techniques at a moderate pace, adhering to cultural norms of
appropriate times for usage of fingerspelling.
5. Understand fingerspelling when presented embedded within American Sign Language narratives at a
moderate pace.
6. Understand declarative, imperative, interrogative (yes/no and WH types), and negative simple and
compound sentences in receptive and expressive interactions.
7. Identify differences between their own culture and Deaf culture related to access to education, the
role of schools within the community, attention-getting behaviors, norms regarding physical touch,
introductions, and community values.
8. Recognize and apply American Sign Language storytelling strategies, including role shifting, spatial
agreement, and eye gaze agreement.
9. Generate and recognize the application of facial grammar, including topic markers, affirmation,
negation, yes/no question markers, WH question markers, rhetorical question markers, and distance
and size mouth morphemes.
Student Learning Outcomes:
Upon successful completion of the course, students should be able to demonstrate the following skills:
1. Demonstrate receptive comprehension of basic everyday communications related to oneself, family, and
immediate surroundings. These may include but are not limited to advertisements, timetables, short
personal letters or stories, dialogues, readings, conversations, and video recordings.

2. Communicate, using American Sign Language, about familiar topics and activities requiring a simple and
direct exchange of information. This communication may include but is not limited to simple signed
exchanges such as dialogues, paragraphs, and narratives related to oneself, family, everyday activities, and
immediate surroundings

3. Reflect on and evaluate similarities and differences between the Deaf and hearing cultures and
demonstrate an understanding of the grammatical differences between American Sign Language and
English.

Course Content:
Online lectures, class exercise practice, and laboratories will emphasize the development of receptive skills
(comprehension of ASL by the instructor and each other) and communicative skills (expression in ASL). The
topics are introduced in an appropriate order within the natural approach to second language learning and are
reintroduced repeatedly throughout the semester. In foreign language acquisition for adult second language
learners, comprehension precedes production. Therefore, more emphasis is placed on the development of
receptive skills than communicative skills, with a higher level of competence measured in this area. The basic
structural and grammatical patterns necessary for effective visual communication will be introduced.

Important notes: this being a fast-paced Synchronous course, your virtual engagement bears the
utmost significance here. Failure to demonstrate the expected commitment may lead to us reaching
out to you, and in worse-case scenarios, you get dropped from the course. Your peers heavily depend
on your weekly participation in Zoom breakout room activities, forums, and video discussions.
Therefore, we highly advise you to submit your assignments on time to maximize the benefits of
learning.

Important Dates:
Census Date 02/26/24
Last Date to Add 02/25/24
Last Drop Date Without “W” 02/25/24
Last Drop Date with “W” 05/12/24
Last Drop Date With Refund 02/23/24
Methods of Instruction:
All classroom activities are conducted in ASL or using either one of four signing strategies. Writing and reading in
English are restricted to instructions provided for activities and information on Deaf Culture and ASL grammar.

● Functional-Notional Method:
Encourage students to use communicative functions when expressing themselves and applying their
learning to the real world.
Example: Learning to introduce yourself to a new person.
● The Immersion Method
Relies on ASL and visual-gestural behaviors in the classroom for the students to learn ASL rather than
using English to learn ASL.
Example: Point to references (colors, objects, students) to incrementally build an understanding of
vocabulary and language tools.
● Whole Language Method:
Use full interactive communication rather than vocabulary lists.
Example: Learning to ask questions to clarify your understanding of a signed concept.

Unit Topics Unit Outcomes

Unit 1 Introducing Ability to ask and give names, produce correct numbers, and use certain
Oneself fingerspelling and handshapes. Introducing self and greeting each other.

Unit 2 Exchange Identify self, learn to negate and correct information, ask yes/no questions,
Personal identify spatial locations, narrate language background, tell present
Information conditions

Unit 3 Talking About Ask/tell where you live, use real-world orientation, give commands, establish
Where You Live references, develop non-manual grammar (facial expressions), describe
residence, use constructive structure

Unit 4 Talking About Talk about family and relationships, reply to questions, summarize
Family information, continued development of fingerspelling and sign handshapes,
use pronouns.

Unit 5 Talking About Discuss daily routine and activities, modify verbs, use role-shift in narratives,
Everyday discuss non-present people, ask/give an opinion, and integrate more
Activities non-manual grammar behaviors.

Unit 6 Storytelling Understand and retell a story, one-person and two-person role shifts, use
transitions, use classifiers, establish references, and engage the audience.
1. Active Participation/Interactive Activities (10%)
Students must participate in all virtual class activities, as hands-on practice and live feedback will help them to
achieve fluency. Active participation and homework exercises, such as submitting short videos via discussion
boards and peer replies, are required and must be submitted on time.

2. Interactive Homework (20%)

Students will watch video clips and complete interactive activities with questions ranging from multiple-choice,
fill-in-the-blank, drag-and-drop, and reading grammar notes and tips. Students must complete a weekly unit
before moving on to the next one.

3. Online Lab Assignments (10%)

Students must complete assigned lab assignments on Canvas weekly. It is required to complete approximately
145 minutes of lab work per week in addition to lecture and homework hours. Lab assignments include short
essays, practice quizzes, and a discussion board on Deaf culture and comprehension skills. Complete the weekly
lab activities every Sunday at 11:59 PM

4. Video Production Assignments (10%)

Your production in ASL will be evaluated through discussion boards. You will receive a prompt, along with
instructions and guidelines. Narratives include My Language Background, Chosen Family, Living Situation, and
Childhood Story.

5. Unit Quizzes (15%)

All receptive, general knowledge, and comprehensive quizzes will be done at the end of units 1-5. Quizzes
questions ranging from multiple-choice, true or false, fill-in-the-blank, matching, and short essays. Complete
the weekly unit quiz every Sunday at 11:59 PM

6. Midterm Benchmark Exam (15%)

Students’ receptive (10%) and expressive skills (5%) will be evaluated based on Units 1 through 3. Students will
record themselves and submit the video via Canvas. The midterm exam will be done “live,” and students will
choose a timeslot to meet me via Zoom to complete their expressive portion of the midterm exam in real-time.

7. Final Benchmark Exam (20%)

Students’ receptive (10%) and expressive (10%) skills will be evaluated based on Units 1 through 5.
Note: The midterm and final examinations will be done “live” via Zoom. Students will choose a timeslot to meet
me via Zoom in groups to complete their expressive examinations in real-time.

Grading System
Grades will be given at the end of the semester as follows:
100%-90% =A
89%-80% =B
79%-70% =C
69%-60% =D
59% & below = F
Points accumulated will not be counted as the final grade; only the percentages -see above.

Special note: No additional work will be given for extra credit to make up for missing tests, low/failing grades, or
late assignments. Points will be deducted for not adhering to the classroom language policy.
Attendance/Participation Policy:
This is a fast-paced hybrid course; we are to meet face-to-face once instead of twice weekly, and all
assignments and lectures are online and interactive. Students who signed up for this course must
complete at least one module on Canvas every two weeks to be considered active and making
progress. After a few weeks of inactivity and non-communication, students are subject to being
dropped from the class. As this is a 16-week hybrid course, the pace of studies might be
moderate-fast. You must stay on top of the course to keep up with the material by allocating enough
hours to your study time.

⇨ Nobody can successfully acquire ASL by reading a textbook or watching videos. The continued
real-time class interaction while signing plays a crucial role in your success in the course. Eye contact
and back-channeling (active listening) are essential for second language learning. Students is strongly
encouraged to watch my weekly lecture videos before meeting in the classroom, which will expedite
learning and expectations of the lesson activities.
⇨ Since we only meet once weekly, two hours of substantial contact between teachers and students is
limited. For this reason, students are allowed up to FOUR unexcused absences this semester.
Students with excessive absences and inactive participation will receive an Early Alert notice and are
subject to getting dropped from the course.

⇨ Students shall ensure a computer, mobile, webcam, and high-speed internet access for all video and
lab assignments. Be seated in front of the bright light with enough signing space.

Late Submissions Policy:

There is a policy on late submissions for all Signing Naturally interactive and lab assignments. Please understand
that I will still accept your late submissions within a week after the due date, but your communication is
needed, and late deductions may apply. A grade of zero may be given to any non-submissions after a week has
passed, and all non-submissions will be automatically graded as zero.
**This policy does not apply to weekly unit quizzes, as you must complete quizzes in class.

It is with a purpose that every assignment has a due date so that we can progress with the learning goals that
have been set for you and your classmates. As you see, every assignment is due every Sunday at your
convenience. However, I highly encourage you to complete at least one homework daily to reduce the stress of
doing them all at once at the last minute. I cannot stress enough that you should allocate your weekly study
hours appropriately while keeping your mental health in check.

Please understand that I am not responsible for grading Student Naturally’s Interactive Online Studnet Materials
assignments. A third party, Dawn Sign, does the grading/scoring and handles the technical support. For this
reason, I ask you to wait at least 24 hours for your grades to show up or wait until the following Monday. If
trouble persists, please refer to the packet you received upon purchasing at the RCC Bookstore (or contact
Dawn Sign customer services) for more technical support, instructions, and troubleshooting. Or contact me via
Pronto, and I will do my best to help.

I know that “life happens” happens the best to all of us, and I support getting ourselves back onto our path to
success. While I encourage you to be mindful of your assignments' due dates so we can move through the
course, I want to share that I will accept any late assignments as long as they are turned in before the midterm
and/or final exam week *with* my approval and your reasonings.

100% ASL ZONE & Voice-Free Policy(click here)

Studies have proven that to successfully learn a second or third language, it is best to focus on mastering one
language at a time. To be respectful and considerate towards all classroom members, it is essential to
communicate using appropriate etiquette. Specifically, verbal communication should be accompanied by
signing in front of Deaf individuals. This helps create an inclusive and efficient visual learning environment for
all students. This policy applies at all times while in the classroom or a Deaf space.

To minimize distractions in the learning environment, all voices, phones, and electronic devices must be
turned to airplane mode during virtual class activities. While this may be an unfamiliar practice for some, it is
important to develop the habit of signing when in the company of Deaf or hard-of-hearing individuals. If
necessary, earplugs can be worn to help maintain focus. Mute your computer before going to Zoom.

Advising/Communicating:
On a more personal note, I want to see you succeed in this course. Please do not hesitate to share your needs
and concerns with me. Your responsibility is to know where you stand throughout the semester's learning
process.
● Announcements will be posted weekly to notify you of the weekly assignments, content, information,
updates, general feedback/comments, and Deaf current events. Please feel free to reply to my
announcement posts if you have any questions, but be aware that your replies will be made public.

● Canvas Email is the preferred method of communication between students and instructors, and all
emails received will have a response within 24-48 hours during weekdays or my office hours. Any
emails received from Friday to Sunday will be responded to the following week.

● Pronto App: Pronto is an easy-to-use communication platform that scales for large organizations. It
provides asynchronous chat/video/audio/images, much like your group phone messages, with only
course-enrolled students in your Pronto group. Access is from the Pronto app or Canvas course shell.
Please download the app to your smartphone and use your RCCD email address to link this course.
Please contact Canvas HelpDesk if you are having trouble.

● Feedback/comments (video and lab assignments):

○ You might receive my response to your lab assignments and video discussions through the
comments section of the grade book. Please go to your Canvas Dashboard and check out my
comments, if any.

● Discussion Board:
○ Students are encouraged to post their discussion AND respond to their peers 2-3 days before
the due date to receive full credit.
○ Since I will be using SpeedGrader to grade your posts, I may make comments or feedback
through the comment section that is not visible to other peers. But, I will participate in some
discussion threads to make general comments for the class to reflect on. But I will read every
post you make.
I encourage you to communicate with me and to work out difficult questions or problems. I may advise tutoring
if you need extensive assistance. Let me know if you are having trouble completing an assignment.

What to expect from me: I plan my schedule carefully to meet my professional obligations. While I might wish to
be available for your questions 24/7, that is impossible. Please be advised that I regularly check my email
messages and respond within the next school day or week, as scheduled on the college calendar. Please be
reasonable and flexible when I cannot respond to your email within 24-48 hours, as I am human. I will notify
you when I experience challenges on my end.

Questions about course content, related issues, grading, study habits, and so forth are welcome. Every
reasonable effort will assist a student's success, especially when that need is expressly communicated.

Creating a Safe Online Cultural Learning Environment:

I expect the language learning environment to remain safe for each individual in this course. Always be mindful
of the words you choose when you share your opinions and thoughts about cultural topics in particular. I will
not tolerate derogatory, snide remarks. Respect and maintaining a safe space for your fellow students and me as
a Deaf professor is always expected.

Disability Resource Center: Accommodations

Suppose you have a documented physical, psychiatric/emotional, medical, or learning disability that may impact
your ability to carry out assigned coursework. In that case, I urge you to contact the staff in Disability Resource
Center at 222-8060 on the City Campus. DRC will review your concerns and determine, with you, what
accommodations are necessary and appropriate. All information and documentation are confidential. Before
requesting one or more accommodations, a copy or proof of college/official documentation from DRC is
required. Please do not email me telling me you have a disability; instead, send me a copy from DRC.

Successful Students:
Responsibilities: The syllabus and assignment sheets are this course's primary sources of instruction. Please
read them carefully and refer to them regularly. Please try to look up the information provided first to ask
informed questions, and if you can't find the answers, ask me via email.

Planning Time: Learn to plan your time to suit best your body clock, work, and family schedule. When planning
your schedule, think about the times of day best for you to read, write, or study. In addition, you must allocate
time outside of class meeting time for your lab and homework assignments.

Plagiarism and Cheating: Plagiarism is a form of cheating. Make sure that your work is original. It is plagiarism if
you use someone else's work and do not give that person credit. If you are" suspected" of plagiarism, you will
bear the burden of proof. You must be able to present rough drafts or related materials and discuss the topic
intelligently. This policy is important because I must be able to gauge what the class has learned. Copying
another person's work, whether an essay or answers during a test, is considered plagiarism. Even though some
cultures consider this sharing work, copying another person's work is considered plagiarism at RCC, an act of
academic dishonesty. If you are uncertain about sharing vs. plagiarism, ask for clarification.

The District's Board of Trustees issues policies governing academic integrity. Board Regulation 6080, Section III.
C. 1 and 2, approved on January 25, 2005, state:

In any confirmed academic dishonesty or plagiarism case, you will be automatically reported to the board and
receive a failing grade.
General Information

Questions about course content, related issues, grading, study habits, and so forth are
welcome. Every reasonable effort will assist a student's success, especially when that need is
expressly communicated. To reduce the cyber traffic and confusion, I recommend that if you
have any questions or concerns regarding class or assignments, please discuss them with me
in class for the sake of transparency and equal learning opportunity.

And lastly, it is highly recommended that all ASL students develop and form their own ASL
study and support groups from class.