LANG190 - American Sign Language I

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Academic Year 2005/2006

American Sign Language I
LANG 190 FA

This course introduces students to the fundamentals of American Sign Language (ASL), the principal system of manual communication among the American deaf. Not to be confused with Signed English (to which a certain amount of comparative attention is given) or with other artificially developed systems, ASL is a conceptual language and not merely encoded or fingerspelled English. As such, while to some extent influenced by English, depending on the individual signer, it presents its own grammar and structure, involving such elements as topicalization, spatial indexing, directionality, classification, syntactic body language, etc. By the end of the semester, students should have learned between 700 and 800 conceptual signs and their use. They will also have been introduced to aspects of American deaf culture--sociology, psychology, education, theater, etc.--through a variety of readings and discussions.

MAJOR READINGS

Ella Mae Lentz/Ken Mikos/Cheri Smith: SIGNING NATURALLY, LEVEL 1

EXAMINATIONS AND ASSIGNMENTS

Written quizzes for receptive skills testing; Video - Journaling for expressive skills practice and evaluation.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS and/or COMMENTS

Deaf culture readings and responses; weekly TA session required.

COURSE FORMAT: Language

REGISTRATION INFORMATION

Level: UGRD Credit: 1 Gen Ed Area Dept: NONE Grading Mode: Graded

Prerequisites: NONE

SECTION 01

Instructor(s): Mullen,Sheila M.

Times: .M.W.F. 09:00AM-09:50AM; Location: FISK210;

Reserved Seats: (Total Limit: 25)

SR. major: 0 Jr. major: 0

SR. non-major: 7 Jr. non-major: 6 SO: 6 FR: 6

Special Attributes:

Links to Web Resources For This Course.

Last Updated on MAR-30-2006