Discussions

OP PALUSO - WUG Test/Videos

Hi,
Here are my answers to 'wug' test
1. Wugs
2. Glutches
3. Spowed
4. Kazhes
5. Ricked
6. Winy, Nug
7. Tors
8. Quirks
9. Luns
10. Nizzes
Here is my narrative based on 'wug' test:
As I took the 'wug' test, I looked at pictures and took my time to think about what word I pick to
fit into a sentence to match to the pictures I see. It was interesting because I felt that I was over
thinking in some parts on 'wug' test because I was trying to play with the words, which ones
makes sense to me. I answered quickly In a few parts of the 'wug' test such as "This is a
WUG"..."Now there is another one. There are two of them. There are two _______." So, I
answered, "WUGS" to fill the blank in that sentence. There are few words I was not sure whether
if I should add 's' or 'es' for plural. For example, Glutch...I was on the fence between GLUTCHS
or GLUTCHES because to me GLUTCHES makes sense to me than GLUTCHS. This applies to
other two words, KAZH and NIZZ. I felt both terms should be KAZHES and NIZZES instead of
KAZHS and NIZZS. The reason for this because I have read many books and I saw words like
QUIZZES or PATCHES, I do not see QUIZS or PATCHS because it does not work that way for
English grammar. That's my thoughts between 's' and 'es'.
As for the videos, I thought both videos are interesting! In Patricia Kuhl's video about The
Linguistic Genius of Babies, she has demonstrated different studies on babies and how the
different babies responded sounds in the different languages in learning exercises in person and
technology devices such as TV or computer. I have to agree with Kuhl that the babies responded
better in actual person because of the real connection and vibes that you do not get from
technology. I thought it was a little odd that Kuhl called the babies as 'citizens of the world' even
though her concept provided backup to explain her point that the babies recognize the sounds
and do know the differences in variety sounds like mother's voice, drums, and etc in different
languages. I thought that is neat because the babies focus on their acquisition in sounds in
general. Therefore, the babies can response to what they hear in different languages before the
babies become cultured-bound listeners before their first birthdays. In some languages, letters in
words are emphasized to pronunce the words more than in other languages that the babies
response differently on the sounds. The MEG technology will help and benefit to improve our
research on child development findings based on their emotions, responses in brain, and

speaking to help each child to be well-developed with language acquisition and be able to
address the impaired development issues in early detect as soon as possible.
In Steven Pinker's video on Human Nature and the Blank Slate, he explained about how human
mind is not blank slate due to several reasons. For example, common sense is one of few reasons
that our human minds are not blank slates because we see things as we acquire the languages
from birth to adult, which this led us to think what are things that make sense to us to considered
to be common sense. I think that with our languages acquicistion, in our mind we are always
thinking and response to our surrounding environment based interaction with our behaviors,
cultures, and dialogues. Also, Pinker portrayed about uncanned habits/traits between identical
twins who were separated from birth that does exact same things without knowing it. I am
amazed as he explained the similiarites between the identical twins even they were raised in
different families backgrounds and I believe that identical twins somehow share the 'instinct' that
something in their DNAs that cannot be explained. I think it happens to them naturally because
they both share same womb in their mother's. Other thing, Pinker discussed about is "Hot
Buttons" that he listed many things are considered as constroveries that could spark the
"trouble", but nothing happened and I thought he was brave to mention all those "Hot Buttons" in
his book because he can get threatened, critized, or stalked by citizens who has experienced any
of "Hot Buttons" because those are sensitive subjects to discuss. However, same time sometimes
I think it is best to discuss and help other people to understand in order to resolve the issues. I
thought it was interesting that people responded to two of "Hot Buttons" are the arts and
parentings that have different comments. Out of those "Hot Buttons" that are considered negative
and people chose to focus on the arts and parenting. I think the reason why people responded to
those are because the arts are considered universal where it can come in different forms such as
story-telling, music, dance, painting, architecture, poetry, and etc that changed over many years
while parenting is around for many, many years because we have children in this world,
therefore, people automatically think and response about how do we raise our children in
different cultures, different parenting approaches, and etc.
OP Paluso
What aspects of learners interlanguage are most likely to affect their ability to use
language effectively outside the classroom?
Interlanguage is where both learners has borrowed, mixed, or acquire the language within with
vocabulary, phrases, or grammatical morphemes/structures. There are several aspects that affect
both L1 and L2 learners' interlanguage that affect their learning process in usage of language
effectively in real world, where they actually are in similar stages of pattern are: silent period,
formulaic speech, input, Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD), and Negotiate of Meaning. To
keep in mind for both learners are based on their ages and competence level to acquire the
primary language and target language.
Silent period - for L1 learners they goes through this stage to focus on listening to everything in
their surrounding such as playground, home, extracurricular activities while L2 does not required
to go through this stage due to their first language structures. However, one of authors named
Krashen argued that silent period is beneficial for L2 learners by listening to improve their
competence. I have to agree with Krashen because for example for L2 learners who want to learn

ASL that need to practice on their receptive skills by listening to other Deaf people in the Deaf
community to give them the chance to see array of speed of signing (some sign slow, casual
while others sign fast) and different styles of signing within in Deaf community.
Formulaic Speech - This stage is beneficial for both L1 and L2 learners outside of classroom if
they socialize with other Deaf adults using ASL fluently like Deaf parents and Deaf adults within
Deaf community.
Input - This is essential stage for both learners to acquire the language by getting feedback from
others either inside or outside of classroom. Basically, the learners has to interact with native
language speakers to go through "trials and errors" as they comphrend and acquire how to use
the language appropriate. For example, if an ASL student wanted to improve their competence
level, then she or he would have to interact within in Deaf community since Deaf people tend to
be blunt to show what is right way to sign a specific word, phrase, and etc.
Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) - Both learners get assisted and collaboration by both
teachers inside of classroom and outside of classroom in the native or target language
community. For example, when ASL students learn new context for signing and ASL students
practice their signing skills with Deaf friends or Deaf adults within in Deaf community where
they play the role of collaborative to help ASL students by giving feedback, support, and teach
new signs to improve their signing skills. Also, Negotiate of Meaning is the key in this process
outside of classroom because they get the chance to ask questions in what parts they do not
understand in the native language or target language. Once they get their questions answered,
that is when their comprehension comes in learning process of using the language.
Responded to two of my classmates OP:
Hi NancyJean!
I am in agreement with you about motivation is one of the keys to use the language, in native or
target language effectively outside of classroom. Every person is different on their levels to acquire
the language based on their ages and their learning process. There are two different groups of people
who are motivated and other group is unmotivated. Therefore, unmotivated learners are in need of
inspiration or encourage striving to learn the language in native or target. Even if the unmotivated
learners learned something from their target language classroom and once they go outside of
classroom and they might would bump into someone who speaks native in target language that
unmotivated learners has already learned from their classroom setting and they have the opportunity
to use their knowledge in target language to communicate with a native speaker in target language
that would ignite their passions and their self-confidences that they are able to communicate in target
language that would lead them to become motivated!

Another response:
Your statement, "A second factor would be the L2 learners ego and attitude. A negative attitude
towards the target language and/or culture will prolong the time it takes to become a native-like
user of the target language. Individuals with a positive attitude may achieve native-like language
use at a faster rate, due to being interested in learning the target language and culture."

This is very TRUE! I have seen and heard from hearing people with this common statement, "I
will take ASL class as my foreign language requirement because it is easy to get A or easy to get
by". Their 'negative' attitude and ego has affected how they view on ASL by thinking this would
be much easier than Spanish, French, Latin, or another foreign language. With this kind of
attitude and ego they would not take the ASL seriously because of their misconception on
easiness for ASL and thinking they would learn simple things like fingerspelling in ABC's, basic
common phrases, and some signs then they are good to go. Moreover, another misconception is
that they think they they would achieve native-like in ASL as a target language in short period. I
remember one of my teachers last summer sessions mentioned this, "It takes about 7 to 15 years
to be proficient in ASL as target language". Indeed, individuals with positive attitudes will go
farther and faster to immerse into target language, culture, and community because they are
motivated. They already set their goals for themselves to strive and to learn the target language
in any way they can to be successful. Other thing, I wanted to add is that individuals with
positive attitudes is willing to go through "trials and errors" as they learn in target language in
order to build their competence using the target language. While individuals with negative
attitudes and ego is not willing to go through "trials and errors" since they have this
misconception in their heads thinking it is easy and there should be no problems, which would
prolong their progressions to become competence in a target language.
OP Paluso

Several theories for L2 learning have been proposed in this chapter. Is one of these
theories more consistent with your understanding of how languages are learned? If
so, how have your experiences as a teacher or learner brought you to this view?
What aha moments have you had when thinking what makes a concept easy to
teach/learn in ASL?

There are two theories that applied to me as a learner how languages are learned in my second
language since I do not have any experiences teaching as a teacher. The two theories are
Modified Interaction and Noticing Hypothesis. English is my second language where it took me
a long time to understand the rules for grammar to embed in my head. I realized that I did used
Modified Interaction that included comprehension checks, clarification requests, and selfrepetition/paraphrase for written English in conversational for writing letters, emails, research
papers, and et cetera. Since I do request for clarification if I do not understand in written English.
In English classes I have took in high school and college always emphasized significant to
paraphrase the information I have read to write in my own words based on what I have
understood, which is part of Modified Interaction. As for Noticing hypothesis, I believe in my
first year in community college when I took remedial English class and my English teacher was
explaining different structures, grammars, and rules to apply in English language. At that
moment, I finally 'noticed' and became aware of those inputs that were instantly connected from
cumulative years of instruction of English grammar I had before I took remedial English class.
Therefore, the inputs I recognized and understood to be applied to improve in my writing and
reading skills in English language.
As my experience as a learner in second language, I felt that both theories could be applied to
ASL students when they are learning ASL as their second languages. Generally, ASL students

will go through three stages within Modified Interaction such as comprehension checks,
clarification requests, and self-repetition/paraphrase. Negotiate for meaning is to clarify
something that ASL student might do not understand to avoid any misunderstanding. Negotiate
of meaning is underlying in Modified Interaction, which is an advantage for ASL students to
promote in their learning growth and language development in ASL. ASL students might have to
retell a story based a video or a picture; therefore, ASL students should be able to paraphrase in
his or her own perspectives in ASL. As a future ASL teacher, I would use Modified Interaction
to ensure having impacts in my ASL students' learning processes and be able to give them
corrective feedback on their signing skills. If some ASL students struggling to understand ASL
in language features such as classifiers, non-manual markers, or etc until he or she finally noticed
and became aware of this specific language feature in ASL by using Noticing Hypothesis.
Therefore, he or she will continue acquire and scaffolding the language feature(s) he or she
understood in ASL. I would know when ASL student's light bulb went on about this specific
language feature(s) when he or she shows the improvements usage the inputs of language
feature(s) in ASL. Those theories are beneficial in ASL classrooms because Modified Interaction
= monitor ASL students' progressions and Noticing Hypothesis =observation whether if ASL
student is actually aware and understand language feature(s) in ASL.
Responded to two classmates OP:
Hi Rachel!
I sure enjoyed watching your vlog about your theories in second language acquisition! I
agree with you about Noticing Hypothesis to actually learn once you notice a language
feature in a second language. Noticing Hypothesis is part of my learning experience in my
English as my second language and I finally understood when I noticed the grammar
structure and using appropriate tense in sentences in later in life after years of repetitions
and one English class in college finally hit me and I was able to connect the dots. Same time,
this actually changed my thinking and perspective after reading How Language are Learned
because I can apply in my ASL teaching as I observe the students in their learning processes
where I can do Modified Interaction to see if this will be beneficial for the students. I always
will try different approaches with different second language theories to apply into my ASL
teaching in order to help the students succeed to attain in ASL. Again, well done with your
vlog! :)
Hi Lisa!
Your statement, "Noticing is an essential starting point in comprehension checks,
clarification requests and self- repetition or paraphrase. With a great pleasure, I witnessed
students realizing by noticing ASL in their conversation."
I agree with you complete because ASL itself is very visual language and when ASL students
are participating activities to learn ASL as their second language. Therefore, they would
experience a lot of interaction like you said applied to interaction theory, which I think it is
beneficial for ASL students to be able to attain the target language easily due to emphasis of
many practice conversational. Sometimes ASL students might think they actually
understood ASL language by mimic, but might do not understand ASL grammar and
structures rules until they finally have their 'Noticing Hypothesis' once they noticed a

language feature within ASL in order to learn and understand the target language better. In
other word, I am glad we learned many different second language acquisition theories that
we can apply as ASL teachers to our ASL students whether if this theory or that theory
actually works on them :)

OP Paluso

Do you think you may have a preference for using a particular type of corrective
feedback in your teaching?

For example, would you consider yourself to be a recaster or a prompter or do

you think you would use a range of different feedback types?

What could you do to find out?

Based on my past experiences when I taught ASL to my hearing friends and hearing family
members and there are several corrective feedbacks I have experienced when I interacted with
my hearing peers via ASL such as clarification requests, elicitation, and repetitions that I can
apply into my ASL teaching. If I ask a question in ASL to a student and student replies back in
ASL that I might do not understand his or her answer then I would do clarification request, "Do
you mean by this...or What do you mean by that statement..." to understand what he or she is
trying to express into his or her response. This also can lead to elicitation. Since, I believe that
elicitation really bring out ASL students' critical thinking since they need to be able to give
various responses rather than memorization responses. Elicitation can be very beneficial for ASL
students in expressive and receptive because the more they practice, the better responses,
statements, and questions they can give that can lead them to improve their competency to sign
well in order to have real conversations with Deaf people within Deaf community. Repetitions
can be used for emphasis to be sure the message is well received.
I would consider myself as "prompter". According to this article, Instructed Second Language
Acquisition Research and Its Relevance for L2 Teacher Education by Nina Spada stated,
"Prompts are considered to create opportunities for learners to remember information better
because they take an active part in producing it." Therefore, I want be an ASL teacher who helps
them to remember the context, forms, and language features in my classroom in a long run. Part
of prompt is to remind them what they have learned cumulative based on ASL students'
scaffolding learning. In other word, I am the one to guide and encourage them to use their variety
knowledge tools under their belts to become competence and acquire ASL effective. I believe
that prompts are effective since the article explained about several studies that already been
done; however, there are mixed outcomes related prompts versus recasts. Based on their studies,
prompts seem to be beneficial over recast in general for competency purpose.
I could find out by doing further research through ACTFL website about prompts versus recasts
plus other corrective feedbacks and ask current ASL teachers in my area and some of my
classmates who have experiences in ASL teaching: what are their strategies to approach by
giving corrective feedbacks to their ASL students? What works the best for teacher, students, or
both? Which corrective feedback is effective and which is not as effective and why? That is how

I would want to find out and gain depth knowledge about corrective feedbacks as a future ASL
teacher.
Responded to two of my classmates OP
Hi Keely,
I do agree with you that students should obtain a variety of corrective feedback. Although, some
students do not always response to certain corrective feedback. Therefore, we have to be able to
adjust which corrective feedback is effective for those students. Exposing them with different
corrective feedback would broad their critical thinking and perspectives how they look at its
language and how they produce correct utterances when they do self-analyze to figure out what
did they do wrong in expressive or receptive skills.
I consider myself as a 'prompter' for teaching since I want ASL students to take active roles in
their learning processes and I prompt to help them to remember, which I think it would be
beneficial in a long run for the ASL students. You said you are not sure whether if you are a
'prompter' or 'recaster'. So, I am curious about your rating system... how does your rating system
work? How does your rating system would determine your corrective feedback type as 'prompter'
or 'recaster' for teaching? Let me know! :)
Hi NancyJean,
I agree with you that when we play role as "prompter" and the students would be more likely to
participate in their own learning processes to learn what are correct signs and context. The
article, Instructed Second Language Acquisition Research and Its Relevance for L2 Teacher
Education that was written by Nina Spada has explained that when a teacher do 'prompts' and the
students will remember better than recasts because the teacher would be part of the interaction to
make sure the students continue to improve their competence in ASL.
The whole goal as an ASL teacher to help ASL students to make progressions by using different
corrective feedbacks that are effective depending on the students. Some students do not always
response to certain corrective feedback, so as a teacher I would need to be able to adjust to find
another corrective feedback that work on those students. However, I believe elicitation is
probably one of effective corrective feedbacks because the whole purpose of elicitation is to
elicit out from our ASL students' critical thinking to produce their own utterances to display they
are able to think different ways to say in forms, contexts, and questions in ASL rather than
memorization utterances.