American Sign Language Class

5th Grade ASL Class

Fass School for the Deaf
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Dr. Adele Idy Fass
Office: FSL 5120
Contact me through 202-520-1212 (VP) or
Adele.Fass@gallaudet.edu
Office hours: Monday & Wednesday 8-10am and 3-5pm

Course Description:
This course is designed to continue the development of ASL skills for
Deaf and Hard of Hearing students whom first language is American Sign
Language with the ability to communicate academic ideas and connect with
actual academic concepts. This course will focus of ASL grammar study,
ASL composition study and ASL literature study. ASL grammar study will
include basic semantic processing, phonetics and signs/vocabulary, ASL
composition study will include lessons of ASL storytelling, compositions,
presentation, poetry, and different parts of ASL performance along with
digital usage of creating different ASL literatures. ASL literature will
discuss the Deaf studies, culture, and history along with different themes and
genre found in ASL literature. This course is strongly influenced by the
AIG, ASL Instruction Guide developed by Todd Czubek, a Language and
Literacy Education instructor under the Deaf Studies program at Boston
University.
(Riverside School for the Deaf’s ASL Instruction Guide - on school’s website)

Fass School for the Deaf’s Student Learning Outcomes (SLO)

1. Language and Communication
Students will use American Sign Language (ASL) to communicate
effectively with diverse audiences, for a variety of purposes, and in a
variety of settings.
 2. Critical Thinking
Students will summarize, synthesize, and critically analyze ideas from
multiple sources in order to draw well-supported conclusions and
solve problems.

3. Identity and Culture

Students will learn to understand themselves, complex social
identities, including deaf identities, and the interrelations within and
among diverse cultures and groups.

4. Knowledge and Inquiry

Students will apply knowledge, modes of inquiry, and technological
competence from a variety of disciplines in order to understand
human experience and the natural world.

5. Ethics and Social Responsibility

Students will make reasoned ethical judgments, showing awareness of
multiple value systems and taking responsibility for the consequences
of their actions. They will apply these judgments, using collaboration
and leadership skills, to promote social justice for a safe living and
learning environment inside and outside of school.
(Gallaudet University’s Student Learning Outcomes)

ASL Student Learning Outcomes

Students will be able to:

1. Students will demonstrate intermediate vocabulary and possess

intermediate grammar skills applying to academic ideas and academic
concepts along with other common core courses.

2. Students will be able to analyze ASL’s grammar usage by viewing

and developing ASL videotexts.

3. Students will be able to detect different types of ASL literature along

with knowledge of variety of ASL literature producer/artist in the
Deaf community.

4. Students will be able to compose their own ASL literature work and
distribute/perform.
Course Learning ASL Fass’s School Assignments Assessment
Outcomes Outcomes Outcomes Tools

Demonstrate proper 1, 2, 4 1, 2, 4, 5 Assignments, In Assignment

level of using ASL in and out of class rubric, In class
different academic exercises, Projects observation
contexts
Show ASL 1, 2, 3, 4 1, 2, 4, Assignments, group Assignment
knowledge of work, video rubric, In class
grammar and responses, observation,
vocabulary along discourse with
with analysis skills others
of ASL as language
(parts of language
as well)
Knowledge of ASL 1, 2, 3, 4, 1, 3, 4, 5 Classroom Assignment
literature exercises, group rubric, In Class
artist/producers project, video Observation,
assignments, Exams
Exams
ASL video viewing 2, 3, 4 1, 2, 3, 4, Video assignments, Assignment
and production classroom rubric
skills (along with discussions/sharing,
playing with In class activities
language)
Develop ASL 2, 3, 4, 1, 4, 5 Final Project, video Assignment
Presentation by assignments, rubric, In Class
research and classroom Observation,
collecting evidence discussion/activities
from ASL videotexts

Course Requirements:
 Successfully develop ASL viewing skills by completing ASL viewing
assignments from individual and group work.
 Successfully develop ASL video signing skills by completing ASL
video assignments
 Successfully develop ASL research and presentation skills by using
viewing skills to use research and build supporting claims and
arguments to present knowledge.
 Successfully develop the skills of playing with language (ASL) by
creating their own ASL project.
Materials:

There won’t be any textbooks for this class but we will be watching lot of
ASL videos relating to different ASL literature such as performances,
storytelling, presentations and digital compositions.

We will also be doing filming so each individual student can develop their
own ASL literature, so be sure to have a solid shirt with appropriate color
contrasting one’s skin color for the filming part. In our classroom there will
be a closet, so it would be a good idea to leave a shirt for all future
assignments done in school.

We will also be providing the camera and lighting as we use the ASL studio.
Therefore all videos and/or works will be created using the Final Cut Pro X,
FCPX program on the classroom computers and export it to my hard drive
during class time. We will be doing peer reviews and self evaluation
together and individually – the paper would be handed out in class.

Grading Schema

Participation (30 @ 2.5 each) ASL 70 pts

Video Assignments (5) (10 pts each) ASL 50 pts
Group Project ASL 20 pts
In Class Exercises (5 @ 5 each) ASL 25 pts
Assignments As assigned ASL 40 pts
Film Project ASL 20 pts
Final Project ASL & English 35 pts
Midterm ASL & English 50 pts
Final Exam ASL & English 50 pts

TOTAL: 360 Points

Grading System:

Letter Grade Percentage Score Range

A 93%-100% 334-360
A- 90%-92% 324-333
B+ 87%-89% 313-323
B 83%-86% 298-312
B- 80%-82% 288-297
C+ 77%-79% 277-287
C 73%-76% 262-276
C- 70%-72% 252-261
D+ 67%-69% 241-251
D 60%-66% 216-240
F Below 60% 215 and under

Teaching Methods & Assessment Philosophy

Assessment tools are important to evaluate students’ learning progress, and

achievement tests will allow me to assess students’ learning progresses from
the beginning of the course and throughout to the end of the course. (Brown
& Lee, 2015) stated that in order to be authentic, language needs to be
meaningful and firmly context related as it will give children a sense of
purpose in using language which will improve children’s attention and
retention. Authenticity and validity are my ultimate principles as they align
with my teaching philosophy of whole language and language immersion.
My courses are designed to integrate different themes/contexts to allow
students to learn effectively. Brown and Abeywickrama (2010) claim that
the best learning experience students can have are having the freedom to
experiment in the classroom and play with language. This experience is
where peer/self assessment and journal comes in to promote students’
anatomy and lifelong learning experiences as they can be creative and
express freely. Journals and portfolio are part of the formative approach as
students will create different ASL works with the support of peer/self
feedback and backwash from me. Combining all different aspects of
assessment, students shall strengthen their language skills in different
possible ways.

Instructional Tools

I will be using different tools in the classroom such as

 Final Cut Pro X (video editing)
  In class presentations with Pages
 Classroom discussions
 Guest Speakers of ASL Literature
 YouTube and other video links

Academic Integrity:
It is important for students to be responsible, know, and follow the academic
integrity policy where students develop their own original work and ideas to
not plagiarize ideas or work, to not cheat in and outside of classroom and
learn the idea of citing work or adding reference to the original idea/work.

Class Etiquette:
Basically, follow the golden rule- treat others as how you want to be treated.
Behave properly with respect to all individuals, to listen completely before
sharing or raising hands, and when anyone is talking to think twice before
saying what you want to say. Snacks and drinks are allowed in the classroom
as long as you clean up after yourself.

Course Schedule:

Date Topic Assignment Due

July 5th Introduce to the course In Class Exercise #1

Introduce to Final Cut

Pro X
First mini ASL
Storytelling project as
warm up

July 7th Lesson: Video Assignment #1

Depiction/Classifiers

Using pictures and short Group Project #1

silent film of action to
describe using
depiction.
July 12th Types of ASL In Class Exercise #2
Literature

View ASL Literature Video Assignment #2

works on YouTube,
analysis of depiction.

Start developing your

own story with ASL
depiction/classifiers.
July 14th Analysis of ASL Group Project #2
Grammar and it’s usage
in different ASL
literature

Choose 3 ASL grammar

rules and find actual
examples on YouTube
videos
July 19th 2nd Lesson on ASL In Class Exercise #3
Grammar

Daily usage and how it

differs from ASL
literature/stories.

July 21st Tutorial Video: Video Assignment #3

Developing a video
teaching how to do
something (anything)
using proper ASL
grammar to teach step
by step
July 26th [Midterm] In Class Exercise #4
Complete tutorial video
and have class view Group Project #3
each other’s work and
actually try doing those
things step by step to
see if their work is clear
and successful tutorial
video.

July 28th Research topics Video Assignment #4

Deaf Culture/History

View different films of

Deaf history and culture
(DPN, through deaf
eyes and etc.)
August 2nd Develop their own ASL In Class Exercise #5
Reflection response
about different films Group Project #4

Develop New film of

their own history, to
analyze the current
dynamics of Deafness
and Education
August 4th Continue working on Video Assignment #5
developing their Film

In class work and

discussion

Reflection of progress
of the Video
August 9th Wrap up and view
everyone’s work with
mini reception in class. Study Study Study for
final exam!
Review for Final Exam

Final Exam Final Exam

ASL Videos of
questions and ASL
video responses in
computer classroom.

*Schedule weekly is tentative*