American Sign Language II

In this course, students will continue to build American Sign Language vocabulary, will further their understanding of Deaf cultural norms and history, and will develop intermediate grammatical and conversational techniques. Taught in a visual-manual method using no spoken English, this course will use intermediate interactive storytelling, reading selections from Hand Jive, and advanced learning games. Expressive skill development emphasizes smoothness and clarity in producing ASL; receptive skill development emphasizes understanding ASL and Fingerspelling at a moderate rate. Students will also continue to compare Deaf and Hearing norms and begin to contrast ASL grammar and English syntax. Class participation is paramount to the student's success in this course, as students cannot practice the language with their course mates and instructor if they are not present. Students are asked to continue to respect Deaf cultural norms during class time, which includes refraining from the use of the voice and lip-syncing. Blackboard and other technology will be employed to enhance continued student immersion beyond the classroom. Smart classroom, video-proctored feedback will also be provided to gauge student progress across the arc of the course. Students enrolling in this course should already have a basic exposure to ASL vocabulary, grammar, facial expressions, and total body communication.