Course Descriptions

Language courses

ASL 101 Beginning American Sign Language I
An introductory course in American Sign Language as developed and used by the Deaf community in most areas of North America. It consists of a preparatory phase to attune students to communication in the manual-visual mode, followed by instruction and practice in vocabulary, sentence structure, elementary conversation, and literature. In addition, the course provides a survey of various issues raised by examining ASL and the Deaf community. Prerequisite: none. (Fall, Spring)

ASL 102 Beginning American Sign Language II
Continuation of basic study of the language and culture; an opportunity to build receptive and expressive sign vocabulary; use of signing space; further use of nonmanual components of ASL grammar including facial expression and body postures, and introduction to conversational regulators. Discussion of regional and ethnic sign variations, and social, political and educational institutions of the Deaf community. Interaction with members of the Deaf community in both directed and non-directed activities will be featured. Prerequisite: ASL 101 in the immediately preceding semester or permission of the instructor. (Fall, Spring)

ASL 105 Intermediate American Sign Language I
This course emphasizes further development of receptive and expressive skills. Introduction to language forms used in ASL poetry and to the features of culture as displayed in art and theater. Prerequisite: ASL 102 in the immediately preceding semester or permission of the instructor. (Fall, Spring)

ASL 106 Intermediate American Sign Language II
This course consists of intensive use of expressive and receptive skills in complex grammatical structures, dialogues, and storytelling. Prerequisite: ASL 105 in the immediately preceding semester or permission of the instructor. (Fall, Spring)

ASL 203 Advanced ASL
This course is designed for the advanced study of ASL. It provides students with the opportunity to increase their ASL competence, and to use of ASL in a variety of discourse and narrative settings. Skills to be developed are: semantic awareness analysis, in-depth exploration of ASL grammar and complex uses of space, ways of making transitions between ideas, use of classifiers, and determining appropriate perspective in specific texts. Prerequisites: Successful completion of ASL 106 or permission of the instructor. (Fall)

Linguistics of Signed Languages

ASL 200 Signed Language Structure (crosslisted as BCS 264/464/LIN 230/430)
An examination of signed languages and the cognitive constraints that shape them, through a detailed consideration of the structure of American Sign Language and other natural signed languages of the world. Includes training in sign language notation and analysis. Satisfies the upper level writing requirement. Prerequisites: one of: ASL 105, LIN 210, LIN 220, LIN 226 or permission of the instructor. (Spring)

ASL 260 Language and Psycholinguistics (crosslisted as LIN 217, BCS/PSY 152
An overview of the nature and processing of human languages, including comparisons between language and animal communication systems, a consideration of the biological bases of human language, and discussion of the cognitive mechanisms used in producing and understanding language. Students taking this course should have a background in at least one of the fields pertinent to the material of the course: language structure, psycholinguistics, cognitive science, or general psychology. Prerequisite: one of BCS 110, BCS 111, BCS 112 or LIN 110. (Fall)

ASL 208 Language Development (crosslisted as BCS 259/459, LIN 208)
Basic introduction to children's language development including the acquisition of phonology, syntax, and semantics. Focuses on the acquisition of a first language by young children, and compares the acquisition of various spoken and signed languages to find possible universal principles of language learning. No signing skills required. Students should have a background in at least one of the fields pertinent to the course: language structure, psycholinguistics, cognitive science, developmental psychology, or general psychology. Prerequisite: one of BCS 110, BCS 111, BCS 172, PSY 101 or LIN 110. (Spring)

Literary Forms of ASL

ASL 201: Literature in American Sign Language
Study of selected videotapes and films ranging from the early 1900s to the present. Emphasis will be placed on historical background, meaning of the story content, discussion of grammatical features and styles revealed in these contexts. Satisfies the upper level writing requirement. Prerequisite: ASL 106, and students must have taken a class in which all communication is in ASL in the immediately preceding semester, or obtain permission of the instructor. (Fall)

ASL 205: Art of Translation: ASL and English
Introduction to the study of meaning-based translation with a focus on the analysis of ASL texts and the development of written English translations. Prerequisite: ASL 201 and students must have taken a class in which all communication is in ASL in the immediately preceding semester, or obtain permission of the instructor. (Spring)

ASL 210 Narrative and Poetic Styles in ASL
This course examines techniques for telling stories or creating poetry in ASL. Eye gaze, role shifting, spatial referencing and appropriate use of classifiers in storytelling will be featured. ASL poems on videotape will be analyzed for their poetic devices and elements. Guest lecturers will demonstrate related forms of expression, such as "signlore", signing for the stage, and nonverbal communication. Students will be given the opportunity to create literary forms from their personal experiences, as well as from well-known sources, throughout the course with guidance from the instructor. Prerequisite: ASL 201 and students must have taken a class in which all communication is in ASL in the immediately preceding semester, or obtain permission of the instructor. (Spring)

ASL 220 Deaf Image in Film, Theater and Novels
A historical examination of films, plays and novels that portray Deaf individuals, and discussion of the various attitudes towards deafness revealed in these creative works. Also considered are literary works about deafness and works written by Deaf authors. Satisfies the upper level writing requirement. Prerequisite: ASL 201, and students must have taken a class in which all communication is in ASL in the immediately preceding semester, or obtain permission of the instructor. (Spring)

Cultural Aspects of Deaf communities

ASL 202 History and Culture of the Deaf Community
Discussion of various aspects of the American Deaf culture, including descriptions of deafness, and the Deaf community. Prerequisite: ASL 105, and students must have taken a class in which all communication is in ASL in the immediately preceding semester, or obtain permission of the instructor. (Fall)

ASL 250 Sociolinguistics of the Deaf Community
Investigation of language attitudes, language policy, language use in society, and discourse analysis. Prerequisite: ASL 105, and students must have taken a class in which all communication is in ASL in the immediately preceding semester, or obtain permission of the instructor. (Spring)

ASL 280 Current Trends in Deaf-related Careers
Bringing together historical information and career preparation strategies for teaching, service provision and other related fields, this course is designed to provide an understanding of signed language as used in various settings and to explore professional service approaches to the Deaf community. The course also provides an overview of topics ranging from child language development to brain-cognition relationships, from educational interventions to technological advances, and social, psychological and linguistic characteristics of Deaf communities and sign languages. (Fall)

Pedagogical Training

ASL 209 Teaching ASL as a Second Language
This course is designed to provide an understanding of how sign language is taught in various settings and to explore current methods and theories. Students learn about the history of sign language teaching and resources to support such efforts. Students are provided opportunities to practice basic teaching techniques and select appropriate materials to introduce cultural and grammatical features in lessons. Prerequisite: ASL 106, and students must have taken a class in which all communication is in ASL in the immediately preceding semester, or obtain permission of the instructor. (Spring)

ASL 290 Assessment and Diagnosis of ASL Competence
A review of the history of methods for evaluating sign language competence, and an examination of various diagnostic tools used for assessing sign language fluency. Includes guided fieldwork experience in ASL diagnosis with emphasis on data gathering and analysis. The analysis and writing of a final report will require at least half of the student's academic effort for the course. Prerequisite: ASL 106 and ASL 200. (Spring)

Allied Courses

LIN 110 Introduction to Linguistic Analysis (crosslisted as ANT 110)
This course is the basic introduction to the field of linguistics, the study of human languages. The course will focus primarily on how linguists describe the structure of a language -- its sounds, words and sentences, and how these structures are used to convey meaning. Prerequisite: None. (Fall and Spring)

BCS 162 Understanding Reading (crosslisted as LIN/PSY 162)
This course examines how people read, drawing on ideas from linguistics, cognitive psychology, and cognitive neuroscience. We will explore writing systems and what aspects of language they represent; what are our eyes are doing when we read; brain regions involved in reading; factors that underlie developmental difficulties in reading, and how brain damage affects reading. Prerequisite: None. (Fall)

BCS 172 Development of Mind and Brain (crosslisted as PSY 172)
Introduces human development, focusing on the ability to perceive objects and sounds, to think and reason, and to learn and remember language and other significant patterned stimulation. Includes the nature and mechanisms of development in humans, and an overview of what is known about brain and behavioral development in other species. Prerequisite: None. (Spring)

BCS 221 Audition (crosslisted as NSC/PSY 221)
Examines the physiological substrate responsible for hearing. Topics include the physical stimulus for hearing, receptive aspects of speech and language, peripheral physiology (the outer and middle ears, cochlea, and auditory nerve), and central physiology (brainstem nuclei, auditory cortex, descending systems). Introduces electrophysiological techniques used to study auditory function, and explores sensory and perceptual correlates of physiology and sensorineural hearing loss. Prerequisite: BCS 110 or permission of instructor. (Spring)