ASLI 201: American Sign Language III

07/01/2018 to 12/31/2199 • Modified 06/03/2026

Course Description

This intermediate course will contain more advanced vocabulary as well as conversational discourse. ASL grammar including sign movement and non-manual makers will be taught. 

For information regarding prerequisites for this course, please refer to the Academic Course Catalog.

Rationale

This course deepens understanding of ASL grammar and prepares the student for more complex conversations. By building on foundational ASL skills, the student is equipped for advanced fluency and further professional or personal engagement with the Deaf community.

Course Assignment

After reading the Course Syllabus and Student Expectations, the student will complete the related checklist found in the Course Overview.

Discussions (6)

Discussions are collaborative learning experiences. Therefore, the Discussions for this course cover specific topics and enable the student to interact with study materials and his/her peers. For each Discussion, the student will follow the unique instructions in the prompt and meet the word count or length/content parameters required. The student will provide written threads to all Discussions, except Video Discussion Thread: Introduction, Description, and Interests, where the student will upload a video (see Video Discussion information below). Each thread must use 200 words and include the use of study materials; clear, accurate, and relevant ideas; appropriate vocabulary and cultural context for ASL topics; and meaningful examples and explanations that show insight and engagement. The student must then reply to 2 peers. Each reply must include specific observations, questions, analyses, and references to resources that respectfully advance the discussion and connect to course materials, ASL concepts, or Deaf culture topics. Each reply must be at least 100 words, with the word counts clearly noted in each post. MLA in-text citations and Works Cited lists should be included in all posts where a resource is used. All posts must meet the writing, structure, and presentation expectations in the grading rubric. 

The Video Discussion in this course is a collaborative learning experience and will cover specific topics and enable the student to interact with study materials and his/her peers. Because this is an American Sign Language course, the prompt for this discussion will be answered with a video recording of the student signing responses to the provided prompts using a provided script. The student must then reply to 2 peers. Each reply must include specific observations, questions, analyses, and references to resources that respectfully advance the discussion and connect to course materials, ASL concepts, or Deaf culture topics. Each reply must be at least 100 words, with the word counts clearly noted in each post. MLA in-text citations and Works Cited lists should be included in all posts. All posts must meet the writing, structure, and presentation expectations in the grading rubric. 

The student will record and upload a video demonstrating the American Sign Language skills acquired throughout the module; topics will include clothing-related words, fingerspelling, and furrowed eyebrows. The content of the video should reflect the learning materials and skills (accurate signs, vocabulary, structure, pacing/rhythm, non-manual markers, etc.) from each associated module and follow the provided instructions and length/content parameters. The student must be fully visible in the video from the waist up, with good lighting, camera angle/distance, and an uncluttered background. The student must include any provided templates. 

For this assignment, the student will utilize the Signing Savvy website’s resource “ASL Sentences” to gloss his/her own sentences describing people and things. The student will write an English sentence for each category and provide the typed gloss for each English sentence created. There is no video submission required for this lab. MLA format is required. 

The student will write a 2-page report on a topic of his/her choice directly relating to a Deaf or hard of hearing individual, deaf culture, deaf advocacy/law, or other ASL topic approved by the professor. The paper will include an introduction with a thesis statement, body paragraphs, and a conclusion that align with the assignment instructions. The student will research the topic using quality sources and include quotes from at least 3 sources supporting the student’s claims. Scripture may be included in addition to the other required sources. All references should use proper MLA citations, including a Works Cited page. The student will use clear, logical organization throughout and follow all writing expectations in the grading rubric. The paper should be double-spaced with 1-inch margins, 12-point Times New Roman font, and correct MLA formatting. 

The student will select a song to preview that is presented in ASL and, in a detailed paragraph, analyze the performance of the individual signing the song. The student will consider the overall impact of the delivery and how well the performance conveys the song’s meaning, emotion, or worship experience, paying attention to facial expressions, familiar signs, face/hand/body movements, and directionality. The student must cite the song and any other references using proper MLA citations, including a Works Cited page. The student will use clear, logical organization throughout and follow all writing expectations in the grading rubric. The paper should be double-spaced with 1-inch margins, 12-point Times New Roman font, and correct MLA formatting. 

The student will explore The Daily Moth website that “delivers news in video using American Sign Language,” making note of valuable and interesting resources. Then, the student will write a paragraph that explains the resources offered by The Daily Moth and addresses a list of questions about the website’s services and offerings. Current MLA format is required. 

The student will complete the Learn activities for each module, which may include the following items: Read, Read & Interact, Watch, and Explore. After completing each of these activities, the student will complete a quiz verifying completion of these elements of study. Each quiz will cover the Learn material for the assigned module. Each quiz will contain 3 true/false questions, have a 30-minute time limit, and allow 1 attempt.

For this receptive skills assessment, the student will watch the video of the instructor signing each assessment item. Then, he/she will write or type the answer in a Word document and save the document. Once the student completes his/her answers for the assessment, he/she will upload the answer sheet via the quiz link for instructor review. The quiz contains 1 file upload question, is limited to 1 hour, and allows 1 attempt.