Beginning American Sign Language II

Catalog description

Langua ge II Prerequisite: Successful completion of Beginning American Sign Language I Students continue to build on skills learned in Begin- ning American Sign Language I: grammar, conversa- tional strategies and cultural information. In addition, students will add to their knowledge several kinds of lessons: functional (conversational or narrative), skill building, comprehension, cultural and review. The functional lessons introduce vocabulary and key grammar structures through the use of key dialogues or narratives. Skill building lessons focus on practic- ing detailed language features that support students’ general ASL production, such as various number types, expanded finger spelling practice, space and semantic use of agreement or spatial verbs and use of nega- tion signs. The comprehension lessons use stories to expand students’ skills to process and figure meanings from larger chunks of signed information. The culture lessons focus on behaviors and knowledge that enable students to act in appropriate linguistic and social ways, and to gain more cultural insight on the Deaf community.