Your Faculty for this Course:

Raychelle Harris, Ph.D.

raychelle.harris@gallaudet.edu

ASL 741: Methods of Sign Language Teaching (3)

Syllabus - Fall 2016
Online: August 29 - Dec 9, 2016
(See sidebar < for more details, including deadlines to drop/withdraw from this course)

Contact me via my
Gallaudet e-mail address:
Email, Hangout, IM
iMessage/iChat,
or FaceTime.
Glide ID: @raychelle
Etiquette rules apply to all
correspondence
(See #7 on the penultimate
page of this syllabus).
Office Hours:
Tuesdays - 4 to 530 pm (EST)
Thursdays - 2 to 330 pm (EST)
See me at appear.in/raychelle
Appointments:
raychelle.youcanbook.me
If you cant find a day/time that
works for you, email me and
well figure out something.
Need to Drop This Class?
100% refund: Aug 28
Last day to DROP: Sept 9
Last day to WD: Sept 27
Last day to WP/WF: Dec 9
See link for more details

COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course focuses on principled approaches to developing and implementing
classroom methods and strategies for language teaching. It also investigates
linguistic, psychological and attitudinal factors that influence student-teacher
interaction in the classroom. The course examines in detail the most important
teaching methodologies that have evolved over the past thirty years. Following a
thorough analysis of each methodology, in terms of its theoretical justification and
supporting empirical research, students will endeavor to teach and learn some
aspect of a sign language through the implementation of each of the methodologies.
Prerequisite: Matriculation into the program or permission from the program
coordinator.
PROGRAM OUTCOMES
Graduates from the MA program in Sign Language Education will:
1) Demonstrate theoretical knowledge and display competence in
classroom settings regarding methodological and socio-political issues
involved in sign language teaching, curriculum development and assessment;
2) Produce graduate level Sign Language and English texts that demonstrate
knowledge of and critical inquiry into key concepts in the sign language
teaching field;
3) Recognize the importance of the Sign Language teacher as a system
change agent and apply this in practice utilizing effective leadership, advocacy,
consultation, and collaboration to influence change on the individual, group,
and organizational and systemic levels; and
4) Demonstrate preparedness to seek and obtain employment as a teaching
professional in the field of sign language education.

ASL 741: Methods of Sign Language Teaching

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Methods ofSign Language Teachin

Program Outcomes
Course Student Learning
Outcomes

Student Learning
Opportunities

II

III

IV

Assessment Method

After completing this course,

students will be able to

Analyze and identify

-Assignments
different language teaching -Method Presentation
methods for primary and
second language learners
and articulate their
application to sign language
teaching field and curricula

-Assignment rubric
-Quizzes
-Midterm
-Method Presentation
rubric

Recognize and influence

change at the sociocultural,
political and institutional
contexts within the
discipline of language
pedagogy.

-Assignments
-Method Presentation
-Language Teaching
Philosophy

-Assignment rubric
-Method Presentation
rubric
-Language Teaching
Philosophy rubric

Critically synthesize
multiple language teaching
methods with theoretical
and supporting empirical
research, creating a
professional sign language
teaching philosophy

-Assignments
-Language Teaching
Philosophy

-Assignment rubric
-Midterm
-Language Teaching
Philosophy rubric

CREDIT HOUR POLICY COMPLIANCE

ASL 741: Methods of Sign Language Teaching course is a non-traditional 3-credit bearing online course,
which requires a minimum of 112.5 hours of course work.
Academic Activity

Hours

Assignments

30+

Discussion

30+

Exam

6+

Quizzes

20+

Readings/Viewings

30+

TOTAL

113+ hours

ASL 741: Methods of Sign Language Teaching

Methods ofSign Language Teachin

GRADING DISTRIBUTION AND LETTER GRADE EQUIVALENT
Letter
Grade

GPA
Value

Definition

Percent Range

A+

4.0 Outstanding

97.6 - 100

4.0

93.6 - 97.5

A-

3.7

89.6 - 93.5

B+

3.3 Good

87.6 - 89.5

3.0

83.6 - 87.5

B-

2.7 Unsatisfactory

79.6 - 83.5

C+

2.3

77.6 - 79.5

2.0

73.6 - 77.5

0.0 Failing, No Credit

73.5 or below

XF

0.0 Academic Integrity Policy Violation, No Credit

Note: The grade average you see in your course grading center at the end of the course will translate into the
letter grades above. No end-of-course requests or negotiations for grading alterations, rounding-off or extra
credit will be responded to. Strive to do your best on each assignment.
A B- grade or below indicates you have performed unsatisfactorily in the course, and this puts you on
academic probation and possibly academic dismissal from the program. You are only allowed one B- grade as
you complete the courses within your graduate program.
The grading system for graduate students can be found in the graduate catalog here.
Incomplete Grade Disclaimer:
A grade of Incomplete [I] is given only when student performance in a course has been satisfactory, but
the student is unable to complete the requirements of the course. The decision to give a grade of I is
made by the instructor, with approval from the coordinator, and only reserved for extraordinary
circumstances (hospitalization or death in family). A student must be passing the course and have no
more than 25% of the course requirements remaining before the possibility of an incomplete will be
considered. To be eligible for credit in a course which an I is recorded, students must complete the
requirements of the course by the end of the final day of classes of the following semester or a date
agreed up on in writing with the instructor; otherwise, the grade will automatically become an F. The
student and instructor must provide Registrars Office with written notification of the agreed upon
date before the time limit indicated above.
For all other questions, concerns, grievances or disputes that are not covered in this syllabus, please refer to
the current University Graduate Catalog.
ASL 741: Methods of Sign Language Teaching

Methods ofSign Language Teachin

REQUIRED COURSE MATERIALS
Richards, J. & Rodgers, T. (2014). Approaches and methods in language teaching.
United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press.
ISBN-10: 1107675960 | ISBN-13: 978-1107675964| Edition:3

Well focus mainly on Sections I - III. We will refer to this book as R&R.

Brown, H. D. & Lee, H. (2015). Teaching by principles: An interactive approach to

language pedagogy. White Plains, NY: Pearson.
ISBN-10:0133925854| ISBN-13:978-0133925852| Edition:4
Chapters 1-3 will be useful as you study language teaching methods in this course. We will refer to this book as B&L.

GoReact course link: https://goreact.com/join/78528175-ae1c-4ac6-bcc2-ba7c0c7fd946

*Instructor reserves the right to add new viewings and readings to course as the course
progresses in order to support spontaneous learning and direction of inquiry taken by the
course participants.
Quizzes
Assignments

GRADING ALLOCATION
Assignment

Languages

Weight

Assignments

ASL/English

25%

Quizzes

ASL/English

25%

Exam

ASL/English

25%

Language Teaching
Philosophy

ASL/English

25%

Exam
Teaching Philosophy

25%

25%

25%

25%

Total: 100%

*Details for each assignment above are discussed below.

ASL 741: Methods of Sign Language Teaching

Methods ofSign Language Teachin

ASSIGNMENTS (25%)
Assignments are varied and differ in their degree of difficulty. They also vary in which language they will be in,
ASL or English- or both. The faculty of this course reserves the right to add (or deduct) assignments to the
syllabus as the course progresses, in order to leave room for student-inspired directions the course will take.
Since no assignment is similar in this category, a broad rubric will be used to assess your submission. The
rubric can be found in the appendix.
QUIZZES (25%)
Students are to complete online, open-book quizzes by the deadline indicated on Blackboard. Quizzes will be
based on assigned readings, class lectures and class discussions. Quiz format varies, some will be multiple
choice and/or short answer, and some are posed in ASL or in English or require ASL or English responses.
Please be prepared to film yourself by wearing a solid top - and finding good lighting and background - before
you start the quizzes. You are allowed to check your textbooks, the internet or the course Blackboard to aid
you in answering questions to the best of your ability. There will be a time limit. Answers are to be attempted
without help from others, including your classmates. After taking the quiz, do not discuss or share the
questions or answers with your classmates until they complete their quiz.
EXAM (25%)
Students are to complete an online, open-book exam within a 24 hour period on Blackboard. The exam will be
a combination of some of your previous assignments and quizzes. Lectures, course readings and course
discussions will also be incorporated in the exam. Exam format varies, some will be multiple choice and/or
short answer, and some are posed in ASL or in English or require ASL or English responses. Please be prepared
to film yourself by wearing a solid top - and finding good lighting and background - before you start the exam.
You are allowed to check your textbooks, the internet or the course Blackboard to aid you in answering
questions to the best of your ability. There will be a time limit. Answers are to be attempted without help
from others, including your classmates. After taking the exam, do not discuss or share the questions or
answers with your classmates until they complete their exam.
LANGUAGE TEACHING PHILOSOPHY (25%)
After studying all of the language teaching methods, you will develop preferences for particular methods
that reflect your philosophical base about how people learn languages. With this assignment, you are to
develop a bilingual, ASL and English language teaching philosophy (YouTube video with captions; and full
descriptive text in the box below the video).
Your language teaching philosophy can be used:
1) in your application for ASLTA certification;
2) in your web portfolio youll be designing for the ASL 762 course; and
3) for jobs youll be applying to in the future
See appendix for the rubric and guidelines for your teaching philosophy project.

ASL 741: Methods of Sign Language Teaching

Methods ofSign Language Teachin

COURSE ASSIGNMENTS AT A GLANCE

Fall
Semester

W1

W2

Aug
29 Sept
4

Sept Sept
512 11
18

Assignments

W3

W4

W5

W6

W7

W8

W9

W10

W11

W12

W13 W14

W15

Sept
19 25

Sept
26 Oct
2

Oct
3-9

Oct
10 16

Oct
17 23

Oct
24 30

Oct 31 Nov
- Nov
7- 13
6

Nov
14 20

Nov
21 27

Dec 5 Dec
- 11
12

Nov
28 Dec
4

Final
Exam

Exam
Quizzes

Teaching
Philosophy

CONDENSED COURSE THEMES & READINGS

Weeks

Theme

General Assignments* (for more details, see Blackboard

Course Modules)

W1: Aug 29- Sept 4

Course introduction

Course & Syllabus Quiz

W2: Sept 5 - 11

Academic ASL expectations

ASL assignment discussing teaching beliefs

W3: Sept 12 - 18

Approach, Design & Procedure

Lecture, R&R Chapter 2 & Quiz

W4: Sept 19 - 25

Theories of Language and Learning Discussion

W5: Sept 26 - Oct 2

1800s Teaching Methods

Lecture, R&R Chapters 1, 3 - 4, B&L Chapter 2 & Quiz

W6: Oct 3 - 9

Roots in ASL Curricula

Discussion

W7: Oct 10 - 16

1970s Designer Methods

Lecture, R&R Chapters 14 - 18, B&L Chapter 2 & Quiz

W8: Oct 17 - 23

Roots in ASL Curricula

Discussion

W9: Oct 24 - 30

Current Methods Part I

Lecture, R&R Chapters 5 - 10 & Quiz

W10: Oct 31 - Nov 6

Roots in ASL Curricula

Discussion

W11: Nov 7 - 13

Current Methods Part II

Lecture, R&R Chapters 11 - 13, B&L Chapters 2-3 & Quiz

W12: Nov 14 - 20

Roots in ASL Curricula

Discussion & Draft Bilingual Language Teaching Philosophy

W13: Nov 21 - 27

FALL BREAK

W14: Nov 28 - Dec 4

Review & Study

Exam

W15: Dec 5 - 11

Revisions & Feedback

Revised Bilingual Language Teaching Philosophy

Final Exam: Dec 12

N/A

Final Bilingual Language Teaching Philosophy

ASL 741: Methods of Sign Language Teaching

Methods ofSign Language Teachin

COURSE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
1. Assignments: All assignments are to be submitted via Blackboard or GoReact. I am more than happy to
respond to questions during the weekday, however, I will not respond to last-minute questions about
your assignments during the weekends before the due date on Sunday at 11:59 pm.
2. Student Responsibilities: Students are expected to actively participate in online discussions, completing
assigned activities on time, respect diverse perspectives and opinions, and support opinions and
answers with reasons, explanations and documentation from a variety of sources

3. Deadlines: Assignments are due by the due date Assignments not submitted on time will receive a zero,
period. Graded work is final. No make-ups or extra credit. Strive to do your very best. Early
submissions are welcome, with the understanding that the grade given is final.

4. Peer Network: Each student is responsible for getting access to and understanding what is expected of
each assignment. Please form a network with your peers. If you need information about assignments
or class schedule, go to your course Blackboard and ask other classmates or post your question in the
Q&A section of Blackboard Discussion Board.
5. Submissions: I will accept the submissions in the following format: .pages, .docx, .pptx, and .key. I will also
accept .pdf submissions. Please be aware that .pptx, .key and .pdf do not allow for the same level of
feedback I can give via the tracking and comment function available in .pages and .docx
6. Academic ASL/English: We will communicate using academic ASL/English, which is a specialized type of
discourse for academic settings. Use only academic ASL/English in classroom and during video
assignments throughout the course. Professional academic discourse requires giving credit to original
authors for their ideas, so citations and references are required, both in ASL and English. Use American
Psychological Association (APA) format when citing and referencing other peoples ideas. Using written
ASL terms in your typed/written work or English-based signing in your video work is not acceptable.
7. Communication: I welcome emails, Glides, GoogleIMs/videos, text/videos sent to me via iMessage, calls via
FaceTime, but will not accept or respond to excessively colloquial register choices in either language.
This is your opportunity to practice ASL and English in academic settings, on a consistent basis. An
important part of effectively using ASL and English in academic settings is the ability to be concise.
8. Editing ASL/English assignments: You are strongly encouraged to have your ASL/English assignments edited.
Unedited work will be graded accordingly. I reserve the right to return heavily unedited work for a
zero.
9. Technology: All assignments are to be posted on Blackboard or as instructed. The Gallaudet Technology
Services staff can assist you with technical issues throughout the course or you can visit
www.gallaudet.edu/gts/help_desk for assistance. You are to upload all of your assignments to
Blackboard including links to videos. For large files, upload them to GoogleDrive or DropBox.

ASL 741: Methods of Sign Language Teaching

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ACADEMIC INTEGRITY POLICY
This policy applies to all languages, including ASL and English.
STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
Students who need special services or accommodations should contact the Office for Students with
Disabilities (OSWD), located in SAC Room 1022.
*Disclaimer: This syllabus is tentative and may be subject to change if circumstances require it.
Changes if any, will be announced via Blackboard announcement feature.

ASL 741: Methods of Sign Language Teaching