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- Saint Paul, Minnesota 55102
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Saint Paul College Programs
American Sign Language Studies
Program Requirements
American Sign Language Studies Certificate
| Course | Cr | |
|---|---|---|
| SPCH 1700, SPCH 1710, SPCH 1720, SPCH 1730 OR SPCH 1750 | 3 | |
| ASLS 1411 | American Sign Language 1 | 3 |
| ASLS 1412 | American Sign Language 2 | 3 |
| ASLS 1413 | American Sign Language 3 | 3 |
| ASLS 1414 | American Sign Language 4 | 3 |
| ASLS 1420 | ASL Linguistics | 4 |
| ASLS 1430 | Classifiers | 3 |
| ASLS 1435 | Deaf Studies/Culture | 3 |
| ASLS 1443 | ASL Fingerspelling and Numbers | 3 |
| Subtotal | 28 | |
| Select 2 credits of Technical Electives from the courses listed below | 2 | |
| ASLS 1415 | American Sign Language 5 | 3 |
| ASLS 1444 | ASL Sign Reading | 2 |
| ASLS 1446 | ASL Non-Manual Markers | 2 |
| ASLS 1448 | American Sign Language Semantics | 2 |
| ASLS 1497 | Special Topics: ASL 1 | 5 |
| Total Program Credits | 30 | |
| Optional Courses for American Sign Language Program (Most courses require prerequisites.) |
||
| Course | Cr | |
|---|---|---|
| Optional Courses: | ||
| ASLS 1455 | Contrastive Text Analysis | 2 |
| ASLS 1469 | Deaf Heritage of Minnesota | 2 |
| ASLS 1470 | ASL Discourse | 2 |
If a student has successfully completed a Saint Paul College Credit by Exam/Test-Out of ASLS 1411 American Sign Language 1 and/or ASLS 1412 American Sign Language 2, then ASLS 1415 American Sign Language 5 must be taken as a course substitution to meet total program requirements. Additional Credits may be chosen from one or more of the following elective courses:
| Addtional Courses for American Sign Language Program (Most courses require prerequisites.) |
||
| Course | Cr | |
|---|---|---|
| Optional Courses: | ||
| ASLS 1444 | ASL Sign Reading | 2 |
| ASLS 1446 | ASL Non-Manual Markers | 2 |
| ASLS 1448 | ASL Semantics | 2 |
| ASLS 1497 | ASL Special Topics: Sports Vocabulary | 1-5 |
| INTP 1465 | Special Topics: Cross Culture | 1 |
Course Descriptions
ASLS 1411 American Sign Language 1
Introduction to American Sign Language (ASL), a visual/gestural language used by the Deaf Community. Course covers sign vocabulary, sentence structures, dialogue formats through facial expressions and body movements used in signing. 3C/3/0/0
ASLS 1412 American Sign Language 2
A continuation of ASLS 1411, designed to expand students' conversational range from talking about themselves to talking about other people and activities, giving directions, describing people and making requests. (Prerequisite(s): ASLS 1411 with a grade of "C" or better) 3C/3/0/0
ASLS 1413 American Sign Language 3
A continuation of ASLS 1412, designed to expand students' comprehension and sign language production skills. Through meaningful communication contexts, students will use communicative functions which include locating things, asking for solutions, discussing life events and describing objects. Using appropriate cultural behaviors and strategies for conversational management is stressed. Receptive and expressive fingerspelling and information about the deaf community will further enhance the learning process. (Prerequisite(s): ASLS 1412 with a grade of "C" or better) (MnTC: Goal 8) 3C/3/0/0
ASLS 1414 American Sign Language 4
A continuation of ASLS 1413 provides more complex ASL grammatical features, communicative functions and receptive fingerspelling and numbers. Cultural features will be stressed to develop competency and fluency in the language. (Prerequisite(s): ASLS 1413 with a grade of "C" or better) (MnTC: Goal 8) 3C/3/0/0
ASLS 1415 American Sign Language 5
This course is an ongoing instruction of American Sign Language covering communicative functions, sign vocabulary, fingerspelling, grammar and cultural aspects of the Deaf Community. At the completion of ASL 5, each student shall be able to use these language functions and conversational behaviors appropriately in ASL. 3C/3/0/0
ASLS 1420 ASL Linguistics
Introduces students to the linguistics of American Sign Language (ASL). Students study the major features of language structures and the underlying knowledge for the social uses of American Sign Language. Content includes an examination of the structure of the physical signals of ASL, the customary patterns for combining them and the influence of signs on one another in connected discourse. (Prerequisite(s): ASLS 1414 with a grade of "C" or better) 4C/4/0/0
ASLS 1430 Classifiers
Introduces students to the fundamentals of American Sign Language (ASL) classifiers. Students will enhance and expand the use of classifiers in their expressive skills and in the recognition of classifiers in their receptive skills. (Prerequisite(s): ASLS 1420 with a grade of "C" or better) 3C/3/0/0
ASLS 1435 Deaf Studies/Culture
This course is designed to help students understand and appreciate Deaf Culture and the Deaf Community. Deaf history, historical and modern-day perspectives, deafness and its impact, Deaf Culture/Community characteristics, education, communication modes/languages used by D/deaf people and the ramifications and impact of American Sign Language and Deaf Culture upon the lives of D/deaf people and other populations will be introduced. (MnTC: Goal 7) 3C/3/0/0
ASLS 1444 ASL Sign Reading
This course is designed to improve receptive communication skills. Students acquire strategies to enhance their understanding of deaf signers. (Prerequisite(s): ASLS 1420 witha grade of “C” or better) 2C/2/0/0
ASLS 1446 ASL Non-Manual Markers
This course covers the non-manual aspect of the language. The use of the face, eyes and head to convey grammatical information will be covered. Students will analyze specific features. Other topics include ASL 'mouthing', showing emotion and inappropriate facial behaviors. (Prerequisite(s): ASLS 1420 with grade of "C" or better) 2C/2/0/0
ASLS 1448 American Sign Language Semantics
This course is designed to expand student's sign vocabulary by analyzing multiple-meaning words and various sign equivalents. Language learning activities will focus on noun-verbs, sentence types, classifiers, inflection of verbs with temporal aspect and distributional aspect. (Prerequisite(s): ASLS 1414 with grade of "C" or better) 2C/2/0/0
ASLS 1455 Contrastive Text Analysis
This course introduces the definition of a language, its components that apply to any language and comparison among the languages. The various elements of both languages, American Sign Language and English are compared, contrasted and applied. (Prerequisite: ASLS 1420 with a grade of "C" or better). 2C/2/0/0
ASLS 1469 Deaf Heritage of Minnesota
Covers the history of deaf people in Minnesota and its impactupon deaf and non-deaf Minnesotans. (Prerequisite(s): ASLS1420 with a grade of “C” or better or instructor approval)2C/2/0/0
ASLS 1470 ASL Discourse
Introduces students to the discourse level of American Sign Language (ASL). Students will research and analyze ASL discourse and discover the variety of devices or techniques to convey information in visually clear and effective ways. (Prerequisite(s): ASLS 1420 with grade of "C" or better) 2C/2/0/0
ASLS 1497 Special Topics: Sports Vocabulary
A variable credit granting course that focuses on special topics in the area of American Sign Language and Deaf Culture. Courses are designed to accommodate the learning needs and interests of students. Each course syllabus focuses on specific content areas which may not be presented or presented in-depth in other ASLS courses. Variable 1-5 credits.
INTP 1465 Special Topics:Cross Culture
A variable credit granting course in the area of interpreting/transliterating, American Sign Language, specific sign forms, linguistic skills, Deaf Culture or a related area, which is designed to meet the needs of specific groups of students. Each course is designed and accepted based on a written syllabus outlining the objectives and procedures for delivery. Variable 1-5 credits.
