Paper Prototype

Assignment 2: Paper Prototype: Intro to American Sign Language
2014

EDCI 569

Kelly Trozzo

PAPER PROTOTYPE: INTRO TO
AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE


TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Learners, Context and Learning Objectives 1
Project Background..................................................................................................... 1
Front End Analysis. 1
Learning Objectives................................................................................................... 2
2. Instructional Content and Materials 3
Module 1: Grammar Basics. 3
Module 2: Plurals and Possessives... 5
Module 3: Signing Area, Verb Tenses and Pronouns.. 8
Module 4: The Dominant Hand... 9
Module 5: Basic Hand Shapes. 10
Module 6: Punctuation Cues.11
3. Assessment Tools.12
4. Site Directory/Site Map..13
5. Story Board..14
6. Self Evaluation.15
7. Appendices...24
Appendix A24
Appendix B25
Appendix C26
Appendix D27
Appendix E28
Appendix F29


pg. 1

LEARNERS, CONTEXT, & LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Project Background:
A few months ago, the Director of Special Education at the Intermediate Unit where I work
approached me in regards to hosting a sign language class. He told me that many of the families
we serve expressed an interest in taking a community sign language class, but there is nothing
available in the area. He asked if I would be interested in teaching it, and told me he would be
looking into a location for the class. Up to this point, he hasnt found a location that is central to
the target audience, and within the Intermediate Units budget.
The purpose of this project is to create an American Sign Language course using an e-learning
platform. This will use the Intermediate Units existing resources and eliminate the need for
finding a central location. This project will focus only on the very basic components of
American Sign Language such as: grammatical structure; use of the dominant hand; signing area;
verb tense; pronouns; punctuation; possessives; plurals; and basic hand shapes. Short quizzes
will be included at the end of each module, much like an exit ticket. There will also be a
summative assessment at the end of the course.
Front End Analysis:
All of my students have some degree of hearing loss. Some have a very mild hearing loss, while
others are profoundly deaf. The majority of my students use some form of assistive technology
to increase their ability to hear. Some use hearing aids, and others use cochlear implants. While
this technology is very successful, in the event that it malfunctions, the students are left without a
mode of communication.

pg. 2

After receiving the initial call from my director, I interviewed each of my students and their
families. All but one family had indicated that their children had used sign language as their
primary mode of communication until they had received their amplification. They also
expressed an interest in learning to sign due to the fact the in the event their childs equipment
fails, they have no way communicate. They also brought up the point that the childrens
equipment cannot get wet. This makes swimming during the summer very difficult. The
students also expressed an interest in learning American Sign Language. A few of the families
indicated that they took a community sign language course at the local church, but they didnt
feel they were learning anything. Upon further research, I found that the instructor in the classes
had no instructional background, nor did they have a working knowledge of the language. Upon
completion of my analysis, I concluded that there is a need for an American Sign Language
course in the community.
The audience for this course will be limited to student with hearing loss serviced by Seneca
Highlands Intermediate Unit 9 and their families. The target audience has expressed interest in
learning American Sign Language. The only prerequisite knowledge will be a working
knowledge of spoken English, as well as a basic knowledge of the internet. While the learners
will have a varying background knowledge of language, no previous knowledge is necessary.
The instruction will be delivered via the internet using CourseLab software. The learners will
access the module via their home computers, and complete it at their own pace.
Learning Objectives:
For this project, I will be using Hortons style of objectives. The objectives for this project are:

pg. 3

Given various sentences, the learner will identify the grammatical structure of American
Sign Language with 100% accuracy.
Given an open ended prompt, the learner will describe the importance of the dominant
hand with 90% accuracy.
Given various scenarios, the learner will describe the signing area and its role in verb
tenses and pronouns with 90% accuracy.
Given various options, the learner will identify punctuation cues with 100% accuracy.
Given an open ended prompt, the learner will explain how to sign plurals and possessives
with 90% accuracy.
Given various options, the learner will identify the basic hand shapes used in American
Sign Language with 100% accuracy.
INSTRUCTIONAL CONTENT AND MATERIALS
Module 1: Grammar Basics
Opening Video (Absorb-Type Activity):
Welcome to the first module of Intro to American Sign Language! This module will
help you to understand the basic grammatical structure of American Sign Language. By
the end of this module, you will be able to identify the grammatical structure of ASL.
We will begin by looking at simple sentences in ASL, and comparing them to their
English counterparts. We will then move on to more complex sentences.
American sign language is a language completely separate from English. The most
important thing to remember is American Sign Language is a visual language. The idea
is to paint a mental picture using not only your hands, but your face, body, and space
around you as well.
In American Sign Language, articles such as a, and, and the do not exist. After learning
to sign, you may think that English uses entirely too many words.
Now, there is one more point I want to bring up before you get started. Sometimes the
subject noun is repeated at the end of the sentence. This isnt typical in the real world,
but it is something you may see.
In closing, I encourage to spend as much time on the module as you feel you need, and

pg. 4

work with your family members to give yourself some practice. Good luck!

Slide 1:
The sentence structure object first
o The idea is to paint a mental picture of what you are trying to
communicate.
o Lets try to communicate I am tired.
What are you talking about? (object)
I
What about it?
Tired
ASL sentence: I tired.
Notice that the word am is missing.
Slide 2:
Sometimes the subject pronoun is repeated at the end of the sentence (NOTE:
This is not typical in real-world applications, but it is important for you to
recognize it if you ever see it.)
o Lets try to communicate I am tired.
What are you talking about? (object)
I
What about it?
Tired
ASL sentence with repetition of the subject pronoun: I
tired I.
Notice that the word I is repeated at the end of the
sentence
Slide 3:
The definite and indefinite articles are not signed.
o Lets try to communicate The car is blue.
What are we talking about? (object)
Car
What about it?
Blue
ASL sentence: Car blue.
Notice that the words the and is are missing.
Slide 4: (Do-Type Activity)

pg. 5

Practice the following sentences with a partner:
o English Sentence/ASL Sentence
I am happy./I happy. or I happy I.
You are tall./You tall. or You tall you.
The house is big./House big.
The dog is ugly./Dog ugly.
Module 2: Plurals and Possessives
Welcome to Module 2 of Intro to ASL! By the end of this module, you will be able to
explain how to sign plurals and possessives. There are three ways to sign plurals. The
first is to sign the noun, and then the quantity. To sign three dogs, we would sign dogs
three. The second is to sign the noun, then many. In this case, we would sign dogs
many. And the third is to sign the noun and point to different locations. And in this case,
we would sign dogs, and point to three different locations indicating one is here, one is
here, and one is here.
To sign possessives, we add the sign for mine, or his, or hers, or yours to the noun. If I
were indicating that the dogs are mine, I would sign dog mine. If the dog is yours, I
would sign dog yours.
Pretty simple, right? Lets get started!

Slide 1:
Plurals: Option 1
o Sign the noun, and then the quantity
Lets try to communicate There are six cars.
What is the object?
o Car
What about it?
o Six
ASL sentence
o Car six.

Slide 2:
Plurals: Option 2
o Sign the noun and add many
Lets try to communicate There are a lot of houses.
What is the object?
o House

pg. 6

What about it?
o Many
ASL Sentence:
o House many

Slide 3:
Plurals: Option 3
o Sign the noun, then point to different locations.
Lets try to communicate, There are many horses.
What is the object?
o Horse
What about it?
o Many
ASL sentence:
o Horse (point to locations around you)

Practice the following sentences with a partner using all three methods:
There are two cats/Cat two.
There are several ducks./Duck many.
There are six horses./Horse six.
There are many cows./Cow many.

Slide 5:
Possessives
o Sign the noun, then add the possessive
Lets try to communicate, The house is mine.
What is the object?
o House
Whose is it?
o Mine
ASL Sentence:
o House mine
Lets try to communicate, The motorcycle is his.
What is the object?
o Motorcycle
Whose is it?
o His

pg. 7

ASL sentence:
o Motorcycle his.

The car is hers./Car hers.
The book is yours./Book yours.
The phone is mine./Phone mine.
The desk is yours./Desk yours.

Slide 7:
Now, lets trying using plurals and possessives together.
o Lets try to communicate, The books are mine.
What is the object?
Book
How many books?
Many
What about them?
Mine
ASL sentence:
Book many mine.
o Lets try to communicate, The three dogs are hers.
What is the object?
Dog
How many?
Three
What about them?
Hers
ASL sentence:
Dog three hers.

The two horses are mine./Horse two mine.
The many pencils are hers./Pencil many hers.
The two pizzas are yours./Pizza two yours.
The many children are his./Children many his.

pg. 8

Module 3: Signing Area, Verb Tenses, and Pronouns

Welcome to Module 3 of Intro to ASL! I hope youre enjoying the course so far! By the end of
this module, you will be able to describe the signing area and its role in verb tenses and
pronouns.
The signing area is an imaginary rectangle from the top of your head to your waist, and from
should to shoulder. This allows your partners eyes to follow the signers movement easier, and
it makes the signs easier to understand.
Verb tenses consist of past, present, and future. The area directly in front of your body is the
present. So, signs dealing with the present are done right immediately in front of your body.
Signs representing the future are made moving forward away from your body. And signs
representing the past are made moving backward. Remember to always start at the present. For
future tense, move forward from the present, and past tense moves backward from the present
position.
Last, and probably the simplest concept of this module is pronouns. Pronouns are indicated by
simply pointing to that person. If the person you are referring to is not present, assign him, or
her, a position, and point to him.
In closing, I encourage to spend as much time on the module as you feel you need, and work
with your family members to give yourself some practice. Good luck!

Slide 1:
The Signing Area
o An imaginary rectangle extending from the top of your head to
your waist, and shoulder to shoulder.
Try drawing the signing area in front of you.

Slide 2:
Present Tense
o Immediately in front of your body
Slide 3:
Future Tense
o Move forward from the present position
Slide 4:
Past Tense
o Move backward from the present position
Slide 5:

pg. 9

Pronouns
o Point to the person you are referring to
o If that person is not present, assign a place to him/her, and point to
that place
Practice
o Take some time to practice verb tenses and pronouns with a
partner.

Module 4: The dominant Hand

Welcome to Module 4 of Intro to ASL! In this module, were going to learn the importance of
the dominant hand.
While most signs only require one hand, there are many that require you to use both. First, you
need to determine which hand is dominant. Which hand do you write with? The hand you write
with is most likely your dominant hand. This is he hand you should sign with. If, by chance,
you are ambidextrous, you should sign with your right hand. When performing two-handed
signs, your dominant hand will provide the movement while the other will remain stationary.
For all of you left-handed people, like me, the signs will be backwards to the person you are
signing to. It is much more difficult to read the signing of a left-handed person, so it would be
very beneficial if you have a lefty to practice with.
Last, it is very important to be consistent with your dominant hand. If you switch back and
forth between hands, it becomes very confusing for the person reading your signs.
In closing, I encourage you to continue practicing the concepts youve learned in the previous
modules.

Slide 1:
Which hand is my dominant hand?
o The hand you write with is typically your dominant hand.
o If you are ambidextrous, you should use your right hand

Slide 2:
Why should I consistently sign with my dominant hand?
o Switching between hand can be very confusing for the person
reading the signs.
Slide 3:

pg. 10

What if Im left-handed?
o Its okay for your left hand to be your dominant hand, just keep in
mind that your signing will appear backwards to the person reading
your signs.
Slide 4:
Two-handed signs
o Some signs require both hands.
o Your dominant hand will provide motion, while the other hand
remains stationary.

Module 5: Basic Hand Shapes

Welcome to Module 5 of Intro to ASL! Were almost to the end of the course! By the end of
this module, you will be able to identify the basic hand shapes used in American Sign Language.
There are seven hand shapes were going to look at. The first is the five-hand, and its made
exactly like it sounds. The hand is open with the finger spread apart. Next is the clawed-hand.
This is very similar to the five-hand, but the fingers are bent to make a claw shape. Third is the
b-hand. It is also similar to the five-hand, but the fingers are close together with the thumb
tucked in at the side. This is called the b-hand because this is the letter b is ASL. Next, we
move on to the bent-hand. Take the b-hand, and bend it in half. Make sure your fingers are flat.
This brings us to the curved-hand. The curved-hand is just like the bent hand, but we add a
curve to the fingers.
The last two hand shapes are a little different than the others. First, we have the closed-hand.
You simply make a fist, and face it forward. And second, the flat-O hand is made by making the
letter O, and flattening it, hence the name flat-o.
This might seem a little overwhelming right now, but with a little practice, youll have it down
in no time!

Slide 1:
The Five-Hand
Hand open with fingers spread apart
The ASL number 5

Slide 2:
The Clawed-Hand
o Five-Hand with the fingers bent like a claw

pg. 11

Slide 3:
The b-hand
o Five-Hand with the fingers closed, and the thumb tucked in at the
side
o The ASL letter B
Slide 4:
The Bent-Hand
o B-Hand bent in half
o Make sure to keep your fingers flat
Slide 5:
The Curved-Hand
o Bent-Hand with fingers curved
Slide 6:
The Closed-Hand
o Make a fist
o Face the palm forward
Slide 7:
The Flat-O Hand
o Make a letter O with your hand
o Squish it flat
Practice all 7 hand shapes with a partner

Module 6: Punctuation Cues

Welcome to the sixth, and final module of the course! By the end of this module, you will be
able to identify punctuation cues.
ASL is more than just talking with your hands. It entails body language and facial expressions.
Punctuation, such as a period or question mark, is not signed. To indicate the end of a thought or
sentence, simply pause for a moment before beginning the next sentence. To indicate a question,
raise your eyebrows, and remember to maintain eye contact.
Yes it really is that simple!
As always, I encourage you to get plenty of practice.

pg. 12

Slide 1:
Periods
o Simply pause at the end of a sentence or thought

Slide 2:
Questions
o You want to have a quizzical look on your face
Raise your eyebrows
Maintain eye contact
Practice
o Practice your question face with a partner

ASSESSMENT TOOLS
Assessments will be administered upon the completion of each module as follows:
Module 1:
o This assessment will consist of a multiple choice type quiz.
o See Appendix A
Module 2:
o This assessment will contain an open ended question that will be
scored using a rubric.
o See Appendix B
Module 3:

pg. 13

o See Appendix C
Module 4:
o See Appendix D
Module 5:
o This module will be assessed using a matching type quiz.
o See Appendix E
Module 6:
o This module will be assessed using a matching type quiz.
o See Appendix F

Pg. 14
SITE DIRECTORY/SITE MAP
Course Title Page
Module 1: Grammar Basics
(Welcome Video)
Slide 1: Object First
Slide 2: Repetition of
Pronouns
Slide 3: Definite &
Indefinite Articles
Slide 4: Practice
Assessment
Module 2: Plurals &
Possessives (Welcome
Video)
Slide 1: Plurals Option 1
Slide 4: Practice
Slide 5: Possessives
Slide 6: Practice
Slide 7: Combined Practice
Assessment
Module 3: Signing Area,
Verb Tenses, & Pronouns
(Welcome Video)
Slide 1: Signing Area
Slide 2: Present Tense
Slide 3: Future Tense
Slide 4: Past Tense
Slide 5: Pronouns
Slide 6: Practice
Assessment
Module 4: Dominant Hand
(Welcome Video)
Slide 1: Which is my
dominant hand?
Slide 2: Why should I use
my dominant hand?
Slide 3: What if I'm left-
handed?
Slide 4: Two-handed signs
Assessment
Module 5: Basic Hand
Shapes (Welcome Video)
Slide 1: The Five-Hand
Slide 2: The Clawed-Hand
Slide 3: The b-Hand
Slide 4: The Bent-Hand
Slide 5: The Curved Hand
Slide 6: The Closed-Hand
Slide 7: The Flat-O Hand
Slide 8: Practice
Assessment
Module 6: Punctuation
Cues (Welcome Video)
Slide 1: Periods
Slide 2: Questions
Slide 3: Practice
Assessment

Pg. 15
STORY BOARD


pg. 16


pg. 17


pg. 18


pg. 19


pg. 20


pg. 21


pg. 22

SELF-EVALUATION USING MERRILLS 5 STAR ID RATING SYSTEM
1. Is the courseware presented in the context of real world problems?
Yes. This course shows learners the basics of the language they are learning. This
applies to the real world application of the language. The learners need to be engaged to
complete the assessments at the end of each module, and each module progresses further
into the language.

2. Does the courseware attempt to activate relevant prior knowledge or experience?
Yes. While it is not required for the learner to have any type of background with
American Sign Language, he/she must be fluent in English. This course makes connects
between the new language and the learners current language.

3. Does the courseware demonstrate (show examples) what is to be learned rather than
merely tell information about what is to be learned?

Yes. The welcome videos at the beginning of the modules demonstrate what will be
learned. The photos and animations throughout the modules add additional
reinforcement.

4. Do learners have an opportunity to practice and apply their newly acquired
knowledge or skill?

Yes. Each module gives an opportunity for the learners to apply what they have learned.

5. Does the courseware provide techniques that encourage learners to integrate
(transfer) the new knowledge or skill into their everyday life?

pg. 23

The course provides the learners with an opportunity to explore new and personal ways to
use their new skills. This course is intended as a gateway to a more in depth American
Sign Language course.

Pg. 24
APPENDIX A

1. Which of the following is correct in American Sign Language?
a. The horse is pretty.
b. Pretty the horse.
c. Horse pretty. (correct)

a. She smart she. (correct)
b. Smart she.
c. She is smart.

a. Ugly the house is.
b. House ugly.
c. The house is ugly. (correct)


Pg. 25
APPENDIX B

Please describe how plurals and possessives are signed. Be sure to include examples of each.

3 2 1 0
Plurals
All three options
are included and
correct
Two options are
included and
correct
One option is
included and
correct
No correct
options are
included
Possessives
Content is
completely
accurate
Content is mostly
accurate
Content is
somewhat
accurate
Content is not
accurate
Examples
At least three
examples are
present and
accurate
Two examples
are present and
accurate
One example is
present and
accurate
No accurate
examples are
present


Pg. 26
APPENDIX C

Please describe in detail the signing area and its role in verb tenses and pronouns.

3 2 1 0
Signing Area
All three points
are present and
accurate
Two of the three
criteria are
present and
accurate
One of the three
criteria is present
and accurate
No accurate
criteria is present
Verb Tenses
All three verb
tenses are present
and accurate
Two of the three
verb tenses are
present and
accurate
One of the three
criteria is present
and accurate
No accurate
criteria is present
Pronouns
Content is
accurate
Content is mostly
accurate
Content is
somewhat
accurate
Content is
inaccurate or
missing


Pg. 27
APPENDIX D

Please describe the importance of the dominant hand. Be sure to include the factors for left-
handed and ambidextrous people.

3 2 1 0
Importance
All content is
accurate
Content is mostly
accurate
Content is
somewhat
accurate
Content is
inaccurate or
missing
Left-Handed
All content is
accurate
Content is mostly
accurate
Content is
somewhat
accurate
Content is
inaccurate or
missing
Ambidextrous
All content is
accurate
Content is mostly
accurate
Content is
somewhat
accurate
Content is
inaccurate or
missing


Pg. 28
APPENDIX E

_D__ 1. The Bent hand a.
_C__ 2. The Clawed hand b.
_E__ 3. The Closed hand c.
_B__ 4. The Curved hand d.
_A__ 5. The Five hand e.
_G__ 6. The Flat hand f.
_F__ 7. The Flat-O hand g.


Pg. 29
APPENDIX F

_A or B_ 1. Period a. Pause
___C___ 2. Question Mark b. Pause
_A or B_ 3. End of a thought c. Quizzical Look

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