American Sign Language Pedagogy at Kent State

Welcome to the web site for

Kent State University's

Bachelor of Arts Program

in

American Sign Language!

People have been sending in pix to show how their winter break is going.....

"Merry Christmas!!!  National Tree in DC---beautiful n awesome "- John Bradley

Grandbaby Colton (2 yrs. old!) with Jackie Mercer!

"You should see him, he is growing so fast. Brent and Dawn are going let me keep Colton for a week after they go home. I am so excited. You should see him sign with his dad. He is bilingual already. Have a great holiday." -  Jackie Mercer-Sanor

"I hope u had the best christmas ever!

My little sister MADE me a candle....my sister was at a fair and she dipped her hand in wax over and over again and made the iloveu handshape...I never wanna burn it! :) " - Bethany S.

A number of people have said they'll be staying in north east Ohio over the winterbreak, and we've talked about getting together.  I've posted a message on the program FB site for those who are interested.....(check Facebook, Kent State University - American Sign Language at Kent State University.  Or if you are logged onto Facebook already, this link should get you there:  www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=86727997112&ref=mf .  If you're not on Facebook, email me.)

The people at Chili’s in Montrose are trying to make a dream come true for a child dying of cancer.  Nate Elfrink hopes to receive 1,000,000 Christmas cards before he dies.  If anyone is interested in making this a reality for a seven year old child, you can send Nate a card c/o

CHILI'S

4022 Medina Road
Akron, OH 44333-2447

RE:  REGISTRATION AND SCHEDULING FOR SPRING 2010

Names of students who needed seats for the filled main campus ASL sections were collected during October and November, and students on that list were distributed among the classes early in December.  If you still need a seat now, you'll need to contact the chair of Modern and Classical Languages for permission (Dr. Jennifer Larson).

See more announcements (about a community service project and a scholarship) at the end of this page.

ASL 39201/39202 students have begun taking their Sign Language Proficiency Interviews!!!!

Students in ASL 39202 (6th semester of ASL) need to reach Intermediate Plus on the SLPI prior to April each spring (ASL majors who are also minoring in second language teaching in order to get licensed to teach ASL, need to reach Advanced on the SLPI prior to student teaching).  Students majoring in spoken languages have a similar requirement - their test is called the OPI (Oral Proficiency Interview).

To evaluate ASL fluency and achieve a passing SLPI report, Kent State ASL students are tested at off-campus, neutral sites (i.e. at sites where the test administrators are not related to Kent State University, to ensure that we're not inflating the skills of our own students).  Usually students arrange to be tested at either the Ohio School for the Deaf or at the Western Pennylvania School for the Deaf (more information about this can be found on the page titled "INFO FOR STUDENTS"). 

It is NOT easy to reach Intermediate Plus or above. 

Researchers (Kemp; Jacobs) have estimated that it takes about 1300 INTERACTION hours (not class lecture hours) to approximate INTERMEDIATE level...and Intemediate Plus is a half-step ABOVE that. 

Because of this, being able to pass the SLPI at Intermediate Plus or above represents considerable committment and dedication on the part of each student.  Passing at Intermediate Plus means that each successful student needed to make the effort, turn off their voices and close their mouths, get out into the community, and sign, sign, sign with good models ... even if frustrated, even if shy, even if busy with all the other things that happen in life.

We're PROUD of our students for their committment, and want to recognize their achievements!  The first two students this year jumped in and took their SLPI's during the second half of fall semester, and...and they both PASSED!!!!! 

WAVE YOUR HANDS

IN THE AIR

FOR

MOSES MCINTOSH

AND

STEFANIE BODENMILLER

FANTASTIC WORK!!

WE'RE PROUD OF YOU!!

The rest of the students in ASL 39201/39202 will be taking their SLPI during spring semester.  We wish them the BEST OF LUCK and we KNOW they can be successful!!

One of Sheila's students dressed for the season 

WE'RE  DONE!!!

The halls are already feeling empty!  (But... nice to see that while ASL 19201 students were waiting to discuss their grades, they were SMILING!!)

It seems like just a few weeks ago that students were coming to campus in shorts, and settling into campus housing!  Now spring registration and fall finals will be only a memory soon!

It's been a BUSY fall semester!  We started with the Gally-Hiram game and picnic, SpotLight with its awards and GREAT class cheers (I will NEVER forget Sheila in her Nigerian dress, Vic in a SUIT!, tall Larry Nehring crouched under a podium to interpret, or John Bradley's OWLS dancing on stage), and the Willy Conley play!  Then it was Silent Weekend time.  We all also shivered through the October Fall Festival where there were AWESOME team presentations, some very creative Deaf family trees, several groups of Piggies, a Wolf, a Grandmother, a Woodsman, and Red Riding Hood!  Team Trumbull still holds the title of most trophies won, but Laurie's Main Campus ASL IV team won best all-around!  Finally, in November, there was the ASL Literature Showcase, which again included some piggies (? lol this seemed to be a recurring theme this fall!?), as well as poems by Ella Mae Lentz, original student poetry, and student short stories.  The ASL club also hosted a movie and several socials!  And during all this, students completed their individual study modules and their in-class presentations, and got through homework, quizzes, reports, and tests!  We've been BUSY!  (If you want to relive any of the events - archived pictures are available at this site in the Photo Gallery.  See the index of pages on the side).

Scenes from the end-of-the-semester:

Scheduling, scheduling, scheduling!

Eunice-Marie brought her new grandchild in to meet her ASL linguistics I class...

Brenda B (KSU-Ashtabula and KSU-Main) winds down in a hallway.

Students finish up their final presentations...

...and get their grades and feedback!

The main campus ASL lab holds its final sessions.  Nice to see students from regional campuses taking advantage of the opportunities available in Satterfield!

Have you noticed the new haircut that Christina, an ASL lab mentor, has these days?  It's going to be very nice when she student teaches this spring!  And after helping students cope with learning the new independent study modules during summer and fall sessions, teaching a high school class should be no problem for Christina!  When you see her next semester (in person or via videophone from a regional campus), wish her good luck with her students in Trumbull!

ALL of the lab mentors at all the regional campuses, and the Design students, and the ASC peer tutors have done a GREAT job this semester with learning how to help students with the new modules. 

There have been some glitches along the way (one involved poor Theresa falling on the stairs and ending up at the MD's with a damaged thumb!) but students, mentors, peer tutors and instructors have been wonderful in participating in learning the process!!  Thank you all!  (And by the way - everyone's syllabus says they are responsible for knowing the information that is available on this program website.  If you have read this far on this month's homepage, you're doing good!  Tell or email your instructor the code sentence "Andrew Foster graduated from Gallaudet and went to Africa to set up Deaf education" before December 13, 2009 and ask for 3 extra credit points as our Holiday gift to you!)

It's GREAT to hear from students who have graduated, and bittersweet to say goodbye to those who are graduating this December. 

CONGRATULATIONS AND BEST WISHES TO:

RUTH HOWARD

JASMINE JEFFERSON

and

JODY BOLES
!!!

We're going to miss you in Satterfield!!  Ruth will be going home to the west coast, Jasmine has been accepted to graduate school (so she'll still be here on campus if you want to stop by the library and sign with her, smile), and Jody will be working at Kent State (stop by and sign with her at Career Services!).

We're also going to be sad to bid farewell to Theresa Cassise, one of the fantastic mentors in the main campus ASL lab.  We wish her well as she follows the sunshine to a warmer climate in Arizona! 

We will MISS YOU Theresa! 

We're also saying goodbye, at least for now, to

David Stewart

and Larry Nehring. 

Their teaching has added a great deal to main, Ashtabula, Geauga, Twinsburg, and Stark campuses!

Best wishes to everyone for a happy, safe, enjoyable winter break!  Steve Vickery (I'm so jealous, I'm so jealous, I'm so jealous) has left for a conference in HAWAII.  He recently sent an email showing that he shares our pain over finals:

Have I mentioned I'M SO JEALOUS, I'M SO JEALOUS, I'm SO JEALOUS?????!!

David will be heading to Texas; Sheila visiting family in the U.S. and Canada.  Jennifer Hall is going to Pittsburgh for the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. 

Kelly S. and Dru R. will be heading down to Cincinnati to spend a week each at St. Rita's residential school, working with the deaf students there on one-week practicum experiences. 

When we get back in January, everyone will be busy preparing for the annual ASL Academic Challenge, and ASL 39202 students will also be busy getting ready for their trip to Rochester. 

New students are already coming in for meet-and-greets, scheduling, and class visitations!

John meets with a new student during finals week.

It looks like spring will be quite full, also!!

So...ENJOY winterbreak, have fun, remember to get some signing in (some ideas are posted elsewhere on this website) and....

We'll see you in Satterfield in January 2010...

A little cultural humor for the season, from ClercScar:

IF SANTA WERE DEAF

The following are selected Twitter messages in response to the subject "If
Santa Were Deaf." [#ifsantaweredeaf]

@alicialane: 'Twas the Night before Christmas would be accompanied by a
drum. Now (thump) Dash (thump) er (thump)!

@beandsp: the reindeer would be signing to him but cant fingerspell.

@aimistar: we would have signing children . . . and inevitably, a signing
world.

@tamtweetam: after putting gifts under the tree, he wld chat with the
parents in the kitchen.

@jaseuro: xmas songs would cease to exist, except, perhaps "Silent Night".

@csano: it'd take weeks for everyone to get their presents because Santa
would only work part time out of fear of losing his SSDI.

@jaseuro: his wife would tell him, "have a blast time" before he takes off
with his reindeer.

@lisainberkeley: thered be a deaf santa happy hour in north pole.

@williebike: Santa would be texting his pager while his knees is steering
the sleigh.

@ajmorton: he'd have graduated from santa college, thru vr.

@lisainberkeley: hed sign off each gift with "hugs! santa"

@jaseuro: his first question to deaf kids wud be "where did you go to
school?" instead of "what do you want for Christmas?"

@chadwtaylor: he would scream "ho ho ho" in a corner for the sake of bass
effect.

@tamtweetam: christmas would come on the 26th, not the 25th, due to DST.

@chadwtaylor: he would use his pager's bright screen when Rudolph's nose
fails.

FOR ASL 39202 students:

If you are LGBT:

Point Foundation Opens 2010 LGBT Scholarship Application Season

The Point Foundation <http://www.pointfoundation.org/> , the nation's largest scholarship-granting organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) students of merit, has announced the opening of its 2010 application season. Students who will be enrolled in undergraduate or graduate programs for the 2010-11 school year are eligible to apply for the prestigious multiyear scholarships.

Point Foundation's rigorous selection process requires of its candidates demonstrated academic excellence, leadership skills, community involvement, and financial need. Particular attention is paid to students who have lost the financial and social support of their families and/or communities as a result of revealing their sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.

The average amount of annual support devoted to each scholar is between $25,000 and $33,000. A Point Scholarship award includes financial support as well as programmatic support in leadership training, community service, and mentoring.

Individuals selected as Point Scholars agree to maintain a high level of academic performance, attend Point's various leadership forums, participate in press interviews, and give back to the LGBT community through the completion of an individual community service project each year. To better prepare its scholars for success in school and in society, they are matched with mentors from the professional world through Point's Mentoring Program; mentors lend their professional expertise and career guidance and become important role models to scholars.

For information on how to apply for a Point Scholarship, visit the Point Foundation Web site.

Contact:
Link to Complete RFP <http://www.pointfoundation.org/apply.html>