- Author:
- Camille Daw, Amber Hoye, Mimi Fahnstrom
- Subject:
- Languages
- Material Type:
- Activity/Lab
- Level:
- High School, Community College / Lower Division, College / Upper Division
- Tags:
- License:
- Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial Share Alike
- Language:
- English
Google Slideshow
Warm Up Video
Facial Expressions, ASL, Intermediate Mid, ONLINE
Overview
Students will discuss Deaf Culture through the experiences of a Deaf individual. Students will work to translate scenarios in ASL, while understanding the importance of facial expressions and non-manual signs in conversation.
Description
Description: Students will discuss Deaf Culture through the experiences of a Deaf individual. Students will work to translate scenarios in ASL, while understanding the importance of facial expressions and non-manual signs in conversation.
Keywords: Deaf culture, Non-manual signing, Expressions, Translation
AATSP Standards for Learning American Sign Language:
- Standard 1.1 - Students engage in conversations and correspondence in American Sign Language to provide and obtain information, express feelings and emotions, and exchange opinions.
- Standard 1.3 - Students present information, concepts, and ideas in American Sign Language to an audience of viewers on a variety of topics.
- Standard 2.1 - Students demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between the practices and perspectives of American Deaf culture.
- Standard 4.1 - Students demonstrate understanding of the nature of language through comparisons of American Sign Language and their own languages.
Idaho Content Standards for World Languages:
- COMM 1: Interact with others in the target language and gain meaning from interactions in the target language.
- COMM 1.1: Interact and negotiate meaning (spoken, signed, written conversation) to share information, reactions, feelings, and opinions.
- CLTR 1.1: Analyze the cultural practices/patterns of behavior accepted as the societal norm in the target culture.
NCSSFL-ACTFL Can-Do Statements:
- I am able to understand the need for facial expressions
- I am able to discuss the importance of facial expressions in Deaf culture
- I am able to challenge myself to step outside normal signing parameters
Materials Needed
Warm Up and Main Activity
Lead-in or Warm-up (2-3 minutes): CODA Comedian!
Watch the Youtube video as a group. To do so, simply turn on the video, share your screen and your computer audio with the students via Zoom.
This is a video of Keith Wann, a child of Deaf adults whose first language is ASL. He tells the story of the day he was born.
There is a voice over on the the video; If you think your students can handle no audio, please challenge them.
As a group discuss different aspects of the video and allow the students to share their thoughts on the video
Main activity: Facial Expression Challenge!
***The point of this activity is to understand the importance of facial expressions in ASL***
Discuss as a group if facial expressions are needed when discussing in ASL, if the meanings of signs change based on the facial expressions, and review what the non-manual signs are
Have students pair up. Share your screen so all students can see the expression cards, or link the cards in the chatbox in Zoom.
Partners will take turns translating the situations on the cards to their partner
Explain that the goal is to sign the situations without using any facial expressions
Their partner's job is to point out every time they use facial expressions.
After each turn have the partners see if they were able to understand the situation without facial expressions
Once they are done signing their cards, come back together as a group and ask them how hard it was to sign without their expressions.
Ask the students the following questions about facial expressions:
- What was hard about this?
- Is there less understanding when there are no expressions?
- What expression specifically did you find hard to avoid?
Wrap-up questions:(if time permits)
- What are you struggling with in ASL?
- What is most interesting to you about Deaf culture?
- What did you think about the Deaf comedian?
- Do you understand the importance of facial expressions when signing?