ASL-Interpreting Program Course Outline
ASL Courses
All American Sign Language courses are taught using American Sign Language with no use of spoken English in the classroom.
ASL 1 120 hours
This course introduces students to ASL. Emphasis is on comprehension and production skills as well as preparatory fingerspelling and ASL numbers, vocabulary, syntax, simple handshape classifiers, and basic grammatical features. Wh-word questions in ASL structure will be introduced to help students begin an ASL conversation. Functional grammatical and basic expressive and receptive conversational skills will be emphasized through participation in the classroom and the community. Use of non-manual components of ASL grammar such as facial expression and body posture will be emphasized. This course also includes basic spatial comprehension in grasping of and describing two-dimension (2-D) patterns, figures and shapes. Students will gain practical skills for using ASL in appropriate contextual settings for everyday communication. Students will develop introductory cultural awareness necessary for appropriate interaction with the Deaf community. As part of the ASL program, basic video media training will be offered for students to develop skills in producing video media for their ASL assignments and projects throughout the program.
Competencies:
Demonstrate mastery of basic language functions found in ASL including following conversational rules such as attention-getting and turn-taking, asking simple questions, explaining need, interrupting conversations, expressing uncertainty, apologizing, responding to information, confirming and correcting information, identifying people, giving locations and commands, offering assistance, accepting/declining offers, asking for clarification, explaining relationships, asking/telling how long and how old, contradicting opinions, solving conflicts, and telling time.
Demonstrate appropriate grammatical facial expressions and body postures during ASL conversation.
Demonstrate mastery of basic signs such as family, environment, school, activities, time, numbers, schedules, etc.
Communicate simple and moderately complex sentences using ASL.
Use basic skills in fingerspelling, ASL number and handshape classifiers.
Recognize and use basic ASL grammatical markers.
Develop ability and confidence to follow and express ideas, concepts and feelings via gestures, facial expression, pantomime, and body language while engaging in VGC.
Discern various 2-D patterns, figures and shapes as described by other signers.
Clearly illustrate 2-D patterns, figures and shapes to another signer.
Interact appropriately with the Deaf community.
Develop video capturing and editing skills to record and produce ASL work.
ASL 2 120 hours
This course is a continuation of ASL I, providing students with additional opportunities to produce and comprehend ASL as used in everyday conversational settings, including receptive and productive mastery using multiple grammatical features and conventional ASL discourse styles (such as narrative and explanatory). Students will utilize appropriate vocabulary, grammar, syntax, and cultural knowledge in their ASL conversations. Students will continue the use of common ASL sentences: topic comment, rhetorical, conditional, declarative, and conjunctions). Students will learn and use complex classifiers (use of handshapes) to describe concrete and abstract items such as physical characteristics, clothing, buildings, vehicles, animals, objects, etc. This course will train students on using ASL numbering systems in various contexts.
Competencies:
Practice specific language functions found in ASL such as giving reasons, making requests, describing specific locations, opining conversations, asking for permission, expressing concern, telling about life events, correcting and elaborating.
Accurately use fingerspelling, ASL numbers, topic/comment structure, spatial referencing, intermediate-level classifiers, spatial and inflection verbs, conditional sentences, and temporal sequencing.
Demonstrate intermediate conversational fluency.
Model culturally sensitive interactions with the American Deaf community.
ASL 3 120 hours
This course focuses on the student’s intermediate to intermediate-advanced receptive and expressive mastery using multiple grammatical features and conventional ASL discourse styles (such as narrative and explanatory). Student interaction and comprehension skills continue to develop qualitatively and quantitatively as they are exposed to a greater variety of activities inside and outside of the classroom. With activities based on cultural values of the Deaf Community, the students’ knowledge of this unique community is expanded. This course also provides an overview of specific ASL terminology used in various settings: educational, medical, legal, and performance. In addition, this course engages students in preparatory translation practice from ASL to English and vice versa.
Competencies:
Demonstrate mastery to blend in intermediate ASL skills to carry on conversations with other signers at similar level or higher.
Display near-native receptive and expressive competency in fingerspelling, ASL numbers and classifiers during ASL communication.
Use ASL narrative and explanatory discourse styles in appropriate context.
Develop greater sensitivity (“Deaf-friendly”) via interaction with the Deaf Community.
Acquire and use specific ASL vocabulary for educational, medical, legal, and performing arts settings.
Apply ASL conversational skills to practice preliminary interpreting/translating between ASL and English.
ASL Linguistics 60 hours
This course introduces students to the linguistic study of American Sign Language and further develops their language fluency. Primary focus will be on phonology, transcription methods, phonological processes, morphology and morphological processes, classifiers, syntax, semantics, variation, and discourse of American Sign Language with frequent comparisons to the English language.
Competencies
Examine the history of ASL and how it is used by members of the American Deaf Community
Identify language components and features that define the structure of ASL
Demonstrate comprehension in assessing and utilizing parts of ASL
DATC ASL Certificate 420 hours
Interpreting Courses
All courses in the Interpreting program are taught in American Sign Language. Specific parts of several courses require the use of spoken English.
Introduction to Interpreting 60 hours
Introduces students to the profession of interpreting, including its history, terminology, skills, ethics, legislation, settings, working conditions, and certification. Students will gain the knowledge necessary to pass the written test required for state and national certification.
Competencies
Understand the history, role, and profession of interpreters
Know and understand the laws and legislation affecting interpreters and the Deaf community
Differentiate between the various settings and working conditions an interpreter may work in
Understand the state and national certifications and their differences
Understand and be able to apply the interpreter code of professional conduct to various ethical situations
Be able to pass a sample of the written test required for State certification
ASL/English Discourse Analysis 60 hours
Examines and contrasts the major linguistic features of ASL and English. Emphasis is on cross-cultural communication and equivalency, including semantic analysis at the lexical and sentence level.
Competencies
Differentiate between messages in ASL and English and the linguistic nuances inherent in each language
Effectively distinguish cross-cultural nuances that affect the message in ASL and English
Demonstrate skills in mediating messages between ASL and English
Effectively apply understanding of discourse analysis to the interpreting task
Interpreting 1 90 hours
Emphasis on cognitive and linguistic skills required for interpreting between ASL and English. Skills include improving visual and auditory memory, identification of main points of sentences, summarizing and paraphrasing, translation, and analyzing and comparing source language and target language for equivalent message content. Students will begin transliterating and interpreting basic to intermediate language samples primarily using consecutive interpreting skills, with minimal emphasis on simultaneous interpreting skills.
Competencies
Demonstrate improved visual and auditory memory skills necessary for interpreting
Understand and demonstrate cognitive processing skills required to complete the interpreting task
Apply critical self-reflection to various interpreting texts and situations
Demonstrate an emerging ability to simultaneous interpret a variety of texts and situations
Demonstrate early mastery of consecutive interpreting skills to interpret a variety of texts and situations
Interpreting 2 90 hours
Continued development of cognitive and linguistic skills required for consecutive and simultaneous interpreting skills with an increase in simultaneous interpreting practice. An equal emphasis on transliterating and interpreting skills will be emphasized. Students will continue interpreting practice, primarily using intermediate language samples, including community interpreting and elementary school subjects.
Competencies
Demonstrate early/intermediate mastery of visual and auditory memory and cognitive processing skills necessary for interpreting
Demonstrate consistent ability to self-reflect to improve the interpreting task
Demonstrate intermediate mastery of consecutive interpreting skills
Demonstrate an early mastery of simultaneous interpreting skills utilizing a variety of elementary school subjects and community interpreting settings
Interpreting 3 90 hours
Further development of cognitive and linguistic skills required for interpreting. Increase in interpreting skills and less emphasis on transliterating skills will be emphasized. Students will begin using higher level intermediate language samples, including academic subjects from middle and high schools.
Competencies
Demonstrate mastery of visual and auditory memory and cognitive processing skills necessary for interpreting
Demonstrate consistent ability to self-reflect to improve the interpreting task
Demonstrate mastery of consecutive interpreting skills
Demonstrate an intermediate mastery of simultaneous interpreting skills utilizing a variety of middle school and high school subjects and community interpreting settings
Interpreting 4 90 hours
The final course for developing skills required for interpreting. Primary focus will be on simultaneous interpreting skills. Students will use higher level intermediate to advanced language samples, including academic subjects from high school and colleges/universities.
Competencies
Demonstrate mastery of visual and auditory memory and cognitive processing skills necessary for interpreting
Demonstrate consistent ability to self-reflect to improve the interpreting task
Demonstrate mastery of consecutive interpreting skills
Demonstrate mastery of simultaneous interpreting skills utilizing a variety of high school and college/university subjects and community interpreting settings
Specialized Settings 60 hours
Training in specialized interpreting fields, including deaf-blind, education, employment, legal, medical, religious, and video relay service settings. Professional, ethical, technical, and logistical factors will be discussed.
Competencies
Understand the role of interpreters and interpreting in different settings
Demonstrate knowledge of ASL and English terminology specific to each specialization
Demonstrate knowledge of various factors involved with interpreting in each specialization
Externship 360 hours
Real-world interpreting experience under the guidance and mentorship of certified interpreters. On a case-by-case basis, this course may begin prior to completion of Interpreting coursework.
Competencies
Apply knowledge and skills from coursework to actual interpreting situations
Gain real-world experience interpreting in various settings as arranged by the Externship Supervisor
Work with approved and certified interpreter mentors in all externship situations
DATC Certificate of Proficiency 900 hours