Department of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures

ASL 101: Introductory American Sign Language I

Winter 2021, ASL 101 (111/121/131)
ZOOM Classes:
Tuesdays: 10 AM- 12 PM/ 1 PM- 3 PM
Thursdays: 10 AM- 12 PM/ 2 PM- 4 PM
Independent Studies:
Wednesdays 2 PM- 3 PM
Fridays 10 AM- 11 AM/ 1 PM - 2 PM
January 15th, 2021 - April 16, 2021

This is a Lower Level Liberal Studies elective course

Instructor Information
● Instructor Name James Etheridge
● Office Location: ZOOM
Office Hours: Fridays 3 P.M. to 5 P.M.
Course Website: my.ryerson.ca (for courses using D2L)
● Email Address: James.Etheridge@ryerson.ca

Email Policy
Please write your course section number on email correspondence. I will respond to your email
in 24- 48 hours. As per policy, please use your ryerson email account when corresponding
emails.

In accordance with the Policy on Ryerson Student Email Accounts (Policy 157), Ryerson
requires that any electronic communication by students to Ryerson faculty or staff be sent from
their official Ryerson email account.

Course Description
This professional elective course is designed for hearing students wishing to acquire some of the
basic vocabulary and grammatical structures of American Sign Language (ASL). Through active
participation, students learn to communicate in ASL, developing their ability to understand and
use ASL fingerspelling, simple affirmative and interrogative statements. Students also learn to

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converse in ASL. By the end of this course, students should know 500 signs. Students with
restricted dexterity may find the production of signs challenging.

Teaching Methods
Asynchronously: The assignments and materials will be posted on D2L for dates of
Asynchronous teaching.

Synchronously: The class will be taught through ZOOM platform. The groups will be split into
two groups each of class will be taught 1 hour per class.

Course Materials
Required Text:
Smith, C, Lentz, E., & Mikos, K. (2008). Signing naturally: Student Workbook, Units 1-6.
San Diego, CA: Dawn Sign Press.

Recommended Texts and Links:

Deaf Learn Now. (2020). ASL Dictionary. Toronto, ON. George Brown College. Retrieved from
https://www.deaflearnnow.ca/dictionary/

Deaf Studies Digital Studies. (2018). Deaf Studies Digital Journals. Washington DC: Gallaudet
University. Retrieved from https://www.deafstudiesdigitaljournal.org/

Unpacking Disability with Meriah Nichola. (2020). Unpacking Disability. Retrieved from
https://www.meriahnichols.com/deaf-posts/

The course requires for students to make videos; therefore, built-in or external webcam will be
required.

ASL is a visual language, so you will need to turn on the video when you are on live Zoom or
another video chat session.

The University has issued a minimum technology requirement for remote learning. Details can
be found at: https://www.ryerson.ca/covid-19/students/minimum-technology-requirements-
remote-learning/
It is strongly encouraged that student privacy and access to technology be considered before
students are asked to turn on their webcam video.

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Course Learning Outcomes
General Objective:
To introduce students to the fundamentals of ASL in order to enable them to communicate
effectively in everyday situations, using basic signs and fingerspelling.

Learning Objective:
By the end of this course, students will be able to:

1. Use signs to express basic concepts and numbers in ASL.

2. Use ASL in conversations that are appropriately constructed from phonological,
morphological, syntax, semantic and pragmatic perspectives.
3. Respond to basic questions about themselves, using appropriate strategies.
4. Use appropriate signs related to kinship and work.
5. Understand and use familiar expressions and basic phrases to satisfy fundamental needs.
6. Introduce themselves and others using appropriate classifiers, and ask questions about
personal information.
7. Explain everyday activities, events, and routines in ASL dialogues and narratives at
morphological, semantic and syntax levels.
8. Interact in a simple way with others, using ASL, provided that others sign slowly and
clearly and are prepared to help.
9. Narrate a story using basic ASL narrative structures.

Plagiarism Detection and Virtual Proctoring

An indication of any requirement for the submission of work to an electronic plagiarism
detection service or the use of a virtual proctoring system. There is a statement which must be
included if Turnitin is used (see below).

Virtual Proctoring Information

Online exam(s) within this course use a virtual proctoring system. Please note that your
completion of the exam will be recorded via the virtual platform and subsequently reviewed by
your instructor. The virtual proctoring system provides recording of flags where possible
indications of suspicious behaviour are identified only. Recordings will be held for a limited
period of time in order to ensure academic integrity is maintained.
Access to a computer that can support remote recording is your responsibility as a student. The
computer should have the latest operating system, at a minimum Windows (10, 8, 7) or Mac (OS
X 10.10 or higher) and web browser Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox. You will need to ensure
that you can complete the exam using a reliable computer with a webcam and microphone
available, as well as a high-speed internet connection. Please note that you will be required to
show your Ryerson OneCard prior to beginning to write the exam. In cases where you do not
have a Ryerson OneCard, government issued ID is permitted.

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Information will be provided prior to the exam date by your instructor who may provide an
opportunity to test your set-up or provide additional information about online proctoring. Since
videos of you and your environment will be recorded while writing the exam, please consider
preparing the background (room / walls) so that personal details are not visible, or move to a
room that you are comfortable showing on camera.

Late Assignment Penalty

Work is due on the assigned date and at the assigned time. 5% per day will be deducted from all
late work up to and including the date the work is submitted. Work that is seven days late will be
deemed unacceptable and will receive a grade of 0% unless any required documentation (see
‘Important Resources at Ryerson’ below) is provided and submitted to students’ home
department and/or program for verification. Once verified by the student’s home department, the
instructor will then decide whether an extension can be granted on not based on the
documentation received and communicate this decision to the student in a timely manner.

Students are required to inform their instructors of any situation which arises during the semester
which may have an adverse effect upon their academic performance and must request any
considerations and accommodations according to the relevant policies (see below) and well in
advance. Failure to do so will jeopardize any academic appeals. If you should encounter a
situation that compromises your ability to perform to your potential in this course, please notify
myself and your home department and/or program as soon as possible

Course Schedule

Readings and
Week Date Topic
assignments
Please also complete a Student Technology Survey on Student Workbook:
first week of September Unit 1:1 – 1:4- Due by
end of the week 11:59
Unit 1- 1:1-1:4 P.M.
Week 1

Reflection paper #1 Instructions Handout

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 Unit 1- 1:5-1:8 Student Workbook:
Unit 1:5-1:8-Due by
Week 2 end of the week 11:59
P.M.

Unit 1- 1:9-1:12 Reflection Paper #1

ASYNCHRONOUS CLASS- Lecture will be pre- Due (2.5%)
recorded
Student Workbook
Week 3
Unit 1:9-ALL-Due by
end of the week 11:59
P.M.

Unit 1 Student Workbook:

2:1-2:2-Due by end of
Week 4 the week 11:59 P.M.

Quiz #1 – Unit 1 (5%) during class time.

Reading week
Unit 2- 2:1-2:6 and Unit 6- 6:1 Student Workbook:
Unit 2:1-2:6
Unit 6:1-Due by end
Week 5
of the week 11:59
Narrative Story Video Instructions Handout P.M.

Unit 2- 2:7-2:9 and Unit 6-6:2-6:4 Narrative Story

Video Due (20%)
ASYNCHRONOUS CLASS- Lecture will be pre-
recorded Student Workbook:
Week 6 Unit 2:7-2:9 - Due by
end of the week 11:59
P.M.

Unit 6:2-6:4
Unit 2- 2:10-2:12 and Review-Putting It All Together Narrative Story
Video Due (20%)
Week 7

Reflection paper #2 Instructions Handout. Student Workbook:

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 Unit 2:10-ALL-Due
by end of the week
11:59 P.M.

● Before class: Review Unit 2 Student Workbook:

● Quiz #2 (5%) during class time. Unit 3:1-3:4- Due by
Week 8 end of the week 11:59
Unit 3- 3:1-3:4 P.M.

Unit 3- 3:5-3:8 and Unit 6-6:5 Reflection paper #2

ASYNCHRONOUS CLASS- Lecture will be pre- Due (2.5%)
recorded
Student Workbook:
Week 9
Unit 3:5-3:8 and 6:5-
Due by end of the
week 11:59 P.M.

Unit 3- 3:9-3:12 and 6:6-6:8 Student Workbook:

Unit 3:9-3:12 and 6:9-
6:12 -Due by end of
Week 10
the week 11:59 P.M.
Final Exam Part two “The Gallaudet and Clerc
Story” Instructions Handout.
Unit 3- 3:13-3:16 and Review – Putting It All Together Student Workbook:
Unit 3:13-ALL-Due
by end of the week
Week 11
11:59 P.M.
Quiz #3 (5%) during class time.

Review Units 1-3

Week 12
***“The final exam will take place during the university examination period: Monday, April 19,
2021 to Saturday, May 1, 2021.**** - -

• This course is designated as a lower level liberal studies course. Liberal studies courses always
have the designation (LL) or (UL) in their course description in the Ryerson Calendar. Courses
not identified as either (LL) or (UL) are NOT liberal studies courses and will not be used
towards the fulfillment of a liberal studies requirement for graduation purposes. Please note that
certain liberal studies courses, due to their close relation to a program’s professional or core
studies, cannot be taken for liberal studies credit by students in some programs. A list of these
programs and the restricted courses is provided in (insert “Table A Lower Level Restrictions” or
“Table B Upper Level Restrictions”) in the Ryerson undergraduate calendar.

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Evaluation

Participation: Continuous

This course requires a participation of yours and to continuously improve your ASL skill you
will need your best efforts. I understand this circumstance is unique but, let’s make it a
memorable semester for all of us!

Weekly Comprehension Homework:

Weekly comprehension will be done weekly and will be graded within two weeks notice.

Receptive quizzes: 3 x 5%

Receptive quizzes will be done live ( in the class)

Reflection papers: 2 x 2.5%

Reflection papers will be done in english and uploaded in the D2L course module

Narrative Story Video:

Your narrative video will be recorded and uploaded in the D2L course module.

Final exam:

The final exam will be done during the week of April 19th to May 1. The final exam has two
parts: First part will be done live in class and the second part will be recorded and uploaded in
the D2L course module.

Assessment Weighting Breakdown

GRADING SCHEME Percentage of Final Grade
Participation 10% (tabulated based on discussion board and
group participation)
Weekly Homework 5%

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 Receptive quizzes 15% (3 x 5%)
Reflection papers 5% (2 x 2.5%)
Narrative Story Video 25% (1 x 25%)
Final Exam 40% (Live session on zoom – 20% and The
Gallaudet and Clerc Story 20%
Total: 100%

University Policies

Students must be reminded that they are required to adhere to all relevant university policies
found in their online course shell in D2L and/or on the following URL:
http://ryerson.ca/senate/course-outline-policies

Important Resources Available at Ryerson

● The Library provides research workshops and individual assistance. If the University is
open, there is a Research Help desk on the second floor of the library, or go to
Workshops.
● Student Learning Support offers group-based and individual help with writing, math,
study skills, and transition support, as well as resources and checklists to support students
as online learners.
● You can submit an Academic Consideration Request when an extenuating
circumstance has occurred that has significantly impacted your ability to fulfill and
academic requirement. You may always visit the Senate website and select the blue radial
button on the top right hand side entitled: Academic Consideration Request (ACR).
● Ryerson COVID-19 Information and Updates for Students summarizes the variety of
resources available to students during the pandemic.
● Familiarize yourself with the tools you will need to use for remote learning. The
Continuity of Learning Guide for students includes guides to completing quizzes or
exams in D2L or Respondus, using D2L Brightspace, joining online meetings or lectures,
and collaborating with the Google Suite.

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(July 2020)

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