Developed by Shanna Grossinger

Time Required for Activity:  5 mins

Competencies Address: ASL Grammar, Use of Space, Depiction

Objective(s):

Learners will:

  • practice depiction in the re-telling of an English transcript
  • compare their own work with original ASL source

In this video, different individuals share perspectives of why they valued attending a deaf school. Each activity focuses on one person’s perspective.  

Step One: Generation

Translation by ASLized

Read the following English transcript of a segment of the video “Deaf Schools.”  Re-tell this information in ASL.  We recommend recording your work so you can compare it to the original video later in this process.

JASON GUNDERSON (MARYLAND SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF):

While I was growing up, I always played sports league with hearing kids. However, they always made me feel inferior. That was until I entered a Deaf school, I finally saw things in a different light. The coaches signed his plays and strategies directly with the players. With communication, there is a clear system. Thanks to my Deaf school.

Step Two: View the Source

Now watch the original ASL text from which the English transcript was generated.  Watch the clip of Jason Gunderson (1:44-2:17)  and compare how he shows the information.  You may choose to focus on different skills in your analysis including ASL grammar, use of space, or classifiers – as well as overall use of depiction.

You may also want to shadow the signer, copying what they do to focus on some of the skills you see in the text.

Be sure to turn off the CC and audio to be able to focus on the ASL. 

Note on the video: If you watch it more than once, the coding that plays just an excerpt will not work. You can either refresh the page, or manually start and stop the video.  This section is from 1:44-2:17.

Step Three: Re-Tell the Segment

Translation by ASLized

Now that you have seen the original source, re-tell this information in ASL.  We recommend recording your work so you can compare it to the original video later in this process.  Try to incorporate what you learned from watching the original video.

JASON GUNDERSON (MARYLAND SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF):

While I was growing up, I always played sports league with hearing kids. However, they always made me feel inferior. That was until I entered a Deaf school, I finally saw things in a different light. The coaches signed his plays and strategies directly with the players. With communication, there is a clear system. Thanks to my Deaf school.