A1. Understanding Ideas and Information in ASL Conversational Discourse
Specific Expectations
Demonstrating Understanding of ASL Language Features
A1.1
A1.1
demonstrate a basic understanding of ASL language features and a basic knowledge of ASL cultural protocols in a variety of basic ASL conversational discourse contexts
ASL language features: timing; stress; intonation; eye aperture; rhythm
- In the conversation that you observed, what did you notice about the hand movements, timing, and eye aperture of the person apologizing, and why do you think the person chose to use these language features?
- What ASL language features and cultural protocols indicate turn-taking in the video text you have been studying?
- What language features indicate that a person is exaggerating an ASL word?
Teachers can encourage students to:
- practise using pinky extension to add emphasis when disagreeing with a point of view during a conversation;
- identify how facial intonation might be incorporated when using the ASL word AWESOME in a conversation with a peer;
- construct questions in response to a peer’s presentation and use pre-selected language features (e.g., timing, stress) in a follow-up discussion.
Using Comprehension Strategies in ASL
A1.2
A1.2
use comprehension strategies and a basic knowledge of ASL cultural protocols before, during, and after engaging in a variety of basic ASL conversational discourses
Comprehension strategies: identifying the ASL words for people, objects, and places that are used in a conversational discourse; making predictions based on knowledge of familiar ASL conversations; identifying and using structural cues to anticipate the next part of a conversational sequence; making connections between a discourse and personal experiences; asking one of the participants in a conversation about an event to share the key points of the conversation; asking questions to check understanding, to obtain additional information, or for clarification
- In the context of a conversation, how can non-manual markers be used to determine when a question or statement is being made?
- Teachers can ask students to:
- identify ASL pronouns in conversations and then distinguish between the singular and plural forms;
- infer the meaning of unfamiliar ASL words based on their knowledge of ASL sentence structure and the context.
- Teachers can develop a classroom routine that allows for multiple opportunities for students to learn different types of questions and to give answers using basic ASL verb tenses and ASL syntax, such as IX=2 FINISH BUY BOOK? to indicate the past tense.
Using ASL Interactive Strategies to Acquire Ideas and Information
A1.3
A1.3
use a variety of ASL interactive strategies that reflect a basic knowledge of ASL cultural protocols to determine meaning in a variety of basic ASL conversational discourse contexts
ASL interactive strategies: frowning to indicate that clarification is necessary; twitching the nose to indicate agreement or acknowledgement; stomping on the floor or tapping on the table to gain attention
- In ASL group conversations, what interactive strategies can be used to indicate continued engagement or agreement, while not interrupting anyone?
- Maintaining eye gaze is an important cultural protocol and an ASL interactive strategy. If, during a conversation, your attention is interrupted, what is a polite way to resume the interaction and address any offence that might have been taken?
- Teachers can encourage students to practise using ASL interactive strategies and cultural protocols for turn-taking as they gather information about each other’s favourite sports and create a chart compiling the information, such as IX=1 PLAY SOCCER.; IX=1 GO SWIMMING.
