COURSE INFORMATION

Course Numbers and Descriptions

*Class options may include the following (minimum of 8 students per class required):

101–K - 1st Semester Beginners: Kids Class

101 – 1st Semester Beginners:American Sign Language & Conceptually Accurate Signed English (ASL & CASE)

201-K 2nd Semester Beginners: Kids Class

201 – 2nd Semester Beginners: ASL & CASE

301 – 1st Semester Intermediate: ASL & CASE

401 – 2nd Semester Intermediate: ASL & CASE

501 – 1st Semester Advanced: ASL

601 – 2nd Semester Advanced: ASL

701- Deaf Culture

801 – Conversational Sign Language

1001 – Vocabulary Building for Interpreter Trainees

1101 – Voice-to-Sign Interpreting

1101/1201 – Expressive and Receptive Interpreting

1201 - Sign-to-Voice Interpreting

1301 - Ethical Decision Making for Interpreters

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Austin Sign Language School (ASLS)
Course Descriptions

101-K –1st Semester Beginners: Kids Class
Textbook – "Signing Fun" by Penny Warner
Kids Class is for kids ages 8 to 13 years.
Emphasis is on vocabulary, fingerspelling, and sign language activities. Vocabulary is given in American Sign Language (ASL) and Conceptually Accurate Signed English (CASE). Offered Summer 2011, contingent on enrollment, Thursdays 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. TSD only. May be offered Summer 2012.

101-1st Semester Beginners: ASL & CASE
Textbook-"A Basic Course in American Sign Language"
1st Semester Beginners: Course covers Chapters 1-5 textbook. Emphasis is on vocabulary and fingerspelling. Vocabulary is given in American Sign Language (ASL) and Conceptually Accurate Signed English (CASE). Offered Spring 2012, Mondays, 5:30-7:00 p.m. Lexington, Tuesdays 5:30-7:00 p.m. and 7:15-8:45 p.m. Westover and Thursdays 5:30-7:00 p.m. and 7:15-8:45 p.m. TSD.

201-K -2nd Semester Beginners: Kids Class
Textbook - "Signing Fun" by Penny Warner Kids Class is for kids ages 8 to 15 years. Emphasis is on vocabulary, fingerspelling, and sign language activities. Vocabulary is given in American Sign Language (ASL) and Conceptually Accurate Signed English (CASE). May be offered Summer 2012.

201-2nd Semester Beginners: ASL & CASE
Textbook-"A Basic Course in American Sign Language"
2nd Semester Beginners: Course covers Chapters 6-10 of the textbook. Emphasis is on grammar and vocabulary building. Vocabulary is given in American Sign Language (ASL) and Conceptually Accurate Signed English (CASE). Offered Spring 2012, Tuesdays 5:30-7:00 p.m. Westover and Thursdays 5:30-7:00 p.m. and 7:15-8:45 p.m. TSD.

301-1st Semester ASL & CASE
Textbook-"A Basic Course in American Sign Language"
Course covers Chapters 11-16 of the textbook. Emphasis is on ASL grammar and vocabulary building. Vocabulary is given in American Sign Language and Conceptually Accurate Signed English (CASE). Offered Spring 2012, Tuesdays 7:15-8:45 p.m. Westover and Thursdays 5:30-7:00 p.m. and 7:15-8:45 p.m. TSD.

401-2nd Semester Intermediate: ASL & CASE
Textbook-"A Basic Course in American Sign Language"
Course covers Chapters 17-22 of the textbook. Emphasis is on ASL grammar and vocabulary building. Vocabulary is given in American Sign Language and Conceptually Accurate Signed English (CASE). Offered Spring 2012, Mondays, 7:15-8:45 p.m. Lexington and Thursdays 5:30-7:00 p.m. TSD.

501-1st Semester Advanced: ASL
Textbook-"Conversational Sign Language II" by Willard Madsen
Course covers grammar, structure and rhetoric used in ASL. Emphasis is on ASL phrases and expressions. Offered Spring 2012, Thursdays 7:15-8:45 p.m. TSD.

601-2nd Semester Advanced: ASL
Textbook-"Conversational Sign Language II" by Willard Madsen
Course covers grammar, structure, and rhetoric used in ASL. Emphasis is on ASL phrases and expressions. Offered Spring 2012, Thursdays 5:30-7:00 p.m. TSD.

701 - Deaf Culture
No Textbook
Curriculum developed by P. Cass-Bertling
An in-depth look at "Deaf Culture" from the perspective of a Deaf Instructor with video materials as a supplement. Students must have intermediate level signing skills (expressive and receptive) to enroll in this class. This class is a required prerequisite before a student can enroll in conversational and interpreter training classes. Offered Spring 2012, Thursdays 7:15-8:45 p.m. TSD.

801- Conversational Sign Language
No Textbook
Conversational sign language class led by Deaf instructor. No talking is allowed in class. Emphasis is on expressive and receptive sign skills in ASL, CASE, and Contact Language. (701 Deaf Culture is a required prerequisite before a student can take this class.) Offered Spring 2012, Thursdays 7:15-8:45 p.m. TSD.

Classes for Advanced Signers and Interpreters (701 Deaf Culture is a required prerequisite which must be completed before students can take the following classes):

1001 – Vocabulary Building for Interpreter Trainees**
No Textbook, Vocabulary list provided
Vocabulary for interpreter trainees class covering various topics, such as medical, education, computers, sports, drug abuse, etc. Students will also practice basic interpreting techniques. Topics may be expanded. May be offered another semester.

1101 – Voice-to-Sign Interpreting**
No Textbook
Emphasis is on expressive interpreting and transliterating skills. Topics may vary each semester. Classes will be offered at proficient interpreter level. Prerequisite interpreting skills required. (1001 is a required prerequisite which must be completed before taking this class.) May be offered another semester.

1201 – Sign-to-Voice Interpreting**
No Textbook
Emphasis is on receptive interpreting and transliterating skills. Classes offered at proficient interpreter level. (1001 is a required prerequisite which must be completed before taking this class.) May be offered another semester.

1101/1201 – Expressive and Receptive Interpreting**
No Textbook
Emphasis is on expressive and receptive interpreting and transliterating skills. Instruction is at proficient interpreter level, with practice and feedback. Topics may be changed and expanded each semester. Offered Spring 2012, Thursdays 5:30-7:00 p.m. TSD.

1301 – Ethical Decision Making for Interpreters**
Textbook - "Ethical Decision-Making: A Guided Exploration for Interpreters" by K.M. Stewart and A. Witter-Merithew. Course will cover ethics and interpreting and will offer DARS CEUs for certified interpreters (pending approval). DARS interpreter certificate recertification requires 20 hrs. of ethics training every 5 years. May be offered another semester.

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* Not all classes may be offered each semester, depending on enrollment and availability of teachers.
** BEI DARS/DHHS Interpreter Continuing Education Unit (CEU) credits pending

Location:
ASLS classes are offered at Texas School for the Deaf (TSD), CTE/Ford Building, 1102 South Congress Avenue, Austin, TX 78704. Enter TSD through the Elizabeth Street gate after 5:30 p.m. Click here for map of TSD. Limited classes are offered at Westover Hills Church of Christ, 8332 Mesa Drive, Austin, TX 78759 and First Baptist Church, 221 3rd Street, Lexington.

Schedules:
During the Fall and Spring semesters, classes are offered on Thursday evenings at TSD, for 10 weeks, beginning in mid-September for fall semester and mid-January for spring semester, either 5:30-7:00 p.m. or 7:15-8:45 p.m. On Monday evenings, limited classes are offered at First Baptist Church in Lexington. On Tuesday evenings, limited classes are offered at Westover Hills Church of Christ. Summer classes are offered at TSD, on Thursday evenings and Lexington on Monday evenings beginning the middle of June and continuing for 8 weeks. Click here for Quick Reference Schedule.

Fees:
Tuition is $130.00 per student for the 10-week semester (8 weeks in Summer). $5.00 discount for second family member taking a course during a semester.

Textbooks (available for purchase and through on-line ASLS registration):
Courses 101-K and 201-K use "Signing Fun" by Penny Warner - $35
Courses 101, 201, 301 & 401 use "A Basic Course in American Sign Language 2nd edition" - $45
Courses 501 and 601 uses "Conversational Sign Language (CSL) II" - $35
Course 1301 uses "Ethical Decision-Making: A Guided Exploration for Interpreters" by K. Mills Stewart and A. Witter-Merithew - $35
All other courses use handouts provided by ASLS.

Instructors:
ASLS teachers are skilled users of sign language, and many of them are native signers. A majority are deaf/hard of hearing individuals who are proficient users of American Sign Language (ASL). Many of the instructors have taught ASLS courses for a number of years. Certified, highly qualified interpreters for the deaf teach the ASLS interpreting courses.

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