Seattle Central Community College____________________________
                                                                             Health and Human Services


Course Syllabus

Course: ITP 165: English to ASL Interpreting III
Class Meets: Tuesdays and Thursdays 9-10:50 -section 1; 1-2:50-section 2
Classroom: BE#1129
Credits: 4
Prerequisites: ITP 163 passed with a 2.5 GPA or better, or equivalent skills       with permission of instructor and concurrent enrollment in ITP 164.
Instructor: Brenda Aron
Office: BE 1123      
Phone: 800-729-9074 VP   
Email: Baron@sccd.ctc.edu
Office Hours: Mondays, 9-4 PM; Tuesday-Friday after 3 PM

Course Description: This course is a continuation of ITP 163. The focus of this course is to increase fluency, facility and stamina, with increased difficulty of text, discourse and vocabulary from English to American Sign Language in the simultaneous interpreting mode.  

Student Outcomes:
By the end of the course, you will be able to:

  1. Interpret successfully into ASL, in the simultaneous mode, at least 80% of  informal/conversational type text.
  2. Interpret successfully into ASL, in the simultaneous mode, at least 70% of academic/technical type text.
  3. Interpret successfully into ASL 100% of written text.
  4. Carry out with confidence certain voluntary interpreting assignments in the deaf community.


Methods of Instruction:

In this course, the emphasis will be on practicing listening skills; information processing; and expressive ASL skills. We will listen and interpret from tape recordings, continue to improve visualization and mind mapping, chunking information and categorizing data and details through classroom activities and exercises.  There will be focus on learning and applying idiomatic ASL expressions as well as continue to improve in applying ASL classifiers. We will continue to give and receive constructive critiques and feedback of our and others’ work.

 

Required Materials:

  1. Workbook: “Simultaneous Interpreting from English”, Carol J. Patrie, Dawn Sign Press
  2. VHS or DVDs. Recommended brands are: TDK, Maxwell, Sony, BASF, Fuji or Memorex to prolong the life of our equipment.
  3. One three ring binder to hold your notes, log journal, handouts etc.

Student Assignments:

  1. Interpreting Exercises:

We will do many interpreting exercises in class and outside of class as assigned homework. You are expected to complete the assignments as scheduled.  You will be required to interpret and submit 3 assigned topics.  Please submit these topics onto one videotape or DVD. (250 pts)

  1. Practice Log:

A typed log of your on-going practice including class assignments, as additional work for the class, i.e., work with study group, work with tutor/mentor, interaction and practice with Deaf people, etc. A detailed description of the work you performed in those settings should be entered on, at least, on a weekly basis; a weekly entry is highly recommended. You are also expected to access the services of a tutor for at least five hours per quarter.

ASL and English Improvement Plan: Review your plan from last quarter as well as feedback you received from the instructor, list areas you plan to focus on for improvement this quarter. Due at the end of the first week of class. During the last class of the quarter, you are required to submit the results of your ASL and English Improvement Plan
See webpage for a sample practice log. (20 pts)

Outside Activity:

  1. You are expected to accumulate 4 hours of experiences at interpreted events, for example: lecture, workshops, church, theatre, etc. No single event may count for more than an hour. If there is an interpreter in one of the classes you take, you may use this experience only once. Never attend a class here just to observe an interpreter. Using the form attached, type up each event and turn it in. The four hours must be completed before the end of Spring quarter. (20 pts)
  1. You are expected to accumulate 4 hours of gratis SSP work. You must work with at least two different clients and communication modality  or  preference, for example: tactile or tunnel vision; Sign English or ASL. Using the format on the ITP 165 webpage, type up your SSP experience and turn it in before the end of Spring quarter. You may use DB community classes as SSP opportunities. You are also expected to attend at least 3 DB Community classes Spring quarter. (40 pts)
  2. You are expected to accumulate 6 hours of socialization in the Deaf community with Deaf signers. You are expected to participate in at least three different events. You are expected to submit a typed listing of activities you participated in. (30 pts)

E. Culturally Respectful and Professional Behavior: (36 pts)

      1.  Attend and participate in class
2. Be prepared and prompt
3. Use appropriate attire for videotaping
4. When interacting in class and in the Deaf community as a volunteer, be professional in your dress, demeanor and hygiene
5. Work cooperatively with your peers and the instructor
6. Adjust turn-taking as appropriate
7. Sign at all times in class
8. Be open to constructive feedback & implement suggestions from     instructors
9. Positively represent the ITP in the lab, to instructors, and staff in the college and to the community at large

Assessment and Grades:

You will receive feedback from your peers and your instructor in class; in the lab and from your videotape submissions (Three Videos). During the last week of class, I will meet with you individually to provide feedback, discuss your progress and work.  Throughout the quarter, you are more than welcome to make an appointment with me during my office hours for feedback on your interpreting process or anything else regarding the course. There will be two quizzes and a midterm test on terminology and skills learned in class. (100 pts total)

Absence Policy:

As ASL is a visual language taught with a visual method, class attendance is essential to learning. Any absences can impede a student’s progress. However, some absences are unavoidable. Students who miss two classes or less will not have their grade affected.  Students missing more than 2 class periods will have 10 points deducted for each additional day missed from their final grade. Students who miss parts of the class may have those hours totaled to count as absences from class.

Students shall be responsible for gathering all notes, materials and information missed during an absence. Any missed in-class assignments may not be made up. Any missed homework or evaluation must be made up at the earliest date.

Grading:

250 points for three best videos
     (75 points for 1st and 2nd and 100 points for 3rd)
100 points for midterm and final exam (50 pts for each test)
  20 points for your paper on Interpreter Observations
  40 points for gratis SSP work
  20 points for practice log and ASL/English Plan Pre & Post
  30 points for socialization in 3 Deaf community events
  36 points for Culturally Respectful Behavior
  496 points total

Your final grade will be reported as a decimal grade e.g. 3.7. Below is a conversion table, which shows how the points and percentage grades relate to letter and decimal grades.

Points:         Percentage:            Letter Grade:             Decimal Points:

446 – 496   =        90% +             =        A             =            3.6- 4.0

397 – 445  =        80%+              =          B            =            3.2 – 3.5

347 – 396   =        70% +             =         C            =            2.8 -  3.1

298 - 346   =         60% +             =          D            =            2.4 – 2.7

248 - 297 =            50%                =         F           =              2.0 – 2.3

 Note: If you need reasonable accommodations based on a documented disability, have emergency information to share or require special arrangements in case of emergency evacuation, please make a confidential appointment with me within the first two weeks of class.

Americans with Disabilities Act: If you are a student who is disabled as defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act and require assistance or support services, please seek assistance through the Disability Support Services at 587-4183, room BE1147. A counselor will coordinate those services.

Course Withdrawal Policy

Students who are enrolled in Seattle Central Community College may withdraw without penalty until the midpoint of the semester. After that time, they may withdraw and receive a WF (withdrawn failing). An "F" will be averaged into their GPA.

Academic Honesty Policy:

Students who want to become professional interpreters need to develop competencies and gain knowledge. There are no shortcuts. Students found to be cheating or plagiarizing may receive a lowered grade on the material or in the course. For information on appeals consult the Seattle Central Community College Interpreting Training Program Handbook.

Cheating includes, but is not limited to 1) use of any unauthorized assistance, resource or materials in taking quizzes, tests, or examinations; or 2) dependence upon the aid of sources beyond those authorized on writing papers, preparing reports or videotapes, solving problems, or carrying out other assignments; or 3) the acquisition, without permission, of a test or other academic material belonging to Seattle Central Community College, to any department, or to any staff.

Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to 1) use, by paraphrase or direct quotation, of the published or unpublished work of another person without full and clear acknowledgment, or 2) unacknowledged use of materials prepared by another person; or 3) use of any agency engaged in the selling of term papers or other academic materials.

These guidelines apply to works of written or spoken English and sign language.

Equal Opportunity Statement: No person shall, on the grounds of race, color, sex, religion, creed, national origin, age or disability, be excluded from employment or participation in, be denied the benefits of, or otherwise be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity conducted by Seattle Central Community College.

Affirmative Action Statement: Seattle Central Community College adheres to affirmative action policies designed to promote diversity and equal opportunity for all faculty and students.