American Sign Language, 9th-12th
Date: July 25 through July 28
Time: 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM, M-Th
Cost: $470 early bird pricing; $495 after March 31
Grade: Rising 9th-12th graders
Instructor: Erin Mansur
Course Description: American Sign Language (ASL) is a fully-fledged and complex language that has evolved over time just like spoken languages. ASL has a grammar, vocabulary, and dialects that are unrelated to spoken English. Although processed in the brain like other languages, sign language uses sight and touch rather than sound to communicate. Considered by the UN as one of 140 living signed languages in the world, ASL is the indigenous language of Hard of Hearing and Deaf Americans and is considered a cornerstone of Deaf culture. In this introductory course, students will focus on learning the appropriate language used in common communication settings. Areas of study will include fingerspelling and vocabulary words in different categories such as colors, numbers and food. Students will also practice facial grammar and basic sentence structure. Our objective is to create a visual-gestural environment that will include positive support using interactive activities, cultural awareness education, and individual feedback.
Instructor Bio: Erin Mansur has been Deaf most of her adult life. She has taught American Sign Language to middle school, high school and college students. Erin currently teaches a course in Intermediate American Sign Language on-line at Borough of Manhattan Community College where she has been an adjunct instructor for four years.