ASL 790: Sign Language Teaching Internship (3)

Your Professors for this Course:

Raychelle Harris, Ph.D.

raychelle.harris@gallaudet.edu

Syllabus - Spring 2016

Online: January 19 - May 2 - this course follows the onsite academic calendar*)
*excluding spring break

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Curt Radford, Ed.D

curt.radford@gallaudet.edu

curt.radford@yahoo.com (FT only)

Contact us first via our

1) Bb Discussion Q&A Thread,
2) Gallaudet IM, email or
Hangout, or FaceTime, and
3) Glide: Harris - KTL BOUZ
and Radford - LHW BNSU

Our response times are

faster during the work day
from Mondays to Fridays.
Other days/times by
appointment only.

This course is the final professional experience in the Sign Language

Teaching program and is a required field experience consisting a minimum
of forty-five (45) consecutive teaching hours. During this experience, the
student teacher is mentored by an on-site classroom cooperating faculty and
by an university faculty. Students with extensive sign language teaching
experience, and with approval of the department, may undertake an on-thejob internship placement without a cooperating faculty. A required
internship portfolio will be developed which includes theoretical and
practical applications and useful teaching techniques. Prerequisite: ASL 752
MA-SLED PROGRAM OUTCOMES
Graduates from the MA program in Sign Language Education will:
1) Demonstrate theoretical knowledge and display competence in
classroom settings regarding methodological and socio-political issues
involved in sign language teaching, curriculum development and assessment;
2) Produce graduate level Sign Language and English texts that demonstrate
knowledge of and critical inquiry into key concepts in the sign language
teaching field;
3) Recognize the importance of the Sign Language teacher as a system
change agent and apply this in practice utilizing effective leadership, advocacy,
consultation, and collaboration to influence change on the individual, group,
and organizational and systemic levels; and
4) Demonstrate preparedness to seek and obtain employment as a teaching
professional in the field of sign language education.

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Program
Outcomes
Course Student Learning
Outcomes: After
completing this course,
students will be able to:

Student Learning Opportunities

Formal Assessment
Methods**

II

III

IV

Critically synthesize
theoretical and
methodological properties
of sign language teaching

Unit Planning

Unit Plan Rubric

Demonstrate ability to
teach sign language
through evidence of quality
planning and use of
curricular and assessment
tools

Teaching Observations & Debriefing Teaching Rubric

Journal

Journal Rubric

Research Activity

Member Checks Rubric

Product Evaluation

Product Evaluation Rubric

Seminars & Quizzes

Seminar Rubric

Unit Planning

Unit Plan Rubric

Field Experience

Teaching Rubric

Journal

Journal Rubric

Product Evaluation

Product Evaluation Rubric

Attends to and responds to Field Experience

students in substantive and
supportive ways that
Journal
scaffold learning and fit
with individual learning
styles
Exhibit insightful analysis
and reflection of teaching

Teaching Rubric
Journal Rubric

Teaching Observations & Debriefing Teaching Rubric

Self-Evaluation

Self-Evaluation Rubric

Journal

Journal Rubric

Seminars

Seminar & Hosting Rubric

**Informal assessment methods for student performance in online courses include, but are not limited
to: observation and comprehension checks through a variety of discussion sites, e-mails, video chat
applications and more.

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DEFINITION OF TERMS
Student intern: Enrolled in ASL 790 and undertaking an unpaid student teaching internship
(also called intern or teaching intern) under the tutelage of a cooperating faculty.
On-the-job intern: Enrolled in ASL 790 and undertaking a paid teaching internship, without a
cooperating faculty present or needed. Often MA-SLED students choosing this option already
have an ASL teaching job, either full-time or part-time.
Cooperating faculty: On-site classroom teacher/faculty, sits in the classroom & observes, and
assists the intern when/as needed. This is usually only available for unpaid student interns.
Often contact between the University and the cooperating faculty is minimal and only when/as
needed.
Cooperating supervisor: This is usually the onsite department chair or program coordinator.
Often contact between the University and the cooperating supervisor is minimal and only when
needed.
University faculty/supervisor: Your ASL 790 course instructor at Gallaudet University. The
university faculty will be responsible for evaluating and grading interns for academic credit and
graduation.
CREDIT HOUR POLICY COMPLIANCE
ASL 790: Sign Language Teaching Internship course is a non-traditional 3-credit bearing experience
course, which requires a minimum of 112.5 hours of course work.
Academic Activity

Hours

Teaching

40+

Course Readings & Viewings

10+

Weekly Discussions

15+

Internship Package

5+

Debriefing Sessions

6+

Unit Planning, Material Development & Assessment

20+

Self/Peer Evaluation

8+

Journal

8+

TOTAL

112+ hours

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GRADING DISTRIBUTION AND LETTER GRADE EQUIVALENT

Letter
Grade
A+

GPA
Value

Definition

97.6 - 100

4.0

4.0

A-

3.7

B+

3.3

Percent Range

Outstanding

93.6 - 97.5
89.6 - 93.5
87.6 - 89.5

Good

3.0

B-

2.7 Unsatisfactory

79.6 - 83.5

C+

2.3 Failing, No Credit

77.6 - 79.5

2.0 Failing, No Credit

73.6 - 77.5

0.0 Failing, No Credit

73.5 or below

XF

0.0 Academic Integrity Policy Violation, No Credit

83.6 - 87.5

Note: The grade average you see in your course grading center at the end of the course will translate into the
letter grades above. No end-of-course requests or negotiations for grading alterations, rounding-off or extra
credit will be responded to. Strive to do your best on each assignment. You are only allowed one B- grade in
your entire program. A B- grade or below indicates you have performed unsatisfactorily in the course, and this
puts you on academic probation and possibly academic dismissal from the program.
For more details, the grading system for graduate students can be found in the graduate catalog here (link).
Incomplete Grade Disclaimer:
A grade of Incomplete [I] is given only when student performance in a course has been satisfactory, but
the student is unable to complete the requirements of the course. The decision to give a grade of I is
made by the instructor with approval from the coordinator, and only reserved for extraordinary
circumstances (hospitalization or death in family). A student must be passing the course and have no
more than 25% of the course requirements remaining before the possibility of an incomplete will be
considered. To be eligible for credit in a course which an I is recorded, students must complete the
requirements of the course by the end of the final day of classes of the following semester or a date
agreed up on in writing with the instructor; otherwise, the grade will automatically become an F. The
student and instructor must provide Registrars Office with written notification of the agreed upon
date before the time limit indicated above.
For all other questions, concerns, grievances or disputes that are not covered in this syllabus, please refer to
the current University Graduate Catalog (link).

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GRADING ALLOCATION
Assignment

Weight

Additional Details

Languages

Internship Package

Required

On-site Syllabus
Internship Contract & Observation Dates

English

Unit Plan

10%

Revised Unit Plan & Materials

English

Live Teaching
Observation &
Debriefing

30%

Teaching Observation #1 - Professor (10%)

Teaching Observation #2 - Peer (10%)
Teaching Observation #3 - Recorded, Self (10%)

ASL

Seminar & Quizzes

20%

Weekly Seminars & Quizzes

ASL/English

Hosting a Seminar &

Developing a Quiz

10%

You along with a classmate,

will host your own Seminar!

ASL/English

Research Project

10%

Member Checks

ASL/English

Product Evaluation

10%

Pick a product and evaluate its feasibility

ASL/English

Journal

10%

Weekly Journals

English

Log & Thank You

Required

Log must reflect 45 hours or more, signed by

your immediate supervisor
Your Thank You can be a card, letter or e-mail

English

Three consecutive 96% grades or higher exempts you

from completing the remaining journals

Seminars & Quizzes and Hosting!

Journal
Product Evaluation

Observations
Research Activity
Unit Plan

10%
10%

30%

10%

10%
30%

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COURSE SCHEDULE
The below chart is a general guide as you schedule your assignments. The last day of this course
is Monday, May 2nd, 2016. Keep that in mind as you schedule your due dates.
Course Schedule

W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

Internship Package

Unit Plan

Teaching Observation #1

Teaching Observation #2

Teaching Observation #3

Research Activity
Seminars & Quizzes

X
X

Hosting a Seminar & Quiz

Product Review

Journal

Log (and Thank You)

Note: The feedback given to you during your first teaching observation & debriefing will need to be
applied to your second teaching observation and debriefing along with a classmate, and then to your
third, recorded self-assessment. Reviewing your feedback from your university supervisor your own
self-assessment, your peer faculty and applying them to subsequent evaluations is an important part of
the teaching internship experience.
*Details for each assignment above are discussed below and further in the course LMS*
ASSIGNMENT REQUIREMENTS
INTERNSHIP PACKAGE (Required)
Prior to (or as soon as you begin) your teaching internship, you are required to email both professors
the following documents as an attachment in one email (not separate emails):
1) the syllabus of the course youre teaching,
2) your filled out internship contract, and if you are doing a student internship,
3) include the cooperating faculty/supervisor in the cc: field.
Be sure to name your files by your last name, then item (e.g. Radford_Syllabus.docx;
Radford_Contract.pdf)
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UNIT PLAN (10%)

Submit your revised unit plan, based on feedback you received from ASL 752 course in December 2015.
The unit plan rubric is in the appendix, and a video explaining the details of this assignment is on the
course Blackboard.
TEACHING OBSERVATIONS #1, #2, & #3 (30%)
The university faculty will observe the intern teach two times via live video streaming feed, at different
intervals throughout the semester. Sign up for your observation day/time approximately Week 4 and
Week 8 via Blackboard. At least one hour of active teaching will be observed for each meeting. Active
teaching includes introducing new content, discussing the new content, having the sign language
students practice and apply the new content as the teaching intern gives feedback. Having the students
complete a quiz or test is an example of inactive teaching. After the observation ends, the intern and
university faculty will meet for at least an hour to debrief.
1)
First observation (10%): The first observation will be between the university faculty and the
teaching intern. The teaching rubric is in the appendix, and a video explaining the details of this
assignment is on the course Blackboard.
2)
Second observation (10%): The second observation will be between the university faculty, a
classmate and the teaching intern. The same teaching rubric above will be completed by the observing
classmate and finalized by the faculty supervisor.
3)
Third observation (10%): Film yourself teach for at least an hour, continuously. Copy five
brief clips from your teaching video that you thought you did well, and five teaching clips that you
believe you could improve into a presentation format. Then add your commentary next to the actual
video. See below photo for an example of how you can submit your work. Upload the full, unedited
video and your presentation to GoogleDrive & share with both professors. Total maximum video
running time, including the original teaching clips and the commentary video clips is 12 minutes. The
self-evaluation rubric is in the appendix, and a video explaining the details of this assignment is on the
course Blackboard.
Heres a sample format for your self-assessment submission - this was created on Keynote.
your
commentary

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your
teaching
video

Special Note: For live video observations, interns are responsible for testing the internet connection (a
wired Ethernet connection provides the best video quality possible) for a live observation via videochat
software (e.g. GoogleHangouts) agreed upon between the university supervisor and intern. If the
connection is less than optimal (e.g. freezing, disconnecting or the connection is not made) and if the
intern is responsible for the disruption, the intern will receive a zero for the observation.
RESEARCH ACTIVITY (10%)
Following up on the research activity completed last semester, you will do a dependability audit of an
assigned partners coding to ensure all of the codes are done correctly. The dependability audit rubric
is in the appendix, and a video explaining the details of this assignment is on the course Blackboard.
SEMINARS & QUIZZES (20%)
On a weekly basis, your professors and classmates will share a prompt (a website link, a video article, or
a question/commentary) about the sign language teaching field via a private, discussion format. You are
to respond and participate in a dialogue about the topic and complete a quiz. The first weeks seminar
and quiz will be hosted by the course professors. The remaining weeks will be hosted by paired
classmates. The seminar rubric is in the appendix, and a video explaining the details of this assignment
is on the course Blackboard.
HOSTING A SEMINAR/QUIZ (10%)
You along with a classmate (the same one from your peer teaching observation) will host a weeks
seminar as well as create a quiz for your classmates. The assigned topic, reading/viewings will be
entirely up to you and your partner. The location of the discussion will, again, be up to you and your
partner (e.g. Blackboard Discussion Board, DeafVideo.tv private group, private Facebook group, Glide,
MyThread, etc.). You and your partner will be responsible for seminar grading & feedback, seminar
washback, and quiz washback. You and your partner will be exempt from participating in that weeks
seminar and quiz. The hosting rubric is in the appendix, and a video explaining the details of this
assignment is on the course Blackboard.
PRODUCT REVIEW (10%)
You will pick an sign language related product and review it according to ASLized! criteria for
publication with ASLized Product Review section. The product evaluation rubric is in the appendix, and
a video explaining the details of this assignment is on the course Blackboard.
JOURNAL (10%)
Students are expected to summarize their internship experience on a weekly basis in English through a
journal provided by this course. A GoogleDrive document link for your journal & log will be assigned
by the professors. The journal rubric is in the appendix, and a video explaining the details of this
assignment is on the course Blackboard.

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LOG & THANK YOU (Required)

Your cooperating faculty/supervisor verifies your attendance by adding their signature to the end of the
sheet. At least 45 internship teaching hours are required. This does not include transportation,
meetings with cooperating faculty, or lesson planning/assessment outside of the classroom/site. If your
internship course happens to fall slightly under 45 hours, talk to your university faculty about how you
plan to meet the 45-hour requirement. A few hours of out-of-class tutoring or hosting an ASL activity
are examples of acceptable ways to help meet the 45-hour requirement for this course. A failing (F)
grade for the course will be granted to students who are unable to verify at least 45 hours of teaching.
Your thank you letter can be a card, e-mail, or a letter. Please include this along with your log in
one .pdf document and upload via Blackboard.

University, Program and Course Policies and Procedures

Course Policies and Procedures
The course policies and procedures can be found on the course LMS.
University Policies (link)
All university policies may be found in the Graduate Catalog. The standards of professional behavior and
communication discussed in the catalog will be mandated in this course and program.
Academic Integrity Policy (link)
All students must read and understand the Gallaudet University Graduate School Academic Integrity
Policy. This policy applies to both ASL and English.
Academic Accommodation Policy (link)
Students are to request accommodation through the Office for Students With Disabilities (OSWD) at
the beginning of the semester prior to course start date. This is to be communicated immediately with
the course instructor in order to ensure accommodations are being made as soon as possible.

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