COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course is an introduction to Sign Language, the natural language of the deaf community. It is designed to bring a person unable to communicate in sign to a basic level of communicative competency. It seeks to foster respect for the deaf community, their language, history and culture. Students will be introduced to the basic elements of Sign Language in everyday conversation largely through classroom interaction in the target language. The focus is on introducing language in context and includes vocabulary, finger spelling, numbers, and expressive, affective and receptive signing activities.