ASL Course Descriptions
PST 136 Beginning Fingerspelling (1 credit)
This course is designed to help students develop comprehension and production fingerspelling skills used in American Sign Language. Within a range of contexts and using a variety of topics, the instructor will guide the students through extensive fingerspelling drills that emphasize clear form and transitions. Prerequisite: Completion of ASL II or permission of the department.
PST 137 Intermediate Fingerspelling (1 credit)
This course expands the emphasis on using fingerspelled and abbreviated words as well as lexicalized signs in ASL within a range of contexts. The instructor will guide the student through dialogues and short stories that emphasize clear form and transitions. Prerequisite: Completion of ASL III or permission of the department.
PST 102 ASL Topic: Classifiers I (1 credit)
This course introduces the students to basic classifiers. Skill-building activities are included. Pass/fail grading basis. Prerequisite: Completion of ASL I or permission of the department.
PST 105 ASL Topic: Classifiers II (1 credit)
This course focuses on application and expansion of classifiers. Rules will be provided for classifier use in various contexts, emphasizing how the signer's perspective influences the selection of the appropriate classifier. Pass/Fail grading basis. Prerequisite: PST 303 or permission of the department.
PST 300 Visual Gestural Communication (3 credits)
Students will develop capabilities in non-verbal communication and visual gestural communication, studying gestures as a form of communication and a basis for visual language. Emphasis is on learning to think in pictures and building production and comprehension communication skills. Prerequisite: None
PST 301 ASL I (3 credits)
This course introduces the basics of American Sign Language (ASL) and is designed for students who have little or no previous knowledge of ASL. Readiness for learning will be approached via visual-gestural communication techniques, visual discrimination, and visual memory exercises. ASL questions, commands, and other simple sentence structures are introduced to develop rudimentary conversational skills in ASL. Information about the Deaf Community and Deaf Culture will be introduced. Prerequisite: None
PST 302 ASL II (3 credits)
This course is designed to continue development of American Sign Language (ASL) skills with primary focus on refining the use of basic ASL sentence types. Pronominalization, classifiers, spatial referencing, pluralization, and temporal and distributional aspects are introduced. Students will learn routine communicative functions of the language: asking, requesting, providing clarification, giving and asking for directions. Information about the Deaf Community and Deaf Culture will be included. Prerequisite: ASL I with a grade of "B" or better, or equivalent and permission of program coordinator.
PST 303 ASL III (3 credits)
This course builds on skills learned in American Sign Language (ASL) II, adding more complex ASL grammatical features and vocabulary, short stories, narratives, and dialogues. The course will include description of general surroundings, appropriate sequencing, temporal aspects and conditionals. Information about the Deaf Community and Deaf Culture will be included. Prerequisite: ASL II with a grade of "B" or better, or equivalent and permission of program coordinator.
PST 304 ASL IV (3 credits)
This course expands on the development of American Sign Language (ASL) vocabulary and grammar, including the use of two to three character role shifts. Students describe settings, and explain or discuss everyday objects and their use, step-by-step processes, cause and effect, and culturally significant topics relating to the Deaf Community. Prerequisite: ASL III with a grade of "B" or better, or equivalent and permission of program coordinator.
PST 305 ASL V (3 credits)
This course applies knowledge of American Sign Language (ASL) grammar and vocabulary to the description of increasingly complex constructs, processes and situations. Students incorporate multiple character role shifting into medium-length stories, narratives and the discussion of hypothetical issues. Information on cultural values and attitudes as they relate to the Deaf Community is also examined. Prerequisite: ASL IV with a grade of "B" or better, or equivalent and permission of program coordinator.
PST 306 ASL VI (3 credits)
This course builds on the cultural competence and language skills developed in ASL V with increased focus on developing comprehension and production storytelling skills. Prerequisite: ASL V with a grade of "B" or better, or equivalent and permission of program coordinator.
