BC Education - ASL 5 to 12 - Appendix D

Sample 4: Grade 10

Topic : Biography of a Deaf Person

Prescribed Learning Outcomes:

Communicating

It is expected that students will:

communicate needs, desires, and emotions

Acquiring Information

It is expected that students will:

process and adapt information from age-appropriate ASL resources in order to complete authentic tasks

Experiencing Creative Works

It is expected that students will:

view creative works and respond to them in various ways

Understanding Culture and Society

It is expected that students will:

demonstrate understanding of the contributions of the Deaf community to Canada

Overview

The teacher developed a three-week unit on the biography of a Deaf person that included researching biographical information, creating video questionnaires, and writing a poem about the person. Evaluation was based on:

questionnaires
ASL observed in class and group discussion
poems created by students

Planning for Assessment and Evaluation

Students brainstormed positive and negative qualities and characteristics of people. Vocabulary was clustered, and ASL signs were presented for each of the clusters. The teacher then presented information about a well-known Deaf author and modelled her reasons for admiring that individual.
The teacher formed groups of three. Each group was assigned to research the life story of a well-known Deaf person. Students then presented their research to the class.
Each student developed at least 10 questions, on videotape, about the person she or he had researched. The class discussed the format of the video questionnaires and the kinds of questions that might be included. Each student then asked two or three other students to watch her or his video and try to answer the questions, based on the information provided during the earlier presentations. Peers were also asked to comment on how well the process worked. Students handed in their questionnaires, self-evaluations, and peer evaluations. In some cases, responding students also recorded their answers to the questions on videotape.
After students had presented their biographies and questionnaires, the teacher made a presentation on a well-known Deaf poet that included a brief biography augmented with visual resources (photographs and a poster). The teacher then signed one of the poet's works to the class. The class discussed the poem, and together the teacher and class developed a Poetry Appreciation sheet that included criteria for judging ASL poems and a method of scoring.
The class viewed a video of ASL poetry by the Deaf poet, and students scored each poem on the video using one of the class-developed Poetry Appreciation sheets. A group of students then tabulated the results, and the winning poem was viewed again.
Students then used ideas from their biographies on famous Deaf people to create ASL poems, either about the person or created as if the person herself or himself were signing in verse. Students practised their poems in pairs and then presented them to the class. The class used the Poetry Appreciation sheet to score one another's ASL poems. The top five poems were videotaped for future use.

Defining the Criteria

The teacher reviewed the learning outcomes for the activities in the unit, explained the requirements of each task, and discussed key criteria.

Video Questionnaire

To what extent does the student:

include a minimum of 10 questions
include information that the viewer could be expected to know, based on the earlier presentation
use a range of useful vocabulary and expressions
use questionnaire structures
focus self-assessment on key aspects of the questionnaire
provide a logical and detailed answer key and interpretation

ASL Usage (In Class and Small-Group Discussions)

To what extent does the student:

use a range of useful ASL vocabulary and expressions
identify similarities between own qualities and those ascribed to person studied
volunteer information and ideas to stimulate discussion
ask questions to extend or clarify information

Poems

To what extent does the student:

express ideas clearly
sign clearly (understandable)
use facial expressions to communicate ideas
use gestures to communicate the mood of the poem
use both literal meaning and poetic meaning (e.g., use figurative language such as metaphor)

Assessing and Evaluating Student Performance

The teacher collected students' work and used rating scales to assess it. The teacher observed two of the small groups and completed the ASL usage checklist for students in those groups. All students completed checklists, as a self-evaluation activity, and included them in their portfolios or journals.

Students were given copies of the rating scales as they prepared their assignments. The same rating scales were adapted for other performance tasks during the course. The specifics for meaning and the examples of language patterns changed from one activity to another, but the general criteria remained the same.

Questionnaire
Rating Criteria

A Goes beyond the requirements of the task to use ASL vocabulary, ASL structures, or content not practised in class (may not always be successful). Takes risks to add interest (e.g., uses innovative format, asks questions drawn on unusual situations, includes humour). ASL vocabulary and structures are appropriate, and errors do not detract from meaning. Self-assessment is thorough and insightful.

B Questions are relevent, appropriate, and clearly expressed, using a range of useful ASL vocabulary and expressions. Demonstrates use of appropriate sources (e.g., dictionaries for vocabulary, magazine articles for format). Answer key and interpretation are logical and detailed. Self-assessment focusses on key aspects of the questionnaire. Errors do not detract from meaning.

C Questions include relevent and appropriate content but may be somewhat vague, repetitive, or confusing. Includes useful ASL vocabulary and expressions practised in class but may use the same pattern for many or all questions. Answer key and interpretation may be short and rely on assignment of labels without explanation. Errors may cause the reader to reread or puzzle over some parts.

I/F Has not completed the requirements of the assignment. (See the ministry's Reporting Policy for advice on the when to use I and when to use F.)

**Questionnaire**
Rating	Criteria
A	Goes beyond the requirements of the task to use ASL vocabulary, ASL structures, or content not practised in class (may not always be successful). Takes risks to add interest (e.g., uses innovative format, asks questions drawn on unusual situations, includes humour). ASL vocabulary and structures are appropriate, and errors do not detract from meaning. Self-assessment is thorough and insightful.
B	Questions are relevent, appropriate, and clearly expressed, using a range of useful ASL vocabulary and expressions. Demonstrates use of appropriate sources (e.g., dictionaries for vocabulary, magazine articles for format). Answer key and interpretation are logical and detailed. Self-assessment focusses on key aspects of the questionnaire. Errors do not detract from meaning.
C	Questions include relevent and appropriate content but may be somewhat vague, repetitive, or confusing. Includes useful ASL vocabulary and expressions practised in class but may use the same pattern for many or all questions. Answer key and interpretation may be short and rely on assignment of labels without explanation. Errors may cause the reader to reread or puzzle over some parts.
I/F	Has not completed the requirements of the assignment. (See the ministry's Reporting Policy for advice on the when to use I and when to use F.)

Note: Although this scale shows four levels, the teacher occasionally assigned grades of C+ and C-.

ASL Usage
Behaviour Evidence/Example Rating

uses a range of useful ASL vocabulary and expressions

volunteers information and ideas to simulate discussion

asks questions to extend and clarify information

responds to questions and comments from other students

Key:

3-Strong
2-Satisfactory
1-Minimal
NO-Not Observed

Poetry Appreciation
Criteria Rating

ideas expressed clearly
/2

signing clear and understandable
/2

performer uses facial expressions to communicate ideas
/2

gestures communicate the mood of the poem's message accurately
/2

effective use of both literal meaning and poetic meaning (e.g., uses figurative language such as metaphor)
/2

Total /10

Score

**Poetry Appreciation**
Criteria	Rating
ideas expressed clearly	/2
signing clear and understandable	/2
performer uses facial expressions to communicate ideas	/2
gestures communicate the mood of the poem's message accurately	/2
effective use of both literal meaning and poetic meaning (e.g., uses figurative language such as metaphor)	/2
Total	/10
Score

Revised: February 5, 1999

BC Ministry of Education Home Page

Behaviour	Evidence/Example	Rating
uses a range of useful ASL vocabulary and expressions
volunteers information and ideas to simulate discussion
asks questions to extend and clarify information
responds to questions and comments from other students