Course Assignments

Learning & Assignment Goals

Among other self-reflective assessments you’ll make this semester, based on expected learning outcomes, there are three main tactical categories of assignments:

1. Language and transliteration production. Arguably, the most important technical task in which you’ll engage this semester is the production of transliterative work. The process of transliterating has to become more familiar and automated in order for it to improve and become more efficacious. So you’ll be doing lots of language. Lots.
• In-class participation, presentations, and production of transliterating work. As with any ‘public’ work, transliteration necessitates 1) feeling comfortable in front of a group and 2) learning how to create equivalent renderings of topics. Participation in in-class transliterating assignments, exercises, and feedback sessions is, needless to say, mandatory for this course. ‘In-class participation’ does not constitute coming to class and sitting, unengaged, for 75 minutes.
• Creation of a video portfolio. One of the stresses of a large class is the lack of in-class individualized attention. This is a 3:3:1 course; in other words, you get three credits in exchange for three weekly hours of coursework and one hour of lab work. This semester you’ll be producing five main transliterations and then posting them (with/out/for commentary) in your GoREACT account. This exercise benefits in two ways: 1) you’re producing work outside of class and 2) you get helpful formative commentary on your work. Scary? Maybe. But super helpful. Did I mention you’re producing work? See the class schedule for posting dates identified in blue.
  • While you can expect to receive in-class feedback on produced work, there isn’t always sufficient time to provide diagnostic-level feedback on every assignment, every in-class transliteration, every time.
• Assessments. There are two performance assessments this semester: an initial pre-assessment and an end-of-semester assessment. Unless there’s an absolutely exceptional reason (see university policy), there is no makeup end-of-semester assessment. See the class schedule; dates marked in orange.

2. Critical reading and thinking. An imperative skillset to be developing at this point in your career is becoming familiar with relevant literature, learning how to observe the interpreting environment, and then articulating those observations. You’ll have assignments that provide formative opportunities for these skills.
• Unit readings and discussion. There are additional readings associated with each unit. This list may or may not change as we go through the semester; new and relevant articles are always being published. Readings which are vital to our discussions and team presentations are marked in red. See the class schedule.
• Team presentations. Part of this course will be devoted to discussions lead by teams of... well, you. Following criteria which we’ll determine in class, you should plan to 1) arrange yourself in teams and 2) lead discussions in class on various topics and principles regarding transliteration, and then 3) evaluate each other on your performance. These aren’t lectures; don’t just plan to copy-and-paste information from the book or a reading onto Google Slides, lead us in a discussion about the topic. You’ll need to be flexible; while the actual schedule will be determined by our ongoing interest, initial dates will be marked in green.
• Knowledge exam. During finals week, you’ll complete a knowledge exam (marked in orange), assessing your understanding about the concepts we discuss and read this semester. The submission of this exam is TBD and more information will be given near the end of the semester.

3. Community exposure. In order to become a contributing member of the professional community in which you’re working (or about to join), you need to become familiar with...well, the professional community. You’ll have at least one opportunity (and more, if you like, for additional credit) to do that this semester.
• Based on the criteria described under “Community Experience Projects,” produce at least a paper containing your experience(s) on Canvas. In your (at least one-and-a-half-page-long) posting(s) discuss:
  • Your thoughts during this interaction with people in relation to the interpreting field. Be honest. Be detailed. Were you surprised at what you learned? Did your feelings about interpreting change during this assignment? How? Why? Explain.
  • Other people’s actions and reactions towards you and your reactions to their behavior.
  • Any new awareness and/or insight about interpreting in the community that you had not expected or thought of. Did you gain any new understanding as to the reasons for certain behaviors or cultural morés that Deaf people have? Explain.
  • Any anecdotes or descriptions of events that happened that seemed significant or helpful to your experience.
• Field trip. We’re hoping to make a visit to the local Toastmasters chapter in our area to learn about public speaking. The date for this is currently TBA and we’ll discuss it in class. The assignment is to submit your observations of the experience as outlined above.
• Deaf Studies Today! service and involvement (Spring 2016 Semester). While this is not required, if you’re not yet on a planning or service committee for the 2016 Deaf Studies Today! conference, arrange your semester schedule so you can assist in this extraordinary opportunity to provide interpreting services in an international conference setting.

Self and Instructor Evaluations

1. Student-teacher contract. Determine the parameters of a contract between you and the instructor that will help determine the evaluation and measurement of your in-class performance this semester. What grade do you want? Why? Thoughtfully include what requirements, stipulations, and conditions you’ll need to satisfy in order to warrant the grade you want to earn from this class. Additionally, explain what you feel the instructor can do/should do to enable your best performance. See the class schedule; this contract is worth ten points. Late submissions will not be accepted.
2. Midterm Evaluation. About halfway through the semester, it’ll be time for a kumbaya of sorts, let the instructor know how you’re doing — “great,” “bored,” “frustrated”: get it out. It’ll be anonymous of course, but it will help you and the instructor do any course correcting if needed. Watch the class schedule for this; this evaluation is worth an easy-peasy ten points. Late submissions will not be accepted.
3. Final Evaluation. After the final exam, you’ll have a quick final evaluation that will help me understand how you prepared for the exam as well as answer any final concerns or comments about your experience. While it isn’t graded, it helps me understand if what we practiced was helpful or not. It also helps future classes get the benefit of things in class that you liked or didn’t like.

Due Dates and Missing Exams/Classes

Please adhere to all due dates on your class schedule. Exams are given only on the pre-assigned day. Except for extremely exceptional instances, a make-up exam will not be available. Giving a make-up exam is unfair to those students who have made the effort to complete the exam on time.

Work schedules, out-of-town trips, or dating habits are not valid excuses for missing assignments and postings. You’re working in teams this semester; please be courteous to and and communicate with your colleagues. If you must miss an assignment or a class day, please see me before the day to discuss your conflict. Final exams cannot be given early or on any other date than what is proscribed by the college/university. Please don’t ask.

Assignment Breakdown

You may also want to look at what kind of performance is expected on submitted postings, evaluations, and, to a certain extent (at least principally), your lab assignments.

You may also want to look at what kind of performance is expected on submitted postings, evaluations, and, to a certain extent (at least principally), your lab assignments.

** This may or may not be the final total; scores from impromptu exercises and extra credit assignments will proportionally be figured into your final grade.

Evaluation Criteria for Participation

How do we measure participation in classroom and course activities? ‘Participation’ includes attendance and contributions to in-class interpreting work, quizzes, exercises, and feedback sessions; ‘participation’ does not include doing work that is already assigned (video portfolio production, community exposure reviews, etc.).

Community Experience Project(s)

You want me to do what? For these assignments, you should seek out Deaf Community- or interpreter-related activities. Your best resource is the main gathering place for most of the Deaf and interpreting community in Weber, Salt Lake, and Utah Counties: the Sanderson Community Center of the Deaf in Taylorsville. There are activities constantly taking place here, ranging from athletics to political meetings to interpreting workshops. Check the Center for:

1. a current list of activities, and
2. ask if it is appropriate that students may attend a certain activity. Fees may apply.

And, when it comes to privacy, Deaf people are no different than hearing people; ask first before just assuming you can show up to any activity.

Other resources can be found through UTRID (the Utah chapter of the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf [RID]) or here in Utah County; BYU, UVU, and Salt Lake Community College have active, on-going, on-campus ASL clubs; UVU has periodic inservice for its interpreters. You may even have Deaf friends who are students here at UVU or BYU. Explain your assignment to them, and ask what activities may be happening around the area.

Take advantage of your participation to obtain real-life practical experience in relation to interpreting opportunities within the Deaf Community. Interact with people — get involved, ask questions, take opportunities to learn. Make your experience unique and worthwhile. If you need to, ask the instructor for direction and/or clarification. At the end of these experience, write about your interactions. Project ideas might include:

• attendance at locally or national interpreter education workshops, courses, or conferences
• volunteering with or at local student SIGs or chapter events of the RID
• shadow or observe interpreting events
• if the situation is appropriate and doesn’t require certification, team interpret with a colleague or mentor

What this assignment is not. The purpose of this assignment is not to gaze into the proverbial fishbowl nor see how many Deaf people you can hang out and party with (although new social experiences may be a fringe benefit at times.) Your participation in the community in which you may someday provide interpreting services is contingent on your perceived relationship with the community. Instead of looking for “how do you sign that?” opportunities or just hanging out at league volleyball night, look for ways to serve, build reciprocity, learn about and challenge current situations where interpreters are working, and get in tune with the local interpreting community.

Note: Because Utah and Salt Lake Counties are predominantly heavily Latter-day Saint (LDS) populated, many Deaf community activities are also religious activities. It is not an acceptable alternative for this assignment to attend Deaf church services; your involvement and interaction at a church meeting is not indicative of a typical Deaf Community function. If, however, you wish to investigate religious interpreting services as one of your assignments, please discuss your intent with the instructor.