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August 3, 2015 ISD Outreach August Conference

Amy Dixon-Kolar, MA.Ed., CI & CT

Introductions and

Overview

! The facts: ◦ Schools have been mandated by the federal

government to administer tests to all students ◦ We are given no official guidelines for how a

‘human signer’ should convey the information, though PARCC has the ASL videos and guidelines, which are not always in line with the various communication systems programs use with their students . ◦ We need to make the process as painless as

possible for the students as they take the tests

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Whether they know ASL/signed English or not, all deaf and

hard of hearing students benefit from seeing information

presented in a visual form. (RIT/CERP research:

http://www.rit.edu/showcase/index.php?id=86 )

!  Toward making information more visually coherent and cohesive for students - techniques

!  Sample test - PARCC: Analyze/deconstruct sample directions/passages, brainstorm how to convey these consistently, visually, and with conceptual accuracy

!  Working together to best convey the information – using all resources and talent available

! We all do this every day. This is not new information, but we’re using it in a different realm – standardized testing

! What has been done in the past on standardized tests? SAT, ISAT, MAP testing

! How can we incorporate what has already been done?

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! A- “I like that book.” ! B- “What book?” ! A- “That one there.” ! B- “Oh, it’s boring!” ! A- “No, you’re thinking of that one.” ! B- “Oh right. I gave that book to John. He

hated it.” ! A- “John has terrible taste in books.”

! A- “I like that book.” ! B- “What book?” ! A- “That one there.” ! B- “Oh, it’s boring!” ! A- “No, you’re thinking of that one.” ! B- “Oh right. I gave that book to John. He

hated it.” ! A- “John has terrible taste in books.”

! A- “I like that book.” ! B- “What book?” ! A- “That one there.” ! B- “Oh, it’s boring!” ! A- “No, you’re thinking of that one.” ! B- “Oh right. I gave that book to John. He

hated it.” ! A- “John has terrible taste in books.”

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Cohesion: the grammatical and lexical links within a text or sentence that holds a text together and gives it

meaning.

Betti Bonni – 3/14 Lecture

! Use of Space/Spatial Mapping ◦ Eye Gaze/Head Tilt ◦ Role Shifting ◦ Referents ◦ Directionality of Verbs ◦ Enumeration

! Non-Manual Markers ! Pacing/Pausing/Utterance Boundaries ◦ Movement/Hold ◦ Body movement/Eye Blinks

! Classifiers

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R L

Signing Space

When working in signed discourse, what can be shown through the use of

space? Examples?

! A- “I like that book.” ! B- “What book?” ! A- “That one there.” ! B- “Oh, it’s boring!” ! A- “No, you’re thinking of that one.” ! B- “Oh right. I gave that book to John. He

hated it.” ! A- “John has terrible taste in books.”

Let’s map it out…

R L

Signing Space

A B

• Role Shifting • Eye Gaze/Head Tilt

• Referents • Verb Agreement

Where are the books? Where is John?

Why is where they are important?

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Listen again, with your eyes closed, and try to SEE the information as it’s

being read to you.

Close your eyes and listen to this passage. Don’t think about signing

it. Just listen.

!  We can actually use pencil and paper to set up a ‘map’ of what we’re trying to convey in space.

!  On a piece of paper, make a quick sketch of a person (no artistic talent necessary). Then, in relation to that person, map out where each of the following characters might be placed:

! Kevin ! Cromwell ! Zach

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R L

Signing Space

R L

Signing Space

What have we added?

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Let’s look at the directions as shown in a sample test of PARCC – grade level 7

Today you will read a passage from The Count of Monte Cristo as well as a scene from the play Blessings. After you have read the selections

and answered some questions, you will write an essay analyzing the

themes presented in the two texts.

Directions – Text #1

R L

Signing Space

Count of Monte Cristo

Blessings

• Setting up referents for each passage • Comparison/Contrast

• Verb agreement

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Today you will read a passage

From (R) Count of Monte Cristo

As well as

(L) The play Blessings

Themes Themes From both (these two)

After you have read (these two) selections

And answered questions

You will write an essay Analyzing

Articles (selections) Bring together - write

You have read a passage from The Count of Monte Cristo and a scene from Blessings. Think about the similarities and differences in how the two authors develop the themes in each text.

Write an essay in which you identify a theme from each text and analyze how each theme is developed. Be sure to include specific details from both selections.

How will you link these directions to what you did previously? How does your spatial

map help you?

Directions #2

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!  Comparison/Contrast ◦  What are we comparing? ◦  What words should trigger a spatial map for you? ◦  How might you set this up? ◦  What have you used in previous directions that you

can continue to employ for consistency/continuity? ◦  Let’s try it

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!  Most likely more questions than answers !  This is a new realm for all of us, so working

together, bouncing ideas off of each other, working as a team, and making it more palatable for the children is the goal.

!  Maybe as the years go on, tests and how to administer them will become more standardized and user friendly for students who are Deaf/Hard of Hearing, or at least not as intimidating to teachers and interpreters.

!  Each other! Don’t try to go it alone when there are others out there to give you the support you need to get through this. ◦  The expertise in this room is immense. Teachers - the amount

of knowledge you have about educating your students will help you get the ideas across. You do it everyday. ◦  Interpreters – this is what you do day in and day out – you

translate both concrete and abstract concepts. You make the implicit become explicit. You take the teacher’s discourse and make it understandable to the students. ◦  Use each other’s expertise as a team. Together you have what

is necessary, as well as anyone else in your same position, to convey this test the best pay possible.

!  Bonni, Betti (2014), Prosody and Cohesion for ASL Interpreters. http://interpretersretreat.com/website/resources/Presentation-Handouts/betti-bonni-prosodycohesioninterpretersretreat2014_white.pdf

!  GAAP – Guidelines for the Development of American Sign Language Versions of Academic Test Content for K-12 Students. http://nimbletools.com/gaap/docs/GAAP_ASL_Guidelines.pdf

!  Mounty, Judith L. (2001), National Task Force on Equity in Testing Deaf Persons: Standardized Testing: Considerations for Testing Deaf and Hard of Hearing Candidates. Center for ASL Literacy, Gallaudet University. http://research.gallaudet.edu/NTFETDHHI/stantest.html

!  PARCC Practice Test – grade 7 – English LA/Literacy. http://parcc.pearson.com/practice-tests/english/

!  RIT – Deaf Education: A New Philosophy. http://www.rit.edu/showcase/index.php?id=86

!  Winston, Elizabeth (1991), Spatial Referencing and Cohesion in American Sign Language Text. Sign Language Studies 73, Winter, 1991. http://tiemcenter.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2012/06/Spatial-Ref-and-Cohesion-SLS-Winter-1991.pdf