Alia Jimenez

I'm a first year interpreting student at SWCD! I love to learn about all sorts of things and I have a great interest in crafts, art, and computers!

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Lauri Metcalf
Spoken English Reflection (cc wip)Oct 20th & 21st
For this workshop, we went over the Code of Professional Conduct, discussed each of the seven tenants, then applied that knowledge in hypothetical ethical situations. This was my first workshop that was entirely in ASL, which was a bit nerve-wracking for me! I understood what I think is a decent amount when Jeff and Teresa were presenting, but I struggled understanding the discussions. I think it had to do with the angles and not being able to see their face clearly. Other than that, I really did appreciate everyone's insight, especially Jeff's because of his perspective as a Deaf person and a seasoned interpreter. I'm excited to learn more about the ethics of interpreting, since there are so many different ways to approach things, and how aware I need to be because of my hearing privilege.Nov 10th & 11th
This workshop focused on professional development. On the 10th, we all focused on receptive and expressive fingerspelling by having different individuals fingerspell sentences from a slip of paper. We were also taught arm stretches and were given an informational passage on Helen Keller. On Saturday, we were broken up into groups. While others focused on developing their interpreting skills, I focused on language acquisition with Teresa through the ASL Skills Development workbook. I realized that my receptive skills are better than I give myself credit for, and my efficiency increases with my confidence. It does take me longer than others to understand what is being said in the monologues, but I know I can understand a good amount if I use my context clues and take the time to pick apart each individual sign. I still struggle with my expressive skills, but this is mostly due to fear of making mistakes, although I have been reassured multiple times is okay. I look forward to going to more workshops to pick up even more language and eventually having the confidence to express myself as well.

Into to the Deaf Community:
Program learning outcomes:
The Howard College Interpreter Training Program prepares students for entry level positions in the field of sign language interpreting. The essence of interpreter education is developing superior communication skills, both in the practice of interpreting as well as successful professional interactions with clients and other professionals. Skills competencies are derived from state and national standards and testing requirements. Skills are developed through extensive lab work and internship. Simultaneous interpreting is a complex cognitive task and students learn how to manage mental resources through the development of critical thinking skills. Further practice of critical thinking skills are used in the algorithm of resolving professional ethical dilemmas encountered in the role of being an interpreter. Students are trained to be self-directed learners and in professional growth and development through targeted lessons in professionalism.
Student learning outcomes:
Define basic terms and conditions relating to aspects of audiology; identify the impact that deaf or hard-of-hearing children may have on family dynamics; and define the Deaf community. Identify resources in the Deaf community; compare cultural versus pathological views; and identify how each perspective impacts an individual's personal life, family, language, education, and vocational services. Describe relevant laws and technology affecting the Deaf community.Into to the Interpreting Profession:
Program learning outcomes:
The Howard College Interpreter Training Program prepares students for entry level positions in the field of sign language interpreting. The essence of interpreter education is developing superior communication skills, both in the practice of interpreting as well as successful professional interactions with clients and other professionals. Skills competencies are derived from state and national standards and testing requirements. Skills are developed through extensive lab work and internship. Simultaneous interpreting is a complex cognitive task and students learn how to manage mental resources through the development of critical thinking skills. Further practice of critical thinking skills are used in the algorithm of resolving professional ethical dilemmas encountered in the role of being an interpreter. Students are trained to be self-directed learners and in professional growth and development through targeted lessons in professionalism.
Student learning outcomes:
Describe standard practices, employment trends, compensation, and professional business practices in the current job market; explain the tenets of the Code of Professional Conduct and the Standards of Ethical Behavior and apply them to situational decision-making; analyze the history of ASL/English interpreting and its evolution to current practice; and describe issues of language, power, and control and their impact on the role of the interpreter and the goals of interpreting.Fingerspelling:
Program learning outcomes:
The Howard College Interpreter Training Program prepares students for entry level positions in the field of sign language interpreting. The essence of interpreter education is developing superior communication skills, both in the practice of interpreting as well as successful professional interactions with clients and other professionals. Skills competencies are derived from state and national standards and testing requirements. Skills are developed through extensive lab work and internship. Simultaneous interpreting is a complex cognitive task and students learn how to manage mental resources through the development of critical thinking skills. Further practice of critical thinking skills are used in the algorithm of resolving professional ethical dilemmas encountered in the role of being an interpreter. Students are trained to be self-directed learners and in professional growth and development through targeted lessons in professionalism.
Student learning outcomes:
Identify and demonstrate fingerspelled words and numbers; demonstrate lexicalized fingerspelling with accuracy, clarity, and fluency; and identify exercises and strategies for preventing repetitive motion injuries.ASL 1:
Program learning outcomes:
Critical Thinking Skills - To include creative thinking, innovation, inquiry, and analysis, evaluation and synthesis of information.
Communication Skills - To include effective development, interpretation, and expression of ideas through written, oral, and visual communication.
Social Responsibility - To include the intercultural competence, knowledge of civic responsibility, and the ability to engage effectively in regional, national, and global communities.
Personal Responsibility - To include the ability to connect choices, actions, and consequences to ethical decision making.
Student learning outcomes:
Non-verbal Communication
Fingerspelling/Number Skills
American Sign Language (ASL) Vocabulary
Receptive/Expressive Skills in ASL
Facial expressions/body language in ASL
Familiar signs in ASL
Vocabulary/Non-manuals signals
Speed/clarity of interactive communication skills in ASL
Various issues in the Deaf culture, Deaf history and ASL information
Grammatical structures in ASLLearning Framework - LEADS:
Program learning outcomes:
Critical Thinking Skills - To include creative thinking, innovation, inquiry, and analysis, evaluation and synthesis of information.
Communication Skills - To include effective development, interpretation, and expression of ideas through written, oral, and visual communication.
Empirical and Quantitative Skills - To include the manipulation and analysis of numerical data or observable facts resulting in informed conclusions.
Social Responsibility - To include the intercultural competence, knowledge of civic responsibility, and the ability to engage effectively in regional, national, and global communities.
Student learning outcomes:
Demonstrate personal responsibility and self-management skills
Describe ways to discover self-motivation, employ interdependence, gain self-awareness, adopt life-long learning, develop emotional intelligence, and believe in themselves

Summaries

• RSVP
• You Want to Be an Interpreter?

Chapter 1: Historical and Current Impressions of Signed Languages and Fingerspelled Words
This chapter goes over the different factors that have influenced the American Sign Language that we know today. Some of the earliest influences were ancient deaf Greeks gesturing to each other, Benedictine monks using sign systems to communicate during daily hours of silence, finger calculus, and a finger alphabet that was taught by Ponce de Leon, which evolved and made its way into early French signing, eventually to the US. The Rochester Method was used primarily from 1886 to around 1976, until better methods were created, thanks to the advances of Lou Fant and LaVera Guillory. After that, the use of computer programs became more popular and improved over the years. Now, our understanding of fingerspelling has increased greatly, but some of the most recent impressions still push outdated and incorrect ideologies. Ronnie Wilbur explained that "Fingerspelling is a manual representation of written language", but now we know that fingerspelling is entirely dependent on the structure of ASL, not English. And, Donald Moores believed that fingerspelling was not ASL, which is still a common misconception.
Chapter 2: Effective Strategies for Fingerspelled Word Recognition
Chapter 2 gives some background on the processes used to understand fingerspelling: serial processing, template creation and matching, and pattern inference. It then goes on to explain how RSVP helps with template building. Then, it gives brief explorations into the characteristics of expertise:
*Direct Lexical Access: the relationship between form and meaning
* Expertise being a long-term goal with gradual growth. Expertise takes around 10 or so years
* Effective Practice: practicing with appropriate materials, well-defined tasks, feedback, repetition, with set times of around an hour
* Self-Confidence, along with good communication skills, help students progress further and faster
* and Effective Strategies for Fingerspelled Word Recognition:
** Learn how to recognize fingerspelled words before leaning how to produce fingerspelled words
** Realize that signers may sign and spell the same word in a single utterance
** Pay attention to the hand, the face, the mouth, and the eye gaze of the signer to get the information you need to recognize the word
** Accept that the signer may not spell the word according to English spelling conventions
** Realize that there are several types of fingerspelling
** Know which words can be fingerspelled
** Reduce anxiety by having realistic expectations
** Use lip-reading when possible
** Avoid saying the names of the letters in the Roman alphabet that correspond to the fingerspelled sign out loud or subvocally
** Avoid spelling with your own hand while trying to read fingerspelled words
** Develop and rely on word-level pattern inference skills
Chapter 3: What is Fingerspelling?
Chapter 3 explains that fingerspelling is commonly used and is very important in ASL, and is not just used with unusual English words, technical vocabulary, and rarely occurring forms, and goes in depth on form and meaning regarding both fingerspelling and spelling in spoken languages to help our understanding of the subject matter.It states that languages, both signed and spoken, are formed through symbols, which are the physical part of the message that allows the receiver to see or hear the symbol. Form, in regards to language, is the physical manifestation of said symbols. The form, or signal, is a sound wave in spoken languages and a light wave in signed languages. When describing form, we describe what we must physically do to make those signals. Every signal is linked to a meaning, or referent. Although the referent can be a physical thing, it may also be a condition, state of affairs, an action, or a number of other things.The chapter also frequently states and proves that fingerspelling is not English, and also references other signed and spoken languages to further prove that fingerspelled systems are signs of the language because of the different signs and words used to refer to the Roman alphabet.At the end of the chapter, it goes into vocal spelling in English, stating that productive vocal spelling is rare, and usually only occurs when being asked to spell something, or when obscuring meaning from illiterate people (usually children). Lexicalized vocal spelling, on the other hand, is common. Examples such as ABCs being used as a noun, abbreviations such as FBI or SAT, and acronyms like radar and NASA.
Chapter 4: Careful Fingerspelling
Chapter 4 goes in depth on what careful fingerspelling is, when it is used, and the nuances of its form and meaning. Careful fingerspelling is typically used when first introducing a proper noun and when asked how to spell something. When performing careful fingerspelling, the hand will be oriented and positioned in an area roughly ahead of the signer's dominant shoulder, and each letter is signed at a slow speed. In this type of fingerspelling signers will often signal when they are about to fingerspell so that the receiver will know to watch and read the fingerspelled word. It is assumed that careful fingerspelling exists so that the receiver will use the appropriate template throughout the rest of the story or conversation. When the fingerspelled word is understood, the receiver may give a slight nod, look back at the signers face, or slightly wrinkle their nose. Signers will also often have the word they are fingerspelling on their lips.It is important to note that there are more than the 26 signs that correspond to the Roman alphabet that are used for fingerspelling. These signs are often some sort of combination of two other letter signs and are referred to as phonological variants.
Chapter 5: Rapid Fingerspelling
Chapter 5 gives an in depth explanation of rapid fingerspelling and explains the relationship between rapid and careful fingerspelling, along with comparing them. Unlike careful fingerspelling, where each letter is clearly signed with near equal emphasis, rapid fingerspelling has places more emphasis on the first and last letters and often has omitted signs throughout the middle. Rapid fingerspelling relies heavily on pre-established templates which are often established through careful fingerspelling or through extended exposure in ASL. This means that there is less mental strain trying to figure out the meaning each time, and more focus on recognizing and remembering sequences.
Chapter 6: New Signs Derived from Fingerspelling
Chapter 6 goes over lexicalized fingerspelling and how some fingerspelled sequences have been used often enough in a rapid form that it becomes it's own sign. It's important to note that although they sometimes have similar meanings, lexical signs are not English, and are used just like any other sign in ASL. Lexical signs will sometimes have letters missing, but retain the first and last letters of the word. They can also be in the form of abbreviations that are also used in English, the months of the year are a good example of this. Along with this, some technical words will be lexicalized among certain groups, similar to jargon.Chapter 7: How Fingerspelling Accesses MeaningChapter 8: Cognitive Aspects of Fingerspelled Word RecognitionChapter 9: Anxiety in Fingerspelled Word RecognitionChapter 10: Memory and Processing Factors That Interfere with or Enhance Fingerspelled Word RecognitionChapter 11: Practical Aspects and Approaches to Improving Fingerspelled Word Recognition

Chapter 1: Historical and Current Impressions of Signed Languages and Fingerspelled Words
This chapter goes over the different factors that have influenced the American Sign Language that we know today. Some of the earliest influences were ancient deaf Greeks gesturing to each other, Benedictine monks using sign systems to communicate during daily hours of silence, finger calculus, and a finger alphabet that was taught by Ponce de Leon, which evolved and made its way into early French signing, eventually to the US. The Rochester Method was used primarily from 1886 to around 1976, until better methods were created, thanks to the advances of Lou Fant and LaVera Guillory. After that, the use of computer programs became more popular and improved over the years. Now, our understanding of fingerspelling has increased greatly, but some of the most recent impressions still push outdated and incorrect ideologies. Ronnie Wilbur explained that "Fingerspelling is a manual representation of written language", but now we know that fingerspelling is entirely dependent on the structure of ASL, not English. And, Donald Moores believed that fingerspelling was not ASL, which is still a common misconception.
Chapter 2: Effective Strategies for Fingerspelled Word Recognition
Chapter 2 gives some background on the processes used to understand fingerspelling: serial processing, template creation and matching, and pattern inference. It then goes on to explain how RSVP helps with template building. Then, it gives brief explorations into the characteristics of expertise:
*Direct Lexical Access: the relationship between form and meaning
* Expertise being a long-term goal with gradual growth. Expertise takes around 10 or so years
* Effective Practice: practicing with appropriate materials, well-defined tasks, feedback, repetition, with set times of around an hour
* Self-Confidence, along with good communication skills, help students progress further and faster
* and Effective Strategies for Fingerspelled Word Recognition:
** Learn how to recognize fingerspelled words before leaning how to produce fingerspelled words
** Realize that signers may sign and spell the same word in a single utterance
** Pay attention to the hand, the face, the mouth, and the eye gaze of the signer to get the information you need to recognize the word
** Accept that the signer may not spell the word according to English spelling conventions
** Realize that there are several types of fingerspelling
** Know which words can be fingerspelled
** Reduce anxiety by having realistic expectations
** Use lip-reading when possible
** Avoid saying the names of the letters in the Roman alphabet that correspond to the fingerspelled sign out loud or subvocally
** Avoid spelling with your own hand while trying to read fingerspelled words
** Develop and rely on word-level pattern inference skills
Chapter 3: What is Fingerspelling?
Chapter 3 explains that fingerspelling is commonly used and is very important in ASL, and is not just used with unusual English words, technical vocabulary, and rarely occurring forms, and goes in depth on form and meaning regarding both fingerspelling and spelling in spoken languages to help our understanding of the subject matter.It states that languages, both signed and spoken, are formed through symbols, which are the physical part of the message that allows the receiver to see or hear the symbol. Form, in regards to language, is the physical manifestation of said symbols. The form, or signal, is a sound wave in spoken languages and a light wave in signed languages. When describing form, we describe what we must physically do to make those signals. Every signal is linked to a meaning, or referent. Although the referent can be a physical thing, it may also be a condition, state of affairs, an action, or a number of other things.The chapter also frequently states and proves that fingerspelling is not English, and also references other signed and spoken languages to further prove that fingerspelled systems are signs of the language because of the different signs and words used to refer to the Roman alphabet.At the end of the chapter, it goes into vocal spelling in English, stating that productive vocal spelling is rare, and usually only occurs when being asked to spell something, or when obscuring meaning from illiterate people (usually children). Lexicalized vocal spelling, on the other hand, is common. Examples such as ABCs being used as a noun, abbreviations such as FBI or SAT, and acronyms like radar and NASA.
Chapter 4: Careful Fingerspelling
Chapter 4 goes in depth on what careful fingerspelling is, when it is used, and the nuances of its form and meaning. Careful fingerspelling is typically used when first introducing a proper noun and when asked how to spell something. When performing careful fingerspelling, the hand will be oriented and positioned in an area roughly ahead of the signer's dominant shoulder, and each letter is signed at a slow speed. In this type of fingerspelling signers will often signal when they are about to fingerspell so that the receiver will know to watch and read the fingerspelled word. It is assumed that careful fingerspelling exists so that the receiver will use the appropriate template throughout the rest of the story or conversation. When the fingerspelled word is understood, the receiver may give a slight nod, look back at the signers face, or slightly wrinkle their nose. Signers will also often have the word they are fingerspelling on their lips.It is important to note that there are more than the 26 signs that correspond to the Roman alphabet that are used for fingerspelling. These signs are often some sort of combination of two other letter signs and are referred to as phonological variants.
Chapter 5: Rapid Fingerspelling
Chapter 5 gives an in depth explanation of rapid fingerspelling and explains the relationship between rapid and careful fingerspelling, along with comparing them. Unlike careful fingerspelling, where each letter is clearly signed with near equal emphasis, rapid fingerspelling has places more emphasis on the first and last letters and often has omitted signs throughout the middle. Rapid fingerspelling relies heavily on pre-established templates which are often established through careful fingerspelling or through extended exposure in ASL. This means that there is less mental strain trying to figure out the meaning each time, and more focus on recognizing and remembering sequences.
Chapter 6: New Signs Derived from Fingerspelling
Chapter 6 goes over lexicalized fingerspelling and how some fingerspelled sequences have been used often enough in a rapid form that it becomes it's own sign. It's important to note that although they sometimes have similar meanings, lexical signs are not English, and are used just like any other sign in ASL. Lexical signs will sometimes have letters missing, but retain the first and last letters of the word. They can also be in the form of abbreviations that are also used in English, the months of the year are a good example of this. Along with this, some technical words will be lexicalized among certain groups, similar to jargon.Chapter 7: How Fingerspelling Accesses MeaningChapter 8: Cognitive Aspects of Fingerspelled Word RecognitionChapter 9: Anxiety in Fingerspelled Word RecognitionChapter 10: Memory and Processing Factors That Interfere with or Enhance Fingerspelled Word RecognitionChapter 11: Practical Aspects and Approaches to Improving Fingerspelled Word Recognition

* Sleep more! Average at least 7 hours of sleep a night throughout November.* Work on self-confidence! Go up and talk to at least 2 people at the next Deaf event.* Take care of my body! Stretch out arms and wrists before going to class or Deaf events until at least the end of the semester.

• All ASL Stories
• Dicker's Lessons
• Building Interpreter Skills
• Daily Moth Analyses
• One, Two Buckle Your Show ASL Summaries
• ASL Skills Development
• RSVP Monologue Summaries
• Evaluations for Class

• Workshops
• Courses
• Readings
• SMART Goals

Vocabulary Dev for Interpreter:Program learning outcomes:
The Howard College Interpreter Training Program prepares students for entry level positions in the field of sign language interpreting. The essence of interpreter education is developing superior communication skills, both in the practice of interpreting as well as successful professional interactions with clients and other professionals. Skills competencies are derived from state and national standards and testing requirements. Skills are developed through extensive lab work and internship. Simultaneous interpreting is a complex cognitive task and students learn how to manage mental resources through the development of critical thinking skills. Further practice of critical thinking skills are used in the algorithm of resolving professional ethical dilemmas encountered in the role of being an interpreter. Students are trained to be self-directed learners and in professional growth and development through targeted lessons in professionalism.Student learning outcomes:
Produce appropriate spelling, pronunciation, and conceptually accurate sign production for selected groups of English words, phrases, and idioms.Beg. American Sign Language II:Program learning outcomes:
Critical Thinking Skills - To include creative thinking, innovation, inquiry, and analysis, evaluation and synthesis of information.
Communication Skills - To include effective development, interpretation, and expression of ideas through written, oral, and visual communication.
Social Responsibility - To include the intercultural competence, knowledge of civic responsibility, and the ability to engage effectively in regional, national, and global communities.
Personal Responsibility - To include the ability to connect choices, actions, and consequences to ethical decision making.Student learning outcomes:
Upon successful completion of this class students will be able to rationally and critically discuss, debate, demonstrate, and correctly answer teacher-generated questions on topics such as:
1.More advanced skills in expressive and receptive ASL communications, including fingerspelling and numbers.
2.More complex grammatical features of ASL, including non-manual behaviors, inflected signs, spatial referencing, classifiers, and temporal sequencing.
3.Short/medium-length context-specific conversations in ASL.
4.Self-generated short stories and narratives.
5.Expanded core vocabulary.
6.Deaf Culture, American Sign Language and idioms functions.Business Computer ApplicationsProgram learning outcomes:
The Howard College Business Department prepares students for successful entry and progression into business careers. Business tasks and skills enable graduates to make successful business decisions for personal and career living experiences. Graduates will execute communication skills effectively with co-workers, employers,community leaders, and people from different cultures; perform skills competencies for business job tasks; utilize critical thinking skills to solve business problems in efficient, economical, and professional ways; and demonstrate professional growth and development skills needed to succeed in their chosen business careers.Student learning outcomes:
Describe the fundamentals of information technology concepts hardware, software, security, and privacy.
Demonstrate proper file management techniques to manipulate electronic files and folders in local, network, and online environments.
Create business documents with word processing software using spelling and grammar check, format and layout, tables, citations, graphics, and mail merge.
Create business documents and analyze data with spreadsheet software using (1) tables, sorting, filtering, charts and graphics, privot tables, macros; (2) statistical, financial, logical and look-up functions and formulas; and (3) add-ins.
Create business multimedia presentations with presentation software using templates, lists, groups, themes, colors, clip art, pictures, tables, transitions, animation, video, charts, and views.
Create databases and manage data with database software using tables, fields, relationships, indexes, keys, views, queries, forms, reports, and import/export functions.
Integrate business software applications.
Use web-based technologies to conduct ethical business research.
Use goal seeking and what-if analysis to solve problems and make adjustments/recommendations in a business environment.Visual/Gestural Communication:Program learning outcomes:
The Howard College Interpreter Training Program prepares students for entry level positions in the field of sign language interpreting. The essence of interpreter education is developing superior communication skills, both in the practice of interpreting as well as successful professional interactions with clients and other professionals. Skills competencies are derived from state and national standards and testing requirements. Skills are developed through extensive lab work and internship. Simultaneous interpreting is a complex cognitive task and students learn how to manage mental resources through the development of critical thinking skills. Further practice of critical thinking skills are used in the algorithm of resolving professional ethical dilemmas encountered in the role of being an interpreter. Students are trained to be self-directed learners and in professional growth and development through targeted lessons in professionalism.Student learning outcomes:
Communicate using mime, body language, facial expression, classifiers, and other visual/gestural strategies; create and/or perform stories and narratives in a visual mode; and interact and respond appropriately to visual/gestural communications.

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ASL/Eng Development, Cognitive, Translating
9-21-24

ASL/Eng Development, Cognitive, Translating
9-21-24