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The Master of Arts program in the Teaching of ASL consists of a minimum of 45 points distributed in the following manner: 13 points of coursework on professional foundations, 30 points of coursework and practica experiences in the area of ASL and Deaf studies, and 2 points of electives. Students not proficient in ASL will be expected to take additional course-work to develop the necessary level of proficiency expected.

The students will enroll in two semesters of student teaching and practicum experience associated with coursework. Students will participate in introductory field observations and student teaching for five days weekly with 400 hours of practicum experiences, divisible into two semesters, with 100 hours of observation and 100 hours of student teaching each semester. Before student teaching, students need to take a sign competency assessment test and attain an advanced rating.

 

In addition, the students would need to identify pertinent issues of ASL teaching and/or deaf studies, embark on a review of literature, formulate research questions and hypotheses, conduct data collection and analysis, and prepare an M.A. Project. As for the final master’s research paper, it will be completed during the final student teaching placement. The topics will be decided upon jointly by the student and the program coordinators, with input from the master cooperating teacher, and should arise out of some classroom concern. Students who successfully complete the master’s program and meet all of the requirements for state certification will be recommended to the New York State Education Department for certification as a Teacher of American Sign Language. They will also be able to obtain a national certificate from the American Sign Language Teachers Association.

 

Courses required:

 

Foundation (13 points):

 

Curriculum Design:

 

• C&T 4052                 Designing curriculum and instruction (2)

 

Pedagogy:

 

• C&T 4005                 Principles of teaching and learning (3 or 4)

 

Learner Characteristics:

 

• HUDK 4029                         Human cognition and learning (3)

 

Anthropological Foundations:

 

• ITSF 4010                 Cultural and social bases of education (3) or

 

• ITSF 5003                 Communication and culture (3)

 

• A&HH 4070             History of education in the United States (3)

 

• ITSF 4011                 Social context of education (3)

 

Specialization (32 points):

 

Deaf Community and Culture (8):

 

• HBSE 4070   Psychosocial and cultural aspects of people who are deaf or hard of hearing, (two terms)

 

• HBSE 4075               Selected topics in ASL and Deaf community and culture (two terms)

 

Language and Communication (8):

 

• A&HL 4087              Introduction to second language acquisition

 

• HBSE 4074               Linguistics of American Sign Language

 

• HBSE 4079               Language development and rehabilitation: The foundations        

 

• HBSE 4871-4872     American Sign Language I & II

 

Curriculum and Instruction (5):

 

• HBSE 4076               Methods and materials in teaching ASL and Deaf community and culture

 

• HBSE 4077               Seminar in teacher-as-  researcher Assessment (3):

• HBSE 4307               Assessment in ASL and Deaf community and culture

 

Student Teaching/Practica (6):

 

• HBSE 4711   Observation and student teaching  in special education: ASL and Deaf community and culture of ASL (two terms)

 

Electives (2):

 

• A&HE 4050 Literature and teaching or

 

• MSTU 5191 Educational video production