Deaf Literature Ann Weis Itinerant Teacher of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing St. Paul School District We all have ways of expressing ourselves and literature is one of the many ways that most cultures express themselves. The Deaf culture is unique in its way of expressing through literature. As most of you know, ASL is a visual language and a lot of the literature is express through ASL rather than in print. This unit will explore the various expressions the Deaf people have done through literature such as short stories, plays, and poetry and you will have the opportunity to learn how to use literature to express yourself as a Deaf person. There are numerous sources on the internet so I will utilize technology also so you can have the opportunity to explore what is out there. "Silence" by Sandi Inches Vasnick © Copyright th Grade

Activities You will be doing the following activities for this unit: 1.Engage in the readings of literature written by deaf people. 2.Incorporate journaling into the activities. 3.Read a short story written by a deaf person.short story 4.Role-play a scene from a short story.Role-play 5.Do body-sculpting of a scene.body-sculpting 6.Do an ABC story.ABC story 7.Read a poem written by a deaf person. poem 8.Write a poem about a piece of art done by a deaf artist.poem Butterfly by Karen Jerzak Ann L. Weis St. Paul, MN © Copyright 2002

Short Story You will read one of the selected short stories in No Walls of Stone. Read one of the stories: The Seawall, Inner Ear, Christmas Cheer, or Selections from I Didnt Hear the Dragon Roar. In your journal free-write your responses or reaction to the story you read. What were you feeling as you were reading the story? Did you identify with the main character(s) in the story? Three Southwestern Signs, 1999 (Fish, bird, butterfly) by Tony McGregor Ann L. Weis St. Paul, MN © Copyright 2002 Back to Activities Page

Role-Playing For this activity, you will read one of the short stories in No Walls of Stone. You can use the same story you read for the last activity or you can read another story listed in the last activity. In your journal, write down what scene you pick to role-play and how you would do it. In class, we will pick a few scenes and do some role-playing. LOVE by Charles Wildbank Ann L. Weis St. Paul, MN © Copyright 2002 Back to Activities Page

Body Sculpting For this activity, we will do body-sculpting. One person will start the body-sculpting by finding a position that he or she will be will stay in that position for remainder of the body-sculpting. The next person will add a position to the first person that would tell a story. One half of the class will each add to the body sculpture/story. The other half of the class will discuss how they perceive the story the sculpture is telling and the sculptors will give them feedback. We will repeat this with the other half of the class. Family Dog by Susan Dupor Ann L. Weis St. Paul, MN © Copyright 2002 Back to Activities Page

ABC Stories One of our favorite pastimes is telling a story using the alphabet. This is a very unique way of story-telling that is popular in the deaf culture. In class, we will watch a couple of ABC stories from the video ABC Stories. Go to the ASL in Literature website. Read The Haunted House and Car Race.ASL in Literature website In your journal, explain how you would tell the story like how would you use your expressions, how you would use pauses between the alphabets, and what kinds of body movement you would use. Also in your journal, brainstorm some ideas of telling your own ABC Story, using either an experience youve had, from another story youve seen or read, or make up one. Use your imagination! In class, you will have the opportunity to perform one of the stories. We will then discuss how each person told the story differently. Write your own ABC story and include notes on ways to tell this story. Left and Right" by Chuck Baird Ann L. Weis St. Paul, MN © Copyright 2002 Back to Activities Page

ASL Poetry Theory of Language" by Paul Johnston Ann L. Weis St. Paul, MN © Copyright 2002 In your journal, answer the following questions and explain how you would interpret one of the poems. What is the key characteristic of ASL? Where is the area of highest visual acuity of the signer? What language is ASL structured more like? What does ASL emphasize when using facial expression? What are the non-manual markers? Pick one of the poems and practice how you would sign it. In class we will have you sign it to the class and discuss what are some of the differences of poetry in sign as opposed to written English. In class, we will watch a couple of signed poems from the ASL Poetry video. Go to the ASL Poetry website and read the article and the poems below it.ASL Poetry website We will explore ASL Poetry and you will have the opportunity to perform your own ASL Poem. Back to Activities Page

For this activity, you will use your poetry knowledge and interpret art in a written poetic form. Art as Poetry Pick an artwork from this presentation or from the...seeing through deaf eyes… Website that you like and, in your journal, write down your reactions to the artwork and how you would describe it poetically....seeing through deaf eyes… Website Devise a poem describing the artwork you like. (Write the title of artwork and name of artist. If you choose one from the website, be sure to also include the website address.) In class, you will have the opportunity to present your poem. "Art is My Eye" by Harry Williams Ann L. Weis St. Paul, MN © Copyright 2002 Back to Activities Page

Resources Resources used for this unit: (Silence & Art is My Eye) No Walls of Stone: An Anthology of literature by deaf heard of hearing writers; Jill Jepson, editor; Gallaudet University Press, Washington, DC; (Butterfly) (ASL Poetry) (LOVE, Left and Right, The Decisive Moment) (Three Southwestern Signs) Other resources that you can check out: (Poems) (Art) (The Arts) (Art resources) (Live stories and poetry) (Poems) (Poems & mini-essays) (Writing help) (Deaf teen magazine) (ASL in Literature) (Deaf culture resources) The Decisive Moment" by Mary Kielbus Ann L. Weis St. Paul, MN © Copyright 2002 Congratulations! Youve completed the Deaf Literature unit! Back to Activities Page

Evaluation Grading Criteria Exemplary: (4)Proficient: (3)Apprentice: (2)Novice: (1) Activity 1: Short Story The student clearly demonstrates the thought process involved in the analysis of the short story read. The students identifies most of the key points of the story. The student identifies some of the points of the story. The student identifies some unimportant points of the story. The student isnt clear on the analysis of the short story and doesnt identify the key points of the story. Activity 2: Role-playing The student identifies the characteristics of the character portrayed in the role playing. The students identifies the important characteristics of the character portrayed in the scene used for role- playing. The student identifies some of the characteristics of the character portrayed in the scene used for role- playing. The student identifies characteristics that unimportant. The student didnt have the knowledge of the characteristics of the character used for role- playing. Activity 3: ABC Story The student uses the appropriate elements for signing the ABC story. The students correctly demonstrates all or most of the elements of the ABC story. The students correctly demonstrates most of the elements of the ABC story. The students correctly demonstrates some of the elements of the ABC story. The students doesnt demonstrate the elements of the ABC story correctly. Activity 4: ASL Poetry The student creatively demonstrates the signed poem and uses the elements of ASL poetry correctly. The student uses his own creativity to demonstrate the signed poem and uses all or most of the elements of ASL poetry correctly. The student uses some creativity to demonstrate the signed poem and uses some of the elements of ASL poetry correctly. The students creativity is limited in demonstrating the signed poem and uses few of the elements of ASL poetry correctly. The student doesnt use his own creativity to demonstrate the signed poem and doesnt use the elements of ASL poetry correctly. Activity 5: Art as Poetry The student creatively uses poetry to interpret an artwork and uses the elements of ASL poetry correctly. The student uses his own creativity to interpret the artwork through a signed poem and uses all or most of the elements of ASL poetry correctly. The student uses some creativity to interpret the artwork through a signed poem and uses some of the elements of ASL poetry correctly. The students creativity is limited in interpreting the artwork through a signed poem and uses few of the elements of ASL poetry correctly. The student doesnt use his own creativity to interpret the artwork through a signed poem and doesnt use the elements of ASL poetry correctly. Journaling The student documents his thoughts in analyzing the literature in each activity. The student clearly demonstrates the thought process involved in analyzing the literature in each activity. The student demonstrates some thought processing involved in analyzing the literature in each activity. The students demonstration of the thought process involved in analyzing the literature in each activity isnt very clear. The student doesnt demonstrate the thought process involved in analyzing the literature in each activity.