| SignWriting List Archive 1 October 1997 - May 1998 |
To: SignWriting.Email.List
From: Valerie Sutton
Reply To: DAC@SignWriting.org
Date: October 16,1997
SUBJECT: Assessing Student's Skills
SW Email List Members -
It was pointed out that the last two posts were part of an ongoing
set of emails, and I think it makes sense for you to see them
in order. Here they are:
Date: Wed, 8 Oct 1997 20:53:56 -0700 (PDT)
To: SignWriting <DAC@SignWriting.org>
From: ecila@well.com (Alice Rose)
I am cranking away on the assessment and measurement tool now. I need from you (and others) the relative degree of difficulty of learning to write and read the different symbols (and symbol categories if it ends up being divided like that). What is important for me to do is to chart the relative difficulty/ease of acquisition and use so that students and teachers alike can observe progress and level of "fluency." Is degree of difficulty the same order in which the symbols are taught? What's been your experience for adults and for children?
Alice Rose
ProgressWorks, 2190 Grove Street, Suite 12, San Francisco, CA
94117
ecila@well.com
From: Alice Rose on Thu, Oct 9, 1997 12:42 PM
Subject: SignWriting Measurement and Assessment Tool
To: TOGIOKA Patti
Hello Patti!
Most recently I communicated w/ Valerie Sutton (DAC) about an
assessment and measurement tool for SignWriting that I have begun
to construct in a sequence of doctoral seminars on measurement
and assessment. Valerie suggested that I communicate with you
for assistance.
What I am looking at is more of an orthographic assessment than a language assessment, and to be used with any signed language. What is important for me to do is to chart the relative difficulty/ease of acquisition and use so that students and teachers alike can observe progress and level of SignWriting competency. This effort involves rating all of the symbols by degree of difficulty to master in both reading and writing tasks. I am designing both expressive and receptive tasks that students will complete as a reliable and valid battery for teachers and student users themselves to chart degrees of proficiency, and increased competence over time.
If you are willing, I need from you (and any others you know) the relative degree of difficulty of learning to write and read the different symbols (and symbol categories if it ends up being divided like that). What I especially need now to move this assessment blueprint along is some info about what your experience has been in terms of what kinds of symbols have been the most difficult for students to master. Was it movement, location, shapes, etc? Did you teach the symbols in any particular order? And was the relative level of difficulty in acquisition and proper usage the same for children as it was for adults?
If you can help me in this task I will be most appreciative of your efforts. I have a list of all of the symbols from the "Lessons in SignWriting" Textbook and Workbook. If it would help you to have that list to make notes on and send back to me by email or by snail-mail, I'll send that to you. What would be optimum is for you to rate each symbol with a 1,2,3, or 4 with 1 being the easiest, and 4 being the most difficult.
And *of course* I will be sharing the final product!!!!!!! :-)
Also, btw, I read a copy of a posting you wrote to the ASL Litserv about your experiences with kids and SignWriting. It was neat to read since I will be starting a class at an elementary school this month. I just know the kids will go wild over SignWriting!
I look forward to hearing from you in the near future.
Best-
Alice Rose
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Alice Rose
ProgressWorks, 2190 Grove Street, Suite 12, San Francisco, CA
94117
Student in the Joint Doctoral Program in Special Education
of the University of California-Berkeley and San Francisco State
University
ecila@well.com
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Apparently-To: <DAC@SignWriting.org>
Date: 9 Oct 1997 13:13:23 -0800
From: "TOGIOKA Patti" <patti.togioka@osd.k12.or.us>
Subject: RE: SignWriting Measurement and Assessment Tool
To: "Alice Rose" <ecila@well.com>
Cc: "Valerie Sutton" <DAC@SignWriting.org>
Sure, I would be happy to help out! Why not send me snail mail the symbols and I will rate them and try to get some others to rate them, too. I have some preliminary feelings about what is easiest, most difficult to understand, but rather than say what those "feelings" are, it would probably be better for you if I did it in a more "research-like" manner.
Be sure and let me know how your experiences go with the elementary class you are going to work with. I think that one of the reasons why the kids enjoyed the sign writing so much was that I:
1. Started by telling the story in a more traditional way
2. Explained that we would be reading the story in a new way
3. Shared that I wasn't sure how they would like it, but I was curious what they thought--thus letting them feel comfortable to make their own decisions
4. Used the colorful illustrations that are on the web--if the story had been in black and white it might not have attracted their attention in the same way
5. Because I am already known to the students as a good signer and a storyteller, they looked forward to some extent to seeing me, and so were more open minded than they might have been if my reputation as a fun story teller had not preceded me. Plus the story time is a really special time for the students no matter who comes to tell the story--it is a real "celebration" time, if you will.
6. Don't you think being a good ASL signer had to help the students be more accepting of the whole situation?
I am curious what other things you think make a difference for the children's acceptance and excitement of sign writing!
Patti Togioka
patti.togioka@osd.k12.or.us
To:"TOGIOKA Patti" <patti.togioka@osd.k12.or.us>
From:ecila@well.com (Alice Rose)
Subject:RE: SignWriting Measurement and Assessment Tool
Patti-
Thank you so much for such a quick reply! Please send me your snail mail address so I can send you a copy of the list. Or, if you have an email program that allows for attached documents, I can send the list formatted (MS Word 5.1 for Mac) by email.
BTW, good question abt the ASL competency of the instructor having impact upon attitudes of students. I guess we'll have to see over time what the factors are that determine acceptance/non-acceptance. I think a big part probably has to do with the attitude taken by the instructor that either "of course it's appropriate for there to be a written form" as is happening in Nicaragua, or "let's explore this together" as it seems that you have done. Pretty exciting material to explore.
Thank you *so* much for your assistance, and the assistance of anyone else you think is appropriate.
Best-
Alice
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Alice Rose
ProgressWorks, 2190 Grove Street, Suite 12, San Francisco, CA
94117
Student in the Joint Doctoral Program in Special Education of the University of California-Berkeley and San Francisco State University
ecila@well.com
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