Thursday, October 6, 2011
Resource of the Month - "International Cities and Historical Signs"
With the theme of "Building Vocabulary" in mind, Ali had identified a fabulous resource for October. Signs of Development has published a CDROM titled "International Cities and Historical Signs". This is a great resource for any interpreter, teacher, or aide supporting a student in social studies or history class. The CDRom instructs the user on not only specific signs for continents, countries and cities, but also other relevant international vocaublary. This CDRom is available for checkout in the NCR library... see Randi if interested. Thanks for the great find, Ali!
Building Your Vocabulary
Building Your Vocabulary - Tips
(adapted from SheppardsSoftware.com)
Here are some tips and ideas for building your vocabulary. This list was originally intended for developing a verbal vocabulary, though each tip follows with a suggested way to adapt to American Sign Language. Feel free to post your own additional tips in the comments!
*Read, Read, Read! Most vocabulary words are learned from context. The more words you're exposed to, the better vocabulary you will have. While you read, pay close attention to words you don't know. First, try to figure out their meanings from context. Then look the words up. Read and listen to challenging material so that you'll be exposed to many new words.
How to adapt to ASL? Interact, Interact, Interact! Attend Deaf Community functions as often as possible. Set up silent outings with your signing friends to the mall, restaurant, or park.
*Improve your context skills. Research shows that the vast majority of words are learned from context. To improve your context skills pay close attention to how words are used. Doing a search on a word using dejanews.com (for searching newsgroups) will give you many examples of how that word is used in context. Play our Daily Context Vocabulary Quiz.
How to adapt to ASL? Consider all the different ways to sign a particular English word. Explore the “Fairview Reading Program” (available the NCR library) to get the hang of signing multiple meanings.
*Practice, practice, practice. Learning a word won't help very much if you promptly forget it. Research shows that it takes from 10 to 20 repetitions to really make a word part of your vocabulary. It helps to write the word - both the definition and a sentence you make up using the word - perhaps on an index card that can later be reviewed. As soon as you learn a new word, start using it. Review your index cards periodically to see if you have forgotten any of your new words. Also, do a search on a word using dejanews.com (for searching newsgroups) to get many examples of how the word is actually used.
How to adapt to ASL? Make flashcards for new vocabulary words, and test yourself or practice with a peer. You can also go home and practice newly learned signs in the mirror, to train your eyes to receptively catch them in the future.
*Use mnemonics ( memory tricks). For example, consider the word EGREGIOUS (extremely bad). Think EGG REACH US - imagine we've made a mistake so bad that they are throwing eggs at us and a rotten EGG REACHes US. Such funny little word pictures will help you remember what words mean, AND they are fun to make up. Also, find out which learning style suits you best. Everyone learns differently!
How to adapt to ASL? This isn’t as easy, but like English, ASL has patterns in handshape, movement, body location, and hand orientation. Try to identify those patterns for sign synonyms or words that are somehow related.
*Get in the habit of looking up words you don't know. If you have a dictionary program on your computer, keep it open and handy. America Online and other internet services have dictionaries and thesauruses on their tool bars. Find them and look up any word you are not absolutely sure of. Use a thesaurus when you write to find the word that fits best.
How to adapt to ASL? Use all available resources to help you locate the correct sign, including asking your peers or mentors. There are numerous web-based ASL dictionaries available (look for a list of these on aslskillshop.blogspot.com) as well as paper dictionaries in our NCR library. Use your classroom journal or log book to jot down words or phrases that maybe have you stumped.
*Play with words. Play Scrabble, Boggle, and do crossword puzzles. These and other word games are available for the computer, so you are not dependent on a partner to play. Also, try out the Franklin Electronic Dictionary that features built-in word games.
How to adapt to ASL? Create your own games using ASL handshapes, movement, etc. Do a search on the web and you’ll find some fun games already!
*Use vocabulary lists. For the serious vocabulary student, there are many books that focus on the words most commonly found in standardized tests, such as the SAT and GRE. There are also many interesting word sites on the Internet, many of which will send you a word a day by email.
How to adapt to ASL? Set yourself up to receive a new English word a day by email, and ask yourself (or a peer or mentor) how would you sign it?
*Take vocabulary tests. Playing games, such as the ones on this site, that test your knowledge will help you learn new words and also let you know how much progress you're making.
How to adapt to ASL: try the “Quiz Me” function on www.aslpro.com to test your receptive vocabulary of signs. You can design vocabulary tests for your students as well.
*Get excited about words! Come to appreciate the sometimes-subtle differences between them. Do you know the difference between something that denotes something else and something that connotes something else? If not, go look it up. Learn to say what you really mean and discover the joys of being able to express yourself in writing. Your future can depend on how rich your vocabulary is. It will also determine the quality of your communication. So be in it for the long pull. Let building your vocabulary be a lifelong proposition. Remember: "In the beginning was the word." Until you have a word for something, it does not exist for you. Name it, and you have made your reality richer.
How to adapt to ASL: Sign it, and you have made our students reality riche
(adapted from SheppardsSoftware.com)
Here are some tips and ideas for building your vocabulary. This list was originally intended for developing a verbal vocabulary, though each tip follows with a suggested way to adapt to American Sign Language. Feel free to post your own additional tips in the comments!
*Read, Read, Read! Most vocabulary words are learned from context. The more words you're exposed to, the better vocabulary you will have. While you read, pay close attention to words you don't know. First, try to figure out their meanings from context. Then look the words up. Read and listen to challenging material so that you'll be exposed to many new words.
How to adapt to ASL? Interact, Interact, Interact! Attend Deaf Community functions as often as possible. Set up silent outings with your signing friends to the mall, restaurant, or park.
*Improve your context skills. Research shows that the vast majority of words are learned from context. To improve your context skills pay close attention to how words are used. Doing a search on a word using dejanews.com (for searching newsgroups) will give you many examples of how that word is used in context. Play our Daily Context Vocabulary Quiz.
How to adapt to ASL? Consider all the different ways to sign a particular English word. Explore the “Fairview Reading Program” (available the NCR library) to get the hang of signing multiple meanings.
*Practice, practice, practice. Learning a word won't help very much if you promptly forget it. Research shows that it takes from 10 to 20 repetitions to really make a word part of your vocabulary. It helps to write the word - both the definition and a sentence you make up using the word - perhaps on an index card that can later be reviewed. As soon as you learn a new word, start using it. Review your index cards periodically to see if you have forgotten any of your new words. Also, do a search on a word using dejanews.com (for searching newsgroups) to get many examples of how the word is actually used.
How to adapt to ASL? Make flashcards for new vocabulary words, and test yourself or practice with a peer. You can also go home and practice newly learned signs in the mirror, to train your eyes to receptively catch them in the future.
*Use mnemonics ( memory tricks). For example, consider the word EGREGIOUS (extremely bad). Think EGG REACH US - imagine we've made a mistake so bad that they are throwing eggs at us and a rotten EGG REACHes US. Such funny little word pictures will help you remember what words mean, AND they are fun to make up. Also, find out which learning style suits you best. Everyone learns differently!
How to adapt to ASL? This isn’t as easy, but like English, ASL has patterns in handshape, movement, body location, and hand orientation. Try to identify those patterns for sign synonyms or words that are somehow related.
*Get in the habit of looking up words you don't know. If you have a dictionary program on your computer, keep it open and handy. America Online and other internet services have dictionaries and thesauruses on their tool bars. Find them and look up any word you are not absolutely sure of. Use a thesaurus when you write to find the word that fits best.
How to adapt to ASL? Use all available resources to help you locate the correct sign, including asking your peers or mentors. There are numerous web-based ASL dictionaries available (look for a list of these on aslskillshop.blogspot.com) as well as paper dictionaries in our NCR library. Use your classroom journal or log book to jot down words or phrases that maybe have you stumped.
*Play with words. Play Scrabble, Boggle, and do crossword puzzles. These and other word games are available for the computer, so you are not dependent on a partner to play. Also, try out the Franklin Electronic Dictionary that features built-in word games.
How to adapt to ASL? Create your own games using ASL handshapes, movement, etc. Do a search on the web and you’ll find some fun games already!
*Use vocabulary lists. For the serious vocabulary student, there are many books that focus on the words most commonly found in standardized tests, such as the SAT and GRE. There are also many interesting word sites on the Internet, many of which will send you a word a day by email.
How to adapt to ASL? Set yourself up to receive a new English word a day by email, and ask yourself (or a peer or mentor) how would you sign it?
*Take vocabulary tests. Playing games, such as the ones on this site, that test your knowledge will help you learn new words and also let you know how much progress you're making.
How to adapt to ASL: try the “Quiz Me” function on www.aslpro.com to test your receptive vocabulary of signs. You can design vocabulary tests for your students as well.
*Get excited about words! Come to appreciate the sometimes-subtle differences between them. Do you know the difference between something that denotes something else and something that connotes something else? If not, go look it up. Learn to say what you really mean and discover the joys of being able to express yourself in writing. Your future can depend on how rich your vocabulary is. It will also determine the quality of your communication. So be in it for the long pull. Let building your vocabulary be a lifelong proposition. Remember: "In the beginning was the word." Until you have a word for something, it does not exist for you. Name it, and you have made your reality richer.
How to adapt to ASL: Sign it, and you have made our students reality riche
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