What are you teaching in your "sign linguistics" course?

[Grushkin, Donald A]

I reviewed Lucas's Sociolinguistics of Sign Languages.  While I think it is a good start, I don't think it goes into enough depth as a main text.  There are not enough supplementary readings reinforcing the concepts discussed, for example.  Some topics could use much more coverage, but are not given enough in the book.  There are references to studies which are not explained in detail and are not accessible to those outside of Gallaudet (one was an unpublished paper by a student at Gallaudet's linguistics program, I think).  I think it would work best as a text that is teacher-driven (explained and expanded upon in class), with supplementary readings provided to the students for a better "handle" on the ideas discussed.

Donald A. Grushkin, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor/Coordinator, ASL Program
Eureka Hall Rm. 312 (Campus Zip # 6079)
California State University, Sacramento 95819
(916) 278-6622 Voice; 278-3465 TTY 



> -----Original Message-----
> From: For the discussion of linguistics and signed languages.
> [mailto:SLLING-L at ADMIN.HUMBERC.ON.CA]On Behalf Of Albert Bickford
> Sent: Tuesday, November 04, 2003 5:15 PM
> To: SLLING-L at ADMIN.HUMBERC.ON.CA
> Subject: Re: What are you teaching in your "sign linguistics" course?
> 
> 
> I helped teach a set of courses on signed languages a year 
> ago.  I don't
> know whether you're planning to include any of the sociolinguistics of
> signed languages in your course, but I found Ceil Lucas's book The
> Sociolinguistics of Sign Languages. (2001, Cambridge 
> University Press) to be
> very helpful for the sociolinguistics course. I'll hold off on making
> recommendations about syntax and phonology, as I'm also 
> interested in what
> others with more experience than I would recommend. But, I 
> feel confident
> enough about Lucas's book to recommend it. It was readable, 
> covered a lot of
> ground, drew out similarities and differences with spoken 
> languages, and
> worked well as the major text for a 3 semester-hour course.
> 
> --Albert
> 
> Albert Bickford
>