Deaf Literature

• American Sign Language
• 11th Grade

Deaf Literature

-Storytelling (ABC, Number, Classifiers, Handshapes, Narratives)

-Poetry 

-Important storytellers an poets in ASL

On your own 

-Take a look at Clayton Valli's poem called "Dandelions" and answer the following questions.

1. What do you think it's about? 

2. What do you think the hidden meaning is (think about the Deaf culture and community)?

 YELLOW FLOWER 

MANY IN THE GRASS

WAVING IN THE WIND

MAN COMES, LOOKS, ANGRY, SEES

YELLS: “D-A-N-D-E-L-I-O-N-S” (:13 SEC)

PULLS THEM OUT

MOWS

ALL GREEN c

RAIN FALLS, SUN SHINES

GROUND IS WARMED / LIFE BEGINS

SOMETHING STARTS TO APPEAR

LOOKS AROUND

BLOOMS

YELLOW FLOWER (:33)

BEES COMES, POLLINATE

FLOWERS WAVING IN THE WIND

EVERY NIGHT CLOSE UP, OPEN UP AGAIN THE NEXT MORNING

FINALLY THEY BECOME A WHITE PUFFBALL, OPEN UP

WAVING IN THE WIND (MORE THAN DANDELIONS)

MAN COMES, YELLS “T-H-E-R-E”

PULLS ONE OUT

SPREADS

GLOSS:

Warm-up

Think back to the prior lesson, are you crazy for or not crazy for school dances?  

ASL Literature

What was your favorite book growing up? 

favorite book growing up

4/25 Today ASL II and III

-Please go through the following slides.

-Make sure to watch the different types of storytelling 

-In your ASL notebook, write notes (in your own words) on the following:

1. What are classifier stories

2. What is storytelling

3. What are handshapes and rhymes

3. What are ABC Stories

*When you are done you can read or work on homework.* 

Why is storytelling important?

Storytelling is an important aspect of Deaf culture. ASL does not have its own

written language, however through the use of ASL stories their culture can continue to

grow. Storytelling is a tradition. The stories could teach a lesson, something saddening, or a good

joke. In Deaf culture, storytelling for Deaf people helps show their true identity.

Storytelling allows people in the Deaf community to share their beliefs and values.

Storytelling is a joy to watch and participate in.

ASL Literature

Poetry 

Clayton Valli and Ella Mae Lentz 

POETRY

Classifier Stories

Let's focus on classifier storytelling. What makes a story a classifier story? The

storyteller uses a variety of classifiers to replace noun usage. The signer uses ONLY

classifiers to share their tale. Non-manual markers help add detail to the story so the

content is clearly understood. Classifier stories are a tradition in Deaf culture and

shared throughout the Deaf community.

Storytelling

Many stories are rooted in traditions because they originate from people’s lives

years ago and change slightly over time and become legends, tall tales, and folktales

told to families for generations.

Handshape Rhymes

A storyteller or poet can create various handshape-based rhymes. "Alliteration" is one of the forms, in which the signer uses the same handshape of ASL words throughout the story or poem. For example, "farm", "landscape", "trees" and so on, in which all of these ASL words use the same "5" handshape. "Alternative alliteration" is another example in which a poet choose two handshapes and alternate them word by word in ASL. For example, alternative 2-handshape and 5-handshape in a ASL short story.

ABC Stories

ABC stories in ASL are one example of how a storyteller tells a story using each handshape of the manual alphabet. For example, "A" for knocking on the door (which is very common), "B" for opening the door, "C" for shaking hands and so on. Along with these handshape-based ASL words, facial expression and other non-manual markers are accompanied. The storyteller may use various sequences, such as from A to Z or from Z to A. From A,A to Z,Z is a more challenging entertainment.

favorite type of ASL literature you learned today