Transcript Deaf Literature - Fallbrook High School

Take out a piece of paper and
something to write with…
I will give you instructions after
you have all taken out a piece of
paper 
Part of the definition of culture includes art,
which is an expression of human creativity:
• Label each box with
the following• Theater/drama
• Painting
• Sculpture
• Poetry
• literature
• Multimedia/Film
• Label the middle part
of your sheet• “Deaf Experience and
the Arts”
The Major Forms of Literature
of American Sign Language
Deaf Literature
• The literary type of most cultures is
called oral literature, meaning
stories are preserved and passed
down only by the act of storytelling.
• Deaf culture is part of this tradition
since it relies on the act of live or
recorded storytelling for transmission
• Poetry, ABC stories, classifier stories,
handshape rhymes, number stories,
narratives and humor form a highlyregarded body of signed, visual
literature passed down from
generation to generation.
• SIGN-PASS-DOWN…generation to
generation
ASL Poetry
• Covers a broad spectrum of genres and
topics, performed by a Deaf poet. Deaf
poets such as Clayton Valli and Ella Mae
Lentz are cherished for their poetry
reflecting the shared Deaf experience.
ASL poetry
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIkf89zC
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• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSiquwx
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Classifier Stories
• Works that use only one or more specific
classifiers to tell a complete, plot-driven
story.
• Ben Bahan
Handshape Rhymes
• Works in which the signer tells an entire
story using only one handshape, often
incorporating meter, or rhythm, based on
the story’s plot.
ABC Stories
• Using only the letters of the alphabet in
sequence (either A – Z or Z – A), the
signer tells a complete story. ABC stories
combine elements of classifier stories and
handshape rhymes.
Number Stories
• Similar to ABC stories, the signer uses
specific number signs to tell a story.
Number signs can be made in sequence
like ABC stories (number 1 – 10, for
example), in a challenging pattern
(numbers 7, 5, 7, 5, for example), or in
reverse order.
• Example
American Sign Language
• Don’t confuse the signed literature of American
Sign Language with the plays, poetry, and
novels written in English (or other languages) by
Deaf individuals.
• In addition to ASL literature, which is always
performed in ASL, there is a rich contribution by
Deaf authors to the field of written literature in
many languages.
Narratives
• Signed in formal ASL, narratives often
relate events and aspects of the shared
Deaf experience, especially humorous
tales of being Deaf in a hearing world. ASL
narratives often highlight Deaf history,
famous Deaf persons, and Deaf
accomplishments or triumphs over
adversity.
Deaf Sculpture: Douglas Tilden
http://www.sfcityguides.org/public_guidelines.html?article=34
5&submitted=TRUE&srch_text=&submitted2=&topic=The%2
0Arts
Deaf artist: Chuck Baird and
Betty Miller
Ameslan Prohibited, 1972
Dr. Betty Miller artist
Your assignment:
You can write the due date in one
of your boxes
DUE-March 5, 2013