ASL
122
Receptive Translation Assignments
Receptive Translations (RT) are short dialogues or narratives that are signed that you will watch and transcribe into written English. Please read the guidelines below on how to do all receptive translation assignments.
The RT grade is composed of:
10 points - Your lab attendance; rough and revised mental maps (2 total) . The rough mental map during lab does not have to be finished in lab however you will also submit a 2nd neat and completed mental map to be turned in at the same time with your English translation.
20 points - Stamped
typed English translation
10 points - Self-evaluation
to be done
on own time
Total: 40 points per each RT assignment
Receptive
Translation Assignment Guidelines
This assignment is intended to help you
develop your receptive translation skills from ASL to
English. If you plan to enroll in
the SCCC Interpreter Training Program at the completion of ASL
223, by then you will
have acquired advanced translation skills that are based largely on cognitive processes
developed in doing receptive translations at each ASL level completed.
Thus it is essential that you work on developing and building your receptive
skills at this time.
See instructions below that
you will need to carry out your
assignment:
Study and understand the story (first
step at the lab or class)
1) In the lab, you will work on your homework assignment with your partner
or study group and discuss what the story is saying.
Observe every hand shape, classifier sign, movement, facial expression,
spatial verb, and all elements of ASL. In
this first step, do not think in an English translation yet.
You need to try to understand the concept of the context first.
You will write up a
rough mental map
during the
lab/class and show your work to the instructor.
Be sure to get your rough
mental map stamped in lab.
Translation (next step - homework
assignment)
2) After you understand the whole story and are comfortable with it, begin
thinking of some possible English words and phrases for each chunk.
Oftentimes it is difficult to make accurate translations from
ASL - give the closest English translation possible.
Be sure to include the mood/prosody of the
narrator. This is a
very important aspect of the story that students frequently overlook or forget
to convey in their translations.
Ask other students for help if needed. You can ask the instructor
if your partners are stumped.
Be sure to complete each receptive translation assignment by the due
date.
***Please type your translation in
double-space and in font size 12. Put your name and title of assignment on
the top left of your paper.
3 ) On due date, have your instructor stamp your translation. Compare your translation with your partner (this is at instructor's discretion). Your partner is to underline 3- 4 sentences that s/he has questions and/or add comments in the margins of the translation. Partners are to briefly explain if the translation is missing some vocabulary; fingerspelling or if the content is unclear, etc. Give constructive comments and suggestions as much as possible. Your partner should sign his/her name on the bottom of your translation and return it to you.
4) Then, the instructor will show the videotape in the class where we will go over the story as a group. After class analysis, you will receive a self-evaluation handout to do as a homework assignment. You will need to compare your translation for accuracy according to the given translation answers. Please keep in mind that the self-evaluation narrative is a guideline and not etched in stone. The concepts/meaning should be similar if you have written a different English version. When you rank yourself a "3" or less, then write down comments as to why you gave yourself that number. Please be thorough! Click on Tips for Self- Evaluations for RT Stories
5) On next due date, submit both the rough and revised mental maps, translation and evaluation sheet. You will be given homework points for these assignments. See the top of this page for homework points breakdown. The only time you will receive a grade is the Receptive Translation final exam.
This assignment is pretty easy to "get
by" cheating without doing the work when you copy the translation work of
another student. That is why the
instructor will not grade according to the accuracy but the amount of work you
do for each receptive translation assignment.
The last receptive translation will be given as a final exam in the class
and you will work alone on this assignment.
If you get by with copying answers, it will jeopardize your learning
process and your translation skill development.
This is an excellent opportunity to work on improving your ASL receptive
skills in order to be able to communicate with other Deaf people and for those
interested in entering the Interpreter Training Program at a later date.