BASIC LEVEL SIGN LANGUAGE

Acquiring a new language opens door to a world of new experiences. As students learn new language, they develop an understanding of other people, cultures, beliefs, and ways of life, while also developing a deeper understanding of their own culture and personal perspective on their own culture and personal identity. They learn a new way to think, learn and communicate with others, and again a new perspective on their experiences and the world around them. Learning Kenyan Sign Language(KSL) rewards learners with these and other benefits

Goals of teaching Kenyan Sign Language

The following are the main goals of the training:

• Use Kenyan Sign Language as a form of self-expression;
• Communicate with purpose and confidence in KSL
• Explore a variety of KSL creative expressions and Deaf arts from around all parts of Kenya
• Appreciate the interconnectedness of language and culture
• Expand student’s understanding and appreciation of cultures
• Deepen students’ understanding of their first language and of their own cultural identity
• Understand education, travel and career opportunities that learning an additional language offers
• Develop a long-life appreciation of learning languages.

 

Expected Training Outcomes

By the end of the training duration, students will be able to:
1.  acquire basic vocabulary and possess basic grammar skills for communication;
2.  make introductions and share personal information about self, family, occupation, basic desires and interests;
3.  talk about their surroundings, by giving and receiving directions as well as sharing information about where they live;
4. use basic strategies for the establishment and maintenance of conversations and relationships;
5. demonstrate understanding of Deaf Culture including exposure to KSL literature and art.

Topics

·         Historical development of Kenyan sign language elements and composition of sign

·         Greetings

·         Fingerspelling Pronouns

·         Numbers and measurements Time

·         Family and family members

·         Occupation and professions

·         Education and School Supplies

·         Transport and communication

·         Furniture

·         Clothes

·         Environment

·         Health

·         Emotion

·         Colours

·         Food and food products

·         Fruits and vegetables

·         People and social relationship

·         Sports/recreation

·         Animals

·         Tribes in Kenya and races

·         Towns/countries

·         A song, poem, story in sign language

 Intermediate Kenyan Sign Language 1 Catalog Course Description follows KSL and is the first of two intermediate-level Kenyan Sign Language (KSL) courses focusing on communication in a cultural context. Further develops knowledge of fingerspelling, vocabulary, and

grammatical structures, and expands visual receptive and gestural expressive skills to comprehend and express essential ideas in KSL.

 

KSL Intermediate Level is designed to enable students to reach the Intermediate-Low level on the

Kenyan Sign Language Proficiency scale, focusing on language learning through communication,

cultures, connections, comparisons, and communities.

Core vocabulary (approximately 1000 signs)

Vocabulary expansion strategies

Fingerspelling and numbering

Facial expressions, body language, and non-manual signals

Grammar

Conversation

Communication strategies

Narration

Deaf events

Deaf history and culture

Core Course Learning Objectives (Separated)

Identify and use approximately 1000 signs

Demonstrate the ability to utilize KSL expansion strategies when specific vocabulary is unknown

Demonstrate increased fluency and accuracy in fingerspelling and numbering

Employ non-manual grammar and facial expressions to match the appropriate register

Identify, recognize, comprehend and produce: advanced sentence structures, syntax, spatialization,

advanced verbs and tense, and instrument classifiers

 

Demonstrate the ability to initiate, conduct and terminate context-specific conversations with Deaf or

KSL users other than the professor

Analyze and use different patterns of communication and social interaction appropriate to the setting

Demonstrate expressive mastery of dialogues and short-sentence narratives utilizing KSL grammatical

features

Demonstrate understanding of social interaction patterns within KSL and Deaf culture(s) through

participation in cultural activities within and beyond the school setting

Analyze and discuss the history, lifestyles, and traditions of the diverse cultures that make up the Deaf word