ASL student final is childhood story tips please.?

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elizabethpacheco95

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I have been attending an ASL class and i have become really fond of ASL and deaf culture.But i am having some difficulty with facial expressions.I have my final in about a 2 weeks and my teacher just wants us to write what we can and she will help us with vocab etc. Although its still in English structure i am just trying my hardest in making it the best i can.But i am having some difficulty with my facial expression and putting it in ASL structure.Here is what i have so far.
Long time ago me age six.Me trouble always.One day neighbor his name James come over chat with mom & dad.His dog give birth 2 weeks ago 5 beagle puppies.Me want to see puppies(role shift) of me begging my parents saying why,why,please! (looking up) than parents saying no.Then i demonstrate me getting mad and crying/slamming the door.Me waited parents not watch me.Dad football game watch & mom washing dishes.(classifiers) showing sneaking out bck door, running down the street.looking for neighbor james house.found house.backyard saw dog house with puppies.(show fascinated face).Mom dog nice.puppies all brown fur, brown eyes(demonstrate floppy ears).Later forgot time.parents searching.Mom crying.All neighbors searching for me.dad called police.Mom saying where daughter please help! (show worried face).Dad remember me want see puppies.All neighbors walk James house.Me asleep in dog house.me remember nothing.Me thought dream.
Some of it is still in English structure but i would really appreciate any tips or fixes:)
 
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You're definitely right about being in "English" structure. It's not ASL structured for the most part actually. There are a lot of unneeded words in here. Facial expressions are self explanatory... come on. When you're upset speaking to someone, do you smile? When you're happy, do you frown? No, didn't think so. Hearing people make facial expressions whether you realize it or not. If you're upset, show it. If you're happy, show it.... that's how facial expressions work... That's common sense right there. As far as ASL structure, that's something you need to be paying attention in class to.
 
Thats going to be my final too, to talk of a childhood memory. Just go with what feels right when its facial expression. Dont overdue it. Other than that not sure what to say but good luck!!!
 
Mewtilation said:
Facial expressions are self explanatory... come on.
Click to expand...

Strongly disagree.

True, if there's emotional content, you don't need someone to explain how that should affect your facial expression, but there's alot of grammar happening on the face that second language learners really have to study. Like that slight eyebrow raise when you introduce the topic you're about to comment on, but not quite as extreme as the raise for y/n questions? Or even the difference between your eyebrows for wh vs y/n questions. I've noticed lots of times those go exactly opposite how my facial expressions would form while using spoken English. After a while it starts to feel natural, but until you learn it, practice it, use it and internalize it, it's not self-explanatory at all.

And that's just eyebrows. Not even getting into mouth/lip stuff.
 
Some points:

Approach this assignment as a live presentation to entertain friends, not as a term paper for credit.

Do not confuse non-manual grammatical markers with natural facial expressions (as Amylynne has mentioned). Get your facial and body grammar established and practiced. Then, add the expressiveness with your rehearsal.

Practice with another student.

Block out your story in chronological order, without details. Then, go back and add the descriptive details in ASL order (larger to smaller, broader to more detailed, etc.)

Don't forget that in story telling you can incorporate miming.

Demonstrate how the people went to James' house, walked thru the yard, and peered into the doghouse to find you.

Elaborate a little more about why you were always in trouble as a kid. Maybe explain that you were curious, or adventuresome, or loved to explore, or whatever fits you situation.

Don't try to translate the whole story at once. Chunk it up, then put it together. Create the setting and establish the characters. Take your time.

Role shifting--good. :) Little kid looks up at bigger adults, adults look down at kids. Don't forget to change character attitude also ("young face" vs. "old face").

Final note--please don't be a hit-and-run poster. Let us know how this turns out.
 
Thank you, not to mention this is my third language. I will get this down.all the facial expressions and everything I don't care how long it takes.
 
There are a lot of different facial expressions then just frowning when your mad or when smiling when your happy.for example eyebrow orientation, lip position, role shifting.its a lot but I'm trying and asking for advice not someone to ridicule me.
 
Wirelessly posted

amylynne said:
Mewtilation said:
Facial expressions are self explanatory... come on.
Click to expand...

Strongly disagree.

True, if there's emotional content, you don't need someone to explain how that should affect your facial expression, but there's alot of grammar happening on the face that second language learners really have to study. Like that slight eyebrow raise when you introduce the topic you're about to comment on, but not quite as extreme as the raise for y/n questions? Or even the difference between your eyebrows for wh vs y/n questions. I've noticed lots of times those go exactly opposite how my facial expressions would form while using spoken English. After a while it starts to feel natural, but until you learn it, practice it, use it and internalize it, it's not self-explanatory at all.

And that's just eyebrows. Not even getting into mouth/lip stuff.
Click to expand...

Wow...

Pretty sure you just show your expressions as you go... not that I have been signing for 27 years or anything. :roll: raising your eyebrow slightly at the start of a new topic?! Really? :roll: that's just funny... don't forget to tell them to jump around like a gorilla snorting and wiggling their tongues. :roll:
 
Mewtilation said:
Wirelessly posted



Wow...

Pretty sure you just show your expressions as you go... not that I have been signing for 27 years or anything. :roll: raising your eyebrow slightly at the start of a new topic?! Really? :roll: that's just funny...
Click to expand...

Um, yeah wow. Actually yeah when you do Topic Comment structure that's part of the grammar.


Mewtilation said:
don't forget to tell them to jump around like a gorilla snorting and wiggling their tongues. :roll:
Click to expand...

I generally don't do that. Not sure how you've been signing. I am getting the clear picture that you think you know more than you do, and you enjoy making fun of people trying to learn something worthwhile. Then, unsatisfied, you feel compelled to make fun of people trying to help them. All the eyerolls in the world won't make you right.
 
Reba said:
Elaborate a little more about why you were always in trouble as a kid. Maybe explain that you were curious, or adventuresome, or loved to explore, or whatever fits you situation.
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All of Reba's advice is (of course) really good, but I wanted to comment specifially on this one. I think when I was first starting out I would have been defensive about this, like "don't tell me how to tell my story, just tell me how to get it into good ASL" but this kind of elaboration is part of ASL. Deaf culture wants elaboration in places hearing culture might not. Like sometimes when hearing culture would be satisfied with "Sorry I'm late" Deaf Culture would expect "Sorry I'm late - here's what happened..."
 
Mewtilation said:
Wirelessly posted



Wow...

Pretty sure you just show your expressions as you go... not that I have been signing for 27 years or anything. :roll: raising your eyebrow slightly at the start of a new topic?! Really? :roll: that's just funny... don't forget to tell them to jump around like a gorilla snorting and wiggling their tongues. :roll:
Click to expand...

This clearly shows that you are not a native signer .
 
Hold it everyone. Online can be tricky due to how to explain here with a video of our face or body language. However some of us who are native asl user but don't know how to explain because we ve been doing for years without realizing it. I don see in myself because i can't anaylze myself. I suggest anyone not to correct each other between each other. We all grow in different atmosphere and culture only according to states. I agree some of ur posts but some of you that I don't understand in my mind like a picture. Hey let me butt out. Lol
 
Frisky Feline said:
Hold it everyone. Online can be tricky due to how to explain here with a video of our face or body language. However some of us who are native asl user but don't know how to explain because we ve been doing for years without realizing it. I don see in myself because i can't anaylze myself. I suggest anyone not to correct each other between each other. We all grow in different atmosphere and culture only according to states. I agree some of ur posts but some of you that I don't understand in my mind like a picture. Hey let me butt out. Lol
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There's no shame in her not being a native signer.

But it might be better if she didn't come in to pick on people when it becomes increasingly obvious that she doesn't know what she is talking about.

There are plenty of people here that didn't sign until later in life.
 
true. I got puzzled when someone suggested like it was an disagreement but they could have said, in a nice way of discussing like they thought it should be, or so instead of wronging someone else or correct someone. That is it. :)
 
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amylynne said:
Mewtilation said:
Wow...

Pretty sure you just show your expressions as you go... not that I have been signing for 27 years or anything. :roll: raising your eyebrow slightly at the start of a new topic?! Really? :roll: that's just funny...
Click to expand...

Um, yeah wow. Actually yeah when you do Topic Comment structure that's part of the grammar.


Mewtilation said:
don't forget to tell them to jump around like a gorilla snorting and wiggling their tongues. :roll:
Click to expand...

I generally don't do that. Not sure how you've been signing. I am getting the clear picture that you think you know more than you do, and you enjoy making fun of people trying to learn something worthwhile. Then, unsatisfied, you feel compelled to make fun of people trying to help them. All the eyerolls in the world won't make you right.
Click to expand...

Except being born Deaf and raised speaking ASL... yeah, I only have that and all the Deaf signing friends I have that are giggling at your post I commented on previously... you might want to rethink what you're saying when you're speaking with someone who's first language is ASL. Just a suggestion. Never had another Deaf person have any issue reading my signing or telling me I forgot a slight eyebrow lift to start the subject...
 
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Wirelessly posted

I am certainly a native signer, but I do not raise my eyebrow at a subject change. If I change instantly I may express "oh!" Or something, but I do not perk up my eyebrow per subject change. I was not picking on anyone, I was simply defending myself from being called wrong on a language I've been using since I was young.
 
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