Nouns and So

Class Absences

Ayanna mentions sending an email regarding her absences and anticipates a third absence.

The instructor indicates that they are winding down the semester.
Results for skill assessments will be released after the holiday, specifically before another test.
No class will be held on Good Friday (April 3).
The final week of teaching will be from April 6 to 10.
The study week will begin on April 13, coinciding with assessments.

The instructor plans to finish teaching topics this week, with a final one-hour session next week.
A revision session will be offered during the last hour of class.
Assessments will be taking place via Zoom, including capstone and expressive skills tests, with instructions to be given next week.
Students are reminded that there will be no class on Good Friday, providing additional study time.

Three remaining assessments:
- Theory Test
- Expressive Skills Test
- Capstone Test

Structured to occur online during lecture time, likely on the return date of April 10.
Students will access the test on a Zoom platform (via breakout rooms).
Assessment format:
- Each question presented on separate pages, no ability to navigate back and forth once a question is answered.
- Duration is one hour, covering lecture content only.
- Format includes short answers, true/false, drag and drop questions, and multiple choice questions.

Scheduled during tutorial time; both tests will be conducted simultaneously.
For tutorials on the Mona campus, students must wait outside, while breakout rooms will be created for students from KB.
Assessment format includes four stations:
- Theory Station: theory question with responses required in sign or spoken form (10 points).
- Translation Station: translating from English to Caribbean sign language (1 minute).
- Conversation Station: one-minute conversation with a tutor (10 points).
- Expressive Skills Station: scenario-based expression in sign language (15 points).
Total marks: Capstone (30 points), Expressive Skills (15 points), with the capstone accounting for 30% of overall grade.

Emphasizes starting revision early, reviewing topics covered in lectures as the theory test will concern those materials.
Reiteration regarding students needing to revise on their own during the Good Friday holiday.

Clarification: No final examination is scheduled for this course.
The course concludes after April 13-17 study week, allowing students to prepare for other exams.

Understanding noun phrases composition:
- Article + Noun: e.g., "the boy"
- Article + Adjective + Noun: e.g., "the young boy"
- Quantifier + Adjective + Noun: e.g., "the three young boys"
- Noun phrases allow variations as illustrated in examples provided.

Importance of structure:
- Proper ordering must be maintained for grammaticality, such as articles preceding nouns, adjectives before nouns, etc.
Identification and proper categorization of terms (e.g., adjectives, articles, etc.) in each phrase.

Focus on distinct noun phrases compared to English.
An overview of how Caribbean sign languages structure noun phrases, emphasizing flexibility vs. English rigidity.
Analysis of how these forms can deviate from those permitted in English without becoming ungrammatical.

Explanation of structure variations in sign languages can lead to differing internal compositions:
- Articles can play different roles, encompassing quantifiers.
- Noun phrases formation can be more diverse, containing determiners and structural placements.

Students are encouraged to understand the structure. Active participation required in formulating responses to questions on noun phrases.
Discussions and examples (e.g., context and reference points) will help solidify understanding.
Emphasis on using correct terminology (determiner vs. articles) and maintaining clarity in communication.

Differences between pluralization in English and Caribbean sign languages:
- Reduplication: repeating the sign to indicate plurality (e.g., repeatedly signing book).
- Using quantifiers (e.g., three books or books three).
- Utilization of nonsingular third-person pronouns.

Explanation of how reference loci represent nouns in a 3D signing space.
Distinguishing between fingerspelling for personal recognition vs. designating a point for established nouns.
Providing examples to solidify the understanding of how these loci function within conversations in sign language.

The session concludes with an overview of the topics covered, ensuring all students understand essential concepts of noun phrases in both English and Caribbean Sign Languages.
Reminder about upcoming assessments and study self-preparation leading up to final evaluations.