Nouns and So
Class Absences
- Ayanna mentions sending an email regarding her absences and anticipates a third absence.
Class Schedule Updates
- 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.
Teaching and Assessment Overview
- 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.
Assessment Breakdown
- Three remaining assessments:
- Theory Test
- Expressive Skills Test
- Capstone Test
Theory Test Details
- 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.
Capstone and Expressive Skills Test Details
- 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.
Revision Plans
- 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.
Final Examination Information
- 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.
Course Content Overview: Noun Phrases
Noun Phrases in English
- 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.
Rules for Noun Phrases
- 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.
Transition to Caribbean Sign Language Noun Phrases
- 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.
Flexibility in Sign Languages
- 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.
Instruction Delivery and Student Participation
- 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.
Pluralization in Caribbean Sign Languages
- 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 booksorbooks three). - Utilization of nonsingular third-person pronouns.
- Reduplication: repeating the sign to indicate plurality (e.g., repeatedly signing
Reference Loci
- 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.
Conclusion and Next Steps
- 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.