Basic HTML Version
Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
53
Language component
Across the four years of the degree, you will be introduced to
ISL and language skills will be developed to a high degree.
Our language teaching is mapped to the Common European
Framework of Reference for Languages (Council of Europe), so
you will be able to map your progress against your knowledge of
other languages. Students have six to nine hours of ISL hours of
class contact per week.
Theoretical component
Theoretical courses will introduce you to aspects of language
acquisition, linguistics, sociolinguistics, social policy, and social
studies. Each theoretical course involves two to four hours
of lecture time per week plus an expectation of self study.
Theoretical courses include:
n
An introduction to sign linguistics
n
Sociolinguistics
n
Perspectives on deafness
n
Interactional discourse analysis
n
Language acquisition and deafness
n
Aspects of written language
n
Deaf education
n
Working with the Deaf community
n
Deaf people and the media
n
Ethics
n
Translation and interpreting: Philosophy and practice
n
Methods of assessment
n
Curriculum planning
n
Teaching methods
n
Theories of education
n
Research methods
n
Teaching ISL as L1
n
Teaching ISL as L2
n
Teaching ISL for the national curriculum
Students can also select one course from the Broad Curriculum
in both years one and two (see page 14).
Practice component
Practical components are introduced in the Sophister (third and
fourth) years and will include placements with organisations.
These will include a six-week block placement in the Junior
Sophister (third) year and an eight week block in the Senior
Sophister (fourth) year. While you will usually attend placement
in an Irish organisation, it is possible, by special arrangement, to
arrange a placement abroad. In previous years, students have
undertaken placements with a wide range of Irish organisations
including the Irish Deaf Society, DeafHear, Kerry Deaf Resource
Centre, Deaf Community Centre (Limerick), Cork Association
for the Deaf, Sign Language Interpreting Service (SLIS), Bridge
Interpreting, and the National Chaplaincy for Deaf People.
The Freshman years – language
component:
The cornerstone of working with the Deaf community is fluency
in ISL. ISL is introduced at ab initio (beginner) level.
Courses taken in the Freshman (first two) years are ISL1,
ISL2, ISL3 and ISL4. Six to nine hours of contact time per
week with ISL lecturers in an immersion setting facilitates rapid
development of ISL skill.
The Freshman years – theoretical
component:
In the Freshman years you will be introduced to the area of Deaf
studies and linguistics. These courses will be the foundation for
later years of study. These are:
n
Introduction to sign linguistics
– introduces aspects of
the grammar of signed languages including phonology,
phonetics, morphology, syntax, semantics, and pragmatics.
n
Sociolinguistics
– introduces the ways in which the social
context impacts on language use, including reference to
gender, generation regional variation and the impact of
educational policy and the media on language use. Also
looks at issues of language recognition and language
planning.
n
Perspectives on deafness
– focusing on experiences
of being a deaf/deafened person and how society
(contemporary and historically) has responded to deaf
people. This course has a strong international dimension
and looks at the issues of community, culture, Deafhood and
what it means to be deaf in Europe today.
n
Language acquisition and deafness
– introduces theories
of first and second language acquisition and considers the
varied pathways to language acquisition that deaf children
take: includes discussion of “home signing” and the impact
of late acquisition of languages – spoken and/or signed –
for deaf children.
n
Apsects of written language
n
Interactive discourse analysis
n
Deaf education
n
Working with the Deaf community
– including issues
of mental health and mental illness in the Deaf community
or Translation and interpreting: philosophy and practice
(for those aiming to pursue the interpreting strand)
n
Ethics 1
Students can step out of the programme on successful
completion of year 2 with a Diploma in Deaf studies or may
continue on to degree level.