Course description: The course will be designed to facilitate and navigate the process towards a completed Capstone/Springboard Project. By exploring various mediums of information, we will integrate the fields of speech pathology/audiology and the dramatic arts. In depth studies of both these areas will provide the basis for the project. We will then draw connections between these subjects and attempt to enhance the therapy aspect of speech through the use of theatre. Particular focus will be given to deaf studies and the use of American Sign Language (ASL), as well as ASL usage in the theatre.

 

Course Objectives:

• To hone research skills by interacting with different times of media, literature, and experts.
• To broaden our knowledge of both speech pathology/audiology and theatre.
• To enhance our understanding of the connection between the dramatic arts and therapy treatments.
• To improve our understanding of deaf culture and how those interactions utilize elements of theatre.
• To increase our ability to interpret and use ASL.
• To hone general communication skills, as well as aspects specifically related the client-clinician interactions.
• To draw connections between storytelling and medical diagnoses.

 

Themes and Topics:

àSome early weeks include specific readings/viewings, but others are guided by questions that we hope to answer during that week of research.

 

1: Memoirs/Case Studies of Speech Communication Disorders

• Look Me in the Eye, John Elder Robinson—This collection of essays is a reflective memoirs written by adult as he recalls his experiences as a child on the Autism Spectrum. Interestingly, he is using an art (creative writing) to manage his disorder.
• A Mother’s Courage: Talking Back to Autism, documentary—A mother looks for answers about her son’s diagnosis of autism.
• Improving Communication for Children with Autism: Does Sign Language Work?, research article by Jamie Schwartz and Chad Nye

 

2: Deaf Case Studies

• Developmental Studies of Deaf children http://www.asha.org/uploadedFiles/publications/archive/Monographs13.pdf
• Aural (Re)habilitation for adolescents, Jill Duncan—ASHA Convention 2007
• THE MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS AND PERSPECTIVES OF CULTURALLYDEAF OLDER ADULTS LIVING IN TWO COUNTIES IN FLORIDA., research article by David Feldman and William Kearns
• What are the different experiences of these populations (children, adolescents, adults)? How do these perspectives influence our therapy plans and treatments?
• TED talk, Navigating Deafness in a Hearing World (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKKpjvPd6Xo)
• Ted Talk, Opening Our Ears to the Deaf (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6srfOyIVpQ) (Why I Learned ASL)

 

 

3: Narrative and story telling as a mode of communication

• What are the components of a story? What mediums can be used (literature, film, YouTube, spoken word, dance, movements, etc)
• TED Talk, The Clues to a Great Story, Andrew Stanton
• Story To College, http://storytocollege.com/story-college/, An organization that uses narrative and storytelling to help students craft their college admissions essay. What do they consider the necessary components of a story?

 

4: The Foundations of ASL

• The Syntactic Organizations of American Sign Language: A Synopsis, research article by Carol Neidle and Robert Lee–why is the most important word first?
• How can fewer words relay the same message?

 

5: Language Acquisition in ASL

• Is the process for language acquisition different?
  What words/grammar/syntax are the first appear in a child’s vocabulary? Does this differ from hearing children?
• How much language do deaf children typically acquire? Why is it substantially less than hearing children?

 

6: ASL and face expression

• The components of facial expression in ASL (the eyebrows, the mouth, forehead)
• The importance of facial expression in ASL
• Analysis of Facial Expressions in American Sign Language, research article by Christian Volger and Siome Goldenstein

 

7: What is Deaf Culture?

• The Sound and the Fury, documentary—a family is divided when it comes to a child’s choices to have a cochlear implant
• Deaf (with a capital “D”) vs. deaf/hard of hearing

 

8: Drama therapy

• How are the dramatic arts used in therapy, in general?
• What sorts of activities are used in these therapy sessions? What is considered affective?
• Similar to speech therapy, do drama therapist use role-play to help clients rehearse situations?

 

9: Deaf Education

• How does deaf education differ from the typical education system?
• Is drama therapy used in the deaf education system? Is story-telling used in deaf education to encourage communication among students?
• Shadowing at New York School for the Deaf in White Plains—reflections, reactions, and responses

 

10: Deaf Theatre

• Closed captioning as an option for deaf theatre-goers
• Sign Language in theatre—does it change the meaning of the play? Does it enhance the play?
• Who gets involved in deaf theatre? What is creative process like adapting a play in ASL or creating a new text in ASL?