Elements of ASL Poetry

Learn about creative signing techniques (like rhymes and metaphors) used in ASL poetry and song signing.

Video

Course Description

You will learn about various creative signing techniques that are used in ASL poetry.

This course discusses elements of ASL poetry such as repetition, rhymes, multiple meaning, metaphors, and personification. You will also learn about techniques that haven’t been widely documented, like creative fragmentation, creative symmetry, and rewind.

Then, we will analyze various professional signing artists and their ASL poetry, with a focus on how they use creative signing techniques.

It is strongly suggested that you also enroll in the "Elements of Visual Vernacular" course, because that other course introduces cinematic signing techniques, which are frequently used in ASL poetry.

PREREQUISITE: "Elements of Visual Vernacular"

FAQ

What do you expect me to do in this course?

This course is entirely self-paced. You will watch video lessons and possibly answer quiz questions. You are not required to interact with the instructor or other students. But if you wish, you may post questions or comments in the community page, and I will do my best to respond to any questions within 72 hours on weekdays.
For how long will I be able to access this course?

After purchasing this course, you will have access to it for as long as this web platform is used. It is guaranteed that this course will be offered through December 31, 2026. After that date, the instructor may decide to retire this course. If that's the case, there will be an announcement posted in the Signplaying community page, and you will still be able to access the course for one more month after the announcement.
Does this course offer RID CEU credit?

This course offers 0.65 Professional Studies (PS) CEU credit at the Some Content Knowledge Level. To obtain the RID CEU, you will have to complete the entire course and pass the Final Exam with a minimum score of 80%. (If you fail the Final Exam, you can retake it for as many times as you need.) Then, you will get a course completion email with a link to the course evaluation. In the course evaluation, you don't need to answer all the questions, but you will need to submit your full name (as recorded in the RID system) and your RID member number. After you have submitted that course evaluation form with these two required information, I will work with the CMP sponsor (Interpretek) to process your CEU within several weeks.
Does this course offer a Certificate of Completion?

Yes. The course provides specific instructions for how you can get your Certificate of Completion.

Course curriculum

1. How to Navigate This Course
2. About Your Instructor
3. How to Contact Your Instructor
4. How to Get CEU Credit (for interpreters)
5. How to Get Certificate of Completion
6. Video Credits
1. What is ASL Poetry?
2. ASL Poetry History ("Heart of the Hydrogen Jukebox")
  FREE PREVIEW
3. ASL Literature Timeline (by HeART of Deaf Culture)
  FREE PREVIEW
4. ASL Poetry Lecture: "Nurturing ASL Literature in Its Own Time"
  FREE PREVIEW
5. ASL Poetry Lecture: Clayton Valli in 1987 National ASL Poetry Conference
  FREE PREVIEW
6. ASL Poetry Lecture: Clayton Valli & Peter Cook in 1991 National ASL Literature Conference
  FREE PREVIEW
7. ASL Poetry Lecture: "Line/Shot/Montages"
  FREE PREVIEW
8. ASL Poetry for Toddlers: "Language Play Through ASL Rhymes and Rhythms"
  FREE PREVIEW
9. How Researchers Analyze Creative Signing
10. Using Technology to Analyze and Translate ASL Poems & Songs
11. More About This Course
12. Using Technology to Analyze and Translate ASL Poems and Songs
1. Introduction to Symmetry
2. Sagittal Symmetry
3. Point Reflection Symmetry
4. Flipped Symmetry
  FREE PREVIEW
5. Coronal Symmetry
6. Orthogonal Symmetry
7. Counterpart Symmetry
8. Body Symmetry
9. Review Diagram
1. Introduction to Repetition
2. Perfect Repetititon
3. Sagittal Repetition
4. Dominant-Weak (DW) Repetition
5. Dominant-Both (DB) Repetition
  FREE PREVIEW
6. Both-Dominant (BD) Repetition
7. Flipped Repetition
  FREE PREVIEW
8. Coronal Repetition
9. Orthogonal Repetition
  FREE PREVIEW
10. Counterpart Repetition
11. Body Repetition
12. Alternating Repetition
  FREE PREVIEW
13. Dominant-Weak-Both (DWB) Repetition
  FREE PREVIEW
14. Sequence Repetition
  FREE PREVIEW
15. Summary Diagram
1. Introduction to Restatement
2. Synonymia
  FREE PREVIEW
3. Exergasia
4. Summary Diagram
1. Rewind
2. Rewind: Palindrome
3. Rewind: Emordnilap
4. Rewind: Inverse
5. Reviewing Rewind
6. Sagittal Rewind
  FREE PREVIEW
7. Rebound
8. Reversal
  FREE PREVIEW
1. Introduction to Rhymes
2. Alliteration
  FREE PREVIEW
3. Assonance
4. More about Alliteration and Assonance
5. Perfect Rhyme
  FREE PREVIEW
6. Perfect Rhyme with Alliteration
  FREE PREVIEW
7. Perfect Rhyme with Assonance
8. Sagittal Rhyme
  FREE PREVIEW
9. Rewind Rhyme
  FREE PREVIEW
10. Rewind Rhyme with Alliteration
  FREE PREVIEW
11. Rewind Rhyme with Assonance
12. Progressive Rhyme
13. Progressive Rhyme with Alliteration
14. Sequence Rhyme
  FREE PREVIEW
15. Identical Rhyme
16. End Rhyme
  FREE PREVIEW
17. Reviewing Rhymes
1. Introduction to Creative Emphasis
2. Creative Emphasis using Augmentative Affixation
3. Creative Emphasis using Rebound
4. Creative Emphasis using Freeze
  FREE PREVIEW
5. Creative Emphasis using Rotation
6. Creative Emphasis using Oscillation
7. Creative Emphasis using Split
8. Summary Diagram
1. Introduction to Creative Negation
2. Creative Negation using Diminutive Affixation
3. Creative Negation using Rewind
4. Creative Negation using Rebound
5. Creative Negation using Freeze
6. Creative Negation using Flop
7. Creative Negation using Split
  FREE PREVIEW
8. Creative Negation using Hand Manipulation
9. Summary Diagram
1. Introduction to Multiple Meaning
2. Multiple Meaning using Double Statement
3. Multiple Meaning using Double Film
  FREE PREVIEW
4. Multiple Meaning using Double Draw
5. Multiple Meaning using Hybrid Film
6. Multiple Meaning using Hybrid Draw
  FREE PREVIEW
7. Summary Diagram
1. Introduction to Transformation
2. Film Transformation
3. Hybrid Transformation
  FREE PREVIEW
4. Draw Transformation
5. Review Diagram
1. Introduction to Metaphor Types
2. Positional Metaphor
3. Positional Metaphor using Perfect Rhyme
  FREE PREVIEW
4. Positional Metaphor using Identical Rhyme
  FREE PREVIEW
5. Sagittal Metaphor
  FREE PREVIEW
6. Metaphor using Counterpart Repetition
7. Metaphor using Recurring Rhythm
  FREE PREVIEW
8. Metaphor using Film Transformation
9. Metaphor using Hybrid Transformation
10. Tangiblized Metaphor
  FREE PREVIEW
11. Body Metaphor
12. Context-Induced Metaphor
  FREE PREVIEW
13. Metaphor using Double Draw
14. Metaphor using Double Film
  FREE PREVIEW
15. Metaphor using Hybrid Draw
  FREE PREVIEW
16. Metaphor using Hybrid Film
17. Summary Diagram
1. Introduction to Personification
2. Personification: Acting with Body
3. Personification: Acting with Space
4. Personification: Speaking
5. Personification: Statement
6. Tangibilized Personification
  FREE PREVIEW
7. Summary Diagram
1. Introduction to Handplay
2. Handshape Chaining
  FREE PREVIEW
3. Stepcutting
4. Handshape Constraint
  FREE PREVIEW
5. Acrostic
1. Creative Tagging
  FREE PREVIEW
2. Creative Tagging using Fingerspelling
3. Creative Tagging using Detachment
4. Creative Tagging using Reattachment
  FREE PREVIEW
5. Summary Diagram
1. Introduction to Creative Representation
2. Creative Metonym
  FREE PREVIEW
3. Creative Synecdoche
4. Summary Diagram
1. Introduction to Creative Weak Hand
2. Creative Weak Hand Drop
3. Creative Weak Hand Substitution
4. Summary Diagram
1. Introduction to Creative Symmetry
2. Halved Symmetry
3. Forced Symmetry
  FREE PREVIEW
4. Delayed Symmetry
  FREE PREVIEW
5. Summary Diagram
1. Introduction to Creative Fragmentation
2. Creative Fragmentation using Two Hands
3. Creative Fragmentation using Creative Weak Hand Drop with Body Tagging
  FREE PREVIEW
4. Creative Fragmentation using Two People
  FREE PREVIEW
5. Summary Diagram
1. "Weeping Sister Willow" by Terrylene Sacchetti
2. "Singing Soul" by Terrylene Sacchetti
3. "World is Our Playground" by Ketsi Hottle
  FREE PREVIEW
4. "Dandelion Blowing in the Wind" by Evelina Gaina
  FREE PREVIEW
5. "Pawns" by Clayton Valli
  FREE PREVIEW
1. Introduction to Original ASL Songs
2. "Political Corruption Party" by Bison TV
3. "On Fire" by Deaf Harbor
4. "River Song" by Rosa Lee Timm
1. About Eric's ASL Poetry Collection
  FREE PREVIEW
2. "Not Another Word!"
3. "Love"
4. "Our Music"
5. "Blue Girl"
6. Thoughts on "Blue Girl"
7. "Go Ahead"
8. "One Rose, Only"
9. "I Thought"
10. "Following"
11. Thoughts on "Following"
12. "Labyrinth"
13. Thoughts on "Labyrinth"
14. "Midnight"
15. "Past"
16. "Pirate"
17. "Rising Up"
18. "Self"
19. "Star"
20. "That Hour"
21. "Sounds Don't Hear Here"
22. "The Light of NOW"
23. "Vision"
24. Thoughts on "Visions"
25. "Why Not?"
26. "Begging for a Bite"
27. "Learning"
28. Thoughts on "Learning"
29. "Crown"
30. "Dimension"
31. Thoughts on "Dimension"
32. "Discovery"
33. "Distance"
34. "Finding Myself"
35. "Forgiveness"
36. "Future"
37. "Heisenberg"
38. Thoughts on "Heisenberg"
39. "Hide"
40. "How to Read a Ruler"
41. "In Halves"
42. Thoughts on "In Halves"
43. "My Real Name"
44. Thoughts on "My Real Name"
45. "One I Can"
46. "Painting Light"
47. "Play Me"
48. "One Sea"
49. "Reaching Out"
50. Thoughts on "Reaching Out"
51. "Same Hand"
52. "Scrollwriter"
53. Thoughts on "Scrollwriter"
54. "Summer Dream"
55. Thoughts on "Summer Dream"
56. "The Last Word"
57. Thoughts on "The Last Word"
58. "The Whirlybird and the Burr"
59. "To My Mute Muse"
60. Thoughts on "To My Mute Muse"
61. "Ephphatha"
62. Thoughts on "Ephphatha"
63. "The Spider and I"
64. "Each One of Us is a Color"
65. "Finally Afloat"
1. Final Exam
2. Next Step

About this course

$20.00
228 lessons
8.5 hours of video content

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