7a. Discussing Health Conditions - Explaining the Normal Process

1. Discussing Health Conditions:
Describing the Human Body
(Explaining the Normal Process)
Unit 24
ASL III

2. Discussing Health
Conditions
In everyday conversations, you may find
yourselves in situations where you need to
explain complex ideas in ASL.
This unit on health introduces you to language
skills that will help you organize and discuss
complex topics.

3. Discussing Health
Conditions
This unit will prepare you to take complex
information written on a particular illness,
identify the important points to cover,
organize the information into three areas;
symptoms, causes, and treatments, and make a
concise 5-minute presentation.

4. The Human Body
BODY
HEAD
HANDS
NECK
SHOULDER
ELBOW
SKIN
fs-ARM
fs-LEG
fs-FEET
fs-BUTT
fs-HAIR
fs-KNEE

5. The Face - for-for?
FACE
(2h) BPCL:X “facial
expressions” or
BLANK-FACE
EYES
SEE, LOOK-AT
(2h) BPSASS:F “eyes
moving around” or
(2h)BPSASS:G“squinte
d eyes blinking”
EARS
HEAR
CHIN
none
LIPS or MOUTH
KISS, SPEAK, EAT, YELL
BPCL:O->C “opening
mouth,” or
[(wh)B”object”/
(2h)BPCL:C->O“biting”
or (2h)BPCL:S “nostrils
expanding or
contracting”
NOSE
SMELL, BREATHE-IN,
BREATHE-OUT
(2h)BPCL:S “nostrils
expanding or
contracting”

6. Using Neutral Space to
Describe Parts of the Body
When discussing parts of the body that are internal
(unseen) or away from the signing space (heart, feet,
back etc.), first give the sign, then describe the shape,
its behavior, and function in neutral space. Here’s an
example of how to describe the heart:

7. Using Neutral Space to
Describe Parts of the Body
1. noun (name of)
1. description
a. shape
b. behavior
c. function

8. The Digestive System
● TEETH
function - CHEW, [(wh)B“object” / BPCL:C-
>O“BITING”]
● fs-TONGUE or TONGUE
behavior - BPCL:H“tongue sticking out, licking, pull
food back to swallow”
● THROAT
shape - DCL“throat”
function - SWALLOW, (2h)LCL:C->S“pushes food
down into stomach”
● STOMACH
shape (neutral space) - DCL“shape of stomach”
function - CHEW“food,” THROW-OUT TO fs-
INTESTINES
● fs-INTESTINES
shape (neutral space) - (2h)DCL:F“intestines”
function - SQUEEZE++, CHEW, PUSH”bit by bit”
break this video into 2 for this and next slide

9. The Digestive System
● fs-LIVER
shape (neutral space) - DCL“liver”
function - CLEAN++ DIRT, fs-DRUGS, POISON REMOVE++,
MAKE fs-BILE
● fs-APP (appendix)
shape (neutral space) - (2h)DCL:G“appendix”
● fs-BLADDER (or TOILET)
shape (neutral space) - DCL“bladder shaped like a sphere”
function - TOILET, HOLD-cont READY, GO-OUT“down”
● fs-KIDNEY
shape (neutral space) - DCL“kidney”
function - CLEAN++. BLOOD HAVE WATER INSIDE,
REMOVE++
● fs-RECTUM
shape (neutral space) - (2h)DCL:F “shape of rectum”
function - fs-BM(bowel movement) GO-OUT“down”
break this video into 2 for this and
previous slide

10. The Circulatory System
● HEART
shape (neutral space) - DCL“shape of heart with arteries going out of
it”
function - PUSH++ RED+BLOOD ECL“flow down” TO BODY
behavior - DCL“heart pumping” or
[(wh)LCL:B“rib cage” / LCL:S “heart beating”]
● RED+BLOOD or fs-BLOOD
shape (neutral space) -DCL“blood cell”
function - OXYGEN BRING++ TO BODY POSS NEED, FINISH, fs-
CO2 BRING TO HEART
behavior - ECL:1 “route of blood flow” or ECL:5 “blood flowing”
Note: Be sure to distinguish the movement of the sign for
RED+BLOOD from that used for BLEEDING which is repeated.
● fs-ARTERY
shape (neutral space) - DCL:tight-F“artery”
function - BLOOD, BRING TO fs-CAPILLARY (helps blood flow
from heart to capillaries)
● fs-VEIN
shape (neutral space) - DCL:tight-F“vein”
function - BLOOD, #BACK HEART (helps blood flow from
capillaries back to heart)

11. The Respiratory System
● NOSE
function - BREATHE-IN, BREATHE-
OUT
● MOUTH
function - BREATHE-IN, BREATHE-
OUT
● LUNGS
behavior - (2h)BPCL:5“two lungs
expanding and contracting”

12. The Skeletal System
● fs-BONE or BONE
shape (neutral space) - DCL“bone”
function - SUPPORT BODY, KEEP
STRAIGHT“top to bottom”
● fs-RIBS
shape - (2h)BPCL:4“ribs”
function - PROTECT LUNGS
● fs-SPINE
shape (neutral space) - DCL“spine”
function - PROTECT fs-SPINAL-CORD, HELP
BODY MOVE“around”
behavior (neutral space) - (2h)LCL:S“spinal bones
flexing”
● fs-JOINTS
function - HELP MOVE“around”
behavior (neutral space) - (2h)LCL:S“joints
flexing”

13. The Muscular/Nervous System
● BRAIN
shape (neutral space) - DCL“shape of brain”
(oval, 2 halves, ridges)
function - (2h)alt.ORDER, INFORM++TO
BODY (sends signals to body parts)
● fs-NERVE
shape (neutral space) - DCL“nerve cell”
function - BRAIN(left side), BODY(right
side) DELIVER“back and forth” (relays
messages from brain to parts of body)
● fs-MUSCLE
shape - DCL“muscle”
function - HELP MOVE fs-BONES #OR
HELP fs-ORGANS WORK (makes
bones move or organs function)

14. The Reproductive System
● fs-UTERUS
shape (neutral space) - DCL “uterus”
function - WHERE BABY GROW
● fs-CERVIX
shape (neutral space) - DCL “cervix”
function - BABY HEAD [(wh)LCL:C “cervix” /BPCL:S
“head comes out of cervix”]
● fs-FALLOPIAN-TUBES
shape - (2h)DCL:F“tubes from uterus to ovaries”
function - BRING“down” EGG TO fs-UTERUS
● fs-OVARY
shape (neutral space) - (2h)DCL:F“ovaries”
function - MAKE EGG
● EGG
behavior (neutral space) - DCL:F“egg descending
through uterus”

15. The Reproductive System
● PENIS
shape (neutral space) -
BPSASS“penis”
behavior - BPCL:1“becoming
erect”
● fs-TESTICLE
shape (neutral space) -
(2h)DCL:claw“testicles”
function - MAKE fs-SPERM
● fs-SPERM
behavior - EJACULATE;
LCL:Xwg“swimming”

16. Common Health Issues
● STY
● SPRAIN
● HICCUPS
● CUT OR SCRAPE
● COUGH
● BAD BREATH
● DIAPER RASH
● HEADACHE
● PIMPLE
● COMMON COLD

17. The Medicine Cabinet -
Remedies
Items What they’re used for
● BANDAGE - ICL “stick on”
● fs-ASPIRIN - REDUCE PAIN, HEADACHE
● fs-ACE WRAP-AROUND - WRAP-AROUND-arm
● THERMOMETER - CHECK TEMPERATURE
● fs-CORTISONE-CREAM - ICL “rub on arm” REDUCE fs-RASH
● fs-IODINE - LCL:1 “cut on hand”++, PREVENT
INFECTION

18. The Medicine Cabinet -
Remedies
Items What they’re used for
fs-CHAP-STICK - KEEP LIPS SOFT,
PREVENT DRY
fs-NEOSPORIN - fs-BURN, HELP REDUCE
COUGH MEDICINE - REDUCE COUGH
fs-BAKING-SODA - HELP REDUCE
INDIGESTION,
(or) USE BRUSH-TEETH
RUB fs-ALCOHOL - fs-GERMS CLEAN++
fs-PEROXIDE - LCL:1 “cut on hand”
CLEAN++, PREVENT
INFECTION

19. Explaining the
Normal Process
In order to develop a presentation describing the normal
process of a body part or system, you will follow the
following steps:
Step 1 - Introduce the Topic by Using a Rhetorical
Question
Step 2 - Tell How the Process Begins
Step 3 - Explain the Process
Step 4 - Tell How the Process Ends
Step 5 - Close with a Comment

20. “How One Breathes”
Questions and Answers:
1. For which parts of the breathing process
did Marlon use role shift?
air in lungs
blood next to air sacs and throughout body
via heart, also during the exchange made
at the capillaries
heart pumping
body parts (cells, brain, stomach, muscle,
etc.) exchanging carbon dioxide for
oxygen
Read the questions and answers on the
following pages and then watch “How
One Breathes,” by Marlon Kuntze.
Analyze the presentation about the
respiratory process and practice
retelling the information.

21. “How One Breathes”
Questions and Answers:
2. How does the respiratory system work?
List the process Marlon described.
breathe in
air goes through bronchial tubes into lungs into
air sacs
blood connected to air sacs takes oxygen from
sacs
blood brings oxygen to heart
heart pumps oxygenated blood through arteries
to capillaries where oxygen is exchanged for
carbon dioxide
blood carries carbon dioxide through veins back
to heart
heart pumps it back to air sacs
carbon dioxide goes through lungs and then out
of mouth
3. What analogy did Marlon use for the
lungs? Why do you think it was used?
trees placed upside down, to help visualize
the lungs and how the parts function
4. How did Marlon begin and end his
presentation?
a. Begin: began by saying he will be
talking about something then he
posed a rhetorical question “what,”
then added “BREATHING”
b. End: ended by saying “That’s what
happens every second. Amazing, isn’t
it?”

22. “How One Breathes”
Questions and Answers:
5. How did Marlon handle the following
terminology?
“breathe” - used three different forms;
BREATHING, BREATHE-IN, and
BREATHE-OUT
“oxygen” - fingerspelled “oxygen,” mentioned its
abbreviation, which is “O2” and then gave
its sign (shake-O)
“carbon dioxide” - first gave the common
abbreviation, which is “CO2” and then with
his right hand pointed to the letter C (on
his left hand) and fingerspelled fs-
CARBON; he did the same for “dioxide,”
each time he pointed to a letter on his left
hand, he used topicalization (raised
eyebrows)
“air sacs” - first described where the air sacs
are in the lungs and then asked what
these are called before fingerspelling “air
sacs”
“capillary” - described the capillary as the
last part the blood goes to and then
asked what it is called before
fingerspelling “capillary”

23. Step 1 - Introduce the Topic
by Using a Rhetorical
Question
A rhetorical question is an effective way to direct the
listener’s attention to the topic of the presentation.
In Marlon’s presentation, he begins with the rhetorical
question “What are we going to discuss now? He
responds with “Breathing!”

24. Step 2 - Tell How the Process
Begins
Identify what activates the process. For
example, Marlon begins with how a
breath is taken in.

25. Step 3 - Explain the Process
● Use classifiers to describe each body part involved.
a. Begin by pointing to where the body part is located on
your body.
b. Describe its shape, behavior, and function in neutral
space. For example, Marlon points out where the lungs
are located on the body and then describes how the
lungs function, in particular the air sacs. In neutral
space, Marlon shows how oxygen passes through the air
sacs to the blood.

26. Step 3 - Explain the Process
● Use role shift to show how the parts behave in relation to each
other.
For example, Marlon role shifts to show how the capillary
and the blood exchange oxygen and CO2. Using an analogy
may help the audience visualize how a system or its parts
work. Recall how Marlon used a tree analogy to create a
visualization of part of the lungs.

27. Step 3 - Explain the Process
● Use raised eyebrows to signal the introduction of the next topic or
when referring to a previous topic.
For example, after Marlon mentions that what goes out of the
mouth is called CO2 he spells CO2. He raises his eyebrows while
spelling “C” with his weak hand and pointing to that hand. He
then spells out “carbon” to indicate what the letter “C” refers to.
He does the same for O2.
Raised eyebrows are also used with rhetorical questions to signal
that what follows is an explanation of the next part of the
process. For example, Marlon uses a rhetorical question to ask
the name of something he has just described (capillary). He then
goes on to describe the function of capillaries.

28. Step 4 - Tell How the Process
Ends
Marlon ends the description of the breathing process
by describing exhaling (air goes out of mouth).

29. Step 5 - Close with a
Comment
Marlon closes his presentation by commenting that
the breathing process happens every minute of every
day and that it’s quite amazing!

30. Review
Throughout this presentation, you have learned
the following:
▪ Describing parts of the body (and face), their
functions, and using neutral space
▪ Systems (reproductive, digestive, circulatory,
muscular, respiratory, and nervous)
▪ Health issues and remedies
▪ Explaining the normal process