1) The document describes a Language Experience approach to help students with limited language skills express themselves through sign language composition and written English with support. 2) The process involves students sharing a common experience, documenting it through pictures and signed discussion, and composing the experience in American Sign Language according to composition guidelines. 3) Adults then translate the students' signed language into written English for reading instruction, with the goal of helping students make connections between their natural sign language and printed English.

1. Language Experience
Marissa Martian and Co!een Matosof
Fa! 2010

2. An Example of a LE Story

3. What needs does LE address?
Needs direct instruction in ASL
Needs to express personal needs/wants in ASL
Needs to explain an event or experience with appropriate
ASL
Needs to communicate in writing needs and wants
Needs functional living skills

4. The Big Picture
Language Experience to ASL Composition to Written English
LE helps students with limited language express a common
experience through ASL (ASL Composition) which can be
translated into written English.
Students are working at the challenging level of literacy, and
require adult support.

5. What is Language Experience?
An approach to reading and expressive language instruction
based on activities and stories developed from personal
experiences of the learner.
The stories about personal experiences are written down/
signed by a teacher and read/viewed together until the
learner associates the written form of the word with the
spoken.
Consists of student initiated projects that result in a written
product at the challenging level.

6. Language Experience
Models the thinking and writing process
Develops writing skills and/or expressive ASL skills
Introduces different writing/ASL genres
Demonstrates writing conventions and ASL grammar
Promotes re-reading / re-viewing
Teaches writing/composing for a purpose and an audience

7. Benefits of LE
It brings together writing, reading, art/technology, and
language.
It helps learners make connections to printed English or
composed American Sign Language.
It is learner-centered
It provides predictable reading material because it uses the
learners' natural language.

8. LE Process
Students initiate the experience
Students and teachers document the experience through pictures, video, or notes
Teacher translates the students’ sign language into written English
Ask students to sign what they are thinking
Adult acts as a scribe
Adult signs back what is written
Students and teachers use the text for reading instruction
Adult thinks along (models) the process
Students contribute to the graphics

9. Using ASL for LE
ASL is the natural language so is most appropriate as the
target language goal.
Written English may or may not be the primary
component, depending on the purpose.
Appropriate ASL is modeled and emphasized as part of the
ASL composition process.
Students have viewing opportunities
Students create ASL literature

10. LE Process
Experience
Discussion
Pictures and modeled ASL are used
Events are sequenced and recapped
Student choose pictures of interest for composing.
Students follow ASL composition guidelines before publishing their work.
ASL published work can be the final project goal or a series of mini lessons can
begin related to English vocabulary development and reading.

11. ASL Composition
Comparable to a writing assignment students compose in
American Sign Language.
Students follow a ASL composition rubric
Students are given opportunities to learn using their natural
language.
Students are exposed to an environment where ASL is valued

12. ASL COMPOSITION

13. Fingerspelling

14. Eye
Contact

15. Appearance

16. Framing

17. Role
Shifting

18. ASL COMP GUIDELINES

19. ASL COMP GUIDELINES

20. Get ready for the experience

21. Halloween Trail Mix

22. What will you need?
• pretzels
• raisins
• candy corn
• popcorn
• plastic serving gloves
• string

23. Halloween Trail Mix
• Add candy corn for fingertips
• Add Pretzels as fingers
• Mix popcorn and raisins together
• Add popcorn & raisins to complete the hand
• Close plastic glove and tie with string

24. Roles and Responsibilities
• Two groups of four or five
• Who will get the ingredients? (one person)
• Who will take pictures? (one person/EA)
• Who will hold the plastic glove? (one person)
• Who will add the ingredients? (one-three people)

25. ~Break~
Colleen will upload pictures and add them to iPhoto for a
slide show so we can review our experience.

26. Discuss (in ASL)
REVIEW PICS in iPhoto Slide Show
What did we do?
Who did what?
Why did we do that?
Was it easy or hard?
What did you like or didn’t like about it?

27. Sequence (w/pictures)
Students choose pictures
Students then sequence pictures (1st, 2nd...)
First students try independently then teacher/EAs
will assist
ASL review/explanation of pictures

28. Tell Me About Your Picture
iMovie lesson (COLLEEN)
Following ASL composition rubric explain:
what is happening in the picture?
Sharing

29. ASL COMP GUIDELINES

30. ASL COMP GUIDELINES

31. SHARING

32. Make Book

33. Another LE Example

34. Continuing On...
Translation Process
Adding English
invented spelling
modeling English
Writers’ Workshop
My ideas for Writing...
ASL Workshop
Vocabulary

35. Translation Process
Writers’ Workshop
First draft
Possible Individualized Mini
Lessons:
adding English
invented spelling (Pita)
drawing / added graphics
(Ian)
Vocabulary

36. Language Experience to ASL Composition to Written English
LE helps students with limited language express a common
experience through ASL (ASL Composition) which can be
translated into written English.
Students are working at the challenging level of literacy, and
require adult support.
ANY QUESTIONS?