ASL - American Sign Language

Since you asked my opinion, I'll tell you...

I know that some ASL teachers allow students to do book reports to earn extra credit to bring up their grade so they can pass their ASL class.

I think giving students extra credit opportunities is like giving a driving skills test to a student in an driver safety class and then allowing bonus points for taking a written test. What if the student fails the driving skills portion of the test and then brings his score up with the written portion of the test? That would mean he gets his license and is out there driving on the street but doesn't really have sufficient skills to drive. It is better to require the student to pass the driving portion of the course based solely on his ability to drive.

Or how about a "swimming instructor" who gives extra credit for studying the history of swimming. The student passes the class but really doesn't know how to swim. The problem is he now has a piece of paper saying he knows how to swim. He might go out into the real world and get a job as a "lifeguard" and end up causing someone's death.

That is why I tend to avoid giving "extra credit."

If a student can't "really" sign, then he or she should NOT be given a transcript or certificate that says he or she can.
The right thing to do is to fail the student and encourage him to take the course again.

If there is something wrong with your course, then fix it. Don't cover up the problem with "extra credit" bandages.

If students consistently find themselves at the end of the semester with not enough points to pass the class then change your syllabus to make it absolutely clear how to pass the class. Then set up a grading and feedback system that tracks student progress throughout the course and provides accessible feedback regarding where each student is at any point in the course.

Can you imagine a basketball game where the score is kept hidden until the end of the game? It would have a serious, detrimental impact on the players' performance and the fans' enjoyment. We track and display game scores because it motivates the players and keeps the game interesting. If you want your students to stay motivated and interesting you need to track and display their scores.

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		Extra Credit?



		Since you asked my opinion, I'll tell you... I know that some ASL teachers allow students to do book reports to earn extra credit to bring up their grade so they can pass their ASL class. I think giving students extra credit opportunities is like giving a driving skills test to a student in an driver safety class and then allowing bonus points for taking a written test. What if the student fails the driving skills portion of the test and then brings his score up with the written portion of the test? That would mean he gets his license and is out there driving on the street but doesn't really have sufficient skills to drive. It is better to require the student to pass the driving portion of the course based solely on his ability to drive. Or how about a "swimming instructor" who gives extra credit for studying the history of swimming. The student passes the class but really doesn't know how to swim. The problem is he now has a piece of paper saying he knows how to swim. He might go out into the real world and get a job as a "lifeguard" and end up causing someone's death. That is why I tend to avoid giving "extra credit." If a student can't "really" sign, then he or she should NOT be given a transcript or certificate that says he or she can. The right thing to do is to fail the student and encourage him to take the course again. If there is something wrong with your course, then fix it. Don't cover up the problem with "extra credit" bandages. If students consistently find themselves at the end of the semester with not enough points to pass the class then change your syllabus to make it absolutely clear how to pass the class. Then set up a grading and feedback system that tracks student progress throughout the course and provides accessible feedback regarding where each student is at any point in the course. Can you imagine a basketball game where the score is kept hidden until the end of the game? It would have a serious, detrimental impact on the players' performance and the fans' enjoyment. We track and display game scores because it motivates the players and keeps the game interesting. If you want your students to stay motivated and interesting you need to track and display their scores.


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