ASL Texts for Consecutive Interpreting Practice
Video Formats
This text is provided in a variety formats to allow you to work with it in different ways.
- Complete text in slow motion: The video is shown at 80% of its original speed
- Chunked in slow motion: The slow motion video is segmented into main ideas for practice with consecutive interpreting.
- English Outline: An outline is provided for support of comprehension.
- Complete text full speed: The video is shown at its original speed.
- Chunked at full speed: The full-speed video is segmented into main ideas for practice with consecutive interpreting.
See “Ideas for Working with Videos” for suggestions on how to use these different formats.
School Desegregation
Debbie Peterson shares her perspective on the process of desegregation in the last three Deaf schools to go through the process. The text is offered in two formats: slow motion (80% speed) and full speed. Each text is also segmented into sections with larger ideas so that you can practice consecutive interpreting.
Complete Text – Slow Motion
Segmented Text: Slow Motion
The following version of the text is produced at 80% and separated into 6 sections for practice with consecutive interpreting. To move to the next section, either click on the next number below the video or click on the arrow on the right side of the video screen after it is completed. (Ignore the suggestions that come from YouTube.)
Work with Complete Text Again (Slow Motion)
Now that you have gone through this process and worked with the sections edited for consecutive practice, try interpreting the complete text again. If you wish, you can also review the English outline of the text to support your comprehension before moving to the full speed text.
The complete video is at the top of this page. Click here to return there.
English Outline
English Outline for School Desegregation
If you prefer a PDF version of the outlines with line numbers, download English outlines for Shifting Gears.
- The Alabama School for the Deaf used to be a segregated school
o went to Mississippi school for the Deaf for one year and then transferred to ASD
§ at six years old
o parents brought me to school every day
§ until I was 11
§ passed another set of buildings but never thought much of it
? The schools desegregated when I was 11
o third from last school to do so
o my parents upset
§ other parents upset
§ nothing they could do – law required it
o white students moved to black campus
§ Ft. Lashley campus
§ same buildings I’d passed without knowing it was black campus
? New experience for me
o moved into the school with no explanation or preparation
§ didn’t even know there were deaf people who were black
o blacks and whites not comfortable with each other
§ tension and arguments
§ some fights
§ scary and new for me
§ eventually things settled down
o moved back to the South Street campus
? Black deaf had to adopt white deaf symbols and culture
o Language had to become more like “white” ASL
o Had to adopt the school colors of the white campus
§ don’t remember their original colors
§ had to accept red and white
o Had to give up their mascot
§ Theirs: Dragon
§ became Silent Warriors
o No respect or consideration for their rights and culture
§ we white people oppressed black students
How the last two campuses experienced desegregation
o Mississippi desegregated after Alabama
o Louisiana last to integrate
§ black deaf fought to keep their symbols
• wish had happened in Alabama too
§ white campus had mascot
Mustang and Green and White colors
• black students wanted to keep their mascot
• compromise – a new mascot chosen for the integrated school
o War Eagle
§ black students wanted new school colors
• expensive to repaint the school in new colors
• black students accepted white school colors
o Mississippi kept the white school colors and mascot
§ purple and gold Bulldogs
§ just like Alabama white school kept their colors and mascot
§ forced black students to adopt white symbols
? Being a part of history
o Can’t believe I was a part of that at eleven years old
o People love to hear my story because it’s a real part of history
§ Experienced desegregation firsthand
Step 1: Complete Text – Full Speed
Segmented Text: Full Speed
The following version of the text is shown at the original speed and separated into 6 sections for practice with consecutive interpreting. To move to the next section, either click on the next number below the video or click on the arrow on the right side of the video screen after it is completed. (Ignore the suggestions that come from YouTube.)
Work with Complete Text Again (Full Speed)
Now that you have gone through this process and worked with the sections edited for consecutive practice, try interpreting the complete text again. If you wish, you can also review the English outline of the text to support your comprehension.
The complete video is in the middle of this page. Click here to return there.