Deaf Studies

Teacher(s)

Haesenne Thierry; le Maire Amandine (coordinator);

Language

French Belgian Sign Language

Main themes

• Deaf studies in the broadest sense, including (but not limited to) (socio-)linguistics, sociology, history, interpretology and law.
• In-depth academic study of the socio-cultural dynamics and issues specific to deaf communities.

Learning outcomes

At the end of this learning unit, the student is able to :

Contribution of learning unit to learning outcomes assigned to programme This unit contributes to the acquisition and development of the following learning outcomes, as assigned to the Master's degree in interpreting : 1.2, 2.2, 2.3, 3.1, 3.2, 4.1, 5.8, 6.1   Specific learning outcomes at the end of the learning unit At the end of this learning unit, the student is able to: identify, select and make critical use of relevant documentation (textual, audiovisual or signed) relating to the topics covered, in order to enrich their understanding of deaf dynamics from a multidisciplinary perspective read, understand, summarise and compare scientific articles and audiovisual documents in signed languages relating to the areas covered in the course (linguistics, sociology, history, law, interpreting, etc.) ; situate chronologically the major events an political processes affecting deaf communities in the countries studied, and offer a critical and contextualised reading, using appropriate terminology ; relate and integrate information from a variety of sources (scientific, institutional, community, historical, etc.) to produce a structured, coherent and well-argued summary ; explain the main morphosyntactic phenomena of LSFB, using specialist terminology specific to the linguistic analysis of signed languages ; explain, contextualise and illustrate the concepts covered in the course, as well as the cultural, historical, social or political implications present in the texts or materials to be interpreted ; express ideas and opinions spontaneously, clearly and accurately on topical political, economic, social and cultural issues, in an academic register, in French and in LSFB ; reproduce complex content in LSFB in a faithful, structured and synthetic way, adapting his/her discourse to popularisation or interpretation objectives ; present a personal analysis (in LSFB or written French) of historical, cultural or linguistic issues, complying with university standards for writing, quoting and oral presentation in signed language ; adopt a reflective stance on one's own place as a speaker/signer or interpreter in the transmission of knowledge about deaf communities ; identify and discuss the ethical, epistemological and political issues involved in the production and dissemination of knowledge in Deaf Studies.

Content

This course module offers an introduction to Deaf Studies and its contemporary developments. It aims to help students move beyond a predominantly medical or deficit-based understanding of deafness and to understand deaf people from linguistic, cultural, social and political perspectives.
Module taught by Thierry Haesenne (30 hours): including, amongst other topics: the evolution of LSFB; linguistic insecurity; bilingualism and diglossia in LSFB; language registers in LSFB; the stages of sign language acquisition; deaf people and the world of work, etc.
Module taught by Amandine le Maire (30 hours): the emergence and theoretical foundations of Deaf Studies, as well as their development: challenging the medical model of deafness; recognition of sign languages as languages in their own right; history and critique of audism and oralism; the empowerment and diversity of Deaf communities; Deaf spaces and networks; translanguaging and multilingualism.
Particular attention will be paid to how Deaf Studies enable us to examine the practice and role of the sign language interpreter.
Introduction to Literature Review in Deaf Studies
Students will be introduced to literature review as applied to the field of Deaf Studies. They will learn to identify a research question, select relevant keywords in French and English, search for academic sources in various databases, and assess their relevance and reliability.
Particular attention will be paid to the diversity of sources and perspectives: identifying Deaf authors and researchers; the role of knowledge produced by Deaf communities; distinguishing between academic literature and other types of resources; and the way in which deafness and Deaf people are represented in the works consulted.
This introductory module will also prepare students for the literature review required for their future dissertation.
Both parts of the module will draw on contemporary research in Deaf Studies, scientific articles, research papers and dissertations, as well as audiovisual resources.

Teaching methods

The course will combine theoretical input, scientific readings and group discussions in person. Hybrid-format classes may be organised if necessary.
Part of the sessions will be devoted to introducing and discussing fundamental concepts. Students will regularly be encouraged to relate these concepts to their future professional practice.
For the part of the course taught by Thierry Haesenne, each student will complete a set assignment on a topic covered in class.
For the part of the course taught by Amandine le Maire, each student will undertake an in-depth reading of a scientific article in French or English, which they will present to the group. This presentation will be followed by a group discussion. The aim is therefore not merely to summarise the article, but to identify its research question, main findings and implications for Deaf Studies and/or interpreting.
Documentary research will be taught through practical exercises. Starting with an issue related to Deaf Studies, students will gradually learn to formulate a research question, construct search queries, identify keywords in French and English, use academic databases, select relevant references and compile a bibliography.
Excerpts from films and other media produced by or with deaf people will also be analysed in order to give centre stage to deaf perspectives and knowledge.

Evaluation methods

The activities carried out during the four-month term are designed for educational purposes and serve as preparation for the final assessment leading to certification.
The final assessment leading to certification consists of an oral presentation in class of two academic articles, which accounts for 100 per cent of the final mark.
Each student carries out a literature review on an issue related to Deaf Studies and selects two academic articles, in French and/or English, which have been approved in advance by the lecturers. The presentation, lasting 15 to 20 minutes, is delivered in LSFB and is followed by a 10-minute discussion with the class.
During the presentation, the student must:

• present and summarise the two articles;
• draw connections between them and develop a critical analysis;
• make links with the concepts covered in the course and the practice of interpreting;
• propose questions to stimulate a discussion with the class.

Assessment focuses on the quality of the literature review, understanding of the articles, their contextualisation, the application of Deaf Studies concepts, the quality of the presentation in LSFB, and the relevance of the responses provided during the discussion.
Please note:
Assessments and assignments to be presented or submitted as part of this course are individual pieces of work that will demonstrate the student’s competence in ‘Deaf Studies’. The use of artificial intelligence is prohibited (exceptions will be communicated by the teacher). Sources used must be properly cited. Any irregularities will be penalised in accordance with the general regulations governing studies and examinations.
Attendance at classroom sessions is compulsory. In accordance with article 73 of the General Regulations governing Studies and Examinations, unjustified absence from a course may be penalised, and the course teachers may propose to the jury that a student who has not attended at least 80% of the classes be refused registration for the January or August/September sessions.

Faculty or entity

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