Svenna Pedersen, M.A.

Lecturer
Department of Dual Language and English Learner Education

SDSU

Email

Primary Email: [email protected]

Phone/Fax

Primary Phone: 619-550-3515

Building/Location

Lamden Hall - 330
Mail Code: 1154

Bio

Svenna Pedersen is a native Deaf American Sign Language (ASL) professor at several universities and colleges including, San Diego State University (SDSU) under the Dual Language of English Learners Education (DLE) Department. She also teaches at Gallaudet University, Mesa Community College, Grossmont College, and Southwestern College. She received her masters degree from Gallaudet University in Deaf Studies with the concentration in ASL Teaching. She teaches all levels of ASL and Deaf Culture courses. She also oversees the ASL proficiency assessment for SDSU students, for more information you can email her at [email protected].

In the past, Svenna has worked at Salk Institute's Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience with Dr. Ursula Bellugi and team as a researcher.  She also was a family educator for Deaf children and families, taught ASL to Deaf children from the toddlers to 12th grade age groups in the field of Deaf education. She also was one of the Early Childhood Literacy consultant for one of the Visual Language and Visual Learning's storybook apps, The Baobab.  

Outside of SDSU, Svenna also has served on the board of the San Diego chapter of the American SIgn Language Teachers Association (SD-ASLTA).  In addition, she is currently a member of the American Sign Language Teachers Association (ASLTA), National Association of the Deaf (NAD) and Deaf Women United organization (DWU).  

Education

  • MA in Deaf Studies, with an emphasis on American Sign Language Teaching, Gallaudet University , May 2007.
  • Bachelor of Arts, Communication Studies, Gallaudet University, May 2005
  • Online DEFT Teaching Credential, Southwestern College, 2018
  • American Sign Language Proficiency Interview, Score 4+, 2016 
  • California Subject Examination for Teachers Single Subject World Languages: American Sign Language, 2014

Courses

  • DLE 101: American Sign Language Level One (Face to Face and Online courses)
  • DLE 102: American Sign Language Level Two (Face to Face and Online courses)
  • DLE 201: American Sign Language Level Three (Face to Face and Online courses)

Publications

  • Corina D, Pedersen S, Farnady C, Rogalsky C, Hickok G, Bellugi U (2015). Limb Apraxia in American Sign Language. Society for Neurobiology of Language, Chicago, IL. 
  • Hickok G, Farnady C, Corina D, Pedersen S, Bellugi U (2015). Effects of Age on Sign Span in Deaf Signers: A Normative Study. Psychonomic Society, Chicago, IL.
  • Pedersen S, Farnady L,  Blau S,  Bellugi U,  Corina DP, Hickok G (2015). Visual and Linguistic Errors in an American Sign Language (ASL) Naming. Cognitive Neuroscience Society Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA.
  • Corina DP, Pedersen S, Farnady L,  Rogalsky C, Bellugi U, & Hickok G (2014). Effects of Subcortical Lesions on the Production of American Sign Language. Cognitive Neuroscience Society Annual Meeting, Boston, MA.
  • Limb Apraxia in American Sign Language. Cognitive Neuroscience Society, San Francisco, 2015
  • Implementing ASL and Deaf Culture in your Identity. Deaf Counseling Advocacy and Referral Agency, California, 2013
  • American Sign Language and Fingerspelling. California School for the Deaf, Fremont, 2011
  • Having a Conversation with your Deaf Child. California School for the Deaf, Fremont, 2011