ASL Beginner-Level Mini-lessons

An edu-entertainmental series of the self-study mini-lessons are offered for learners who are interested in learning ASL as a second language (L2) online and who are new to ASL.

These self-paced, self-learning lessons are for your personal and educational interests only whether you are an ASL student, a parent of deaf children, or an individual in a remote area. You can enjoy learning at your own pace.

These mini-lessons are a paid section, currently work in progress. A sign-up may be available in the future.

This section is being renovated.

A word of advice: online lessons are, in any way, no substitute for face-to-face instruction and live interaction in real life. I strongly recommend that you take a face-to-face course to attain a high level of communicative competency. However, these self-study lessons may be beneficial supplementary materials or extra practice for ASL students and individuals alike.

These online tutorials are only a scratch or a small amount from real life classroom where you would acquire the language more, consume a lot of information, practice live interactive communication, turn-taking, and so on. These lessons do not necessarily reflect the same from your real life instructor's curriculum.

The most efficient communicative competency is two-way interactive communication with a native or near-native instructor and fluent signers in Deaf/ASL community. It's an opportunity where you can acquire the target language in an immersive environemnt, develop and use your language through two-way interactive conversations and meaning negotiation, receive corrective feedback, develop your language structure, and understand subtle pragmatics, contextual meanings, and other complex aspects.

A Registration Craze

Syllabus, awareness quiz, homework

Learning strategies and survival vocabulary.

Introducing oneself and fingerspelling name.

NAME, WHAT?, WHO; all alphabetical letters; NICE, MEET-YOU
Using a wh-question signal.
Fingerspelling one's name.
Understanding pronouns and spatial referencing.
Pointing; acting out: strategies of asking what the sign is for.
SIGN, WHAT; BOOK, CHAIR, DOOR, COMPUTER, PAPER, etc.
Understanding a basic OSV structure.
[action] IX-me #DO++ WHAT?
[object]/\ YOU [verb] (giving a command)
Tell when: IN-PAST/BEFORE, NOW, FUTURE/WILL
Counting 1 to 12. NUMBER, NEXT, BEFORE/PREVIOUS
Farewell: BYE.

Greetings, pronouns, etc.

Asking what means, disscussing, GIVE, etc.

Topic: Stategies on asking what a sign means and asking for clarification. Vocabulary: MEANING, EXPLAIN MORE, EXPLAIN AGAIN, CONTEXT+DEPENDENT or DEPEND+CONTEXT... Topic: Use a verb inflection for GIVE.

Idenifying a person; colors; basic vocabulary for people

Identifying a person; colors

Identifying a person: basic description and basic colors.
WHO: WOMAN, MAN, GIRL, BOY, PEOPLE, PERSON.
SHIRT, PANTS, GLASSES, HAT
COLOR, BLUE, YELLOW, etc.

Identifying a person; colors.
Needs and wants; GIVE, ASK, TELL

Topic: Expressing basic needs and wants.

Count 10-30, how many years; learning ASL.

Talking about weather.
OUTSIDE, SNOW, RAIN, NICE, CLOUDY, SUNNY, etc.
Seasons of the year: SPRING, FALL, WINTER, SUMMER.
Talking about home.
HOME, HOUSE, #APT, #CONDO, ROOMMATE etc.
LIVE WITH, #PET
Talking about non-numeral age.
NEW, YOUNG, OLD, VERY-OLD,
Talking about studies.
STUDY, GRADUATE
Talking about work: basic occupations.
WORK, SERVE, CLEAN, COOK, etc.
Work in progress
Count cardinal numbers from one through 100.
- Tell age.
Count cardinal numbers from 1 to 30. Review 1-10. Introduce HOW-MANY, PLUS.
Tell frequency: days and weeks.
Work in progress
Topic: Talking about home country. Voc: BIRTH, HISTORY Numbers: Tell a year. Culture: Watch the documentary Audism Unveiled.
Shopping for clothes.
BUY, PAY, COST
Tell a price in dollars and cents.
Describing people.
APPEARANCE, TALL, SHORT, SLIM, CHUBBY, etc.
Oral exam: tips
Final exam: study tips

Got any question or a tutorial request? Send your email to Handspeak. Got some memorable anecdotes, learning tips, and/or invaluable advice to share with others students and instructors? Instructors are welcome to contribute tutorial posts, tips, and/or ideas. Email me.