ASL 1001 Elementary American Sign Language (4 Credits)

This introductory course builds foundation ASL skills by developing students’ basic expressive and receptive abilities in ASL. Students will learn essential signs, sentence structures, and grammatical features used in simple, everyday interactions. Emphasis is placed on basic conversational exchanges, visual attention, and the appropriate use of non-manual signals. Students will continue to refine culturally appropriate communication behaviors and continue expand their understanding of Deaf culture, community norms, and lived experiences. Topics explored include, but are not limited to basic signs, fingerspelling, numbers academics, and family. This is the first course of a three-quarter sequence.

ASL 1002 Elementary American Sign Language (4 Credits)

This course builds upon foundational ASL skills by expanding students’ expressive and receptive abilities in ASL. Students will develop increased fluency in connected signing through more complex vocabulary, sentence structures, and grammatical features. Emphasis is placed on sustained conversations, narrative development, and accurate use of spatial referencing and non-manual signals. Students will continue to refine culturally appropriate communication behaviors and continue expand their understanding of Deaf culture, community norms, and lived experiences. Topics explored include, but are not limited to, residences and communities, scheduling, and social activities. This is the second course in a three-quarter sequence.

ASL 1003 Elementary American Sign Language (4 Credits)

This course builds on previously acquired American Sign Language skills with an emphasis on expanding expressive and receptive abilities through everyday, community-based themes. Students will develop better fluency by continuing learning ASL vocabulary grammar, and discourse strategies related to food, people in the community, and home environments. Instruction focuses on accurate use of non-manual signals, spatial organization, classifiers, and depicting verbs to support clear and meaningful communication. Students will engage in interactive signing activities, strengthen conversational competence, and continue developing culturally appropriate behaviors. The course also promotes students’ understanding Deaf cultural practices as they relate to daily life and community interactions, supporting more confident, and effective communication in real-world contexts. This is the third course in a three-quarter sequence.