ASL 1550 - Elementary American Sign Language 1
Fall 2026 Syllabus, Section 02, CRN 41186,
Credit hours: 2
Course Meeting Times
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Instructor
Julia Finocchi
Email: jfinocchi@ysu.edu
Course Description
1550. Elementary American Sign Language 1. Introduction to the fundamentals of American Sign Language (ASL), including vocabulary, syntax, and grammatical non-manual signals. Introduction to the history and culture of the Deaf Community. Grading is ABC/NC. 2 s.h.
Course Readings
| Group | Title | Author | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|
| Required | An Introduction to American Deaf Culture | Thomas K. Holcomb | 978–0–19–977754–9 |
Some chapters will be assigned in class for discussion.
The course readings are subject to change in the event of extenuating circumstances, research developments, current events, and/or to ensure better learning.
Assignments/Assessments
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Schedule of Topics and Assignments
| Day | Date | Proposed Topic | Due/To Prepare for Class |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tue | 8/25 | Class Expectations 1.1 – Getting Attention / Visual Communication Progress Monitoring Assigned |
1.1 – Getting Attention / Visual Communication |
| Thu | 8/27 | 1.1 – Greetings and Leave-Taking | Assignment 1.1B: Greeting Analysis. Students demonstrate three culturally appropriate ways to initiate and end an interaction. Record a 60-second practice dialogue. |
| Tue | 9/1 | 1.2 – Introducing Yourself | Assignment 1.2: Self-Introduction. Record a 45–60 second introduction including name, fingerspelling, and basic personal information. No English script permitted. |
| Thu | 9/3 | 1.2 – Asking Someone's Name | Assignment 1.2B: Information Exchange. Develop and practice an original introduction dialogue with a partner. Identify where turn-taking occurs. |
| Tue | 9/8 | 1.3 – Fingerspelling | Assignment 1.3: Fingerspelling Accuracy Log. Complete structured fingerspelling practice and identify personal error patterns. |
| Thu | 9/10 | 1.3 – Receptive Fingerspelling | Assignment 1.3B: Receptive Fingerspelling. Students view unfamiliar fingerspelled words and identify them without replaying until after their initial response. |
| Tue | 9/15 | 1.4 – Numbers/Personal Information | Assignment 1.4: Numbers in Context. Students practice age, phone numbers, addresses, and other numerical information within conversational contexts. |
| Thu | 9/17 | Unit 1 Review | QUIZ 1 – Unit 1: vocabulary in context, fingerspelling, numbers, receptive comprehension, and expressive introduction. |
| Tue | 9/22 | 2.1 – Exchanging Personal Information | Assignment 2.1: Information Interview. Students prepare questions about name, age, residence, school/work, interests, and other course vocabulary. |
| Thu | 9/24 | 2.1 – Question/Answer Structure | Assignment 2.1B: Receptive Interview. Students watch a signed interview and identify specific information provided by the signer. |
| Tue | 9/29 | 2.2 – Family Vocabulary | Assignment 2.2: Family Profile. Students create an ASL family profile using appropriate relationship vocabulary and possessive structures. |
| Thu | 10/1 | 2.2 – Family Relationships | Assignment 2.2B: Family Receptive Activity. Students interpret an unfamiliar family description and construct the corresponding relationship map. |
| Tue | 10/6 | 2.3 – Describing People | Assignment 2.3: Person Description. Students describe a person using physical characteristics and other appropriate descriptive information without identifying the person by name. |
| Thu | 10/8 | 2.3 – Receptive Description | QUIZ 2 – Unit 2A: family vocabulary, descriptions, possessives, receptive comprehension, and short expressive response. |
| Tue | 10/13 | 2.4 – Personal Information/Conversation | Assignment 2.4: Information Exchange. Students conduct a structured 3–4 minute ASL conversation and submit a self-evaluation. |
| Thu | 10/15 | Units 1–2 Review | MIDTERM EXAM: receptive + expressive + vocabulary/grammar/culture components. |
| Tue | 10/20 | 3.1 – Daily Activities | Assignment 3.1: Daily Activity Inventory. Students identify and practice activities they actually perform and organize them into categories. |
| Thu | 10/22 | 3.1 – Asking About Activities | Assignment 3.1B: Activity Interview. Students conduct a short ASL interview regarding daily activities and summarize the information in ASL. |
| Tue | 10/27 | 3.2 – Time Concepts | Assignment 3.2: Time in Context. Students interpret and produce times associated with daily activities, appointments, and schedules. |
| Thu | 10/29 | 3.2 – Asking About Schedules | QUIZ 3 – Unit 3A: activities, numbers/time, receptive comprehension, and schedule questions. |
| Tue | 11/3 | 3.3 – Daily Routines | Assignment 3.3: Routine Description. Students create a 1–2 minute ASL description of a typical weekday. |
| Thu | 11/5 | 3.3 – Sequencing Activities | Assignment 3.3B: Sequencing Analysis. Students identify how an ASL signer organizes a sequence of daily activities. |
| Tue | 11/10 | 3.4 – Frequency/Habitual Activities | Assignment 3.4: Frequency Interview. Students interview a partner about activities they regularly, occasionally, or rarely do. |
| Thu | 11/12 | 3.4 – Receptive Routine Comprehension | QUIZ 4 – Unit 3B: routines, frequency, sequencing, and receptive comprehension. |
| Tue | 11/17 | 3.5 – Talking About Daily Life | Assignment 3.5: Compare Daily Routines. Students compare their own routine with a partner's routine using appropriate ASL structures. |
| Thu | 11/19 | 3.5 – Conversational Follow-Up | Assignment 3.5B: Conversation Expansion. Students conduct an unscripted conversation and must ask at least five follow-up questions. |
| Tue | 11/24 | 3.6 – Integrated Daily Life Communication Unit 3 Review |
Assignment 3.6: Receptive Daily-Life Narrative. Students watch an unfamiliar signer describe a routine and answer comprehension questions. QUIZ 5 – Unit 3 Comprehensive: receptive + expressive + grammar/vocabulary. |
| Thu | 11/26 | ||
| Tue | 12/1 | Units 1–3 Integration | Final Project Workshop: students organize personal information, family information, and daily routine into a connected ASL presentation |
| Thu | 12/3 | Final Project Practice Progress Monitoring Pt 2 and Reflection |
Practice Presentation: peer feedback using instructor rubric |
| Tue | 12/8 | Comprehensive Review | Individual receptive practice + final exam review |
| Thu | 12/10 | FINAL EXAM | Receptive + expressive + grammar/culture |
The course schedule, policies, procedures, and assignments in this course are subject to change in the event of extenuating circumstances, by mutual agreement, and/or to ensure better learning.