American Sign Language Beginner 3

Formerly Sign Language Lower Intermediate.

American Sign Language Beginner 3 focuses on family. Learn how to describe family members and how they are related, and how to specify someone’s age.

In Beginner 3, you’re introduced to ASL storytelling, a visual literature that’s vitally important to preserving, sharing and passing on stories popular in Deaf culture from one generation to the next. There are many genres of ASL storytelling, including poetry, personal narrative, folktales, jokes and handshape stories. In this course, you learn the ASL story Timber.

The concept of maintaining a clear sightline is also introduced. Learn how to interact clearly, comfortably and respectfully with Deaf and hard of hearing people by establishing a clear line of sight, whether you’re the signer or the listener.

Course outline

Signing Naturally 1–6, Unit 4: Talking About Family:

• Talking about immediate family
• Negation
• Have, like, want and need
• Talking about siblings
• Telling how old
• Talking about extended family
• Telling how family members are related
• Discussing family variations
• Getting the meaning across
• Commenting on family members
• Culture: Maintaining a clear sightline
• “Timber” story

Textbook

This course requires the purchase of Signing Naturally 1–6, which can be ordered from the UBC Bookstore. This course covers unit 4.

How am I assessed?

This is a non-credit course without letter or numerical grades. You receive feedback on your sign language skills from your instructor during class, and on homework you complete outside of class. At the end of the course, you prepare and sign a short presentation to demonstrate that you’ve learned the required skills to move on to the next level.

Record of completion

A record of completion will be emailed to students who participate and satisfy the course requirements within two weeks of the course end date. Course completion means 80% attendance and/or 80% completion of mandatory assignments.

Expected effort

Outside of class time, you should allow one to two hours per week to practise signing, complete homework and textbook exercises, watch and record videos, and prepare presentations.

Technology requirements

To take this course, you’ll need access to:

• an email account
• a computer, laptop or tablet under five years old and using Windows or Mac OS
• the latest version of a web browser (or previous major version release)
• a reliable internet connection
• a video camera

One day before the start of your course, we’ll email you step-by-step instructions for accessing your course.

Course format

This course is 100% online, and is instructor-supported with real-time classes.

All of our ASL classes are taught by Deaf instructors experienced in teaching hearing and hard of hearing students. Spoken English is not used in class. Our instructors use ASL, gestures, slides and occasional written English (in the Zoom chat) to support and help you learn to communicate confidently and comfortably in ASL. You'll also quickly learn signs to show understanding, to ask for clarification, and to ask your instructor to repeat something.

For your live virtual classes, you login to your class at scheduled times and participate by video with Zoom, a web conferencing app. In order for a virtual ASL classroom to be successful, we require you to turn on your video, and join from a place where you won't be disturbed and can remain for the entire class. Moving around can be distracting for your classmates and instructor, and make it difficult for you to participate.

Outside of class time, you can access other materials online at your own pace and rhythm. Please note you can log in to your course for up to three weeks after the course ends. You'll no longer be able to access course materials in Canvas after this time.