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Learn MoreAmerican Sign Language: Basics & Beyond
Rating: 4.6 out of 54.6(6 ratings)
26 students
American Sign Language: Basics & Beyond
Basics & Beyond for the ASL enthusiast who is looking for an immersion 'in the classroom laidback' approach to learning.
Created byAK Kasanowski, J. Lee Graham
Last updated 6/2025
English
What you'll learn
- ASL basics: alphabet, fingerspelling, numbers, colors, etc.
- ASL vocabulary development
- ASL grammatical structure
- Spatial Relationship skills
- Understanding and use of classifiers
- Receptive skills
- Facial grammatical structures
- Question forms
- Dialogue and body shifting and eye gazing
- Storytelling in ASL
Explore related topics
Course content
8 sections • 86 lectures • 9h 12m total length
- Introduction1:16
This course is for the ASL enthusiast of all ages, who has some knowledge of basic sign language, but it is not required.
This course is perfect for beginners who want a review and move beyond the beginner level. The lessons will start with some ASL basics and incrementally increase in complexity.
This course is geared for both adults and children.
This course would benefit older siblings who have a younger Deaf sibling—to help develop signing skills to be a language model. Both siblings can play along.
This course engages the younger signing student with use of visuals, while providing support for the adult learner when viewing the video without voiceover (VO).
This course gives you a ‘being in a classroom’ laidback feel to it, where there are two instructors. One instructor is leading the lesson as the teacher and the other is participating as the student. Lessons and corresponding activities/games encourage you to participate at home.
This course provides you with an immersion experience for those who can't attend a class in person, or who do not have access to the Deaf community. This course’s intention is to give you exposure to signing within an ASL environment, usually found in an in-person class.
To build your receptive skills, there is no voiceover or captioning in one video of each lesson. Visuals are presented to help with understanding. The second video of the same lesson will give you a voiceover version. The suggestion is to try to immerse yourself in the language by using the sign only video. Use the version with the voiceover when necessary.
Things to consider:
American Sign Language has its own grammatical structure and syntax. This course offers lessons in ASL, not in a signed English structure. Pay attention to facial expressions as you learn the vocabulary and sentence structure. It is a part of the grammatical syntax.
Geographical locations determine sign choices, (different signs for the same word may be dependent on where you live).
This course consists of lessons that focus on developing the ASL sentence structures while increasing your vocabulary development and receptive skills simultaneously. There will be an opportunity for you to practice.
ASL is a spatial language. Spatial relationship building activities are incorporated, which are key to understanding this 'visual' language.
Classifiers in ASL are representations of the noun which will incorporate the other parts of the sentence, i.e., verbs, adverbs, quantifiers, etc., within the movements and facial expressions.
- Guess the Word Game5:38
Learn through play: alphabet and numbers 1-10. Try using this 'sign only' video first. See next section for the voice over option, if needed.
- Voice Over (VO) Guess the Word: alphabet, letters, numbers 1-10.5:38
Learn how to sign letters and numbers in game format. Use this 'voice over' lesson to help you understand the signing.
- Alphabet, fingerspelling and loan signs.11:11
Review how to sign the letters of the alphabet.
Develop understanding of fingerspelling and some basic rules.
Learn what loan signs are--fingerspelling of words that have morphed into a sign themselves.
What to do with double letters when fingerspelling.
- Voice Over (VO) Option: Alphabet, fingerspelling and loan signs.11:11
Voice Over Option--use this to assist in understanding what is being signed.
Review how to sign the letters of the alphabet.
Develop understanding of fingerspelling and some basic rules.
Learn what loan signs are--fingerspelling of words that have morphed into a sign themselves.
What to do with double letters when fingerspelling.
- Guess the Word Game--alphabet, letters, numbers 1-10 Signs3:13
Play the game to practice the letters and numbers 1-10.
Try to use this 'sign only' video before using the voice over option.
- Voice Over Option: Guess the Word-- alphabet, letters, numbers 1-10 Signs3:13
Use this 'voice over' to help you understand, if needed.
Play the game to practice the letters and numbers 1-10.
- Colors12:27
Learn colors and play a game to reinforce your learning.
Get your markers and paper ready to play the drawing game at the end of the lesson.
- Voice Over (VO) Option: Colors Lesson12:29
Voice Over option. Try using the 'sign only' option first.
Learn the basics colors.
Be prepared with art supplies--paper and markers, to play the color drawing game.
- Nouns and describing skills; fingerspelling5:01
Learn basic nouns and describing skills.
- Voice Over Option: Nouns and describing skills; fingerspelling5:01
Voice Over option: nouns and descriptive skill development.
- Numbers 1-403:12
Practice signing the numbers 1-40.
- Voice Over (VO) Numbers 1-403:12
Practice signing numbers 1-40.
- Numbers 41-802:55
Practice signing the numbers 41-80.
- Voice Over Option: Numbers 41-802:55
Voice Over Option: Practice signing the numbers 41-80.
- Numbers 81-123 and beyond.3:01
Signing numbers 81-123 and beyond, highlighting the pattern of signing numbers.
- Voice Over (VO) Option: Numbers 81-123 and Beyond.3:01
Voice Over option: signing numbers 81-123 and beyond, highlighting the pattern of signing numbers.
- Counting numbers by tens2:42
Learn the rhythm of count by tens in ASL.
- Voice Over Option: Counting numbers by tens.2:42
Voice over option: Learn the rhythm of count by tens in ASL.
- Guess the number game4:07
Play the 'guess the numbers game' quiz. Get a piece of paper and a pencil or pen to write down your answers. The end of the game gives you the correct answers. Good luck!
- Voice Over Option: Guess the number game4:07
Voice Over option: Play the 'guess the numbers game' quiz. Get a piece of paper and a pencil or pen to write down your answers. The end of the game gives you the correct answers. Good luck!
- Create a Grocery List: Vocabulary Development14:25
Learn signs for vocabulary related to food, as you create the grocery list.
- Voice Over Option: Create Grocery List: Vocabulary Development14:28
Voice Over Option: Learn signs for vocabulary related to food, as you create the grocery list.
- Adjectives--Describing words6:42
Develop signs for some basic adjectives--describing words, i.e., sad, happy, etc.
Understand the word order rules between English and ASL for adjectives and nouns.
- Voice Over Option: Adjectives--Describing Words6:44
Voice Over Option: Develop signs for some basic adjectives--describing words, i.e., sad, happy, etc.
Understand the word order rules between English and ASL for adjectives and nouns.
- Charades6:03
In ASL, the signer should develop the skills to embrace and express the qualities of the what is being signed within their facial expressions and body movements along with the signs themselves.
Playing Charades is a good way to play with the language to develop this skill. For some, it will be natural. For others, it will be a learned skill. Watching the specific movements of say, animals, for example, will help to incorporate these features.
In this game, we play with the language after giving you the signs for each vocabulary word or phrase.
Take a moment to see how well you can do to act out each of the vocabulary words and phrases.
- Voice Over Option: Charades6:03
Voice Over Option: Use the voice over to help you understand what is being signed.
In ASL, the signer should develop the skills to embrace and express the qualities of the what is being signed within their facial expressions and body movements along with the signs themselves.
Playing Charades is a good way to play with the language to develop this skill. For some, it will be natural. For others, it will be a learned skill. Watching the specific movements of say, animals, for example, will help to incorporate these features.
In this game, we play with the language after giving you the signs for each vocabulary word or phrase.
Take a moment to see how well you can do to act out each of the vocabulary words and phrases.
- Verbs and Tenses15:38
Introduction to verbs and their tenses; and how the specific movements of the verb sign indicates each tense.
- Voice Over Option: Verbs and Tenses15:38
Voice Over Option:
Introduction to verbs and their tenses; and how the specific movements of the verb sign indicates each tense.
- Verbs and Tenses: Spatial Relationship Game8:21
Reinforcement of vocabulary and development of spatial relationship skills using vocabulary: verbs and their tenses.
- Voice Over Option: Verbs and Tenses: Spatial Relationship Game8:23
Voice Over Option:
Reinforcement of vocabulary and development of spatial relationship skills using vocabulary: verbs and their tenses.
- Vocabulary and Sentence Development: Occupations & ASL Sentences to English.21:31
Lesson on how to sign occupations (including the 'agent' sign).
Using this new vocabulary, creating sentences in ASL with English grammatical translation and comparisons.
Reinforcement of ASL sentence structure development.
- Voice Over: Vocabulary and Sentence Development: Occupations & ASL to English15:52
Voice Over Option:
Lesson on how to sign occupations (including the 'agent' sign).
Using this new vocabulary, creating sentences in ASL with English grammatical translation and comparisons.
Reinforcement of ASL sentence structure development.
- Question Forms: Who, What, Where, What-do, How Many?15:02
Learn how to sign question forms with appropriate facial expressions to indicate that it is a question.
Vocabulary development and review of nouns and verbs.
Classifiers are incorporated in the dialogue about the visuals being used in the lesson.
- Voice Over Option: Question Forms: Who, What, Where, What-do, How Many?15:04
Voice Over Option:
Learn how to sign question forms with appropriate facial expressions to indicate that it is a question.
Vocabulary development and review of nouns and verbs.
Classifiers are incorporated in the dialogue about the visuals being used in the lesson.
- Vocabulary Development & Beginner Dialogues.1:57
Vocabulary Development, Question forms, and dialogue skills.
- Voice Over Option: Vocabulary Development & Beginner Dialogues.1:57
Voice Over Option: Vocabulary Development, Question forms, and dialogue skills.
- Vocabulary Development & Beginner Dialogues1:52
Vocabulary Development, Question Forms, and Dialogue Skills.
- Voice Over Option: Vocabulary Development & Beginner Dialogues1:52
Voice Over Option: Vocabulary Development, Question Forms, and Dialogue Skills.
- Vocabulary Development & Beginner Dialogues1:47
Using visuals, sentences are created in English and translated into ASL.
Basic questions and statements are incorporated into the dialogue.
- Voice Over OptionL Vocabulary Development & Beginner Dialogues1:48
Voice Over Option:
Using visuals, sentences are created in English and translated into ASL.
Basic questions and statements are incorporated into the dialogue.
- ASL Classifiers Information Sheet1:18
A more detailed explanation of what a classifier is and to be viewed before the upcoming lessons on classifiers.
- Classifiers16:17
Classifiers are signs that use handshapes which represent different and specific categories of size, shape, or usage: things (objects, people, animals, vehicles, etc.); shapes and surfaces ; sizes (amount, largeness, smallness, etc.); and usage (movement paths, speed, interactions, etc.)
Classifiers can help to clarify your message and provide specific details.
Classifiers can be used to describe the size and shape of an object and represent the object itself; demonstrate how the object moves and convey how it relates to other objects and/or people.
In this video, we teach 3 classifier handshakes: 1:cl, 3:cl, and bent V:cl.
We will practice using these classifiers in short phrases and sentences.
- Voice Over Option: Classifiers16:19
Classifiers are signs that use handshapes which represent different and specific categories of size, shape, or usage: things (objects, people, animals, vehicles, etc.); shapes and surfaces ; sizes (amount, largeness, smallness, etc.); and usage (movement paths, speed, interactions, etc.)
Classifiers can help to clarify your message and provide specific details.
Classifiers can be used to describe the size and shape of an object and represent the object itself; demonstrate how the object moves and convey how it relates to other objects and/or people.
In this video, we teach 3 classifier handshakes: 1:cl, 3:cl, and bent V:cl.
We will practice using these classifiers in short phrases and sentences.
- Spatial Relationship Drawing Game: Vocabulary and Classifiers.5:26
Practice your spatial relationship skills, receptive skills, and classifiers. Play along!
- Voice Over Option: Spatial Relationship Drawing Game: Vocabulary and Classifiers5:30
Voice Over Option: Practice your spatial relationship skills, receptive skills, and classifiers. Play along!
- ASL Structure: Location, Topic, Comment Format.9:47
Using visuals, create sentences in this beginning ASL structure format: location, topic, comment.
- Voice Over Option: ASL Structure: Location, Topic, Comment Format.10:12
Voice Over Option: Using visuals, create sentences in this beginning ASL structure format: location, topic, comment.
- English to ASL Activity6:52
This activity uses the ASL Structure of: location, topic, comment.
Review of this concept, and creating an ASL sentence; writing this sentence into English.
A list of locations, topics, and comments are provided, to make each sentence.
Then, practice signing the written sentence. Pause the video before we sign the answer.
- Voice Over Option: English to ASL Activity6:55
Voice Over Option:
This activity uses the ASL Structure of: location, topic, comment.
Review of this concept, and creating an ASL sentence; writing this sentence into English.
A list of locations, topics, and comments are provided, to make each sentence.
Then, practice signing the written sentence. Pause the video before we sign the answer.
- Sentence Guessing Game:7:23
Vocabulary development and review.
ASL Grammatical Structure/Sentence development: Comparing ASL and English Sentence Structures.
Practice your receptive skills: Guess the sentence that matches the signing.
- Voice Over Option: Sentence Guessing Game7:23
Voice Over Option:
Vocabulary development and review.
ASL Grammatical Structure/Sentence development: Comparing ASL and English Sentence Structures.
Practice your receptive skills: Guess the sentence that matches the signing.
- Numbers Review8:27
Signing numbers review, 1-100.
Practice signing the numbers.
Practice your receptive skills.
- Voice Over Option: Numbers Review8:29
Voice Over Option:
Signing numbers review, 1-100.
Practice signing the numbers.
Practice your receptive skills.
Play the game!
- Spatial Relationship Game: Numbers, Nouns, Verbs2:08
Develop your spatial relationship skills using vocabulary that we have learned: nouns, verbs, and numbers.
Get writing materials to join in on the activity.
- Voice Over Option: Spatial Relationship Game: Numbers, Nouns, Verbs2:10
Voice Over Option: Develop your spatial relationship skills using vocabulary that we have learned: nouns, verbs, and numbers.
Get writing materials to join in on the activity.
- Location Vocabulary Review1:50
A review of location signs in preparation for the upcoming lesson on distance and time between two locations.
- Voice Over Option: Location vocabulary Review1:50
Voice Over Option: A review of location signs in preparation for the upcoming lesson on distance and time between two locations.
- How to Sign minutes: Distance between 2 locations.4:39
Learn how to sign minutes. Incorporate the verb and classifier in this activity where we determine the time (in minutes) between two locations.
- Voice Over Option: How to Sign minutes: Distance between 2 locations.4:40
Voice Over Option: Learn how to sign minutes. Incorporate the verb and classifier in this activity where we determine the time (in minutes) between two locations.
- 3-destination Drawing Game6:22
An expansion of the previous lesson. Explore and incorporate the verb and appropriate classifier in this activity where we determine the time (in minutes) between three locations and the mode of travel.
- Voice Over Option: 3-destination Drawing Game6:22
Voice Over Option: An expansion of the previous lesson. Explore and incorporate the verb and appropriate classifier in this activity where we determine the time (in minutes) between three locations and the mode of travel.
- Beginner Dialogue Practice4:05
Experience a dialogue between two signers.
Pay attention to the differences in grammatical structure in the English to ASL translation.
Review the video, to practice the signing of each sentence.
- Voice Over Option: Beginner Dialogue Practice4:05
Voice Over Option:
Experience a dialogue between two signers.
Pay attention to the differences in grammatical structure in the English to ASL translation.
Review the video, to practice the signing of each sentence.
- Beginner Dialogue with Role Shifting2:20
Learn to use role shifting with body movement and eye gaze changes to indicate the two different signers.
- Voice Over Option: Beginner Dialogue with Role Shifting2:21
Learn to use role shifting with body movement and eye gaze changes to indicate the two different signers.
- Silly Sentences14:08
Using the vocabulary listed, each signer will create a silly sentence in English. The other signer will sign their version of the written sentence.
Pause the video after reading the sentence to see if you can sign the silly sentence.
- Voice Over Option: Silly Sentences14:08
Voice Over Option:
Using the vocabulary listed, each signer will create a silly sentence in English. The other signer will sign their version of the written sentence.
Pause the video after reading the sentence to see if you can sign the silly sentence.
- Question Forms15:02
Learn how to sign question forms--yes-no questions, who, what, where, what-do, & how many. Learn the appropriate facial expressions to match each question form.
Using the visuals provided, the teacher will be asking related questions.
Pause the video after the question, review the photo, and see if you can understand and then answer the questions.
- Question Forms15:04
Voice Over Option:
Learn how to sign question forms--yes-no questions, who, what, where, what-do, & how many. Learn the appropriate facial expressions to match each question form.
Using the visuals provided, the teacher will be asking related questions.
Pause the video after the question, review the photo, and see if you can understand and then answer the questions.
- AK's Story: English to ASL; Question Forms/Dialogue3:53
AK signs her story. Use the written English visual to help you understand her signing. Pause the video to help you see the difference between the English and ASL structure.
JG will ask AK questions related to her story. See if you can provide the answers before AK does.
How did you do? Are your receptive skills improving?
- Voice Over Option: AK's Story: English to ASL; Question Forms/Dialogue3:53
- JG's Story: English to ASL translation; Question Forms & Responses/Dialogue2:55
JG signs his story. Use the written English visual to help you understand his signing. Pause the video to help you see the difference between the English and ASL structure.
AK will ask JG questions related to his story. See if you can provide the answers before JG does. How did you do? Are your receptive skills improving?
- Voice Over Option: JG's Story: English to ASL; Question Forms/Dialogue2:55
Voice Over Option:
JG signs his story. Use the written English visual to help you understand his signing. Pause the video to help you see the difference between English and ASL structure.
AK will ask JG questions related to his story. See if you can provide the answers before JG does. How did you do? Are your receptive skills improving?
- End of Course, Part 16:32
Use this 'sign only' video before using the 'voice over' option, to see what you have learned.
A review of vocabulary and fingerspelling.
Practice your receptive skills.
- Voice Over Option: End of Course, Part 16:32
Use the 'sign only' video before using the 'voice over' option, to see what you have learned.
A review of vocabulary and fingerspelling.
Practice your receptive skills.
- End of Course, Part 22:10
Use this 'sign only' video before using the 'voice over' option, to see what you have learned.
A review of verbs and tenses.
Practice your receptive skills.
- Voice Over Option: End of Course, Part 22:13
Use the 'sign only' video before using the 'voice over' option, to see what you have learned.
A review of verbs and tenses.
Practice your receptive skills.
- End of Course, Part 34:12
Use this 'sign only' video before using the 'voice over' option, to see what you have learned.
A review of short phrases, in ASL grammatical word order.
Practice your receptive skills.
- Voice Over Option: End of Course, Part 34:14
Use the 'sign only' video before using the 'voice over' option, to see what you have learned.
A review of short phrases, in ASL grammatical word order.
Practice your receptive skills.
- End of Course, Part 41:56
Use this 'sign only' video before using the 'voice over' option, to see what you have learned.
Signing English to ASL: short phrases and sentences.
Practice your skills in translating English to ASL. Pause the video to give your signed version first. See if your signing is similar or not?
- Voice Over Option: End of Course, Part 42:00
Use the 'sign only' video before using the 'voice over' option, to see what you have learned.
Signing English to ASL: short phrases and sentences.
Practice your skills in translating English to ASL. Pause the video to give your signed version first. See if your signing is similar or not?
- End of Course, Part 51:45
Use this 'sign only' video before using the 'voice over' option, to see what you have learned.
Signing English to ASL: sentences.
Practice your skills in translating English to ASL. Pause the video to give your signed version first. See if your signing is similar or not?
- Voice Over Option: End of Course, Part 51:47
Use the 'sign only' video before using the 'voice over' option, to see what you have learned.
Signing English to ASL: sentences.
Practice your skills in translating English to ASL. Pause the video to give your signed version first. See if your signing is similar or not?
- End of Course, Part 62:20
Can you understand the conversation in this video?
Watch the 'sign only' version before using the 'voice over' option.
Thank you for taking our course! We hope you enjoyed it!
- Voice Over Option: End of Course, Part 62:26
Can you understand the conversation in this video?
Watch the 'sign only' version before using the 'voice over' option.
Thank you for taking our course! We hope you enjoyed it!
Requirements
- A desire to learn American Sign Language, (ASL)
- Optional: some ASL basic knowledge but it is not required.
- A desire to learn in an 'immersion' like environment.
- Art materials to join in--paper, pencil or colored markers.
- Internet connection
Description
This course is for the ASL enthusiast who has some knowledge of basic sign language, but it is not required.
This course is perfect for beginners who want a review and move beyond the beginner level. The lessons will start with some ASL basics and incrementally increase in complexity.
This course gives you a ‘being in a classroom’ laidback feel to it, where there are two instructors. One instructor is leading the lesson as the teacher and the other is participating as the student. Lessons and corresponding activities/games encourage you to participate at home. It provides you with an online immersion (of sorts) of the language with some specific grammar lessons.
To build your receptive skills, there is no voiceover or captioning in one video of each lesson. Prior to the lesson, a preview of the vocabulary with visuals, print, pictures, and/or voiceover is presented, to prepare you for the lesson. The second video of the same lesson will give you the captioning and/or voiceover.
American Sign Language has its own grammatical structure and syntax. This course offers lessons in ASL, not in a signed English structure. Pay attention to facial expressions as you learn the vocabulary and sentence structure. It is a part of the grammatical syntax.
Geographical locations determine sign choices, (different signs for the same word may be dependent on where you live).
This course consists of lessons that focus on developing the ASL sentence structures while increasing your vocabulary and receptive skills. There will be an opportunity for you to practice. Spatial relationship building activities are incorporated.
Classifiers in ASL are representations of the noun which will incorporate the other parts of the sentence, i.e., verbs, adverbs, quantifiers, etc., within the movements and facial expressions.
Who this course is for:
- This course is for the ASL enthusiast who has some knowledge of basic sign language, but it is not required.
- This course is perfect for beginners who want a review and move beyond the beginner level.
- The course provides you with an online immersion of the language. If you're looking for that in the classroom feel to develop your ASL skills, then this is a great course for you!
- A beginning course for parents and their families within the Deaf and/or hearing community, who are interested in learning ASL.