3/29/2025 12:50:35 AM	ASL 56 Course Outline as of Fall 2025	Changed Course
CATALOG INFORMATION
Discipline and Nbr:  ASL 56	Title:  FINGERSPELLING & NUMBERS
Full Title:  ASL Fingerspelling and Numbers
Last Reviewed:9/9/2024

Units		Course Hours per Week			Nbr of Weeks	Course Hours Total
Maximum	2.00	Lecture Scheduled	2.00		17.5 max.	Lecture Scheduled	35.00
Minimum	2.00	Lab Scheduled	0		6 min.	Lab Scheduled	0
		Contact DHR	0			Contact DHR	0
		Contact Total	2.00			Contact Total	35.00
		Non-contact DHR	0			Non-contact DHR Total	0

Total Out of Class Hours:  70.00

Total Student Learning Hours: 105.00

Title 5 Category:  AA Degree Applicable
Grading:  Grade or P/NP
Repeatability:  00 - Two Repeats if Grade was D, F, NC, or NP
Also Listed As: 
Formerly:  ASL 107

Catalog Description:

Students will be introduced to fingerspelled and numerical systems in American Sign Language. This course provides intensive instruction in the receptive and expressive practice of fingerspelling and numbers at increasing levels of complexity.

Prerequisites/Corequisites:

Recommended Preparation:
Course Completion or Concurrent Enrollment in ASL 1

Limits on Enrollment:

Schedule of Classes Information
Description:

Students will be introduced to fingerspelled and numerical systems in American Sign Language (ASL). This course provides intensive instruction in the receptive and expressive practice of fingerspelling and numbers at increasing levels of complexity.

(Grade or P/NP)
Prerequisites:
Recommended:Course Completion or Concurrent Enrollment in ASL 1
Limits on Enrollment:
Transfer Credit:CSU;
Repeatability:00 - Two Repeats if Grade was D, F, NC, or NP

ARTICULATION, MAJOR, and CERTIFICATION INFORMATION

Associate Degree:		Effective:		Inactive:
Area:
CSU GE:	Transfer Area			Effective:	Inactive:
IGETC:	Transfer Area			Effective:	Inactive:
CSU Transfer:	Transferable	Effective:	Fall 2018	Inactive:
UC Transfer:		Effective:		Inactive:
C-ID:

Certificate/Major Applicable: Certificate Applicable Course

COURSE CONTENT

Student Learning Outcomes:
At the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to:

1. Produce a wide range of fingerspelling and number signs in ASL.

2. Participate in extended dialogues in ASL which involve extensive use of fingerspelling and number signs.

3. Apply the five parameters of ASL: handshape, palm orientation, movement, location, and non-manual markers.

 

Objectives:

At the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to:

1. Produce numbers, fingerspelled words, and loan signs in ASL of varying degrees of complexity in a clear, rapid, and accurate manner.

2. Demonstrate comprehension of numbers, fingerspelled words, and loan signs in ASL by writing down or repeating in ASL the signed or fingerspelled item.

3. Produce clear, accurate and grammatically correct ASL sentences which combine conventional signs, loan signs, fingerspelled words, and numbers in a clear and accurate manner.

4. Demonstrate comprehension of ASL sentences which combine conventional signs, loan signs, fingerspelled words, and numbers by responding to comments or questions.

5. Participate in extended dialogues about various basic topics using grammatically correct ASL sentences which combine conventional signs, loan signs, fingerspelled words, and numbers.

Topics and Scope

I. Introduction to Fingerspelling in ASL

    A. Five parameters of ASL: handshape, palm orientation, movement, location, and non-manual markers

         1. Alphabet letters

         2. Numeral systems

    B. Pangram

II. Basic Strategies for Receptive Fluency in ASL

    A. Seeing fingerspelled words as wholes instead of individual letters

    B. The "three Cs" for comprehending fingerspelled words

         1. Configuration

          2. Closure

         3. Context

    C. Receptive fingerspelling sample: "The quick brown fox . . ."

III. Basic Strategies for Expressive Fluency in ASL

    A. Expressive fingerspelling sample: "The quick brown fox . . ."

    B. Variations in fingerspelled letters such as d, e, g, h, m, n, q, and w

    C. Guidelines for effective fingerspelling

         1. Pauses

         2. Correcting mistakes

         3. Communicating initials

         4. Showing articles

         5. Possessives

         6. Double letter formations

         7. Fingerspelled signs for emphasis

IV. Expressive Fingerspelling Practice

    A. Using a metronome for pacing expressive fingerspelling

    B. Avoiding Repetitive Motion Injury (RMI)

         1. Overuse Syndrome

         2. Tendonitis

         3. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

V. Receptive Fingerspelling Practice

    A. Reading in GLOSS, written ASL sentence structures

    B. Using anticipated vocabulary

         1. Restricted set of words

         2. Categories

VI. Using Loan Signs

     A. Lexical Borrowing

    B. Assimilation

    C. Some signs originated from fingerspelling words such as TOO-BAD, NO-GOOD, JOB

    D. Directionality of loan signs such as OK (APPROVE), BACK

    E. Manipulation of fingerspelling in words such as BUSY, HURT

    F. Fingerspelling abbreviations for states, ounce, pound

VII. Creative Fingerspelling

    A. ABC and number story sequencing by using alphabet letters, order, numbers, or backward

    B. Expressing emphasis of fingerspelling words using non-manual markers

VIII. Expressive and Receptive Use of ASL Number Systems

    A. Basic numbers 0 - 1 million

    B. Money and finance - cost, sale, total, taxes, budget, spending, owing, etc.

    C. Measurements - liquid, yard/tape, height, width, etc.

    D. Telling time

    E. Time duration

    F. Frequency of events

    G. Age and personal numbers

    H. Sports

    I. Ordinal and ranking numbers

     J. Phone numbers, home and business addresses, etc.

    K. Scientific numbers

Assignments:

1. Writing assignments:

     a. Practice translating ASL content through online exercises or written exercises

2. Problem-solving assignments

    a. Practice exercises from the workbook, videos, online video assignments, or teacher- prepared materials

    b. Group/pair practice in-class activities, games, dialogues and discussions

    c. Review of lessons from workbook, videos, online video assignments, technology-related assignments, or teacher-prepared materials

3. Skills demonstrations

    a. Performance of conversational dialogues in ASL using fingerspelling or numbers, or both

    b. Three or four presentations in ASL about Deaf culture, loan signs, fingerspelled words, or numbers

    c. Viewing short videotaped passages and online video assignments and preparing written, signed, typed, paraphrased descriptions

4. Exam(s) and Quiz(zes)

5. Expressive skills assignments (in-class or through technology)

Methods of Evaluation/Basis of Grade.

Writing: Assessment tools that demonstrate writing skill and/or require students to select, organize and explain ideas in writing.		Writing 20 - 30%
Translate ASL content
Problem solving: Assessment tools, other than exams, that demonstrate competence in computational or non-computational problem solving skills.		Problem Solving 20 - 30%
Practice exercises (both group and individual), review lessons
Skill Demonstrations: All skill-based and physical demonstrations used for assessment purposes including skill performance exams.		Skill Demonstrations 30 - 40%
Performances and presentations
Exams: All forms of formal testing, other than skill performance exams.		Exams 0 - 30%
Exam(s), quiz(zes)
Other: Includes any assessment tools that do not logically fit into the above categories.		Other Category 0 - 30%
Expressive skills assignments

Representative Textbooks and Materials:

ABC 1-2-3: Fingerspelling and Numbers in ASL, Student Workbook. Mendoza, Elizabeth. Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf. 2008. (classic).

Number Signs for Everyone: Numbering in American Sign Language (book with DVD). MacDougall, Cinnie.  DawnSignPress. 2006. (classic).

Fingerspelling in American Sign Language. 2nd ed.  Cartwright, Brenda and Bahleda, Suellen J. Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf Press. 2002. (classic).

 

Websites and web-based technology that might include:

 

GOREACT

YouTube account

Canvas Studio

Google tools

 

Instructor prepared materials

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