ASL 1 Beginner — Teens (Ages 13–18) · 45-Week Course
$15 per class or $675 for all 45 classes
ASL 1: 45-Week Beginner American Sign Language Course
Join our 45-week ASL 1 course, designed to help beginner learners build a strong foundation in American Sign Language through a combination of weekly live instruction and self-paced learning materials.
Students meet live once each week for a 30-minute interactive lesson while also receiving access to lesson materials, videos, games, activities, and practice resources they can use between classes.
Students may join at any point during the year. Previous lessons and materials remain available so new learners can catch up at their own pace while jumping right into the current weekly live class.
No prior ASL experience is required.
Throughout the course, students progress from beginner foundations such as the ASL alphabet, fingerspelling, numbers, and everyday vocabulary to short sentences, questions, conversations, storytelling, and basic ASL grammar.
Lessons are taught through clear teacher modeling, visual demonstrations, slides, movement, interactive activities, games, and real-time signing practice. Students are encouraged to participate at their comfort level while gradually building confidence using ASL with others.
Taught by Deaf and CODA instructors, this course goes beyond memorizing individual signs. Students also learn about Deaf culture, facial expressions, signing space, sentence structure, and the visual communication skills that make ASL a complete language.
What Students Will Learn 🤟🏽
- ASL alphabet and fingerspelling
- Numbers and number concepts
- Greetings and introductions
- Family, food, animals, colors, emotions, weather, school, and everyday vocabulary
- WH-questions and Yes/No questions
- Basic ASL grammar and sentence structure
- Facial expressions and non-manual markers
- Signing space and directional movement
- Classifiers and visual descriptions
- Short conversations
- Expressive and receptive signing skills
- Visual storytelling
- Deaf culture and community awareness
Live Class + Self-Paced Practice 💻
Each week may include live ASL instruction, lesson slides, vocabulary review, practice videos, games and activities, optional independent practice, and review materials from previous lessons.
If a student misses a class or joins after the course has already started, they can use the available materials to review and catch up while continuing with the weekly live lessons.
Our Goal 🎯
By the end of ASL 1, students should have a strong beginner foundation and greater confidence understanding and producing ASL. Learners will work toward communicating through simple conversations, asking and answering questions, describing people and objects, and sharing short stories using ASL.
What Your Learner Will Do
- Enhance fluency and confidence in everyday conversations.
- Expand vocabulary through themed word sets.
- Practice and improve understanding of ASL grammar.
Prerequisites: No prior ASL experience is required. This course is designed for complete beginners and will guide students step-by-step through ASL levels 1 to 4. Learners should be ready to participate visually and be comfortable using their hands.
Syllabus
6 Units · 45 Lessons · over 45 Weeks
Unit 1: ASL 1 -Mastering the ABCs
Week 1: Placement Quiz
This short assessment helps us understand each student's current signing skills, including fingerspelling, vocabulary, receptive understanding, and basic conversation.
Week 2: ASL Alphabet and Introduction Phrases
Students will be able to finger spell the manual alphabet by memory. Students will be able to finger spell their name. Students will learn how to sign greetings and Introductions.
Week 3: Vocabulary Builder
Greetings and Intro
Week 4: ASL Numbers 1-30
Students will be able to sign the numbers 1-30
Week 5: Vocabulary Builder
Animal & Pets
Week 6: Inside the Deaf World: A Culture of Connection
Students will know the basics about Deaf Culture.
Week 7: Not Just Fingerspelling: Unlocking Lexicalized Words in ASL
Students will be able to recognize lexicalized fingerspelling.
Week 8: Show What You Know! – ASL Review Quiz Unit 1
A fun wrap-up quiz to check students' understanding of vocabulary, fingerspelling, numbers and Deaf culture.
Unit 2: ASL 2-Types of Signs
Week 9: Discovering Parameters
Students will learn the 5 Parameters of ASL
Week 10: Mastering Noun-Verb Pairs
Students will be able to recognize noun-verb pairs
Week 11: Vocabulary Builder
Family and People
Week 12: Conversation Phrases and Practice
Students will practice ASL phrases.
Week 13: ASL Numbers 30-100
Students will be able to sign numbers 1-100
Week 14: Consistent Use of Hand Dominance
Students will learn how to use their dominant hand for one-handed signs and lead hand movements in two-handed signs
Week 15: Eye Gaze
Students will learn how to use their eyes to follow movement, indicate spatial relationship
Week 16: Show What You Know! – ASL Review Quiz Unit 2
A fun wrap-up quiz to check students' understanding of vocabulary, fingerspelling, numbers and Deaf culture.
Unit 3: ASL 3 Part 1-Sentences & Word Order
Week 17: ASL Grammar & Word Order
Understanding the structure of ASL
Week 18: Simple Sentence Review
Students will review sentences and practice signing.
Week 19: Vocabulary Builders
Food Signs
Week 20: How to Sign Questions
Students will be able to ask questions in ASL
Week 21: Vocabulary Builders
Calendar and Days of the Week
Week 22: Facial Expressions
Students will learn how to show tone, emotion, and grammar in ASL
Week 23: Vocabulary Builders
Animal and Pets
Week 24: Show What You Know! – ASL Review Quiz Unit 3
A fun wrap-up quiz to check students' understanding of vocabulary, Questions, Grammar and fluency.
Unit 4: ASL 3 Part 2- Indexing
Week 25: What are ASL pronouns?
Students will be able to sign pronouns in ASL
Week 26: What is indexing and Directional Verbs?
Students will be able to use indexing accurately and index using directional verbs
Week 27: Numbers 31-100
Students will learn to count to 100
Week 28: Show What You Know! -Vocabulary Review
A fun wrap-up quiz to check students' understanding of vocabulary, ASL 1-3 Expressive and Receptive.
Week 29: More Indexing & ASL Verbs
Students will be able to recognize the gender of indexing signs
Week 30: Different Types of ASL Verbs
Students will be able to recognize types of ASL verbs and Students will be able to sign verbs accurately
Week 31: Vocabulary Builders
Feelings and Color Signs
Week 32: Show What You Know! – ASL Review Quiz Unit 3 Part 2
A fun wrap-up quiz to check students' understanding of vocabulary, Questions, Grammar and fluency
Unit 5: ASL 4 Part 1 -Identifying People & Negation
Week 33: What is Negation & Reversal in ASL
Students will be able to recognize and sign negation
Week 34: Vocabulary Builders
Shopping and Entertainment Signs
Week 35: Describing People
Students will be able to recognize people being identified Students will be able to identify people
Week 36: Vocabulary Builders
Weather and Season Signs
Week 37: Vocabulary Builder
Vehicles and Transportation
Week 38: Classifiers
Students will learn how to use signs to represent objects, people, and how they move or interact
Week 39: Conversation Practice
Students will go over examples of common phrases and sentences
Week 40: Show What You Know! – ASL Review Quiz
A fun wrap-up quiz to check students' understanding of vocabulary, Questions, Grammar and fluency.
Unit 6: ASL 4 Part 2-"Final Project "
Week 41: Pick & Plan
Introduce all 4 project options
Week 42: Draft & Prep
Students start working on signs or gathering materials
Week 43: Build & Practice
Students begin recording pieces or creating visuals Practice expressive signing, classifiers, or game play
Week 44: Finalize & Polish
Record final videos, rehearse presentations, finish game sets
Week 45: Presentation Week 🎉
Celebrate each student’s creativity and work