Signing Naturally 1011 Instant

Master ASL: A Deep Dive into Signing Naturally Units 10–11 If you are a student of American Sign Language (ASL), you know that the journey from basic signs to fluid conversation is a steep climb. Signing Naturally is the gold-standard curriculum used in colleges across North America, and moving into Units 10 and 11 marks a major milestone. At this level, you are moving beyond "what is your name" and "where is the bathroom" into the nuanced world of giving instructions and talking about family history. Unit 10: Giving Directions and Instructions Unit 10 shifts the focus to spatial awareness and technical description. It’s not just about knowing the signs; it's about how you use the space around you (the "signing space"). 1. Spatial Mapping In Unit 10, you learn to describe the layout of a room or a building. The Goal: To give someone a mental map of a location. The Key: You must maintain "signer's perspective." If you sign that the door is on the right, it must be on your right, and the listener must process it as being on their left. 2. Giving Directions This unit covers how to tell someone how to get from Point A to Point B. You’ll practice: Common Landmarks: Identifying hallways, stairs, and elevators. Distance and Effort: Using Non-Manual Markers (NMMs) to show if a destination is "just right there" (CS - cheek to shoulder) or "very far" (open mouth, squinted eyes). 3. Explaining Processes How do you change a tire or bake a cake in ASL? Unit 10 teaches you how to sequence instructions using chronological signs (First, Second, Next, Finally) and transition signals like "When" clauses. Unit 11: Sharing Information About Possessions Unit 11 moves into the personal realm. This unit is designed to help you describe things you own, from their physical attributes to how you acquired them. 1. Descriptive Classifiers Classifiers are the "secret sauce" of ASL. In Unit 11, you’ll dive deep into: Instrument Classifiers (ICL): Showing how you handle an object (e.g., how you hold a heavy suitcase vs. a small briefcase). Descriptive Classifiers (DCL): Describing textures, patterns (polka dots, stripes), and shapes. 2. Money and Values Talking about cost is a major part of this unit. You will learn: The Dollar Twist: The specific movement used for amounts $1 through $9. Giving Prices: Combining signs for cents and dollars fluidly. 3. Narrative Skills: The "Life Event" Unit 11 often culminates in telling a story about a possession—perhaps how you got your first car or a sentimental piece of jewelry. This requires blending Role Shift , Classifiers , and Temporal Aspect (showing how long something lasted). How to Succeed in Units 10–11 Record Yourself: These units rely heavily on body language and facial expressions. Record yourself signing a set of directions and watch it back. Can you follow your own map? Focus on the "Why": Don't just memorize the sign for "striped." Learn the classifier movement that allows you to describe any pattern. Practice Receptive Skills: Use the videos provided in the Signing Naturally workbook. Units 10 and 11 feature faster, more natural signing speeds. Watch the stories multiple times without looking at the English prompts. Watch the NMMs: In Unit 10 especially, your face tells the listener how far a turn is or how big a room is. If your face is "blank," your ASL is "monotone." Conclusion Signing Naturally Units 10 and 11 represent the transition from beginner to intermediate fluency. By mastering the spatial directions of Unit 10 and the descriptive complexity of Unit 11, you are building the foundation for true conversational proficiency in the Deaf community. AI responses may include mistakes. Learn more

Welcome to Signing Naturally 1011! In this unit, we will continue to explore the world of American Sign Language (ASL) and Deaf culture. We will build on the skills and knowledge you gained in previous units, and dive deeper into the language and culture. Lesson 1011: Describing People and Places In this lesson, we will focus on describing people and places using ASL. We will learn new vocabulary and grammar structures to help you communicate effectively. Vocabulary:

Family members (e.g. mother, father, sister, brother) Physical characteristics (e.g. hair color, height, weight) Places (e.g. home, school, park)

Grammar:

Using descriptive phrases to describe people and places Using classifiers to describe physical characteristics Using spatial relationships to describe locations

Example Sentences:

"My mother is tall and has brown hair." "The park is near my house." "My brother is short and has blue eyes." signing naturally 1011

Practice:

Practice describing your family members using ASL Practice describing your favorite places using ASL Watch and respond to a video of someone describing a person or place in ASL

Cultural Connection:

Learn about Deaf culture and community Understand the importance of visual description in Deaf culture Explore Deaf history and notable Deaf individuals

Assessment: