ASL Conversation & Vocabulary Led by Deaf Educator: Intermediate (11-13)

The ASL Conversation & Vocabulary Club, intermediate level is designed to build upon the foundational knowledge and skills acquired in a beginner-level ASL course. This course aims to enhance students' ability to communicate effectively using ASL with a focus on expanding their vocabulary, grammar, and fluency.

Learners will delve deeper into ASL grammar, including sentence structure, verb conjugation, classifiers, spatial referencing, and non-manual markers. They will also learn more complex vocabulary and idiomatic expressions specific to various contexts and scenarios. Etiquette and common social norms within the Deaf community will also be discussed to foster sensitivity and awareness.

We aim to create a supportive and inclusive learning environment, where all students can thrive and feel comfortable. Respect and sensitivity towards Deaf culture and ASL will be emphasized throughout the course. 

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Prerequisites for Intermediate ASL

- Completion of Beginner ASL: Learners should have successfully completed a beginner ASL course or have equivalent knowledge in basic vocabulary, grammar, and signing skills.
Basic Vocabulary Proficiency: Familiarity with essential vocabulary, including greetings, numbers, colors, and common nouns and verbs.

- Understanding of Fundamental Grammar: Knowledge of basic ASL grammar, such as subject-verb-object (SVO) sentence structure, simple negation, and question formation.
Fingerspelling Mastery: Ability to fingerspell the ASL alphabet and basic names or words fluently.

- Comfort with Facial Expressions and Non-Manual Markers: Understanding the role of facial expressions in conveying tone and meaning in ASL.

- Basic Conversational Skills: Experience engaging in simple dialogues and the ability to ask and answer basic questions in ASL.

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WEEKLY BREAKDOWN:

Week of Oct 14: Family Signs
Week of Oct 21: Colors and Descriptions
Week of Oct 28: Food Signs

Week of Nov 4: Everyday Activities
Week of Nov 11: Emotions
Week of Nov 18: Weather
Week of Nov 25: Hobbies and Interests

Week of Dec 2: Clothing
Week of Dec 9: Animals
Week of Dec 16: Common Actions

Week of Jan 6: Transportation
Week of Jan 13: Holidays and Celebrations
Week of Jan 20: Health and Body
Week of Jan 27: Travel Vocabulary

Week of Feb 3: Technology
Week of Feb 10: Community and Places
Week of Feb 17: Shapes
Week of Feb 24: Fun and Games

Week of Mar 3: Signs for Directions
Week of Mar 10: Daily Life Vocabulary
Week of Mar 17: Signs for Feelings
Week of Mar 24: Pets and Animals

Week of Apr 7: Food and Cooking
Week of Apr 14: Sports and Activities
Week of Apr 21: School-Related Vocabulary
Week of Apr 28: Nature and Environment

Week of May 5: Signs for Jobs and Occupations
Week of May 12: ASL Games and Challenges
Week of May 19: Sign Language Charades
Week of May 26: Creative Expression in ASL

Week of Jun 2: ASL Storytelling

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CLASS ENVIRONMENT

Our classrooms are guided by a Socratic teaching approach, fostering critical thinking and encouraging open dialogue among learners. By facilitating engaging discussions and posing thought-provoking questions, students are able to explore topics more deeply and gain a comprehensive understanding of the material. 

Our class size does not exceed 5 learners. This allows for more personalized attention from the educator, ensuring that each learner's individual needs and learning styles are met. With a smaller group size, there is also more opportunity for discussion and collaboration among classmates, creating a supportive and engaging learning environment. Additionally, students may feel more comfortable and confident participating in discussions and activities in a smaller group setting.

We incorporate a mix of traditional methods such as videos and limited PowerPoint presentations to accommodate various learning styles as well. 

In addition, we gamify our lessons, as much as possible, to make learning fun and interactive for students. By adding elements of games and competition, we are able to keep learners engaged and motivated to participate in their education.

We also incorporate hands-on projects, wherever possible, to provide students with real-world application of their learning. Through these projects, students are able to apply their knowledge in practical ways and further enhance their understanding of the subject matter.

By designing this type of diverse classroom environment, utilizing multiple teaching methods, we effectively address the diverse learning styles of our learners.

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IMPORTANT DATES

Please note we value mental health and want to prevent teacher burnout. With that said, we do take company wide breaks where there will not be any classes taught nor will we be answering emails. 

Please expect a delay in responses the following dates: 

2024:

August 19-August 25 (Summer Break)
November 27-29 (Thanksgiving Break)
December 23 - December 31 (Winter Break)

2025

January 1 - Jan 5 (Winter Break)
March 17 - March 23 (Spring Break)
April 19 - April 20 (Easter Break)
August 25-31st (Summer Break)

If you are enrolled, you will not be charged!

We will be returning all emails the day or two after we return. 

In addition, teachers may need time off outside of these breaks as emergencies do happen. We always try our best to give ample notice when we can. You will never be charged for a day that we cancel classes.

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CLASS POLICIES

Refund Policy:

We strictly adhere to Outschool's refund/reschedule policy for all of our classes. This means that once a class has been paid for, there will be no deviation from Outschool's guidelines. We do not offer refunds or rescheduling outside of what Outschool allows. 

Camera Policy:

All students are required to keep their camera turned on during the entire class. The only exception is those that have been verified by Outschool and have the verification badge.  

Contact info:

In compliance with Outschool's policies, we do not accept friend or contact requests from current or former families on any social networking site (Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.). We also do not provide or ask for any personal information such as email address or phone numbers.

We appreciate your understanding and cooperation with these policies.