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T O W S O N U N I V E R S I T Y C H I L D C A R E

C E N T E R

I N T R O D U C T O R Y

C L A S S R O O M A M E R I C A N S I G N

L A N G U A G E

2012

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FOREWORD

Research has shown the benefits of Sign Language on growing communication abilities of children, sug-

gesting that teaching young children Sign Language along with regular speech accelerates the communica-

tion abilities of young children. The benefits of Sign Language in the development of a child’s mental and

physical abilities are no longer to be questioned according to researchers. It is our hope as a Center to ac-

tively participate in the development of the children in our care, in as many ways as possible.

The use of Sign Language around certain phrases is how we will teach “Sign” here. Our children speak

many languages; we speak “Baltimore”. “Sign” makes certain phrases common and thereby, easier for

everyone.

In line with our mission to equip our children for the future, and with our commitment to serve an ever-

growing diverse community, we are happy to introduce this booklet. We believe this booklet may be help-

ful and enjoyable at home, as well as in our classrooms.

Please keep in mind that there are different Sign Languages. This booklet has adopted “signs” from

American Sign Language. Pictures are associated with words to ease your learning and practice of this

language.

American Sign Language (ASL) is the third most used language in the United States, after English and

Spanish. Prior to 1817, there was no universal Sign Language. The “Signs” that were used here in the

United States by the Deaf community were unique to each family (primarily gestures made up in each

home).

Sign Language, as we understand it today, was brought to America from France

in 1817 by the Frenchman, Laurant Clerc, a deaf individual, and an American,

Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet, who was a hearing individual. They worked togeth-

er to combine French Sign and American gestures (homemade signs) to develop

what we know today as American Sign Language. It is important to know that

ASL is not the same as our English language. ASL has its own structure, inde-

pendent from either French or English.

Learning is a journey, and it is our hope that this book will help you in that journey.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Kara Brown-Perrett, Mom of Milo in Miss Ann's Room, provided some of the material used

in this booklet, and reviewed the completed work before printing.

Mrs. Brown-Perrett is the Executive Director of CSSD, the Community Support Services for

the Deaf Inc, which supports the Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and Deaf-Blind community with In-

tellectual/Developmental disabilities in the Baltimore metropolitan area. CSSD is also in-

volved in sensitizing and educating the community about the need to improve the quality of

life for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing communities.

We also want to thank all of those who have supported this effort from the very beginning.

To all of you, a sincere “Thank you!”

The resources used to compile this booklet include a great deal of Mrs. Brown-Perrett’s time

and expertise, relevant books and websites. A complete list of these resources is provided at

the end of this booklet, in the hope that they can help you in your learning journey as well.

These are some common and repeated words/phrases we use at our Center, and we think are a

good place to start as an introduction to Sign Language for children. The words in this book-

let are listed in alphabetical order. This booklet also includes sections entitled Conversational

Phrases and Additional Vocabulary.

We hope you enjoy this very basic beginning!

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Sign Language Alphabet

Learning Sign Language alphabet is a good introduction to using a visual language, not

a written or spoken language. A visual language is easy to understand once your mind

begins to convert to accepting “drawing pictures in the air’.

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VOCABULARY

AFTERNOON: Left arm

across torso with fingers

touching bottom of right

elbow; right arm straight

out at 45 degree angle.

AGAIN/REPEAT: Left

hand opened flat with

palm facing up; hold right

hand bent/cupped with

palm facing up. Then flip

right hand over & touch

right fingertips into the

left palm.

BABY: Cradle arms

together & swing

(rock) gently back &

forth twice.

BED/NAP: Tilt head

with right palm to right

cheek.

BETTER: Place right

hand fingertips on chin;

while pulling out /away

from chin & up to the

right, close hand into an

“A” with thumb up.

BIRTHDAY: Make sign for

“happy”; then flip right hand

palm facing up into left open

hand.

BOOK: Hands/palms to-

gether, then open with small

fingers touching (as in to

open a book).

BOY: Right hand flat-

tened “O” shape with

palm down; pinch

thumb & fingertips

twice (as in touching

the brim of a hat). To add “please”, see (p.13), to

mean :“please, I want to sleep/

go to bed”.

To add “please “, see

(p.13), to mean: “please,

repeat/repeat, please”.

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BREAKFAST: Sign

“Eat” (flatted “O” hand at

lips); then sign

“Morning” (left arm

across torso with finger-

tips ending in bend of

right arm; move right arm

upward with palm facing

up).

BROTHER: Make

“A” with right hand

over center of fore-

head; bring down,

changing to “L” &

rest on back of left

“L” hand.

CAN: Make “S”

hands with palms

facing down; bend

wrists & move

hands straight

down strongly.

CLASS: Make “C”

hands with thumbs fac-

ing each other, then

circle out & around

until palms are facing

you.

CHANGE: Make

“X” hands with

palms facing each

other, rotate at

wrist to reverse po-

sitions in relation to

body/twist “X’s”.

CLEAN: Left hand palm

facing up; right hand palm

facing down; right palm

slides across left palm from

heal to fingers, twice. (If

sliding hand only once, the

sign means “Nice”).

COAT/JACKET: Make

“A” hand, but thumbs

pointing up & out. Move

hands down from shoul-

der to waist in an arc (as

if to pull on a coat).

COMPUTER: Make

“C” with right hand;

place on top of left

wrist (palm facing

down) & move right in

an arc right & left.

Can also be used to

mean: “I want to use

the computer”.

VOCABULARY

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DANCE: Make “V”

with right hand; left

hand open with palm

facing up “B” hand;

swing right hand “V”

back & forth above

palm of left hand.

DAY: Left arm across

torso with palm facing

down, touching right el-

bow; with right elbow

resting on left fingers &

“B” hand, bring right

forearm & flat hand

down to meet the left

forearm.

DIAPER: At hip with

both hands, pinch index

& middle fingers togeth-

er with thumb, twice.

DIRTY: Place open

“5” hand with back of

hand under chin, palm

down, wiggle fingers.

DRINK: Make “C” with

right hand; bring “C” hand

to mouth with thumb touch-

ing just below lip (as if to

raise a cup to the mouth).

EAT/FOOD: Place right hand

with fingers together (“O”) at

mouth, then move repeatedly in

short motions away/toward

mouth.

FAMILY: Make “F” hands,

thumbs touching, then circle

out & around until palms face

up & little fingers touching.

DINNER: Sign

“Eat” with “O” hand

at mouth, then sign

“Night” with left

arm across torso &

right hand with fin-

gers cupped, bends

over left wrist.

FATHER: Make “5”

with right hand, tap

thumb against fore-

head twice.

Can use it to

mean: "It is

dirty”.

To add “please”, see

(p.13), to mean :“I

want to eat, please/

can I get something

to eat”.

To add “please”, see

(p.13), to mean :“I want

to drink, please”.

Can be used to mean: “Change dia-

per/change my diaper, please”.

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FEEL/FEELING:

Using middle

“sensing” finger on

right hand, touch

chest & move fin-

ger up & out away

from chest, twice.

FUN: Make “U”

hands; right hand “U”

to touch nose, then

bring hand down to

meet & rest on left

hand “U”.

FINE: On right hand,

make “5” hand & touch

thumb to your chest;

move hand out/away

from chest a couple of

inches.

FINISH/DONE/

COMPLETE: Bring

both “5” hands from in

front of the chest,

palms facing up,

downward with a twist

of the wrists, ending

with palms facing

down.

FIREFIGHTER: Make

“B” right hand; tap the

back of “B” hand on

forehead (as if to sym-

bolize the fire hat with

a shield).

FRIEND: Make “X”

hands, then hook right

over left, then reverse.

FUNNY: With repeated

movement, bring the right

extended index & middle

fingers from the nose for-

ward, bending fingers

down each time.

GAME: Make “A” hands

with thumbs up, palms

facing body; tap together

twice at knuckles.

GIRL: Make “A” with right

hand & thumb up; slide

thumb down jawline cheek

to almost chin, twice.

VOCABULARY

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GIVE: Make flat-

tened “O” right

hand at chest level;

move it out, with

palm up (as if to

give someone

something).

GRANDMOTHER: With

open hand, touch right thumb

to chin; move away from face

in two arcs; make same move-

ments & handshape with left

hand, but lower.

GOOD: Start with

open right hand;

touch fingertips to

chin, then move down

& out, stopping with

palm facing up in

front of body.

GOOD-BYE: Fingers

of right hand start open,

pointing up, then bend

up & down repeatedly

(waving).

GRANDFATHER:

With open hand,

touch right thumb to

forehead; move away

from face in two arcs;

make same move-

ments & handshape

with left hand, but

lower.

HAPPY/JOY: Flat

open right hand, facing

chest; bring hand up &

out at chest.

HE/SHE/HIM/HER/

IT/THEY/THEM:

Point with index fin-

ger toward the re-

ferred being or thing.

HELLO: Bend

fingers of right

hand at fore-

head, move out.

To add “please, see (p.13) to

say: “Give, please”.

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HELP/ASSIST: Make

“A” with right hand;

left hand flat with palm

facing up (“B” hand);

place right hand in

palm of left & raise left

hand up.

HOME: With right

fingers & thumb to-

gether, touch below

lower lip, then upper

cheekbone.

HUNGRY/STARVED: Make

“C” with right hand, bring fin-

gertips of right hand down-

ward on the chest.

HURT/PAIN:

Move the extended

index fingers of

both hands toward

each other in front

of the chest with a

short repeated

movement, palms

facing in.

I, ME: Using right index

finger, point to self at

mid-chest.

I LOVE YOU: Point the extended right index finger to

the center of chest, palm facing in; make “A” hand &

cross both arms at the wrists & lay them on chest; then

point the extended right index finger forward.

I LOVE YOU: Palm, out;

thumb, little & index fingers

up; middle fingers bent

down in palm (this hand-

shape combines the manual

letters I, L & Y).

KITCHEN: Make right “K” hand;

left hand palm facing up; flip right

“K” hand in palm of left – back &

forth—twice.

VOCABULARY

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LATER: Make “L”

hand, with thumb

pointing toward you;

move it away & for-

ward as the “L” pivots

down slightly (as if

throwing the “L”).

LIBRARY: Make right

“L” hand; move in cir-

cles toward the right, at

shoulder height.

LIKE: Make a “5” hand,

palm facing chest; touch

chest, then pull hand away

from chest to make the

middle finger & thumb

touch.

LOVE: Cross hands

at wrist, left over

right, at chest level.

LUNCH: Make “L”

hand; tap chin with

thumb, twice.

MAYBE: Both hands, palms up;

start with right hand low & left

hand high; move right up & left

down, then repeat (as if to weigh

a decision).

MILK: Make right “C” hand;

squeeze open & close to “S” hand,

twice (as if to milk a cow).

MONEY: Left hand palm open &

facing up; make flattened “O” with

right hand with palm facing up; tap

back of right hand fingers in left

palm, twice.

MORE: Make flattened

“O” hands; tap fingertips

together in front of chest

repeatedly.

MORNING: Left arm across

torso with fingertips in bend

of right arm; move right arm

upward with palm facing up

(as if the sun was rising).

To add “please, see

(p.13) to say: “more,

please”.

To add “please”, see

(p.13), to say: “I want/

need milk please”.

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MOTHER: Make right

“5” hand; tap thumb on

chin, palm facing left.

MUSIC/SING/SONG: Ex-

tend left arm out in front of

the body, palm facing in-

ward; swing open right hand,

palm facing inward, back &

forth along the inside of the

extended left arm.

NAME: Make “H”

hands with palms fac-

ing together; tap right

“H” on top of left

“H” , twice.

NIGHT/EVENING: Left arm

across torso, but hand slightly

away from body with palm fac-

ing down; right hand with fin-

gers cupped, bends over the left

wrist & taps several times.

NO: Extend index, middle fin-

gers & thumb, tuck ring and lit-

tle finger in palm; bring extend-

ed fingers together & tap twice.

PICTURE: Make left “5” hand

with fingers together, at chest

height with palm facing the right

hand; Make “C” with right hand;

bring “C” hand from the cheek,

down against the palm of left

hand.

PLAY: Make “Y”

hands; rotate wrists

side to side with

palms facing up

then down several

times.

NEIGHBOR: Both hands are open & flat, palms facing chest; right

hand presses to back of left hand, thumb up, then arcs slightly out;

then draw hands away from each other, straighten & push straight

down (as if touching the sides of a person).

VOCABULARY

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PLEASE: Make right

“B” hand, palm facing

in & touching chest;

make small circles at

mid-chest.

POLICE/COP: Make right

“C” hand; place just below

left shoulder & tap, twice

(as if to show where a Po-

lice badge would be).

RAIN: Make both “5”

hands; at shoulder height,

bend wrists of both

“5”/”claw” hands repeat-

edly (as if rain was fall-

ing from sky).

REST: Fold both

arms at chest, palms

inward.

SCARED/AFRAID:

Make both “5” hands at

chest level, palms facing

inward; slightly bend all

fingers & move hands to-

ward the middle of chest,/

toward each other, back &

forth repeatedly.

SEE: Make “V” hand at face

level; middle finger touches

cheek below eye & moves out-

ward. (as if looking outward).

SHARE: Both “5” hands open,

facing each other at angle; move

right hand between index finger &

thumb of left hand several times.

SHOES: Make “S” hands,

fingers facing down; tap

thumbs/inside of hands to-

gether twice.

SICK: Use both middle

fingers on hands; middle

finger of right hand taps

forehead, as middle finger

of left hand taps stomach.

SISTER: Make “A” with right

hand; make left “L” hand; move

right “A” down jawline, opening

to “L” & ending on left hand.

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SIT: Make “H”

hands, palms facing

down; tap right fin-

gers on top of left

fingers several times.

SLEEP: Start claw “C” hand

in front of face, bring down to

just below the chin, closing

fingers to flattened “O” (can

close eyes as moving hand

down face).

SORRY/APPOLOGIZE:

Make “A” hand, palm

in; touch mid-chest &

move in circle repeated-

ly.

STOP: Both “5” hands,

left hand palm facing up;

right facing inward;

move right hand down

firmly into palm-up of

left hand.

SURPRISE: Start hands

closed, thumbs & index fingers

pinched near eyes; flick index

fingers up/open quickly.

TEACHER: Make “O” hands at temples &

move out, then bring hands as “5” hands

straight down next to body.

THANK YOU:

Make right ‘B”

hand; touch chin,

then move down-

ward & out, turn-

ing palm up.

VOCABULARY

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TIME: With right index

finger, double-tap back of

left wrist (as if to point to

the time on a watch).

TIRED: Both “5” hands bent &

cupped; place fingers touching

chest, then pivot out at wrists until

back of hands face each other and

fingers point up & thumbs out.

TODAY: Both “Y” hands, palms facing chest, start at

chest & fall forward down to torso & palms begin to

face upward (the sign for “Now); then left arm across

torso with palm facing down, touching right elbow;

with right elbow resting on left fingers & “B” hand,

bring right forearm & flat hand down to meet the left

forearm (the sign for “Day”).

TOILET/BATHROOM//POTTY:

Make “T” with right hand, palm

facing forward; shake it several

times with short quick motions in

front of chest.

TOGETHER: Make “A”

hands; touch knuckles togeth-

er, thumbs up; move together

in a circle in front of body.

TOMORROW: Make “A” with

right hand; touch thumb at upper

jaw with thumb pointing toward

ear; just past the cheek & toward

the mouth, arc “A” hand forward,

ending just in front of the face with

thumb up.

TRY: Make “T” hands in front of chest, palms

facing chest; twist wrists forward while turning

palms out toward the front of you.

Tired: Start with fingers touching

your chest, with your elbow up.

Drop your elbows down. (as if you

are so tired and you cannot keep

holding your arms up.

This sign can

also be used to

say: “what time

is it?/what time

do you have?”

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UNDERSTAND:

Make right “S” hand

near temple; flick fin-

ger up quickly & re-

peatedly.

WAIT: Make both

“5” hands, palms

facing up; one hand

closer to body, oth-

er hand further

from body; wiggle

fingers while mov-

ing hands in small

circles.

WANT: Make “claw”

hands with palms facing

up in front of chest;

move hands straight in

toward chest/body fur-

ther.

WATER: Make

right “W” hand & tap chin

twice.

WHERE: Make “1”

hand with index fin-

ger, hold it chest lev-

el & rock it back &

forth from left to

right, repeatedly.

YES: Make “S” right

hand & nod it forwards at

wrist several times.

YESTERDAY: Make “A”

right hand; with thumb, touch

bottom right corner of mouth,

& move back to top of jaw.

VOCABULARY

To add “please”, see (p.13).

To add “please”, see (p.13), to say:

“Water, please/I need water, please”.

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NUMBERS: All numbers are made with palms facing out.

TEN: Make “A” hand with

thumb out. Shake “A” sev-

eral times.

1 2 3 4 5

6 7 8 9 10

DAYS OF THE WEEK:

MONDAY:

Make M” hand

& circle, once.

TUESDAY:

Make “T” hand

& circle, once.

WEDNESDAY:

Make “W” hand

& circle, once.

THURSDAY:

Make “H” hand

& circle, once.

FRIDAY: Make

“F” hand & cir-

cle, once.

SUNDAY: Make “5”

hands with palms facing

out; circle both hand out

then toward each other,

twice.

SATURDAY: Make

“S” hand & circle,

once.

ADDITIONAL VOCABULARY

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SEASONS:

WINTER: Make “S”

hands & “shiver” them

at chest level several

times.

SPRING/GROW: Make “C” with

left hand tilted down, make “O” with

right hand; Bring right “O” up &

through left “C” hand & right opens

to a “5” hand once through.

SUMMER: Drag right in-

dex finger “1” from left to

right across forehead, clos-

ing to an “X” as it goes.

FALL: Make “B”

right hand; brush

“B” down back of

left forearm, near

elbow.

COLORS: Make

“5” right hand; place

in front of chin &

wiggle fingers.

BLACK: Slide left

index finger right

to left across left

eyebrow.

WHITE: Make “5” hand

& place fingers on chest;

pull fingers out & closed

into a flattened “O” hand.

RED: Drag right index finger

down lips & end in an “X”.

BLUE: Make “B”

hand & wave right

& left, pivoting at

wrist.

GREEN: Make “G”

with fingers pointing

out; gently shake

right to left, pivoting

at wrist.

YELLOW: Make

“Y” hand & wave

right to left, pivot-

ing at wrist.

PINK: Make “P”

right hand; brush

middle finger of

“P” down lips &

chin, twice.

PURPLE:

Make “P”

hand & gently

shake right to

left, pivoting

at wrist.

ADDITIONAL VOCABULARY

19

potty please

I want to go to the potty/bathroom/toilet please.

I am sick.

Are you hungry?

Tell me.

I am scared.

CONVERSATIONAL PHRASES

How do you feel?

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Give me the book.

I feel better.

Tell him/her.

Have a sit, please.

Merry Christmas

Happy birthday

To add the sign

“please” see (p.13) to

mean: “Tell me,

please/Let me know”.

CONVERSATIONAL PHRASES

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It is raining.

The flower is growing

Good morning.

Good afternoon.

Good night.

No, thank you

22

Stop Rest Now Please

Let’s stop and rest now, please.

I know you.

I am tired.

I don’t like it.

I am glad to see you.

CONVERSATIONAL PHRASES

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Resources

Butterworth, R.R. & Flodin, M. (1992). The Pocket Dictionary of Signing. New York: The Penguin Group.

Costello, E. (1995). Signing, How to Speak with Your Hands. United States: Bantam Books.

Fant, L. & Fant, B.B. (2008). The American sign language phrase book. (3rd ed.), United States of America:

McGrawHill

Flodin, M. (2004). Signing Illustrated. New York: The Penguin Group.

Lewis, K. & Henderson, R. (2001). Sign Language Made Simple. New York: Three Rivers Press.

Penilla II, A.R. (2001). American Sign Language. Boca Raton, Fl: BarCharts, Inc.

Websites

www.lifeprint.com

www.aslpro.com

www.signingsavvy.com

www.handspeak.com

www.signingtime.com

www.babysignlanguage.com

www.lessontutor.com

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M

S I G N L A N G U A G E F O R C L A S S R O O M

D A I L Y U S E

Towson University Child Care Center @ Auburn Drive

Phone:410-704-2652

Fax: 410-704-3771

Web address: www.towson.edu/daycare

Towson University

8000 York Road

Towson, MD 21252

S i g n L A N G U A G E F O R

C L A S S R O O M D A I LY

U S E