towson university child care center · 4 sign language alphabet learning sign language alphabet is...
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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
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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