Butte College

Course Outline

2026-2027 Catalog

ASL 2 - American Sign Language II

Catalog Description

Transfer Status
CSU/UC
Prerequisite
ASL 1
Unit(s)
4.00
  • Lecture: 68.00 Contact hours/136.00 Out of class hours/204.00 Total hours/4.00 Unit(s)
  • Total: 68.00 Contact hours/136.00 Out of class hours/204.00 Total hours/4.00 Unit(s)

Course Description: This course is the second half of a two part introductory course in American Sign Language (ASL) as it is used within the Deaf culture. ASL 2 continues to develop the student's use of appropriate linguistics and cultural principles of ASL. Instruction will further student’s language development by emphasizing receptive and expressive skills. Intermediate vocabulary, grammar, non-manual behaviors and fingerspelling will be taught.

Objectives

Upon successful completion of this course, the student should be able to:

  1. Comprehend and expressively use ASL skills to participate in a variety of grammatically correct dialogues, such as using morpheme and verb agreement in basic ASL topics.
  2. Analyze a variety of size and shape (body, instrument, descriptive, and locative) classifiers as they apply to identifying a person, an item or describing a scene.
  3. Demonstrate grammatically correct questions and sentences including WHO, WHERE, HOW-MANY, NOT-MIND, WHEN, and NEGATION.
  4. Use numbers appropriately as they apply cardinally to months, years, time, and money.
  5. Re-tell a narrative using ASL incorporating role-shift, topic sentences, WH/YES/NO questions and narrative structure.

Course Content

Topic Titles / Suggested Time Topic

Lecture

Lecture topics and suggested hours
TopicsLec Hrs

Review of numbers, sentence types and descriptive classifiers

5.00

Identifying a person: classifiers, non-manual markers

6.00

Describing an item or room

5.00

Translating sentences: Verb spatial agreement

4.00

Calendar description: days, weeks, months and years

5.00

Sequencing numbers: phone numbers

3.00

Giving the time: hours and minutes

2.00

Sentence types: Conditional, Negative, WH, YES/NO, NOT-MIND, and Rhetorical

11.00

Relay information: verb agreement, subject-object

3.00

Semantics (HAVE, MUST, FINISH, NONE, NOT-YET)

4.00

Comprehension: retelling stories

5.00

Deaf etiquette: minimizing interruptions, name signs, keeping others informed, greetings and leave-takings

9.00

Giving directions: WHEN clause

2.00

Deaf literature: contributions to society by Deaf individuals and Deaf artists

4.00
Total Hours:68.00

Methods of Instruction

  1. Class Activities
  2. Discussion
  3. Homework: Students are required to complete two hours of outside-of-class homework for each hour of lecture
  4. Lecture
  5. Multimedia Presentations
  6. Reading Assignments
  7. Class will be conducted in ASL and written English

Methods of Evaluation

  1. Quizzes
  2. Class participation
  3. Written Assignments
  4. Practical Evaluations
  5. Essays and research papers

Examples of Assignments

Reading Assignments

  1. After reading a journal article on Deaf culture and Deaf issues, write a one page summary specifically identifying the main ideas presented. Write a conclusion to discuss what you learned.
  2. Review the list of English Idioms from this week’s handout. Be prepared to discuss the idioms and their role in language in class.

Writing Assignments

  1. Complete the textbook homework exercises on personal qualities and characteristics with your signing partner. Write one page describing the challenges you found in this communication.
  2. Watch the video “A Day In the Life of Deaf Culture, Part 1”. Write a 2 page paper comparing and contrasting with your own life.

Out-of-Class Assignments

  1. Go to www.aslpro.com. Watch the signing exercise, practice the signs, and complete the online quiz. Submit quiz in class.
  2. Attend a Deaf cultural event and write a one page paper detailing your observations. Submit in class.

Recommended Materials of Instruction

Smith, C., Lentz, E. M., Mikos, K. (2014). Signing Naturally: Level 1 Units 7-12. Dawn Sign Press, 1st. 9781581212211.

Stewart, David A.; Stewart, Jennifer. (2021). Barron's American Sign Language A Comprehensive Guide to ASL 1 and 2 with Online Video Practice. Barron’s Educational Services, 1st. 9781506263823.

TRUE+WAY. (2023). ASL Student eWorkbook: Level 2 (Unit 7-12). TRUE+WAY, n/a. Virtual platform.

Minimum Qualifications

Sign Language, American

Sign Language/Eng Interpreting