Survival Signs Printable ASL Flashcard Set Today's Teaching Tip: 'Can I use either hand to make these signs?' I am teaching five sign classes right now and I have two left-handed signers - would you believe in the same class? Traditionally, someone who is left-handed uses his or her left hand dominantly, although some "switching" may occur. For example, many a baseball player is a "switch-hitter" using either hand dominantly. Left-handed persons may throw a ball with one hand and catch with the other! So, my advice to lefties when they sign is to choose a dominant hand. If you tend to do some things ambidextrously and signing with the right hand dominant is comfortable, then this would be the first choice. It would help others in "reading" your signs because this is what most people are used to seeing - a mirror image of the right hand. But this is not a hard and fast thing. If you truly are left-handed in most all that you do (and I do understand this as I have a true "leftie" daughter) then just be sure that you use your left hand as the dominant one in all your signs. For example, you should make the 'I-love-you' sign with your left hand, spell with your left hand, and make any other one handed sign with your left hand. If two hands are used in a sign and one hand moves and the other remains stationary, then be sure that the "moving" hand is your left-hand. There is nothing that says you can't make your left hand your dominant signing hand. The only "rule of thumb" is that you are consistent. Happy signing, :>) Elaine Schneider May, 2002
About the Author Elaine Ernst Schneider entered the classroom as a special education teacher in the 1970's. Since then, she has taught mainstream English Grammar, Literature, music K-12, deaf education, psychology, Algebra, creative writing, social studies, law, and science in both public and private schools. Presently, Elaine is a curriculum author for multiple educational publishers and is the managing editor of Lesson Tutor, a lesson plan website found at http://www.lessontutor.com. Her most recent books, 52 Children’s Moments (Synergy Publications) and Taking Hearing Impairment to School (JayJo Books and the Guidance Channel) can be found at Amazon.com. She is currently working on a project with Pearson Prentice Hall as an author of an on-line teacher's professional development course for the Council for Exceptional Children.
2002 ©Lesson TutorTM All Rights Reserved www.lessontutor.com
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Cheat Sheet for Sign Actions Signs
Word Descriptions of Actions
bath/bathe
Scrubbing your chest up and down using both hands in loose fists, like holding scrub brushes, at the same time. Use "x" hands to move in a circular motion, "changing" from right hand on top to left hand on top. Two clenched fists 'shivering' about shoulder high. Use "c" hands in circular motions that "come" from some place further out in front of you to a closer proximity to the body. Shiver your fingers just under your chin. Point right hand towards the ground with your index finger. Fingers lead hand close to the mouth. "G" hand pushes away from the body in front. "Shoo!" Open left hand rises to meet the right fist as if helping it to rise farther. Take the hot (food) out of your mouth and drop it! Loosely, weakly hold an empty cup. Draw it down your throat to chest level. Point and move both index fingers towards each other. The letter "j" sign swings wide towards your mouth. Both hands, palms out, fingertips touching thumbs then springing open. Surprise!
change cold come dirty down eat go help hot (heat) hungry hurt/pain juice light, bright, shining... more sick sleep thirst, thirsty up water wet where?
Hold both hands in a loose cup with fingertips close and pointing at each other. Middle fingers, both hands, point to head (right) and chest (left) at the same time. Start by holding a semi open hand in front of your eyes. Close the hand gradually as you draw it slowly out and down, to mimic eyes closing. Right index finger traces a line down your throat as if following a drink down. Right index finger points up towards the sky. The letter "W" signed at chin level. Pantomime squeezing water from a wet cloth that is between your fingers. Wave your upward pointing index finger left and right as if panning the space before you.
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down
more
up
go -2-
thirst, thirsty
water
cold
wet
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eat
juice
hot (heat)
hungry
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www.lessontutor.com presents ASL Survival Signs Pocket Reference Book
sick
hurt/pain
sleep
help
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2003 ©Lesson TutorTM All Rights Reserved www.lessontutor.com
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