Our Mission

It’s our passion to equip people with any ASL skill level with all the tools and resources they need to grow in their ability to sign and communicate with the deaf. We also want raise their awareness and understanding of deaf culture. Our hope is that with practice, each person can feel comfortable warmly approaching any deaf person with even simple skills to make them feel respected, understood, and loved.

ASL 'Must Knows'

These PDFs are designed to help any signer starting out with terminology and resources to develop their skills quickly.

'Must Know' ASL Terminology
This quick guide gives short definitions for some of the common terminology that will be used in the Small Group and within the deaf community.

ASL Resources Online Links
The following links will be used
for the small group as a training resource, for review and for research on ASL vocabulary and
deaf culture.

ASL Alphabet & 12 Tips for Fingerspelling
This one sheet shows the hand shape for each ASL letter and offers tips to improve your skills when fingerspelling.

Summer Edition - Weekly Lesson Guide

WEEK 1 - June 8, 2023 — TOPICS: Small Group Introduction & Vision, Sign Language 101, Signing Music
LHTS_ASL_CLASS-WK1.pdf | LHTS_ASL_CLASS-MUST_KNOW-ONLINE_LINKS.pdf
LHTS_ASL_CLASS-MUST_KNOW-TERMS.pdf | LHTS_ASL_CLASS-MUST_KNOW-ABCs.pdf
ASL Alphabet Video (Learn How To Sign - YouTube Channel) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHyG7iz3ork

WEEK 2 - June 15, 2023 — TOPICS: ABC's, Rochester Method, ASL Greetings, Farewells & Introductions
LHTS_ASL_CLASS-WK2.pdf

WEEK 3 - June 22, 2023 — TOPICS: Fun with Numbers, Rule of 9, ASL Phrases using Numbers
ASL Numbers Guide: LHTS_ASL_CLASS-WK3.pdf
ASL Numbers (Learn How To Sign - YouTube Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4stD_ypaAI&list=PLMN7QCuj6dfaO7v-Oqkg3Bjq0XOT3c07X
ASL Rule of 9 (Learn How To Sign - YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJQCMpCJ7SM

WEEK 4 - June 29, 2023 — TOPICS: Family & Relation Signs, Emotions, Importance of Expression
Lesson Vocabulary Guide: LHTS_ASL_CLASS-WK4-Family&Clarification.pdf
Family & Clarification Signs in ASL - YouTube Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4phzFQKzAc&list=PLMN7QCuj6dfYFq2d8CrautQ--BmczT-xv&index=8

WEEK 5 - July 6, 2023 — No Meeting for Holiday Week
Although we are not meeting, we're posting the songs that we'll be singing for the NIGHT OF PRAISE AND PRAYER, so that you can learn the songs in ASL. There's a not in the Church Center App under Messages with links to each song... and more songs to come! Enjoy!
https://theactionchurch.churchcenter.com/my/groups/learning-how-to-sign/messages/1726259

WEEK 6 - July 13, 2023 — Night of Praise and Prayer - 6:30PM in Action Church Sanford Location
We'll be joining with the rest of the church this evening, but you can practice your favorite worship songs in ASL
by going to the song list below, clicking the link to the folder and practicing along with the videos. It should be an awesome time to celebrate Jesus with our hearts, voices... and hands!

WEEK 7 - July 20, 2023 — TOPICS: Home and Food Signs, ASL Grammar, WH questions
Lesson Vocabulary Guide: LHTS_ASL_CLASS-WK7-HOME & FOOD SIGNS.pdf
This week's vocabulary is coming from the following videos from Learn How To. Sign (YouTube Channel):
Home & Food Signs- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4QOuEOi_KsY&list=PLMN7QCuj6dfYFq2d8CrautQ--BmczTxv&index=3

25 ASL Signs Around the Home – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbE0QedTfeI

WEEK 8 - June 27, 2023 — TOPICS: Directional Signs & Storytelling Skills

This week, we'll be talking about directional signs and how they can be used to tell stories.
Lesson Vocabulary Guide: LHTS_ASL_CLASS-WK8-DIRECTIONAL SIGNS & STORYTELLING.pdf
Video from Learn How To Sign (YouTube Channel) -
Directional Signs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hc-jhMDkovs

WEEK 9 - August 3, 2023 — TOPICS: Church Signs & Sharing the Gospel in Sign
The church signs vocabulary come from 2 different videos from the Learn How To Sign (YouTube Channel):
Church Sign Vocabulary Guide: LHTS_ASL_CLASS-WK9-CHURCH SIGNS.pdf
25 Church Signs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbtiapr7pHc

Church Signs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VNpO-DPYa4

SPECIAL GATHERING - Interpreter Training and service at Faith Assembly of God, Curry Ford Campus
Wednesdays at 7PM. A group of us will be attending to train and work with the interpreters during their regular Wednesday service with a social time following weekly. They are all wonderful people and I encourage you all to go at least once to meet them and gain some invaluable experience.
The address is 9307 Curry Ford Road, Orlando, FL 32825. This is an on-going event.

WEEK 10 - August 10, 2023 - TOPICS: Church Signs & Sharing the Gospel in Sign - Continued
We'll continue to work on the vocabulary for Church signs this week.
NEW LOCATION FOR NEXT 3 WEEKS: We'll be meeting at Maggie Rivera's house until the Fall Semester starts.
102 Shady Oak Drive, Sanford FL 32773. Her phone number is 407-272-4105 or call me (David) if you have questions at 407-409-6579. See you Thursday!

Resource Quick Links

Learn How To Sign - YouTube Channel:
This channel contains many of the vocabulary videos we go over each week along with other resources to improve your signing skills. https://www.youtube.com/@LearnHowtoSign/videos

Handspeak: This site is an an incredible resource, not only as an online dictionary with videos for many ASL signs, but also information about Deaf culture, fingerspelling quizzes, words for the day and ASL storytelling.
https://www.handspeak.com

Action Church ASL Small Group Box.com Portal: We set up this online 'cloud' storage area to post videos and other resources that are too large to send any other way. It will continue to grow with more resources added as needed. https://app.box.com/s/c6o1pl6hx50udcsn1lm0f4n3agkkr5bv

ASL.MS - Fingerspelling Practice: This site offers a series of random words where you can set the speed and number of letters, then type it in to see if you got it correct. https://asl.ms/

Deaf Awareness Resources

Below are links to videos and resources to help you better understand the Deaf community. The goal is to improve communications between the hearing and Deaf communities because every voice—whether spoke or signed—deserves to be heard.

PLEASE NOTE: Many of these videos are completely in ASL. You will need to turn on Closed Captioning if you are still learning so you can follow along.

Do's and Don'ts of Interacting with the Deaf Community (by Chrissy Marshall - YouTube Channel )
Do's & Don'ts - Part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDA_EXFTpxo
Do's & Don'ts - Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yxo-hvKDPE
Things Not To Say To Deaf People: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNUk6aPp8DI

Marlee Matlin on Deaf and Police Interaction (Voice over included for hearing):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAvewviVwjY