Learning outcomes for American Sign Language skill levels 1-4

This document describes measurable learning outcomes for American Sign Language (ASL) levels 1 – 4. A history of ASL provides the background and foundation for the document and includes an overview of teaching and learning ASL in the United States. The processes leading to the creation of the outcomes for ASL levels 1 – 4 are discussed and incorporate the development of ASL outcomes for college-level courses. Information about how the outcomes were adapted was taken, with permission, from the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL). The key premise of ACTFL’s “5 Cs” are: Communication, Cultures, Connections, Comparisons, and Communities and are highlighted in the document. Recommendations by the American Sign Language Teachers Association (ASLTA) and stakeholders in New York State are included, along with the number and content of instructional contact hours in a supervised language laboratory. The measurable learning outcomes following ACTFL’s 5 Cs make up the majority of the document. Regardless of teaching style, and acknowledging that each teacher is unique and has his or her own teaching style, the goals and objectives for measuring student progress must be met. References, a resource section, and a reading section are included, as well as appendices with a glossary and information pertaining to ASL performance interviews