Master ASL! Level One Package; Textbook, Student Companion & 1-year free online access to the interactive vocabulary and over 1000 videos from the DVD

2006, Jason E. Zinza
ISBN-10: 1-881133-20-6
ISBN-13: 978-1-881133-20-9 Master ASL! is an American Sign Language curriculum that supports the communicative competence approach to language learning and teaching. Key features of this approach include developing:

• Knowledge of grammar, vocabulary, and sentence structure
• Ability to use language appropriately within various social settings and to interact in culturally appropriate ways
• Discourse competence which is the ability to initiate and sustain communication
• Strategies to identify, repair, and avoid communication breakdowns

The Master ASL! Level One Package has three components: The Student Textbook contains 10 units with more than 1,500 sign illustrations, plus full color photographs and other illustrations used to elicit student communication. Each unit includes lessons in the following areas: Language and Structure:

• ASL Up Close: highlights important functions of ASL structure
• Eyes on ASL: presents basic rules of signing in ASL
• Accent Steps: tips and advice to help improve ASL skills
• Expression Corner: exposes students to ASL idioms and useful phrases and expressions

Deaf Culture:

• Deaf Culture Notes: relevant aspects of Deaf culture related to the topic at hand
• Focus: in-depth examinations of important issues in the Deaf World
• Deaf Culture Minute: brief cultural tidbits to help students understand Deaf culture
• I Want to Know: answers common questions students have about ASL and Deaf culture

Comparison and Reflection:

• Journal activities: opportunities to analyze and reflect on ASL, Deaf culture, and the Deaf experience
• Exposure to Deaf art and writing by Deaf authors

The Student Companion is a separate, soft-cover book focusing on developing fingerspelling, numbers, and glossing skills. This text is divided into 10 units that correspond to the units in the Student Textbook. Features include:

• Over 400 practice exercises, drills, and explanations to help students master these challenging skills.
• Special sections within each unit provide helpful hints for improving skills along with answers to frequently asked questions.
• A glossary provides information on important terms and concepts appearing in the Student Textbook.
• A vocabulary index includes the corresponding gloss for each vocabulary item appearing in Master ASL!

The Student videos are an essential component of the Master ASL! curriculum. The videos are important to help students apply what they've learned in class to their homework and out-of-class practice exercises. It includes narratives for the student to view, memorize and repeat or record themselves performing. All the signs that are illustrated in the text are also presented in full motion on the Video Vocabulary portion. The online version features include:

• Easy navigation to quickly move between units and topics in each unit. A variety of Deaf language models present ASL narratives, dialogues, and samples of ASL literature.
• Grammar and culture sections are introduced and explained with helpful examples. These sections are voiced over to allow students to learn and review independently.
• Examples of ASL literature include ABC and classifier stories, handshape rhymes, and number stories.
• Over 1,500 vocabulary signs, including regional sign variations and fingerspelled terms, from the Student Textbook are included to help students practice vocabulary out of class.

Textbook Samples: Introduction & Table of Contents (download pdf: 1.2 mb) Master ASL! Unit One (download pdf: 4.8 mb) Video Samples: Structure: Video: Eyes on ASL #3: Complete Sentences Culture: Video: Deaf Culture Note: Interacting With Deaf People Dialogue: Video: Good-bye Grammar: Video: ASL Up Close: The Question-Maker