WHAT IS ASL?
ASL is an acronym for American Sign Language.  It is a visual/gestural/spatial language used amongst Deaf and Hard of Hearing individuals across the United States and is fast becoming a second language option of choice among the Hearing population.  As with other spoken languages, ASL offers its own rich syntax and grammatical structure.

WHY LEARN ASL?
ASL is one of the fastest growing languages of study in the United States.  There are currently over 1,000,000 users nationwide ranking it third in popularity behind English and Spanish.  Learning ASL will open communication barriers, provide access to interesting new career possibilities and allow you to experience the richness of Deaf culture.   ASL is a fun and beautiful language to learn and provides a deep appreciation for world languages.  ASL is beneficial regardless of age; babies learn sign language before they learn spoken language; older adults with hearing loss have frustration-free access to communication.

HOW CAN I LEARN ASL?
Learning  ASL from a book is difficult if not impossible.  The two-dimensional images can not convey the fluid movements of this visual/spatial language.  However, SOCRATES offers classes both live and via interactive television to remote sites throughout southern Minnesota.   Instructors are well qualified signers with many years of experience in the field.   In addition to class time, on-line activities are available to increase understanding; providing a well-rounded curriculum for learners.   Begin learning this fascinating language today; contact SOCRATES for a site near you.

ASL Calendar (Acrobat PDF; 24 KB)

ASL Class Syllabi (Updated August 2005)
Level 1 (Acrobat PDF; 228 KB or MS Word Document; 76 KB)
Level 2 (Acrobat PDF; 228 KB or MS Word Document; 76 KB)

The Grade Network:  On-line gradebook is here at last!  Students can check their current standing, assignments, print summaries and reports as well as send messages to peers/instructor.  Access is allowed using a teacher assigned username/password. 

School Ties: Online classroom calendar, assignments and important links.  Students access to find information when absent, check on Independent Study Activities, and browse related links online. 

ASL Information

Deafness – It is a Culture, Not a Disability by Christa Browne-Krosch (MS Word doc; 24 KB)

Gaining in translation by Dan Linehan, The Free Press (this article also available as an Acrobat PDF; 236 KB)

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Page last updated:1/11/08