The core of this lesson involves watching "fill-in-the-blank" narratives where signers describe an item and a memorable event associated with it. Common stories included in the Signing Naturally Student Workbook include:
❌ – The examples assume North American building layouts (hallways on the right, doors swinging inward, etc.). International learners may find some directions culturally non-intuitive.
✅ – Starts with simple 2-step directions in a small room, builds to 5+ steps through a multi-room floor plan.
✅ – Learning to give and follow directions is one of the most immediately useful skills for any ASL student (e.g., guiding someone to a restroom, explaining where to find supplies, describing a room layout). signing naturally 7.8
"Signing Naturally 7.8" represents a step in a comprehensive ASL learning journey, focusing on natural language acquisition, cultural immersion, and practical communication skills. Through this unit, learners can expect to deepen their understanding and production of ASL, moving closer to fluency and a richer appreciation of Deaf culture.
❌ – The curriculum sometimes switches between "overhead map view" (bird's-eye) and "signer's eye view" without clear labeling, causing confusion.
| Activity Type | Description | Difficulty | |---------------|-------------|------------| | | Watch a signer describe a path through a room/building; draw the route on a blank map. | Moderate | | Expressive (partner work) | One student describes a hidden route; the other tries to follow it on a shared grid. | High | | Grammar practice | Rewrite English sentences like "Walk past the table, then turn left" into proper ASL structure (topic-comment, classifiers, non-manual markers). | Moderate | | Vocabulary review | Signs for: corner, hallway, straight, across, beside, above, behind, before/after . | Easy | | Cultural note | Often explains that in ASL, giving directions relies heavily on pointing (indexing) and maintaining consistent spatial reference — unlike English, which uses prepositions more heavily. | Insightful | ✅ – Starts with simple 2-step directions in
| Feature | Signing Naturally 7.8 | ASL University (Lifeprint) Lesson 17 | DawnSignPress "ASL at Work" | |---------|----------------------|----------------------------------------|-----------------------------| | Classifier focus | Heavy (CL:V, CL:3, CL:B) | Moderate | Moderate | | Video examples | Scripted + semi-scripted | Single signer, slow & clear | Workplace scenarios | | Interactive practice | Pair work (expressive) | Quizzes only | Role-play simulations | | Best for | Classroom learning | Self-study with web support | Vocational ASL students |
✅ – The video dialogues are usually unrehearsed or semi-scripted, using natural pacing, which prepares you for real-world ASL conversations.
This unit probably introduces new signs and possibly explores regional or cultural variations within the ASL community. Through this unit, learners can expect to deepen
Practice conversing with a partner or by yourself using the vocabulary and grammar from this lesson. Here are some conversation topics:
specifically falls within the latter half of Unit 7, usually titled something like "Describing a Sequence of Actions" or "Following Complex Directions." It bridges simple location descriptions (e.g., "the table is near the window") with multi-step direction-giving (e.g., "go past the couch, turn left at the bookshelf, then look under the desk").