American Sign Language (ASL) and Signed English (SE)
Series 3 Lesson 8 Everyday Phrases
By Elaine Ernst Schneider
Signs | Description of Sign Action |
have | Place fingertips of both hands, palms bent back toward wrists, on the chest to indicate possession. |
live | Place both hands in “L” shapes on front hips. Then move hands simultaneously up the body’s torso, stopping at the upper chest level. |
me | Point to self, mid-chest. |
number | Touch fingertips of two “O” hands and move them forward and backward in opposition on to the other. |
phone | Hold a “y” hand to the side of the head, much as you would a telephone receiver. |
please | Use right hand, flat, fingers together. Rub in a circular motion mid-chest. |
sit | Using “h” hands, “sit” the right “h” hand on the top of the left “h” hand, palms facing downward. |
TTY | Fingerspell these initials |
what | Use the index finger of the right hand to pass over the palm of the left open hand (fingers tightly close) from the base of the index finger to the base of the little finger. |
where | Wave your upward pointing index finger left and right as if panning the space before you. |
with | Bring both hands together as “a” hands, touching palms at the end of the motion. |
you | Point in the direction of where someone is located. If no one is there, point to an “imaginary” person. |
Continue to Lesson 9: Past Tense
Submitted by: Elaine Ernst Schneider entered the classroom as a special education teacher in the 1970’s. Since then, she has taught mainstream English Grammar, Literature, music K-12, deaf education, psychology, Algebra, creative writing, social studies, law, and science in both public and private schools. Presently, Elaine is a curriculum author for multiple educational publishers and is the managing editor of Lesson Tutor, a lesson plan website found at https://www.lessontutor.com. Her most recent books, 52 Children’s Moments (Synergy Publications) and Taking Hearing Impairment to School (JayJo Books and the Guidance Channel) can be found at Amazon.com. She is currently working on a project with Pearson Prentice Hall as an author of an on-line teacher’s professional development course for the Council for Exceptional Children.