Facial Expressions, ASL Intermediate

Created Feb. 7, 2024 by Camille Daw, Mimi Fahnstrom

Please Note: Many of the activities on the Pathways Project OER Repository were created by upper-division students at Boise State University and serve as a foundation that our community of practice can build upon and refine. While they are polished, we welcome and encourage collaboration from language instructors to help modify grammar, syntax, and content where needed. Kindly contact amberhoye@boisestate.edu with any suggestions and we will update the content in a timely manner.  — The Pathways Project

About the Boise State World Languages Resource Center (WLRC) Language Activity Repository

The activities provided by the Boise State World Languages Resource Center (WLRC) serve as foundational activities which can be adapted by any language and scaled up or down on the proficiency scale. Many of these activities offer an English Version that is “language-agnostic” to provide language instructors from around the country a platform to remix these instructional materials, infusing them with their target language and culture! The activities within the Pathways Project OER Repository seek to help students solidify their interpersonal speaking and interpretive skills through task-based situations or communicative activities. These activities should be facilitated in the target language for approximately 90% (or more), per the recommendation of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages.

How to use the WLRC Repository’s Activities:

1. Use the Activity as is:

Before you begin:

  • Most activities are 30 minutes in duration, unless otherwise specified.
  • Be sure to read through the activity description, and review the list of required materials. You will notice that the activity materials are also highlighted in yellow throughout the activity instructions.

If you have any suggestions about grammar, syntax, and content, please kindly contact amberhoye@boisestate.edu.

2. Remix for Your Language Classroom:

When you are ready to begin remixing the activity, in order to adapt it for the needs of your language classroom, simply click the blue “Remix This Resource” button at the top of your screen. This will then take you to a screen with a NEW, editable version of this activity. The text provided in purple is a suggestion of what you might say to your students in the target language, and may be altered for different levels and age groups. All activities have “NCSSFL-ACTFL Can-Do” statements, a warm-up, a main activity, and a wrap-up.

Many of the activities include printable cards and other instructional materials such as Google Slideshows. If you would like to make changes to these materials in Spanish, follow the instructions below:

  • Google Slideshows:
    • To begin, go to File -> Copy to create an editable version of the slideshow.
    • Once finished with your changes, please complete the following steps to share:
    • Click on Share
    • Who Has Access
    • Ensure link sharing is on and allow external access.
  • Materials Saved as PDF: Please email WLRCLAR@gmail.com and we will provide you with an editable copy. Please allow up to two business days for a response. For YouTube videos and other websites, hyperlinks are provided. 

3. Adapt for Another Language:

  • See the linked English Version at the top of the activity (English Version may not be available for all activities)

Facial Expressions, ASL, Intermediate

Description:

In this activity, students are going to practice with facial expressions and engage in discussion. Students will learn about the importance of facial expressions in Deaf culture. 

Proficiency Level:

Intermediate

Keywords:

Deaf culture, Non-manual signing, Expressions, Translation

World-Readiness Standards:

“Standard 1.1 - Students engage in conversations and correspondence in American Sign Language to provide and obtain information, express feelings and emotions, and exchange opinions”

“Standard 1.3 - Students present information, concepts, and ideas in American Sign Language to an audience of viewers on a variety of topics”

“Standard 2.1 - Students demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between the practices and perspectives of American Deaf culture”

“Standard 4.1 - Students demonstrate understanding of the nature of language through comparisons of American Sign Language and their own languages.”

Idaho Content Standards for World Languages:

  • COMM 1: Interact with others in the target language and gain meaning from interactions in the target language
  • COMM 1.1: Interact and negotiate meaning (spoken, signed, written conversation) to share information, reactions, feelings, and opinions
  • CLTR 1.1: Analyze the cultural practices/patterns of behavior accepted as the societal norm in the target culture

NCSSFL-ACTFL Can-Do Statements:

  • I am able to understand the need for facial expressions
  • I am able to discuss the importance of facial expressions in Deaf culture
  • I am able to challenge myself to step outside normal signing parameters

Materials Needed:

Video

Expression Story Cards

Warm Up - CODA Comedian!

  • Have students watch the video (link above) - This is a video of Keith Wann, a child of Deaf adults whose first language is ASL. He tells the story of the day he was born. There is a voice over the video; If you think your students can handle having no audio, please challenge them.
  • Discuss your thoughts on the video

Main Activity

  1. Discuss as a group if facial expressions are needed when discussing in ASL, if the meanings of signs change based on the facial expressions, and review what the non-manual signs are
  2. Have students get in partners and give each pair a set of cards
  3. Partners should take turns trying to translate the situation presented on the card without using facial expressions
  4. Their partners job is to point out every time they use facial expressions.
  5. Bring students back together and discuss whether they could still understand the meaning/situation without facial expressions

"What was hard about this?"

"Is there less understanding when there are no expressions?"

"What expression specifically did you find hard to avoid?"

Wrap Up

Ask students the following questions to conclude the lab:

What are you struggling with in ASL?

What is most interesting to you about Deaf culture?

What did you think about the Deaf comedian?

Why are facial expressions important when signing?

End of lab:

• Read Can-Do statements once more and have students evaluate their confidence. 
(Use thumbs up/thumbs down or download our student cards.) 
• Encourage students to be honest in their self-evaluation.
• Pay attention, and try to use feedback for future labs!

NCSSFL-ACTFL Can-Do Statements:

  • I am able to understand the need for facial expressions
  • I am able to discuss the importance of facial expressions in Deaf culture
  • I am able to challenge myself to step outside normal signing parameters
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