Common Planner
K–12 Standards

American Sign Language: Grade 4

Other Indiana World Languages and International Education sets

Communicate effectively in more than one language in order to function in a variety of situations and for multiple purposes. 4.1C

  • 1

    Interpersonal: Learners use American Sign Language to engage in conversation, provide information, express feelings and emotions, and exchange opinions. 4.1C.1I

    1. 1I.

      Proficiency Benchmark: I can communicate in conversations in ASL on both very familiar and everyday topics using a variety of practiced or memorized words, phrases, simple sentences, and questions.4.1C.1I

      1. 1

        I can provide and follow simple instructions in ASL in order to complete a variety of classroom and cultural tasks. Examples: Playing games; demonstrating attention-getting strategies; describing simple step by-step activities. 4.1C.1I.1

      2. 2

        I can tell a peer an opinion about family, school, sports, and everyday activities. Examples: Communicating on a videophone; exchanging opinions about school; conducting peer interviews on a popular topic.4.1C.1I.2

      3. 3

        I can discuss personal likes and dislikes on topics such as famous people, films, books, food, and holidays. Examples: Conducting questionnaires; listing and contrasting preferences; making comparisons between different opinions. 4.1C.1I.3

      4. 4

        I can show Deaf related products, such as Deaf art or technical equipment used by Deaf people (i.e., alarm clocks, doorbells, smoke alarms), and share opinions. Examples: Commenting on Deaf art; discussing contributions made by Deaf people to different fields; exchanging information related to technology found in Deaf community.4.1C.1I.4

      5. 5

        I can role-play a variety of situations and scenarios. Examples: Meeting a Deaf person for the first time; asking a Deaf peer to play a game or sport activity; demonstrating culturally appropriate and attention-getting strategies.4.1C.1I.5

  • 2

    Interpretive: Learners comprehend and interpret live and recorded American Sign Language on a variety of topics.4.1C.2I

    1. 2I.

      Proficiency Benchmark: I can identify the general topic and basic information in both familiar and everyday contexts by recognizing practiced or memorized vocabulary or simple phrases signed in ASL.4.1C.2I

      1. 1

        I can comprehend the main ideas in age-appropriate ASL narratives and stories. Examples: Retelling the main points of a fairy tale; identifying the main characters; listing the important events in a story.4.1C.2I.1

      2. 2

        I can comprehend the relationship between handshape and meaning in selections of ASL literature including ABC, handshape, and number stories. Examples: Identifying and listing key handshapes and their meanings; retelling the main points; describing the sequence of events.4.1C.2I.2

      3. 3

        I can comprehend brief video messages on familiar topics, such as family, school, and holiday celebrations. Examples: Retelling the content of a video email; describing holiday customs; sharing information from the video school bulletin.4.1C.2I.3

      4. 4

        I can view video descriptions of people, animals, objects, places, common activities, weather, and major events, and identify corresponding pictures or illustrations. Examples: Matching pictures; drawing illustrations; arranging illustrations and retelling the events in sequential order.4.1C.2I.4

      5. 5

        I can understand and follow directions given in ASL related to daily classroom activities. Examples: Playing games; responding to requests; completing simple tasks.4.1C.2I.5

  • 3

    Presentational: Students present information, concepts, and ideas to an audience of viewers in American Sign Language.4.1C.P

    1. P.

      Proficiency Benchmark: I can present information on both very familiar and everyday topics using a variety of practiced or memorized vocabulary, and simple phrases in ASL. 4.1C.P

      1. 1

        I can present skits, recite selected poems, tell anecdotes, and perform stories in ASL for school events. Examples: Sharing ABC, number, and handshape stories; dramatizing important events in Deaf history; demonstrating sign rhymes.4.1C.P.1

      2. 2

        I can create simple, brief video messages about people, things, and school events. Examples: Delivering a video bulletin; making announcements about Deaf Understanding Week; recording a video report on a favorite book.4.1C.P.2

      3. 3

        I can use ASL to tell peers in or out of school about their own cultures or cultural products and practices. Examples: Listing activities or basic information about holidays, family events, and food; comparing traditions over a videophone; composing a video pen pal letter.4.1C.P.3

      4. 4

        I can dramatize familiar ASL stories, fairy tales, or poems. Examples: Re-enacting fairy tales told from a Deaf centric perspective; presenting Clayton Valli’s poem “Cow and Rooster”; retelling a selection from Dawn Sign Press “Once upon a sign” video series.4.1C.P.4

      5. 5

        I can use and explain the meaning of selected classifiers. Examples: Using tracing classifiers; identifying entity classifiers (vehicles); presenting element classifiers.4.1C.P.5

Interact with cultural competence and understanding.4.2C

  • 1

    Relating to Cultural Practices through Interactions - Learners provide an explanation of the relationship between the practices and perspectives of American Deaf culture.4.2C.RC

    1. RC.

      Proficiency Benchmark: I can interact at a survival level in some familiar everyday contexts.4.2C.RC

      1. 1

        I can demonstrate familiarity with social customs and practices of Deaf people that are of interest to children. Examples: Observing social interactions between Deaf parents and children; attending an ASL storytelling event; watching video clips about Deaf Understanding Week.4.2C.RC.1

      2. 2

        I can demonstrate how to use appropriate attention-getting techniques. Examples: Using shoulder tapping to get the attention of a single individual; hand-waving to get a third person’s attention; relaying a message for another person.4.2C.RC.2

      3. 3

        I can participate in age-appropriate cultural activities. Examples: Celebrating Thomas Gallaudet or Laurent Clerc’s birthday; practicing rhythm using drums; watching simple ASL stories and handshape poetry. 4.2C.RC.3

      4. 4

        I can demonstrate an understanding of various communication strategies used by Deaf individuals in their daily lives. Examples: Role-playing writing notes on a pad of paper; using gestures and mime to communicate basic needs; pointing to place a menu order.4.2C.RC.4

      5. 5

        I can identify and describe simple culturally based behavior patterns of Deaf people. Examples: Explaining the importance of eye contact; role-playing extended farewells; discussing the value of sharing information.4.2C.RC.5

Connect with other disciplines and acquire information and diverse perspectives in order to use the language to function academic and career-related situations. 4.3C

  • 1

    Acquiring Information and Diverse Perspectives - Learners acquire information and recognize the distinctive viewpoints that are only available through American Sign Language and Deaf culture4.3C.IP

    1. IP.

      Proficiency Benchmark: I can access and evaluate basic information and perspectives that are available in Deaf culture.4.3C.IP

      1. 1

        I can become familiar with age-appropriate literature in ASL videogames and television programs, and learn games played by Deaf peers. Examples: Viewing fairy tales; playing Elephant game (trunk and ears); producing simple handshape poetry.4.3C.IP.1

      2. 2

        I can examine how the major themes of hands, eyes, and signs appear in selected pieces of Deaf art. Examples: Examining the artwork of Chuck Baird and Betty Miller; identifying the meaning of selected images; viewing the poetry of Clayton Valli.4.3C.IP.2

      3. 3

        I can identify and observe tangible products of Deaf culture. Examples: Becoming familiar with the Gallaudet / Cogswell sculpture; exploring the work of Douglas Tilden; examining accessibility products such as videophones, and visual alert systems.4.3C.IP.3

      4. 4

        I can recognize themes, ideas, or perspectives of Deaf culture and recognize how they are reflected by the culture. Examples: Recognizing that ASL and English have different modalities; understanding the roles vibration, rhythm, and lighting play in entertainment; developing understanding of culturally Deaf people’s pride in being Deaf. 4.3C.IP.4

      5. 5

        I can study the different geographical environments in which Deaf people live and examine the impact of these environments on the lifestyles of various Deaf people. Examples: Becoming familiar with areas with large populations of Deaf people; comparing the lives of Deaf people who live in cities versus rural areas; identifying on a map local schools for the Deaf or nearby public schools with Deaf students.4.3C.IP.5

  • 2

    Making Connections - Learners reinforce and further their knowledge of other disciplines through American Sign Language.4.3C.MC

    1. MC.

      Proficiency Benchmark: I can access and evaluate basic information and perspectives that are available through ASL and its culture.4.3C.MC

      1. 1

        I can view folktales and stories in ASL that reflect cultural practices and historical figures. Examples: Viewing stories of Laurent Clerc; watching the story of how Alice Cogswell met Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet; identify the cultural practices of Deaf characters in stories.4.3C.MC.1

      2. 2

        I can understand core cultural values, particularly that being Deaf is a positive trait. Examples: Expressing joy when a Deaf child is born; sharing opinions about the benefits of being Deaf; discussing the beauty of ASL. 4.3C.MC.2

      3. 3

        I can ask and answer questions about short stories, poems, and content-related materials. Examples: Discussing the connection between handshapes and meaning in stories; identifying characteristics of ASL poetry; discussing why vibration and rhythm are important aesthetic aspects in the Deaf community.4.3C.MC.3

      4. 4

        I can find Deaf-related pictures and souvenirs to enhance their exploration of other topics. Examples: Presenting postcards from schools for the Deaf; describing pictures of famous Deaf individuals; explaining realia obtained from Deaf-related events.4.3C.MC.4

      5. 5

        I can observe illustrations in Deaf children’s books that show views of people and places in the Deaf World. Examples: Viewing the interactive story The Baobab; exploring Deaf culture-based ABC texts; reading children’s books about the Deaf President Now movement. 4.3C.MC.5

Develop insight into the nature of language and culture in order to interact with cultural competence.4.4C

  • 1

    Language Comparisons - Learners discuss the nature of language through comparisons of American Sign Language and other languages.4.4C.LC

    1. LC.

      Proficiency Benchmark: I can identify basic differences and similarities between ASL, English, and other signed languages (from other countries).4.4C.LC

      1. 1

        I can compare simple patterns of behavior and interaction in various cultural settings. Examples: Identifying how Deaf people tend to include hugging as part of a greeting; comparing attention-getting techniques in ASL and spoken English; and alerts such as doorbells and alarms.4.4C.LC.1

      2. 2

        I can demonstrate understanding that most languages use gestures, and that gestures and sign languages differ among cultures. Examples: Identifying gestures used by hearing American people; observing the different ways Deaf and hearing people count on the fingers; understanding differences between the counting systems in ASL and French Sign Language. 4.4C.LC.2

      3. 3

        I can compare and contrast tangible products and practices of various cultures. Examples: Comparing the features on cell phones used by Deaf and hearing people; identifying differences in toys produced for Deaf and hearing children; observing the common motif of hands and eyes in art produced by Deaf artists. 4.4C.LC.3

      4. 4

        I can compare and contrast intangible products of different cultures. Examples: Comparing the concept of rhyming words in English and rhyming handshapes in ASL; identifying similarities in folktales for Deaf and hearing children; observing differences in facial expressions to convey meaning.4.4C.LC.4

      5. 5

        I can recognize the interests and practices that they have in common with their Deaf peers and peers in various other cultures. Examples: Comparing the sports Deaf peers are interested in with their own interests; investigating the names of Deaf peers’ favorite movies and books; learning about similarities and differences in education. 4.4C.LC.5

Communicate and interact with cultural competence in order to participate in multilingual communities at home and around the world. 4.5C

  • 1

    School and Global - Learners use American Sign Language within and beyond the school setting.4.5C.SG

    1. SG.

      Proficiency Benchmark: I can use ASL both within and beyond the classroom to interact and learn in the Deaf community.4.5C.SG

      1. 1

        I can participate in conversations with native ASL users about everyday matters and daily experiences. Examples: Expressing birthday wishes via a videophone; creating a video email to confirm attendance at a party; sharing information about extracurricular activities. 4.5C.SG.1

      2. 2

        I can identify professions in which ASL proficiency would be helpful. Examples: Listing professions including ASL education, school administrator, or interpreter; exploring the benefits of knowing ASL when working in noisy or loud environments; interviewing peers about occupations where ASL proficiency can be useful.4.5C.SG.2

      3. 3

        I can communicate simple messages in ASL to Deaf people in the community and abroad concerning everyday matters and daily experiences. Examples: Exchanging video emails with Deaf I can from other countries who are also learning ASL; leaving messages about weekend plans; confirming the date and time. 4.5C.SG.3

      4. 4

        I can participate in special performances that demonstrate an understanding of Deaf culture. Examples: Demonstrating Deaf rhythmic drumming; sharing simple handshape poems; exhibiting Deaf art.4.5C.SG.4

      5. 5

        I can observe community members and participate in ASL or Deaf culture related school events. Examples: Inviting a member of the Deaf community to share experiences growing up as a Deaf individual; asking a guest speaker to tell a funny story; having a Deaf actor/actress to provide entertainment.4.5C.SG.5

Frequently asked questions

What grade levels do these standards cover?
Grade 4

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