American Sign Language (ASL) Essentials: Signs and Songs for Communication (8 credits)

Want to incorporate American Sign Language into your music therapy sessions, but aren’t sure where to begin?

This practical, self-paced course will teach you basic ASL signs you can begin incorporating into songs and music therapy interventions to support communication with children with disabilities. You don’t need previous ASL experience. You’ll build your skills gradually while gaining the confidence to use signs naturally within familiar musical experiences.

Rather than simply watching someone demonstrate signs, you’ll have opportunities to **see them, practice them, and then use them in songs.** Short video lessons introduce signs by category, followed by guided practice and musical examples that demonstrate how those signs can be incorporated into your sessions.

Work through the course at your own pace, pause whenever you need additional practice, and return to the demonstrations as often as needed. Four short assessments throughout the course will help reinforce your learning and make sure you can recognize the signs you’ve covered.

By the end of the course, you’ll have more than a collection of ASL signs. You’ll have practical ways to combine **sign, song, and music** to create more opportunities for communication and participation in your music therapy sessions.

In this workshop, you will learn:

Essential American Sign Language signs you can begin using in your music therapy sessions.
How to incorporate ASL signs into songs and music-based interventions to support communication.
How to use signing and music together to encourage participation and engagement with children with disabilities.
Practical songs that reinforce the ASL signs introduced throughout the course.
How to build your confidence using ASL naturally within your music therapy practice.

Outline of recordings:

Video 1 – Introduction (6 min)

Video 2 – A) The Alphabet B) action step C) songs D) action step (34 min)

Video 3 – A) Foods B) action step C) songs D) action step (44 min)

Exam 1 (Alphabet, food, and songs) (20 min)

Video 4 – A) Feelings B) action step C) songs D) action step (36 min)

Video 5 – A) Family B) action step C) songs D) action step (36 min)

Exam 2 (feelings, family and songs) (10 min)

Video 6 – A) Colors B) action step C) songs D) action step (34 min)

Video 7 – A) Pets B) action step C) songs D) action step (36 min)

Exam 3 (colors, pets, and songs) (10 min)

Video 8 – A) Weather B) action step C) songs D) action step (40 min)

Video 9 – A) Clothes B) action step C) songs D) action step (44 min)

Video 10 – A) Getting Along B) action step C) songs D) action step (44 min)

Exam 4 (weather, clothes, getting along, and songs) (14 min)

Learning Objectives:

1.Participates will be able to recognize a minimum of one hundred and twenty (120) functional American Sign Language signs.

2.Participates will be able to demonstrate a minimum of one hundred and twenty (120) functional American Sign Language Signs.

3.Participants will be able to demonstrate 5 songs with corresponding signs

4.Participants will be able to identify 5 additional songs not covered in the course to address topics in the course (topics i.e. food, colors, family)

CBMT Domain Areas:

Domain III: Implementation Task Statement 32 Identify and implement potential modifications and adaptations throughout the treatment process to support accessibility

Domain III: Implementation 3A-3 Treatment modification within and across sessions based on the client's response and growth (e.g., alternate applications of music, appropriate music selection, adaptation of the physical/virtual session space)"

Domain II Treatment Planning: 2D-2 Individualized treatment planning using evidence-based practices (e.g., professional expertise, research evidence, client preferences)

Domain II. Treatment Planning: Task Statement 29 Design experiences to facilitate generalization or transferability of skills across clinical/non-clinical contexts when appropriate

American Sign Language (ASL) Essentials: Signs and Songs for Communication is approved by the Certification Board for Music Therapists (CBMT) for 8 CMTEs-Continuing Music Therapy Education credits. The Spiegel Academy, CBMT Approved Provider #P-106, maintains responsibility for program quality and adherence to CBMT policies and criteria.

Class Description