Learning American Sign Language: Levels I & II--Beginning & Intermediate, Second Edition, is a major revision of the First Edition, designed to help learners successfully interact with deaf American Sign Language (ASL) users.

Written by two leading authorities in the field, the text is used as the basic text for a one-semester or full-year course in ASL. Lessons are structured around language needed for common-life situations, and examples are presented in the form of dialogues coupled with grammar and vocabulary instruction. Information is also included about the culture of Deaf people in the United States. The book is supported by a new videotape and an instructor's manual.

• Units are divided into topics and subtopics organize the book, and each subtopic contains a dialogue that presents structures and vocabulary.

• Key structures from the dialogues are illustrated and some are also discussed with short notes.

• Each unit has exercises to help the student practice and a vocabulary list organized by category to facilitate study.

• There are illustrations for hundreds of sentences and vocabulary with more than 2,400 high quality “colorized” drawings that aid in study and memory.

• More than 100 grammar and cultural notes, 72 exercises, and charts of the American Manual Alphabet (Fingerspelling) and ASL number system are included.

• The rules of ASL are taught in a natural order that is predictable and compatible with everyday language of native users of American Sign Language.

• Information about the cultural lives of Deaf people in the United States is incorporated.

• Suitable for levels 1 & 2.

• New completely “colorized” illustrations provide a 3-D effect and make it easier for the student to see and mimic the signs being demonstrated.

• More than 100 new vocabulary terms and expanded exercises for practice provide students with additional resources for practice.

• Completely updated language and culture notes.

• New summary of contents featured at the beginning of each unit.

• Entirely new layout for ease of use.

• All new supporting video effectively illustrates all dialogues and key structures in the text. Order the book and video packaged together at a discounted price! Use ISBN 0-205-40762-5.

• New Instructor's Manual! College professors, you will receive the Instructor's Manual as part of your sample package. Professionals, to order a copy of the IM, please contact ab_professional@ablongman.com.

All Units end with “Vocabulary.”

To the Student.


Units and Topics.


1. Introductions and Personal Information.

Sign Language  (Deaf Studies & Deaf Education)

This book is designed to help learners successfully interact with American Sign Language (ASL) users. Written by two leading authorities in the field, the 24 lessons in this book cover Beginning and Intermediate or Level I and II courses of study. Lessons are structured around language needed for common life situations, and examples are presented in the form of dialogues coupled with grammar and vocabulary instruction. Information is also included about the culture of Deaf people in the United States. The book is supported by a videotape and an instructor's manual.

Learners will discover that the text:

• Contains lessons designed around the conversational language needed for common life situations.
• Illustrates hundreds of sentences and vocabulary with over 2,000 high quality colorized drawings that aid in study and memory.
• Contains over 100 grammar and cultural notes, 72 exercises, and charts of the American Manual Alphabet (Finger spelling) and ASL number system.
• Teaches the rules of ASL in a natural order that is predictable and compatible with everyday language of native users of American Sign Language.
• Incorporates information about the cultural lives of Deaf people in the United States.
• Is supported by a video demonstrating all the conversations and important structures in the text.

Video to Accompany American Sign Language, 2/e
Order No. 0-205-27554-0

American Sign Language students will find themselves captivated and entertained by this state-of-the-art Video that presents all 72 dialogues and each key structure from the text in a clear and natural way. Four internationally known Deaf actors animate the dialogues bringing life to the illustrations in the text allowing students to preview and review instructional materials at home to enhance their classroom learning.

About the authors:

Tom Humphries is Associate Director of the Teacher Education Program and also teaches in the Department of Communication at the University of California, San Diego. He is currently coordinating a program to train teachers of deaf children using a bilingual approach. Prior to this he taught at Gallaudet University in the Department of English for several years and later served as an Associate Dean for the San Diego Community College District where he coordinated the development of an ASL program and an interpreter-training program. He holds a Ph.D. in Cross Cultural Communication and Language Learning. Dr. Humphries is co-author with Carol Padden of Deaf in America: Voices from a Culture and several other books and articles related to ASL and the culture of Deaf people.

Carol Padden is a Professor in the Department of Communication at the University of California, San Diego where she teachers courses on language, culture and media. She is a graduate of Georgetown University and received a Ph.D. in Linguistics from the University of California, San Diego. Her recent research includes studies of reading development in young deaf children and she has written extensively about the cultural lives of Deaf people in the United States. She received a John Simon Guggenheim Fellowship, in addition to numerous other awards and grants for her work. In addition to the books she has co-authored with Tom Humphries, she has published several other books and articles on American Sign Language structure. Humphries & Padden (Learning American Sign Language, 2e). SMP 2004 Page 1 of 1

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