Topic Library — Learning to Sign: Signing with Friends (Year 1 Foundations)

School: Minister Destiny Testimony Schools Track: Youth Class: Topic Library — Year 1 (Foundations) Presented by: Minister Destiny Marie Morgan, Muslim Ordained Minister

This lesson is educational information and is not legal advice. Laws vary by state. If you are in danger right now, call 911.

Before you start

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We never ask your name. Not here, not on the test, not on the certificate; you write your own name on it after downloading.
Pass the test at 80% or higher to earn this unit's certificate. Retakes allowed; answers are not shown — re-read and retry.
If you are in danger right now: call 911. If you cannot talk out loud, text HOME to 741741 (Crisis Text Line) or call or text 988 any time, day or night.
Signing is a real language — American Sign Language (ASL). This unit teaches first signs and safety signs; the book and app videos show them moving. Each sign carries an illustration brief (sign diagram, single or two-panel, with movement arrow).

The lesson

Part 1. Why sign with friends

A Deaf classmate is a classmate — a friend for jokes, games, and lunch, not just lessons. Signing includes them in all of it.

Two things make signing work. Eye contact is polite — look at your friend's face, not their hands. And faces talk too: expressions are part of ASL grammar; raised eyebrows, a worried face change meaning.

One honest rule: name signs are special. A name sign is given by a Deaf person — never invented, for yourself or anyone. Until then, fingerspell your name.

Part 2. The alphabet game

Fingerspelling spells words letter by letter, one hand — your writing hand, palm mostly forward, slow and smooth:

A fist, thumb side, B fingers up, thumb across palm, C curved like C, D index up, fingertips-to-thumb, E fingers curled tight, F index-thumb circle, G index sideways, H index-middle sideways, I pinky up, J pinky traces J, K index-middle up, thumb between, L thumb-index L, M thumb under three, N thumb under two, O fingers-thumb O, P like K, down, Q like G, down, R index-middle crossed, S fist, thumb front, T thumb between index-middle, U index-middle together, V index-middle apart, W three fingers apart, X index bent hook, Y thumb, pinky out, Z index traces Z.

Illustration brief SL-1: (b) 26-panel handshape chart; (d) alt "ASL fingerspelling chart, A to Z"; (e) caption "Manual alphabet — J and Z move."

The game: fingerspell your name, a friend's name, a pet's name.

Part 3. First signs for friends

SIGN — HELLO — Flat hand at forehead, near ear; move out and away. Smile. Brief SL-2: (b) hand leaving forehead; (d) alt "Signing hello"; (e) caption "HELLO — forehead wave."

SIGN — MY NAME — Point to yourself; sign NAME — two-finger hands tapped crosswise — then fingerspell your name. Brief SL-3: (b) point, fingers tap; (d) alt "Signing my name"; (e) caption "MY NAME — point, spell."

SIGN — HOW ARE YOU — Bent hands, knuckles touching; roll to palms-up, point at friend. Eyebrows up. Brief SL-4: (b) knuckles rolling open; (d) alt "Asking how are you"; (e) caption "HOW ARE YOU — roll, point."

SIGN — FINE — Open hand, thumb touches chest: "I'm fine." Brief SL-5: (b) thumb on chest; (d) alt "Signing fine"; (e) caption "FINE — thumb to chest."

SIGN — THANK YOU — Flat hand at lips; move forward and down toward the person thanked. Brief SL-6: (b) hand moving from lips; (d) alt "Signing thank you"; (e) caption "THANK YOU — forward."

SIGN — PLEASE — Flat hand on chest; rub a small circle. Brief SL-7: (b) hand circling chest; (d) alt "Signing please"; (e) caption "PLEASE — circle over heart."

SIGN — SORRY — A fist rubbed in a circle on your chest, sorry face showing — PLEASE's spot, but a fist. Brief SL-8: (b) fist circling chest; (d) alt "Signing sorry"; (e) caption "SORRY — fist over heart."

SIGN — YES — A fist nodding up and down, like a nodding head. Brief SL-9: (b) fist bobbing; (d) alt "Signing yes"; (e) caption "YES — fist nods."

SIGN — NO — Index and middle fingers snap down onto thumb, like a mouth shutting. Brief SL-10: (b) fingers closing onto thumb; (d) alt "Signing no"; (e) caption "NO — fingers snap."

SIGN — FRIEND — Hook two index fingers together; switch tops, hook again. Brief SL-11: (b) hooked fingers linking twice; (d) alt "Signing friend"; (e) caption "FRIEND — linked twice."

SIGN — PLAY — Both hands Y-shaped (thumb, pinky out); twist from wrists. Brief SL-12: (b) Y hands twisting; (d) alt "Signing play"; (e) caption "PLAY — Y hands twist."

SIGN — SCHOOL — One hand flat, palm up; clap the other onto it twice. Brief SL-13: (b) hand clapping onto palm; (d) alt "Signing school"; (e) caption "SCHOOL — double clap."

SIGN — GOOD — Flat hand at chin; bring down onto other palm-up hand. Brief SL-14: (b) hand moving chin to palm; (d) alt "Signing good"; (e) caption "GOOD — chin to palm."

Part 4. Safety signs

These matter most on a playground or a bus.

SIGN — HELP — A fist, thumb up, on your other open palm; lift both. Brief SL-15: (b) fist rising on palm; (d) alt "Signing help"; (e) caption "HELP — lift together."

SIGN — STOP — One hand flat, palm up; chop your other hand's edge onto it once, firmly. Brief SL-16: (b) hand chopping onto palm; (d) alt "Signing stop"; (e) caption "STOP — firm chop."

SIGN — HURT — Index fingers point at each other; jab together near the sore spot. Brief SL-17: (b) fingers jabbing near knee; (d) alt "Signing hurt"; (e) caption "HURT — jab sore spot."

SIGN — SICK — Bend both middle fingers; touch forehead and stomach. Brief SL-18: (b) fingers at forehead, stomach; (d) alt "Signing sick"; (e) caption "SICK — forehead, stomach."

SIGN — DANGER — One hand flat, palm down; strike its edge twice with your other fist's thumb side, arcing. Signs vary — follow your friend. Brief SL-19: (b) fist striking hand's edge; (d) alt "Signing danger"; (e) caption "DANGER — strike twice."

SIGN — TEACHER — Flattened O hands at head's sides move forward; flat hands drop at sides: "person." Brief SL-20: (b) hands forward, dropping; (d) alt "Signing teacher"; (e) caption "TEACHER — teach plus person."

SIGN — BATHROOM — Make a T; shake side to side twice. (Politer: R, bounced twice.) Brief SL-21: (b) T handshape shaking; (d) alt "Signing bathroom"; (e) caption "BATHROOM — shake T."

One word is missing on purpose: SAFE could not be checked well enough — not taught, rather than taught wrong. The videos or a Deaf teacher can add it.

Part 5. Being a good signing friend

Get attention kindly. Wave, tap a shoulder gently, flick the lights. Never grab hands. Never shout.
Face your friend. Hands visible. Don't cover your mouth or turn away.
Forgot a sign? Fingerspell it — or write or type it.
Include, don't take over. Sign with your friend; don't interpret uninvited or answer for them.
"Never mind" is banned. Miss something? Repeat it — every time. Leaving someone out is the one real failure.

Words to know — Learning to Sign

Sign language — a full language of hands, face, body; ASL is used in the U.S. and much of Canada.
Fingerspelling — spelling a word letter by letter with handshapes.
Alphabet (manual) — the 26 handshapes for fingerspelling letters.
Deaf — capital D: Deaf community and culture; a word many use with pride.
Interpreter — a trained adult translating between signing and speech.
Eye contact — looking at your partner's face; how you listen.
Name sign — a special sign for one person, given by a Deaf person.
Expression (facial grammar) — facial expressions that are ASL grammar, not just feelings.
Include / inclusion — making sure everyone can take part.
Attention — in signing, gotten visually: wave, tap, lights.

Myths vs facts — Learning to Sign

Myth: Sign language is the same everywhere. Fact: Every country has its own sign languages; ASL is one of many.
Myth: Deaf kids can't join games and jokes. Fact: Deaf kids do everything friends do; signing shares it.
Myth: Shouting helps a Deaf friend understand. Fact: Signing is seen, not heard. Face your friend and sign.
Myth: You must sign perfectly or not try. Fact: Trying beats perfect. Fingerspell, write, or type.
Myth: Lip-reading always works. Fact: Much of speech can't be seen on lips; signing, writing, typing are surer.

Think it through — Learning to Sign

Maya, who is Deaf, joins your class. At lunch she sits with her tray while your table laughs at a story she cannot see. On the bus, a boy falls and scrapes his knee near her seat. What can you do this week?

Walk it through: (1) Part 3 first: HELLO, MY NAME (fingerspell yours), HOW ARE YOU. (2) Part 2 is your backup: fingerspell anything you lack a sign for. (3) At lunch, Part 5: face Maya, include her, repeat what she misses, never say "never mind." (4) On the bus, Part 4: HURT and HELP by the scraped knee — faster than shouting. (5) Name sign: hers to be given — fingerspell M-A-Y-A until then.

Try this — Learning to Sign

☐ Fingerspell three names a day
☐ Teach a family member HELLO and THANK YOU
☐ Learn your school-day five: HELLO, FRIEND, PLAY, TEACHER, BATHROOM
☐ Practice HELP, STOP, HURT, SICK until automatic
☐ Sign one whole lunch conversation, hands and faces only

Resources to keep — Learning to Sign

Lifeprint (lifeprint.com) — free ASL lessons and sign dictionary, by Dr. William Vicars.
Hands & Voices (handsandvoices.org) — support for families of Deaf and hard-of-hearing children.
Gallaudet University (gallaudet.edu) — the world's Deaf university.
Your school counselor — a safe first stop if a friend needs an adult.
911 — in danger now. 988 (call or text) · Crisis Text Line (text HOME to 741741) — support any time.

What you earned / what's next — Learning to Sign

✅ Learning to Sign — Signing With Friends complete (quiz score 80% or higher): You can fingerspell names, sign greeting and friendship words, use safety signs, and include a Deaf friend.

Your certificate

Minister Destiny Testimony Schools Certificate of Completion — Learning to Sign — Signing With Friends

This certificate is presented by Muslim Ordained Minister Destiny Marie Morgan

Awarded to: ______________________________ (write your name here after you download — your name is never collected or stored by this school)

Date completed: ______________

You learned a language with your hands and your face, for the best reason — friendship. Keep signing, keep including, never say "never mind." — Minister Destiny Marie Morgan

This is a certificate of educational completion from Minister Destiny Testimony Schools. It is not a state license, a government certification, or legal training for representing anyone.

What's next: Return to the Topic Library for your next Year 1 Foundations unit.

Sources

ASL University / Lifeprint — Dr. William Vicars (lifeprint.com) — fingerspelling; PLEASE, NAME, HOW, FINE, SORRY, HELP, STOP, HURT, SICK, FRIEND, SCHOOL, TEACHER, BATHROOM; checked Oct 21, 2026.
HandSpeak — handspeak.com — dictionary entry for DANGER (U.S. version; a Canadian regional version also shown), checked Oct 21, 2026.
American Sign Language For Dummies — dummies.com — STOP, HURT, HELP descriptions, second check, Oct 21, 2026.
Hands & Voices — handsandvoices.org — family and school inclusion framing.
Gallaudet University — gallaudet.edu — Deaf community framing; capital-D Deaf usage.

Your Progress — On Your Device Only

Learning outcomes: On completing this unit, the student can:

fingerspell any name with the 26-letter manual alphabet;
sign and recognize the Part 3 signs — HELLO, MY NAME, HOW ARE YOU, FINE, THANK YOU, PLEASE, SORRY, YES, NO, FRIEND, PLAY, SCHOOL, GOOD — from a written description;
sign and recognize the Part 4 safety signs — HELP, STOP, HURT, SICK, DANGER, TEACHER, BATHROOM;
explain why a name sign is given, never invented;
get a Deaf friend's attention kindly and include them without saying "never mind."

Study time: Approximately 1 hour — reading, activities, and the test. Students move at their own pace.
Assessment: A 10-question test drawn only from this unit's lesson. 80% or higher passes and earns the unit certificate. Answers are not shown; your score is saved only in your own browser on this device, and retakes are allowed.
Level: Topic Library — Year 1 (Foundations) · Youth school · working rank on completion path: Freshman → Sophomore.
Version: Version 1.0 — October 2026.

Minister Destiny Testimony Schools — Youth. Educational information only, not legal advice. Help lines: 911 · 988 (call or text) · Crisis Text Line (text HOME to 741741) · Childhelp 1-800-422-4453.

Ready to test? This course's test is given at the Testing Center. Answers are never shown; score at least 80% to earn your certificate of completion. You may retake the test as many times as you need — each retake presents the questions in a different order, with the answer choices in a different order too.