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ASL Directional Verbs

Ninth graders learn one of ASL’s most elegant grammar features — directional (indicating) verbs. Verbs like GIVE, HELP, and ASK change direction to show who does the action and who receives it, all in one movement.

Grade 9Directional Verbs55 minutes1 class periodACTFL / Visual LanguageExplicit teaching4 StandardsACTFL
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Lesson at a Glance

Everything you need before the bell rings

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to…

  • ✓Explain directional verbs.
  • ✓Show who acts on whom.
  • ✓Match direction to meaning.
  • ✓Sign efficiently.
Essential Question

In ASL, one verb can say “I help you” or “you help me” — just by changing direction! How do directional verbs work?

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Lesson Phases
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Vocabulary Terms
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Standards Aligned
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Interactive Task
Match It · Interactive

Match the Direction to Its Meaning

Project this and match each verb movement to its meaning — tap the movement, then tap the meaning.

↔️ Match each movement to its meaningTry it
The Movement
Meaning
Now tap the meaning!
The Lesson · Visual-Language Flow (Warm-Up · Present · Practice · Sign · Reflect)

55 minutes, five moves

Tap any phase to open the teacher moves and student actions.

1

Warm-Up — One Verb, Two Meanings

6 min

In ASL a verb can change direction to show who acts on whom — how?

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Sign GIVE toward yourself.
  • Ask what changed.
  • Set the goal.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Watch.
  • Notice.
  • Get ready.
2

Present — Directional Verbs

13 min

Students learn.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Model GIVE, HELP, ASK.
  • Change the direction.
  • Have students copy.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Watch.
  • Note it.
  • Copy.
3

Practice — Match Them

15 min

Students practice.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Send students to Match the Direction.
  • Match each one.
  • Sign along.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Match.
  • Sign.
  • Explain.
4

Sign — Sign

15 min

Students sign.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Sign “I help you.”
  • Sign “You give to me.”
  • Sign to a partner.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Sign it.
  • Sign it.
  • Sign.
5

Reflect — Reflect

6 min

Students close.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Sign a directional verb.
  • Show the direction.
  • Complete the exit ticket.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Sign one.
  • Show it.
  • Complete the exit ticket.
Standards Alignment

Built to the standards you report on

Aligned to the ACTFL World-Readiness Standards for Learning Languages (Intermediate-Low).

ACTFL
Communication 1.2

Interpretive: understand directional verbs.

ACTFL
Comparisons 4.1

Compare how subject/object are shown.

ACTFL
Connections 3.1

Connect to grammar.

ACTFL
Communication 1.1

Interpersonal: use directional verbs.

Differentiation

One lesson, every learner

Multilingual Learners

ELL / EMERGING READERS
  • Movement arrow cards.
  • Model the direction.
  • Use a mirror.

Support & Access

IEP / 504
  • Start with GIVE.
  • Model one direction at a time.
  • Copy together.

Stretch & Extend

GIFTED / EARLY FINISHERS
  • Add SEND and PAY.
  • Sign a short exchange.
  • Set a person in space.
Materials

What to gather

  • 📽️Screen / board
  • ↔️Directional cards
  • 💻Match the Direction
  • 🪩A mirror (optional)
  • ✏️Notebooks
  • 🎫Exit-ticket slips
Vocabulary

Key terms — hover for a quick definition

directional verba verb that moves between peopleGIVEflat “O” hands moveHELPfist on flat palm, both moveSHOWindex into palm, movesASKindex bends toward the personindicating verbanother name for directional verbsubjectwho does the actionobjectwho receives the action
Evaluate

Exit Ticket

Preview the three formative checks. Tap “Sample answer” to see what mastery looks like — hide them before you print for students.

QUESTION 1
What is a directional verb?
A verb that changes direction to show who acts on whom.
QUESTION 2
How would you sign “I help you”?
Sign HELP moving from you toward the other person.
QUESTION 3
How would you sign “you give to me”?
Sign GIVE moving from the other person toward yourself.

Reflect: directional verbs.

Have students sign “I help you” and “you help me” by changing direction. A printable ASL directional-verbs sheet is in the World Languages library.

Study · Flashcards

Study the key terms

Tap a card to flip it, then rate whether you knew it. Built from this lesson’s vocabulary.

🃏 ASL Directional VerbsFlip
Card 1
Term
Tap to flip →
Meaning
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Practice · Quiz

Check your understanding

A quick self-check with instant feedback, drawn from this lesson’s key terms.

📝 ASL Directional VerbsQuiz
Score: 0
1 / 6
Question 1
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Practice · Worksheet

Printable worksheet

A print-and-go review sheet with a built-in answer key. Tap “Show answer key” to reveal answers, or print the clean version for students.

🖨️ ASL Directional VerbsPrint
Name: ________________________
Date: ____________

Part A · Write the word that matches each meaning

Word bank: ASK, directional verb, GIVE, HELP, indicating verb, object, SHOW, subject
  1. a verb that moves between people
  2. another name for directional verb
  3. index into palm, moves
  4. flat “O” hands move
  5. index bends toward the person
  6. who does the action
  7. fist on flat palm, both move
  8. who receives the action

Part B · Show what you learned

  1. What is a directional verb?
  2. How would you sign “I help you”?
  3. How would you sign “you give to me”?
Answer key — Part A: 1) directional verb · 2) indicating verb · 3) SHOW · 4) GIVE · 5) ASK · 6) subject · 7) HELP · 8) object
Part B: 1) A verb that changes direction to show who acts on whom. 2) Sign HELP moving from you toward the other person. 3) Sign GIVE moving from the other person toward yourself.