Signing Naturally 1011 [patched]

In American Sign Language (ASL) curriculum, "Signing Naturally 10.11" refers to a specific homework assignment and narrative lesson titled "A Lesson Learned." This story is part of the standard curriculum used in colleges and high schools to teach signers how to use role-shifting, storytelling techniques, and narrative flow. Narrative Summary: "A Lesson Learned"

The story follows a character named Melvin who is asked to babysit for his Deaf friends.

The Conflict: The three-year-old daughter of the couple keeps asking Melvin to turn the bedroom lights on and off so she can play.

The "Solution": Tired of getting up, Melvin teaches the little girl how to stand on a chair and operate the light switch herself.

The Unintended Consequence: After Melvin leaves, the little girl spends the entire night turning the lights on and off while her parents are trying to sleep. The lesson highlights that teaching children independence can sometimes have exhausting results that cannot be "un-taught". Key Learning Objectives for Unit 10.11

When practicing this piece, students typically focus on the following ASL grammatical structures: signing naturally 1011

Role-Shifting: Switching between the perspectives of Melvin, the young girl, and the parents to show dialogue and action.

Spatial Agreement: Setting up the "bedroom" and "light switch" in the signing space to maintain consistency throughout the story.

Narrative Structure: Using appropriate transitions to move from the introduction (babysitting request) to the body (the "teaching" moment) and the conclusion (the parents' sleepless night).

Non-Manual Markers (NMMs): Using facial expressions to convey Melvin's exhaustion, the girl's persistence, and the parents' eventual frustration. Related Material in Unit 11 Signing Naturally Unit 11 - sciphilconf.berkeley.edu

Signing Naturally is the most widely used curriculum for learning American Sign Language (ASL). Unit 10 focuses on building narrative skills, and Section 11 specifically targets the grammatical structure of Conditionals (If/Then statements) and Temporal Clauses. The Structure [CONDITION] + [RESULT]

Below is the full learning content, breakdown, and practice material for Signing Naturally 10.11.

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The Structure

[CONDITION] + [RESULT]

• The Condition: The circumstance or possibility.
• The Result: What happens if the condition is met.

Common Student Struggles with Signing Naturally 1011

Why does this specific unit get Googled so often? Because it is usually the first time a student fails a receptive exam.

The "Tell a Story" Video Assignment Most instructors using Signing Naturally 1011 require students to watch a video of a Deaf native signer telling a story (usually "The Balloon Story" or "The Car Accident") and then answer comprehension questions.

Common Pain Points:

• Speed: Native signers do not sign word-for-word English. They drop nouns (using CLs instead) and speed up during the climax of the accident.
• Facial Grammar: In Unit 10.11, if the signer raises their eyebrows, it often indicates a conditional clause ("If the light had been red..."). Lowered brows indicate "wh-" questions during the narrative.
• Memory Load: You cannot pause a live video. You have to hold the image of the CL:1 person walking and the CL:3 car turning simultaneously.

What is "Signing Naturally 1011"?

First, let’s clarify the nomenclature. "Signing Naturally" is published by DawnSignPress. The curriculum is divided into levels (Level 1, Level 2, etc.). When students refer to Signing Naturally 1011, they are generally referring to Unit 10.11 from the Level 2 (or "Units 7-12") curriculum.

Unit 10 focuses heavily on "Storytelling and Narratives." Specifically, 10.11 dives into the nuances of "Telling a Story About an Accident" or recounting unexpected events in the past tense.

Unlike earlier units that focused on vocabulary (colors, family, animals), Unit 10.11 shifts entirely into discourse skills—how you string sentences together to form a cohesive, time-sensitive narrative.

Beyond Memorization: A Deep Dive into Signing Naturally Units 1-6

For decades, students walking into their first American Sign Language (ASL) class have been greeted by the same distinctive cover of a hand silhouetted against a sunburst. Signing Naturally Units 1-6 (often referenced by its product code, 1011, for the DVD/ebook bundle) is widely considered the "gold standard" of ASL curricula. But what makes this specific text different from a French or Spanish workbook?

Unlike traditional foreign language books that rely on rote memorization of vocabulary lists and verb conjugation charts, Signing Naturally employs a functional-notional approach. This means it doesn't teach you random signs; it teaches you how to accomplish tasks. The Condition: The circumstance or possibility

2. Role Shifting (Constructed Action)

When telling a story about an accident, you often have to quote yourself or another person. Unit 10.11 requires Role Shifting (also called "Constructed Action").

• You will use your torso to represent different characters. Leaning left = "The driver." Leaning right = "The pedestrian."
• Your eye gaze changes depending on who is speaking.
• Tip: Students who struggle with 1011 often forget to shift their shoulders. In ASL storytelling, "He said, then I said" requires a physical shift, not just a sign for "say."

2. The Grammar: Conditionals (If / Then)

In English, we say, "If it rains, I will stay home." In ASL, this structure is specific regarding facial grammar (non-manual markers).