Skill Area

Lexicalized Sign Production Checklist

Learner’s Name:_________________________ Learner’s Age:______________________

Assessor:_______________________________ Date of Assessment: ________________

Language Skill Area: Phonological/Morphological

Lexicalized Sign Not Yet Emerging Emerging Developing Proficient

#BUS

#DOG

#FIX

#OFF

#PEN

#BACK

#NOTE

#POOL

#SNACK

#GRADE

Notes:________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

Rationale

This assessment tool, Lexicalized Sign Production Checklist, was

designed for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing learners from 5 to 21 years old. The

checklist was created for learners from kindergarten to 12th grade, and in some

case, postsecondary program. The checklist is available for educators and ASL

specialists working with Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing learners. The checklist

focuses on the learners’ phonological and morphological skills in ASL,

particularly on producing lexicialized signs ((Planning). Lexicalized sign items in

the checklist were determined based on most common words used at the

school level. Results from the Lexicalized Sign Production assessment may be

used for IEP meetings to support educators and ASL specialists’ findings and

reports on the learners’ skills on producing lexicalized signs. They will benefit

parents and administrators to know where their children are at. According to

Baker (Baker), deaf children will become better readers if they have early

exposure to fingerspelling. Deaf families fingerspell to their deaf children when

they are very young.

How to Assess Skill Area

To have a learner perform the Lexicalized Sign Production assessment,

the assessor will provide a picture for each lexicalized sign item. The learner will

be asked to produce for each picture. Assessments may be given every three

months to monitor the learner’s progress. Findings of the assessment will be

 shared in the learner’s IEP meeting with the learner’s parents as well as the

school administrators. A learner with proficient skills will be able to produce

lexicalized signs with no difficulty. For a learner with developing skills, he or she

may fingerspell manually, for instance, P-O-O-L without having it done

blendedly. As for a learner with emerging skills, he or she may initialize

fingerspelling the first one or two letters, but is not capable of completing

fingerspelling the whole word. When it comes to skills not yet emerging, a

learner may not respond or shares a phrase like, “I don’t know.” There are some

blank boxes in the checklist for the assessor to add in case he or she notices

the learner producing some lexicalized items other than the words listed in the

checklist.

This checklist also applies to learners coming to the United States from

different countries. It helps learners monitor their skills as they acquire ASL. To

monitor learners’ progress, it is recommended to have assessments done while

videotaped. Assessors may go back to their session recordings for clarification

or to show parents and administrators what error production(s) may be

observed. Assessors should rely on their checklists with their checks or some

type of markings. Observation notes may be included as well. Assessors may

use information to assist them with their reports in annual or triennial IEPs.

 References

Baker, S., Ed.D. (2010, July). Retrieved July 23, 2020, from https://vl2.gallaudet.edu/research/
research-briefs/english/importance-fingerspelling-reading/

Planning, D. (n.d.). K-12-asl-content-standards. Retrieved July 23, 2020, from https://

www.gallaudet.edu/k-12-asl-content-standards