Grade 5

Key Ideas 

Initialized and Lexicalized Forms 

Vocabulary Acquisition and Use 

Demonstrate understanding of ways fingerspelled signs are formed and their uses. 

Demonstrate understanding of initialized and lexicalized forms of fingerspelled words.  

Know and apply grade-level parameters and sign analysis skills in decoding signs both in isolation and in context.  

Use pacing in fingerspelling to highlight a phrase in presentation or discourse for emphasis (e.g., E-V-O-L-V-E-D, B-A-W-L-E-D #EYES O-U-T). 

Use fingerspelled words when there are no sign equivalents (e.g., proper nouns, technology terms, vegetables). 

Recognize that fingerspelled words are not always for emphasis and use both the fingerspelled word and the sign interchangeably (e.g., fs-O-N-L-I-N-E/ONLINE). 

Understand that fingerspelling can use space to establish referents and/or to clarify meaning. 

Connect initialized forms and alphabet letters to their equivalent in English. 

Fingerspell longer words and phrases following correct contour as new ASL and English lexicon expands. 

Recognize that some signs are compounded with signs and lexicalized fingerspelling (e.g., #SUN+GLASSES, BACK+#YARD). 

Recognize that some words are fingerspelled due to domain-specific definition (e.g., H2O – fs-H-Y-D-R-O-G-E-N fs-O-X-I-D-E).