American Sign Language (ASL) assessments are used to evaluate a person's proficiency and understanding of ASL, a visual language used by individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing. These assessments can be formal or informal and are often used in educational settings, language proficiency tests, or to assess interpreters' skills. ASL proficiency is typically assessed through the following:
- receptive skills (a person’s ability to comprehend ASL, either through video, in person, or from a conversation)
- expressive skills (the clarity and accuracy with which someone signs, including appropriate use of grammar, classifiers, and non-manual markers)
- cultural competency (understanding Deaf culture and norms related to ASL, which is often considered a key component of language fluency)
ASL Assessment Types
Several types of ASL assessments are commonly used in educational settings: ASL proficiency tests, receptive and expressive skills assessments, ASL vocabulary and grammar tests, and observation assessments.
ASL proficiency tests are standardized tests designed to measure someone's skills in ASL. They assess various components such as vocabulary, grammar, fluency, and comprehension.
Receptive skills assessments involve testing an individual’s ability to understand ASL through videos, in-person interactions, or other visual means. In a receptive assessment, the individual may be shown ASL signs or short stories and asked comprehension questions to check for understanding.
Expressive skills assessments evaluate an individual’s ability to produce ASL signs and form appropriate grammatical structures. A person might be asked to sign specific sentences or converse with an evaluator using ASL to show their fluency and comfort with the language.
ASL vocabulary and grammar tests involve a person's understanding of ASL vocabulary and grammatical structures. ASL grammar differs significantly from English, and these tests often focus on the following:
- Word order: ASL has its own syntax, which is often subject-object-verb rather than subject-verb-object, like in English.
- Non-manual signals: These are facial expressions and body movements that convey tone, emotion, and grammatical markers.
- Classifier use: ASL uses classifiers (specific handshapes that represent categories of objects or people) in unique ways, and these are often tested to determine an individual’s proficiency.
Informal assessments involve someone being observed during interactions with others using ASL. This can be in both educational or home settings or community contexts, where the evaluator assesses fluency, communication effectiveness, and how well the individual integrates ASL vocabulary and grammar.
Resources
MDE-LIO’s ASL Assessments page includes more information and links to specific assessments and requirements.
Language Assessments for ASL offers a chart of formal and informal assessments for ASL with information on what they assess.
Please note: Resources shared are not exhaustive and provided as suggested potential tools. MDE-LIO is not making specific recommendations, and no endorsements should be inferred.