Did you know? American Sign Language (ASL) is one of the most widely used sign languages in Canada and the United States!
ASL is a full visual language with its own grammar and sentence structure. ASL uses facial expressions, handshapes, and body movement to show meaning. Many Deaf people use ASL every day to connect, share stories, and express themselves.
Our ASL classes make learning fun and comfortable. From the very first class, students learn in a signing environment with Deaf instructors. They use ASL, gestures, pictures, and sometimes written English to support learning.
Students will start to feel confident having simple conversations in ASL while also learning about Deaf culture and community. Whether you’re learning for fun, work, or school, this is a great place to begin your ASL journey.
Our classes are open to those 14 years of age or older or in Grade 9 and up. Each class costs $200. This does not include the course workbook. You will need to buy your own copy of the Signing Naturally Student Workbook.
ASL 101
ASL 101 is an introductory course that explores the topics from Units 1, 2, and 3 of the Signing Naturally Student Workbook.
By the end of the course, students will gain knowledge of basic Deaf culture, a vocabulary of approximately 500 words, non-manual signals (facial expressions), mouth morphemes information, and the specific grammar rules used in ASL.
ASL 101
ASL 101 is an introductory course that explores the topics from Units 1, 2, and 3 of the Signing Naturally Student Workbook. By the end of the course, students will gain knowledge of basic Deaf culture, a vocabulary of approximately 500 words, non-manual signals (facial expressions), mouth morphemes information, and the specific grammar rules used in ASL.
This course offers the student an opportunity to develop skills needed in ASL to interact and socialize with Deaf people and is suitable for students who have little or no previous experience with ASL.
Fall 2026
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ASL 101 – Thursdays
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ASL 101 – Saturdays
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ASL 102
This course is a continuation of ASL 101. ASL 102 explores Units 4, 5, and 6 of the Signing Naturally Student Workbook. The topics are as follows: Talking About Family, Talking About Everyday Activities, and Storytelling.
By the end of the course, students will expand their ASL vocabulary base, and gain knowledge of grammatical structures, time-related concepts, direction-related signs, and making requests in ASL.
ASL 102
This course is a continuation of ASL 101. ASL 102 explores Units 4, 5, and 6 of the Signing Naturally Student Workbook. The topics are as follows: Talking About Family, Talking About Everyday Activities, and Storytelling. By the end of the course, students will expand their ASL vocabulary base, and gain knowledge of grammatical structures, time-related concepts, direction-related signs, and making requests in ASL.
This course offers the student an opportunity to further develop skills needed in ASL to interact and socialize with Deaf people.
Fall 2026
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ASL 102 – Wednesdays
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ASL 103
ASL 103 focuses on the following topics from Units 7, 8, and 9: Describing People and Things, Making Requests and Asking for Advice, and Describing Places of the Signing Naturally Student Workbook.
By the end of the course, students will build on their conversational skills with a focus on core vocabulary, common signing phrases, non-manual markers (facial expression, role-shifting), signing space, fingerspelling, numbers, loan signs, and cultural protocols in ASL.
ASL 103
ASL 103 focuses on the following topics from Units 7, 8, and 9: Describing People and Things, Making Requests and Asking for Advice, and Describing Places of the Signing Naturally Student Workbook. By the end of the course, students will build on their conversational skills with a focus on core vocabulary, common signing phrases, non-manual markers (facial expression, role-shifting), signing space, fingerspelling, numbers, loan signs, and cultural protocols in ASL.
This course offers the student an opportunity to further develop skills needed in ASL to interact and socialize with Deaf people.
There are no classes for this course this season. Please check back later.
ASL 104
ASL 104 builds upon on the skills from ASL 103, focusing on Units 10, 11, and 12: Giving Opinions about Others, Discussing Plans and Goals, and Storytelling and Fables of the Signing Naturally Student Workbook.
By the end of the course, students will further develop visual/spatial orientation, vocabulary, complex sentence structures, and storytelling skills in ASL.
ASL 104
ASL 104 builds upon on the skills from ASL 103, focusing on Units 10, 11, and 12: Giving Opinions about Others, Discussing Plans and Goals, and Storytelling and Fables of the Signing Naturally Student Workbook. By the end of the course, students will further develop visual/spatial orientation, vocabulary, complex sentence structures, and storytelling skills in ASL.
This course offers the student an opportunity to further develop skills needed in ASL to share stories and experiences with Deaf people.
Fall 2026
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ASL 104 – Mondays
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Parents ASL Class – Thunder Bay area
The Parents ASL Class is designed for families with Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing infants, children and youth in the Thunder Bay area. The Parents ASL Class is sponsored by the Thunder Bay Centre of the Deaf.
The classes have two different levels; Level One is for those with no ASL experience and/or have no basic ASL skills and Level Two is for who have conversational ASL skills and/or want to expand on their ASL skills.
If you are a Parent of a Deaf and/or Hard-of-Hearing infant(s), child(ren) and/or youth – register when those classes open later this fall!
Questions?
Send us a message and we will be in touch with you within 3 to 5 business days.
FAQs
Q: Does this ASL class offer academic credit?
A: This ASL class is intended for personal learning and skill development only; it does not offer academic credit.
Q: Are there ASL classes available beyond ASL 104?
A: At this time, we do not offer ASL classes beyond 104. We are always looking at interest and resources, so advanced ASL classes might be offered in the future. Stay tuned for updates or contact us if you’re interested in higher-level courses.
Q: Will I become qualified to interpret in ASL after taking these classes?
A: These classes do not qualify you to work as a professional ASL interpreter. Becoming an interpreter takes a lot of training, strong ASL fluency, and certification through an accredited program. Our courses are a great first step for building the skills you’d need if you want to pursue a career in interpreting.
Q: Age Requirements for ASL Classes
A: Our ASL classes are open to participants aged 14 and older, with no maximum age—teens and adults of all ages are welcome. The minimum age requirement ensures that learners can fully engage with the class pace, content, and group learning environment, which are designed for teen and adult learners.
While we do not currently offer classes for children under 14, we are exploring dedicated programs for younger learners—please reach out if you’d like to be notified about future offerings. We also offer an ASL immersion summer camp for children*, providing a fun and engaging way for younger learners to get started with sign language.
REGISTRATION CONFIRMATION
Registration is confirmed when payment has been received.
CANCELLATION/REFUND POLICY
Full refunds before classes start. $30 fee if you cancel before the third class. No refunds after the third class.
PREREQUISITE COURSES
A prerequisite is a course you need to finish with a passing grade before you can take the next level. If you completed the course somewhere else, you’ll need to show a certificate proving you passed.
SUBJECT TO CHANGE
ASL class schedules might change based on how many students sign up and instructor availability.