Enrollment underway for American Sign Language course at Austin Peay, including new Fundamentals of ASL

By: Bethany Benjamin January 8, 2024

Community enrollment is underway for the upcoming session of American Sign Language (ASL), including the new class offering Fundamentals of ASL through the Professional and Workforce Development Center of Austin Peay State University. If you have been looking for an opportunity to begin learning or build upon your skills in this beautiful language, this opportunity will provide instruction in basic conversational signing.

This course is a noncredit course and does not require enrollment as a University student. Participants must be at least 18 years old and enrolled through the Professional and Workforce Development Center. The cost to attend any of the three sessions is $149, which includes all instructional materials needed for the course. Classes are set to begin on Jan. 22 and are held on campus. Three sections are offered, ranging from introductory to a more advanced, yet beginner level:

Fundamentals of ASL – Great for those without experience as an introduction to American Sign Language.
- Mondays and Wednesdays, 5-6 p.m.
Beginner 1 – Take a deeper dive into the primary level of ASL skill.
- Mondays and Wednesdays, 6-7:30 p.m.
Beginner 2 – Builds upon the Beginner 1 ASL skills.
- Tuesdays and Thursdays, 5:30-7 p.m.

Instructor Laura Farley has years of experience teaching ASL at Austin Peay. Students will interact and participate in skill-building activities and projects that make learning ASL both fun and rewarding.

“I want people to understand the importance of ASL in a deaf person’s life and how it helps them progress because they have communication,” Farley said. “The most helpful thing a hearing person can do for a deaf person is to communicate.”

The Professional and Workforce Development Center is a division of Austin Peay offering noncredit courses that do not require a student to be enrolled in the university path. Courses include certification-style courses such as phlebotomy technician, emergency medical technician, American Sign Language and other career and workforce certifications. For more information on continuing education, please contact pro-work-center@apsu.edu, call 931-221-7816 or visit www.apsu.edu/continuing-education.