Note: "Signing Naturally" is a popular curriculum for American Sign Language (ASL). "Homework 911" often refers to a specific unit (Unit 9, Lesson 11) or a student's cry for help regarding a tricky translation exercise.
Title: ASL SOS: Surviving the Signing Naturally Homework 911 Meltdown
We have all been there. You’re sitting at your desk, coffee has gone cold, and you are staring at a static image of a signer in a blue shirt. You have replayed the DVD chapter twelve times, but the handshape still looks like a blurry bird flapping in a hurricane.
Welcome to the dreaded Signing Naturally Homework 911.
If you are taking an ASL class right now, you know exactly what I’m talking about. Unit 9, Lesson 11 (often abbreviated as 9:11 or nicknamed "911" by frustrated students) is notorious for being the turning point where ASL goes from "fun vocabulary" to "legitimate brain twister."
Why is this homework so hard?
First, let’s give credit where it’s due. Signing Naturally is an amazing curriculum because it forces you to think in sign rather than translate word-for-word from English. But Homework 911 typically focuses on:
The 911 Emergency Kit (How to actually finish the assignment)
Before you throw your textbook across the room, here is your rescue plan:
1. Watch the "Snapshot" First, Not the Questions Most students hit play and immediately try to answer question #1. Stop. Watch the entire narrative once without writing anything. Just absorb the visual context.
2. Rewind and Slow Down (Literally) If you are using the DVD or online portal, slow the playback speed to 0.75x. Watch the signer’s non-dominant hand. Often, the answer to "Homework 911" lies in what the other hand is doing (location mapping).
3. Write the "Gist," Not the Gloss Don't worry about writing perfect ASL gloss (e.g., "CAR CL:V GO FAST"). Write the English story down first. Once you know the plot, you can go back and figure out the grammar. signing naturally homework 911
4. The 10-Minute Rule If you have been stuck on the same question for 10 minutes, stop. You are no longer learning; you are panicking. Take a walk, watch a silent vlog, or ask a classmate. Fresh eyes see signs better.
The Bottom Line
Homework 911 isn't designed to fail you; it’s designed to make you realize that ASL is a real, complex language with syntax and physics. The panic you feel ("911, I need help!") is actually the sound of your brain rewiring itself for visual-spatial learning.
So, take a deep breath. Turn off the music. Watch the hands, not the face (for now). You’ve got this.
Have you survived the Signing Naturally 911 homework? Or are you currently crying over a classifier for a winding road? Drop your ASL war stories in the comments below. 👇🫶
In the Signing Naturally curriculum, Homework 9.11 focuses on Giving Directions using Perspective Shift. The exercise involves navigating a map to reach 10 specific businesses for various reasons.
Here is a story that weaves all 10 locations from the assignment into a single narrative, which you can use to practice your signing and perspective-shifting skills: The "Errand Day" Narrative
It was a busy Tuesday morning, and I had a long list of things to do. I started my day at Macy's because it was raining and I desperately needed an umbrella. After I found one, I realized I was hungry, so I walked over to Sam's Deli to grab a quick sandwich.
While eating, I saw a sign for ReMax. My lease is ending soon, and I’ve been looking for a new house to buy, so I stopped in to chat with an agent. Feeling like I needed to get moving after that big sandwich, I headed to to exercise and stay fit. My afternoon was just as packed. I went to
because my daughter needs a copy of her birth certificate for school. On the way home, I remembered the wall socket in my living room is broken, so I pulled into Ace Hardware to buy a replacement. While there, I dropped my phone and cracked the screen, so I had to rush to AT&T to get a new cell phone.
Things got a bit stressful when I realized I had a deadline at the Courthouse Note: "Signing Naturally" is a popular curriculum for
; I had to pay a speeding ticket I got last week. By the time I finished, it was late. My friend was in town and staying at the
, but since their rooms were full, I went there to help her find another place to stay. Finally, I ended my day at the local lot because they offer cheap parking for the night. Key Skills to Demonstrate:
Perspective Shift: When you "turn" on your imaginary map, physically turn your body slightly to show you are now facing the new direction.
Spatial Agreement: Ensure your signs for the businesses correspond to where they are located on your mental or physical map.
Common Signs: Use the specific reasons for going (e.g., "NEED UMBRELLA," "WANT SANDWICH," "WALL SOCKET BROKEN") to provide context for each destination. If you'd like, I can:
Give you a glossed version of one of these segments to help with your signing.
Provide a vocabulary list for the specific locations and reasons used in this unit. Let me know how you'd like to practice this story! Signing Naturally Unit 9: Engaging Activities and Exercises
In American Sign Language (ASL) curricula like Signing Naturally Homework 9:11 typically focuses on Giving Directions and understanding Signer's Perspective
. This specific lesson challenges you to visualize a space from the point of view of the person signing to accurately interpret locations and landmarks. Course Hero Key Concepts for Homework 9:11 Signer's Perspective
: You must "flip" the directions in your mind. If a signer indicates something is on their right, it will appear on your left as the observer. SignWriting.org Common Locations & Needs
: The exercise often involves identifying why someone is going to a specific place. Common answers from this unit include: : Needs an umbrella. Sam's Deli : To get a sandwich. : Looking for a house. Ace Hardware : A wall socket is broken. : Needs a new cell phone. Courthouse : Received a speeding ticket. CliffsNotes Essential Grammar Tips Wh-Questions Title: ASL SOS: Surviving the Signing Naturally Homework
: When asking "where" or "why," lower your eyebrows, lean forward, and hold the last sign. Purdue University Yes/No Questions
: If you are confirming a location (e.g., "Is the deli next to the bank?"), raise your eyebrows and lean forward. Non-Manual Markers (NMMs)
: Use facial expressions to show distance. For example, "tilt head" and "squint eyes" can indicate a location is far away, while "clenched teeth" (the "cs" signal) indicates something is very close. Study Resources
For further practice or to verify your work, you can find detailed breakdowns on educational platforms: Course Hero
: Provides comprehensive answer keys and transcriptions for Unit 9. CliffsNotes
: Offers summaries of the engaging activities and logic behind the dialogues in this unit.
: Contains digital workbook pages and teacher-verified answer keys for Units 7–12. Course Hero specific signs used for the locations mentioned in this homework?
In Unit 9.11 of Signing Naturally, the homework focus is on Giving Directions: Perspective Shift. You are typically asked to watch a video where signers give directions to various businesses and record both the location name and the reason for the visit. Homework 9.11 Answer Key
Based on the standard curriculum, here are the 10 locations and their corresponding reasons for visiting: Business Name Reason for Going 1 Macy's Needs to buy an umbrella 2 Sam's Deli Wants to get a sandwich 3 ReMax Looking for a house to buy 4 Curves Needs to exercise to stay slim/skinny 5 City Hall Daughter needs a birth certificate 6 Ace Hardware Wall socket is broken; needs parts 7 AT&T Needs to get a new cell phone 8 Courthouse Got a ticket for speeding 9 Hyatt Needs a hotel room (previous one was full) 10 Parking Looking for cheap parking Key Concept: Perspective Shift
This lesson teaches you to give directions from the point of view of looking down a street. When a signer describes a turn, they shift their perspective so the new street is directly in front of them for the next set of instructions.
For additional study materials, you can find practice cards on Quizlet or view detailed homework breakdowns on Studocu.
Don't try to answer all 20 questions from memory. For each video prompt:
Search for a classmate on Discord or Reddit. Agree to suffer through Unit 9 together. Send each other voice memos describing what you see. Vocalizing the shapes ("I see a flat hand moving in a circle...") forces your brain to analyze rather than panic.