MTSU’s Center for Accelerated Language Acquisition, also called CALA, is again inviting the public to register now for an upcoming introductory course in American Sign Language.

CALA, the language training partner of the University Honors College, will help ASL course participants learn sign language “naturally through games and other fun hands-on activities dealing with greetings, numbers, colors, body parts, the alphabet and elements of basic, everyday conversation.”

American Sign Language instructor Haley Jensen offers some ASL instruction in a fall 2018 class offered by MTSU’s Center for Accelerated Language Acquisition as students watch and listen. CALA is offering an ASL Part 1 and Part 2 course this spring. (Photo by Enrique Geronimo/MTSU Sidelines)

American Sign Language, or ASL, Part 1 will be held from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Wednesdays for seven weeks, beginning Jan. 22 and running through March 4, in Room 106 of the Paul W. Martin Honors Building.

Cost is $145 for the public; $130 for MTSU faculty, staff and alumni; and $110 for MTSU and high school students. To register, go to http://bit.ly/asl-cala.

CALA’s sign language course has continued to draw interest since it was launched in late 2018. The course uses CALA’s teaching method of Total Physical Response, an instruction process that engages students in storytelling to help them absorb the language. The instructor and students interact with the new vocabulary through hands-on activities.

Instructor Haley Jensen, owner of the ASL instruction company “Voice Off,” has been trained in Total Physical Response and said students will learn the alphabet, numbers, body parts, clothes, colors, places in the house, feelings, greetings, and several other high-frequency words and phrases.

She added that ASL learners will become more aware of facial expressions and emotions because they won’t be able to rely on vocal inflections to communicate.

For more information about the courses, email acceleratedacquisition@gmail.com.