What ASL Lessons and Topics Does PocketSign Offer?

Updated

PocketSign.org hosts 76 video-based ASL lessons, all labeled Beginner, organized by everyday topic rather than by grammar level. Each lesson lists its duration, the number of signs covered, and a progress percentage, so you can judge the commitment before starting. The catalog suits zero-experience learners who want vocabulary for daily conversation, not a full linguistics or Deaf-culture curriculum.

How the lesson catalog is structured

The site's Lessons page presents a featured Free Daily Lesson at the top, then an All Lessons list of 76 entries. Each entry follows the same format:

  • Topic title (e.g., Food 2, 5 Ws, Emotions)
  • Short description of what the lesson covers
  • Duration in minutes
  • Sign count (how many signs are taught)
  • Difficulty tag — every listed lesson is marked Beginner
  • Progress bar — starts at 0% and tracks completion

Lessons beyond the featured one display a Locked label until you reach them, which suggests a sequential unlock path rather than open browsing. The page also shows a running tally of signs learned and rewards, so progress is tracked across sessions.

Topics covered

The visible catalog spans concrete vocabulary and functional phrases. Grouped by theme:

Theme Example lessons What they teach
Food & drink Food 2, Free Daily Lesson Snacks, meals, restaurant signs, simple meal phrases
Question words 5 Ws Who, what, when, where, why
Actions Actions, Play Want, go, stand, look; play, walk, bike, jump, dance
Responses Responses Yes, no, maybe, know, good, bad, sorry
Position & size Positioning, Sizes On, off, in, out, open, close, near, far; small, medium, large
Emotions Emotions Happy, sad, cold, tired, surprised, excited
Objects & time Objects, Time Scissors, tree, list, flower; morning, afternoon, hour, minute
People Family, Family 2 Boy, girl, mom, dad; baby, age, marry, children
Clothing & vehicles Clothes, Vehicles Shirt, dress, pants; boat, airplane, motorcycle

Lesson lengths range from about 5 minutes (Sizes, Vehicles) to 17 minutes (the featured daily lesson), with sign counts from 7 to 29. Shorter lessons cluster around narrow vocabulary sets; longer ones combine more signs with phrase practice.

Who this fits, and who it doesn't

A good match if you're starting from zero and want to build conversational vocabulary — greetings, family, food, feelings, directions — through short video sessions you can repeat daily. The Beginner label across all 76 lessons means there's no placement test or prerequisite.

A weaker match if you need ASL grammar (syntax, classifiers, non-manual markers), Deaf history and culture, or certification-oriented study. The catalog is vocabulary- and phrase-driven, and the descriptions don't indicate grammar instruction. If your goal is fluency or interpreting work, treat this as a supplement rather than a primary course.

How to start

  1. Open the Free Daily Lesson — it covers food, drinks, and meal phrases in about 17 minutes across 29 signs.
  2. Complete it to move past the 0% mark; the progress bar and "signs learned" counter update as you go.
  3. Work through All Lessons in the listed order, since later entries appear locked until earlier ones are done.
  4. Use the Popular Signs section for quick reference between lessons.

One practical note: because lessons are locked sequentially, you can't jump straight to a topic like Emotions or Family on day one. If a specific theme is your priority, expect to clear the earlier lessons first.