Whether you’re teaching ASL 1 or an advanced interpreting course, Play With ASL can be a powerful addition to your classroom toolkit. Here are five practical ways educators are using the app right now.
1. Vocabulary Warm-Ups (5 Minutes)
Start class with a quick round of Memory Match. Pick the vocabulary pack that matches your current unit and give students 3–5 minutes to play. It activates prior knowledge, gets students focused, and sets a playful tone for the rest of class.
Pro tip: Use TILT! Fingerspell mode for an extra challenge during warm-ups in upper-level courses.
2. Station Rotations
Set up Play With ASL as one station in a rotation-based lesson plan. While one group works with you on expressive practice, another group can work through TILT! play styles independently. The app’s built-in progression means students stay challenged without needing direct instruction.
Works especially well with: Mixed-level classrooms where students need differentiated practice.
3. Homework & Independent Practice
Assign specific vocabulary packs as homework through your LMS using Deep Linking. With LTI integration, grades automatically flow back to your gradebook — no manual data entry needed.
Students love it because: It feels like playing a game, not doing homework.
4. Assessment & Progress Checks
Use Play With ASL’s score tracking to supplement your assessment strategy. The app tracks accuracy, speed, and completion — giving you quantitative data points that complement your observational assessments.
Pair with: Video-based sign production assessments for a well-rounded evaluation.
5. Peer Challenges & Competition
TILT!‘s Act and Guess modes work brilliantly for peer interaction. Have students take turns — one acts out the sign while the other guesses. It builds both expressive and receptive skills while fostering natural interaction and communication in ASL.
Bonus: Create friendly class competitions with leaderboard screenshots shared on your class page.
Ready to Bring Play With ASL to Your Classroom?
The School Edition is free for teachers through our Teach With ASL program. Student access starts at just $5/student/month with volume savings for longer terms.
Visit our School Edition page to learn more, or contact us to schedule a demo.