Painting the Picture: ASL Expansion Techniques
A Four-Part Webinar for Interpreters, Students, and the ASL Community
English and ASL don’t just use different words. They use different strategies for making meaning clear. Expansion Techniques are the missing link most ASL classes never teach: the seven tools native signers use every day to intensify, clarify, and dramatize a message, and that interpreters need to move it faithfully from English into ASL.
Join me for a four-part deep dive into Shelley Lawrence’s foundational Expansion Techniques framework, built for real interpreting work, open to the whole ASL community.
Example: English: “I’m burned out”. A native signer doesn’t just sign “tired”. They stack up several signs together, something like FED-UP, WORN-OUT, GIVE-UP, to capture the full weight of what that phrase really carries.
That’s Faceting, one of the seven techniques you’ll walk away using.
Presented By
I’m Jason Gervase, a native of sunny Scottsdale, Arizona, where I was born Deaf and raised by a Deaf mother. I attended Phoenix Day School for the Deaf for five years before my educational journey led me elsewhere. Along the way, I’ve lived in diverse places such as New York, Italy, and Mexico. Holding a Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Arizona State University, I now call Amsterdam, Netherlands my home.
Since 2010, I’ve dedicated myself to teaching American Sign Language. This journey has brought me to the University of Arizona, where I served as a Principal Lecturer, and to the Siena School of Liberal Arts in Italy, where I contributed as a Professor. My teachings in ASL and Deaf Culture reach beyond the traditional classroom, extending to students from all walks of life.
In the summer of 2021, I took a leap and started ASL Pinnacle. My aim was simple: to provide a welcoming space for anyone eager to master ASL, without the demands of formal college-level courses.
Languages are my passion. In addition to ASL and English, I’m fluent in Italian, Italian Sign Language, Spanish, and Portuguese. My love for languages stems from my travels and deep commitment to cultural connection and understanding.
When the teaching cap’s off, and I’m not jet-setting, you’ll usually find me cuddled up with my dogs, experimenting in the kitchen, and indulging in good coffee, books, and bold ideas.
What's included?
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Four live Zoom webinars led by an experienced ASL educator
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1 hour and 50 minutes minutes of focused instruction which includes two 10-minute Q&A segments
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Access to the recording, even if you cannot attend live
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A digital certificate
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Registration closes the night before each session
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CEUs provided
Times and topics?
- Saturday, August 15, 2026 · 9:00–10:50 AM PDT / 11:00 AM–12:50 PM CDT / 12:00–1:50 PM EDT
- Why expansion techniques exist, and your first tool: Contrasting.
- Example: “Learning ASL was a piece of cake!” In ASL, that ease gets underlined by signing it against its opposite: EASY, not HARD, EASY.
- Saturday, September 19, 2026 · 9:00–10:50 AM PDT / 11:00 AM–12:50 PM CDT / 12:00–1:50 PM EDT
- Two techniques for narrowing meaning and marking emphasis.
- Example: “I waited in line forever.” Repeating the sign for the line, before and after the wait, makes you feel how long it really was.
- Saturday, October 24, 2026 · 9:00–10:50 AM PDT / 11:00 AM–12:50 PM CDT / 12:00–1:50 PM EDT
- How to convey concepts ASL has no single sign for.
- Example: “She wants a toolbox for Christmas.” There’s no ASL sign for “toolbox,” so you list what’s inside: hammer, saw, screwdriver.
- Saturday, November 28, 2026 · 9:00–10:50 AM PST / 11:00 AM–12:50 PM CST / 12:00–1:50 PM EST
- Bringing space, classifiers, and action into your interpreting.
- Example: “I accidentally locked myself out of the house.” There’s no sign for that story. You describe it happening: tugging the doorknob, peering through the window, circling around back, pounding on the glass, finally giving up.
Who should attend?
Interpreters ✅
Students ✅
The ASL Community ✅
Cost
Standard Registration (Non-CEUs)
- $25 per session – Attend sessions individually as your schedule allows
- $90 Full Access Pass – Gain access to all four sessions (save $10)
CEUs Registration
- $35 per session – 0.183 CEUs each
- $125 Full Access Pass – 0.732 CEUs (save $15)
AZRID is an Approved RID CMP Sponsor for continuing education activities. This Professional Studies program is offered for 0.183 CEUs per session (Some Prior Knowledge content level), for a total of 0.732 CEUs across all four sessions. Approved CMP Sponsor: Torrey Mansager, AZRID, CMP #0278.
Requirements
- Please use a laptop or desktop computer only – phones and tablets are not permitted to ensure full access to Zoom features.
- Download the Zoom app (free) before joining. Do not use the web version, as it limits viewing and chat functionality.
- I will be on the screen and I will be sharing slides, so I recommend using side-by-side speaker mode or full-screen mode to follow along comfortably.
Refund & Cancellation Policy
Individual Sessions
- Full refund if canceled at least 24 hours before your session’s start time (Pacific Time).
- Within 24 hours of your session but before it begins, you may transfer your registration to another session or receive credit toward a future webinar, rather than a refund.
- Once the session has begun, fees are non-refundable.
- No-shows are not eligible for a refund or credit, regardless of reason.
Full Access Pass
- Full refund if canceled at least 24 hours before the first webinar’s start time (Pacific Time).
- Within 24 hours of the first webinar but before it begins, you may transfer your registration or receive credit toward a future webinar, rather than a refund.
- Once the series has started, no partial refunds or credits will be issued for remaining sessions. You’ll still receive every session’s recording and CEU quiz opportunity, even if you can’t attend live, the pass reflects an all-in commitment, which is why it’s offered at a discount.
- No-shows are not eligible for a refund or credit, regardless of reason.
Limited Spots Available! Sign up early to secure your seat.
This webinar will maintain a non-discriminatory environment with mutual respect free from bias.