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ASL Countdown: From Picture Books to Storytellers - An Author Visit Experience
- Kathleen Marcath
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
Why THREE Matters in American Sign Language
The 3–2–1 Moment
What happens when a classroom begins with a simple countdown…
…and ends with every child signing, smiling, and wanting more?
Let me show you.
It Starts with 1–2–3
Before we even begin reading/signing the story, we learn to count in American Sign Language.
Not just with our voices…
…but with our hands using American Sign Language.
Simple: one, two, three.
But here’s the key—
👉 Number three is the most important number to learn.
Why 3 Matters
In American Sign Language, three is always made with your thumb, index finger, and middle finger.
Look! Can you see why?
Below are the American Sign Language handshapes for three different numbers.
I ask:
“What number do you see?”
At first, many students say the same thing:
“Three!”
Because they notice something important—three fingers are standing up in each handshape.
And they’re not wrong to notice that.
But then…
The Shift
After learning to count to 10 in ASL, students begin to see the difference. Every handshape has a different meaning.
Now they can tell you with confidence:
The first handshape is 3
The second is 6
The third is 9
What once looked the same… is now clear.
The Secret Behind It
In American Sign Language, meaning is built on five key elements:
handshape · palm orientation · movement · location · facial expression
Every sign uses them. And here’s the key:
Change one… and you change the meaning.
You can see it right here:
3 uses a specific handshape
6–9 change handshape and palm orientation
10 adds movement
Watch the countdown come to life in ASL.
🎥 Diana Campbell in Action
This is Diana Campbell, an outstanding ASL storyteller. In this clip, Diana signs LOOK. LOOK.
She asks the crowd of children if they are ready.
EVERYONE READY, READY?
She makes the engines roar and spin.
READY?
She looks to the crowd to see if they are ready, then begins the countdown:
3… 2… 1… GO!
The engines roar, the trucks fly over ramps, and the room fills with excitement.
Now the class isn’t just watching—they’re becoming ASL storytellers, counting down with Diana.
Want to watch Diana’s full storytelling video? You’ll find it inside My Monster Truck Goes Everywhere with Me – Illustrated in American Sign Language, where a QR code brings the story to life.
The Moment It All Comes Together
As the countdown begins, YK–3rd-grade
students move from watching the story…
to become part of it.
👉 they join in
👉 they sign it
👉 they feel it
They love the joy of learning to sign. They feel the power, the beauty, the magic, and it shows.
We learn the numbers ...
so we can
Sign the story!
Beyond the ASL Countdown
In moments like these, children discover something bigger than counting.
They discover that language can be seen. Those stories can be shared with our hands. And that learning becomes unforgettable when everyone can participate.
One countdown.
One story.
One classroom filled with children ready to communicate in a whole new way.
SO FUN!
We learn the numbers… so we can tell the story.
📚 Bring ASL Storytelling to Your School
Interested in bringing an interactive ASL author visit to your school or library? Students learn beginning ASL, participate in storytelling, and discover how language can be shared visually through ASL Storytelling books.