Use this checklist during a classroom visit to capture real-time evidence of intentional ASL/English bilingual instruction, which is teaching where ASL and English are each used on purpose, not mixed at random or signed and spoken simultaneously. It helps you look for clear learning objectives, planned and purposeful language use from start to finish, delivery that is visually clear and accessible, and students who actively use both languages to think, explain, and question rather than sit as passive observers. Space for strengths and coaching opportunities makes your notes the foundation for a post-observation conversation with the teacher.
Because of your selected audience type, you may also enjoy the following related resources.
A checklist for grades 6-8 teachers to help students compare how ASL and English structure ideas and translate meaning, not word for word, as academic language grows more complex.
A walkthrough tool administrators use to observe literal translation, where students compare ASL and English directly to see how each language builds meaning through structure.
A planning template elementary teachers use to decide, step by step, where ASL and where English lead each part of a lesson and how young students show understanding.