Learn a new language! ICA LA offers free introductory ASL courses led by Shmuel Khorsandi in partnership with the Greater Los Angeles Agency on Deafness (GLAD). Monthly Intro to ASL classes are held on Saturdays at the museum from February–July.

About the Instructor: Originally from Tel-Aviv, Israel, Shmuel Khorsandi relocated to Los Angeles in 1995. Since then, he received his Bachelor of Arts degrees in Psychology and Spanish from Gallaudet University in 2009. Shmuel has taught in different schools over five years as American Sign Language instructor. As a result of his professional experience, he then shifted his academic focus towards teaching and began his M.S. work in Sign Language in Education at Gallaudet University. Living in the melting pot that is planet Earth has provided him the opportunities to grow and develop in his professional life through internships in Spain, Colombia, and Thailand. Language is a passion of his and he is fluent in Spanish, Spanish Sign Language, Israel Sign Language, Thai Sign Language, and LSC.

Shmuel graduated with an M.A. in Sign Language Education from Gallaudet University in 2017. The courses he took include pedagogy, curriculum development, linguistics (for sign language professionals), and Methods of Sign Language Teaching. His education, combined with his prior and present teaching experience (including practicums and internships) contributes towards his ability to teach ASL and content courses in Deaf Studies at CSUN. His teaching experience has been very enriching and rewarding to him, and he’s excited by the prospect of building upon his successes in this field by bringing the language of ASL to ICA LA.