ASL number signs are not the same as the number gestures in everyday use by hearing people. In particular, the sign THREE is very different from the hearing gesture for 'three.' The ASL sign THREE appears to be have come from the sign TROIS 'three' in early 19th-century French Sign Language, and ultimately from a gesture for 'three' used in France.
Some things to remember:
The signs ONE through FIVE: the palm faces in, towards the signer.
The signs SIX through NINE: the palm faces out, away from the signer.
ELEVEN: the hand begins in an fisted-shape, and the index finger is flicked outward from the fist two or three times. The palm is oriented toward the signer.
TWELVE: the movement here is similar to that of ELEVEN. The only difference is that both the index finger and the middle finger are flicked outward from the fist. the palm is oriented toward the signer.
Throughout the semester, we will continue to work on number signs.