👐 So You Want to Learn Sign Language?
I've been asked a few times recently about how to learn American Sign Language (ASL). Although I am culturally Deaf and fluent, I am not an ASL instructor. That being said, I do have some advice for those who want to learn ASL.
It goes without saying that the best way to learn ASL is to learn from Deaf people. If you have the opportunity to take an ASL class from a Deaf instructor, do it! If you have the opportunity to attend a Deaf event, do it! If you have the opportunity to make Deaf friends, do it! There is no substitute for learning from Deaf people.
If you don't have the opportunity to learn from Deaf people, there are still plenty of resources available online. I've compiled a list of resources below that I've found helpful.
Online Resources
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Lifeprint
- Dr. Bill Vicars is a Deaf ASL professor at California State University, Sacramento. He has a ton of free resources on Lifeprint, including a YouTube channel with hundreds of videos.
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Handspeak
- Jolanta Lapiak is a Deaf ASL instructor, and the founder of Handspeak. The dictionary on this website is one of the best I've found.
Fingerspelling
I would strongly recommend learning fingerspelling early on. It's a very important part of ASL, and it's used quite often. It's also a great way to learn new vocabulary and can serve as a fallback when you don't know a sign. Just be careful not to overuse it!
Local Resources
If you by chance live in the Seattle area, there are a few local resources I'd recommend.
Conclusion
I hope this helps! Whether you're learning ASL for the first time, or you're brushing up on your skills, I wish you the best of luck. 😊