Can you learn ASL from a book?

Nina_The_Writer

Nina_The_Writer

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I'be seen some books on learning ASL I want to know if people think its a good way to learn the language.
 
One can "learn ASL" from a book HOWEVER one must "practice" with persons who know/use ASL
 
in bsl if you picked up a book and you should but just sign word for word then you quoting dictonary,it be bit awkward you need vidios aswel join deaf club
 
caz12 said:
in bsl if you picked up a book and you should but just sign word for word then you quoting dictonary,it be bit awkward you need vidios aswel join deaf club
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Not to mention some signs are easy to misinterpret,
or the local signs may not be the same as the book's signs...
 
It is a lot better if you go into ASL class and there will be book(s) to learn about sign words. The book when you are looking at might try to explain to you how to sign the correct word and you are not signing the correct way to sign. So it is easier to learn how to sign words or sentences with your teacher or ASL expert student. That way you won't make any mistakes. Just go to ASL class.
 
shimo said:
Not to mention some signs are easy to misinterpret,
or the local signs may not be the same as the book's signs...
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most definatly...you got know grammer so put subject in contex.grammer in sign important
 
nyc is a large number of deafies people so you may better contact with deaf agency to see if they have any deaf events. like coffee shop and or any places where deafies hang out. so you can learn ASL from book and meeting people at the same time.
 
ASL from a book isn't strictly... functional. books do the best they can at depicting the movements of the sign... but it isn't necessarily going to be accurate. Best options, immersion, go to Deaf events. Or... take a class. a book can only help so much... it is the interaction that actually makes the difference.
 
Trying to learn ASL from a book is like trying to learn to drive a car solely from reading the learners manual.

While books may be helpful tools, if you truly want to learn you have to get in touch with ASLers, find a mentor or class and then start socializing with ASL users.
 
Wait to take classes with a qualified instructor, please! If you practice ASL only from a book, and/or with other students on Skype, without a qualified instructor to correct you, chances are you will pick up bad habits and errors in your mechanics, if left uncorrected, all of your effort will be counterproductive. If you are seriously interested in ASL and Deaf culture I would suggest that you wait until you find a good teacher, until then start researching Deaf culture and history. If you need a good starting place I would recommend Deaf in America by Carol A. Padden [reference section too ;)], Cultural and Language Diversity and the Deaf Experience by Ila Parasnis, also watch a movie called Sound and Fury.
 
Studying "deaf culture" per se has nothing to do with learning/using ASL et al. Isn't culture a discussion in Sociology-ostensibly?

For "most people" studying "language" starts from a book and uses the skills of a teacher/tutor "expanding what the book says." Finally tested with People who actually use that "language" in the real world.
 
Wirelessly posted (Blackberry Bold )

Drphil - actually Cutural study has a very large linguistic component.

Also - anyone who's learned languages fluently and is bi/multi ligual will tell you that no- to learn a language you do so "actively" (meaning copying ie listening/seeing and repeating back - just like infants learning language).

Attempting to learn any language (spoken or signed) from print is vastly ineffective - which is why there are so many language "clubs", AL classes, and dvd/online video tutorials.

Print in a linguistial learning environment is basically for biligual translating dictonaries and for testing /resources.
 
In all classes that I have taken-course material was written.- that includes the 3 Introduction to ASL taken- back in the 90s.

New study methods - now- completely verbal?

No real problem for me-not in school-enjoying retirement!
 
drphil said:
In all classes that I have taken-course material was written.- that includes the 3 Introduction to ASL taken- back in the 90s.

New study methods - now- completely verbal?

No real problem for me-not in school-enjoying retirement!
Click to expand...

In ASL the supplementary material is written down as a reminder for practising of the VISUAL information (the actual language learning) which takes place in class. That's VERY different than it being the primary source material and trying to learn from a book.

Likewise when students are learning French/Spanish etc in class the PRIMARY mode of instruction is oral (listening to the teacher) which is SUPPLEMENTED with written material. Because some languages have aural, oral and written components all three are taught as "limbs of the language". Because ASL has no written form and written GLOSS material is purely there to help remember the visual instruction.
 
The above comments assume that one can "hear" the teacher.Someone in the Profound loss category "usually" has a real problem even with a Hearing aid. Thus it seems the "fallback position" entails much study of the written material. Seems intuitive-to me.

Aside: I know where of I am keying- happened to me. Everything shifted to written material due to my Profound loss-over 40 plus years. Further aside: now pick up much more speech because of having a Cochlear Implant for the last 5 1/2 years. Of course-one can't back up "hearing better" to prior times with later "improvements".

How many others have similar experiences- no idea. Doesn't change what I experienced-either.

The OP asked about "learning ASL from a book".
 
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You can theoretically learn anything from a book, but you probably won't be very proficient at it without practice and instruction.
 
Wirelessly posted (Blackberry Bold )

Drphil - you're correct, the OP asked about learning ASL from a book - and since you don't know, nor use ASL I have no idea why you seek out these posts and provide information which is based not on known facts about ASL, but your bizarre "ideas of how it should be"
 
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