Interested in learning ASL.

E

elektrisk

New Member
Joined
Apr 20, 2009
Messages
9
Reaction score
0
Hey y'all!

I'm an American teenager from Oklahoma, and 100% hearing. I know no one who is Deaf, but would really like to learn sign language (American, specifically), mainly because it's so interesting, but also because should I ever meet a Deaf/mute person, I'd like to make them feel less awkward in being able to talk with them without the use of pen and paper.

Unfortunately, I live in a small town, so there aren't many interactive classes I can join; not even at my high school. I've been searching online, but haven't really found many websites that start from the basics and helps you work your way up. I have, however, found a great dictionary of signs.

I'm about to go to the library to see if they have anything on ASL.

The purpose of this thread is to ask y'all if y'all know of any good websites that help with basic ASL? Thanks a lot!

PS: Is this girl using actual ASL, or just PSE? Also, do her expressions express her emotions well enough? I'm just curious.
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttwSLkEziGc]YouTube - Letters From Home - John Michael Montgomery - ASL[/ame]
 
Hi elektrisk,

one site that has helped me is ASLPro....

speaking as hearie with newly diagnosed mild hearing loss - a caution - Deaf and "mute" do not equate. They are independent of each other. Deaf people can and do speak, if choose. My belief is people have right to choose-
 
Hi elektrisk,

I was recently diagnosed with moderately sever hearing loss and so I just started learning sign myself. I think a great tool is Signing Savvy which is an online ASL dictionary but with visuals and movement. While I take ASL classes at my school, they mention another website on Signing Savvy called Signing Online which starts you at the basics and is supposedly rather affordable. I don't know if they do this at your school, but if they offer a Dual Enrollment program I would check the local community college to see if they offer ASL classes over the summer or perhaps they have a summer school program for teens for ASL.
 
dogmom said:
Hi elektrisk,

one site that has helped me is ASLPro....

speaking as hearie with newly diagnosed mild hearing loss - a caution - Deaf and "mute" do not equate. They are independent of each other. Deaf people can and do speak, if choose. My belief is people have right to choose-
Click to expand...

I understand that they are not the same thing, but both do commonly use a form of sign language to communicate.

ASLgeek said:
Hi elektrisk,

I was recently diagnosed with moderately sever hearing loss and so I just started learning sign myself. I think a great tool is Signing Savvy which is an online ASL dictionary but with visuals and movement. While I take ASL classes at my school, they mention another website on Signing Savvy called Signing Online which starts you at the basics and is supposedly rather affordable. I don't know if they do this at your school, but if they offer a Dual Enrollment program I would check the local community college to see if they offer ASL classes over the summer or perhaps they have a summer school program for teens for ASL.
Click to expand...

Thanks a lot for the links and advice!
 
The only true way to really and truly learn ASL is through interaction with other d/Deaf adults who converse in ASL. Just fyi. You can pick up on some signs and some vocabulary but that's as far as you will go if you learn online or with materials. This is really true for learning all languages. ;)
 
Yes, I have found that while the ASLPro is useful, interacting with Deaf friends/acquaintances I have helps most!
 
Like most everybody on here has said, ASLPro is an amazing site. Lifeprint is also good. If you need any help, you should be able to email me through this. Let me know. (I go to school in Tulsa, OK)
 
deafbajagal said:
the only true way to really and truly learn asl is through interaction with other d/deaf adults who converse in asl. Just fyi. You can pick up on some signs and some vocabulary but that's as far as you will go if you learn online or with materials. This is really true for learning all languages. ;)
Click to expand...

qft.
 
Youtube is great for viewing asl vlogs. There's TONS of them there. Also give Deaf Tv a try. I won't advise you to soley depend on vlogs but I will say that they've helped improve my reception some.
 
the girl in the video. Ok so she is hearing, I was wrong. I thought she was fixing her hearing aids like my sister and I do.
 
Back
Top