American Sign Language (ASL)

American Sign Language (ASL) is a visual language that is used by the Deaf community in the United States and parts of Canada.  It is a linguistically complete natural language.  ASL shares no grammatical similarities to English.  There is no “universal sign language”.

How to Learn ASL

• Learn through a course taught by a Deaf person (Galluadet University, Community colleges of Community Centers)
• Attend events in the Deaf community
• Create a personal library with instructional books and videos (include a signing dictionary)
• Sign to yourself in the mirror
• PRACTICE, PRACTICE, and more PRACTICE

Components of ASL

• Facial expressions (eyebrow/lip-mouth movements)
• Hand shapes
• Body Language
• Finger spelling

Basic or Survival Signs

• Introducing yourself (finger spelling and greetings)
• Identify yourself as hearing or deaf
• State your level of sign

Singing songs in ASL

• When you sign music, you convey thoughts, not individual words,
• Make your movements musical
• Practice showing the emotion of the music in your facial expressions
• Perform your song in front of the mirror and then for someone else.