Deaf culture art is a cultural art that reaches both positive and negative ends of the spectrum unlike any other. You can learn so much about the Deaf simply by seeing the artwork that Deaf Culture produces. Deaf people have experienced many negative life changing events throughout history. They’ve been strongly oppressed and labeled as […]
Ear anatomy is not as complex as you might think. There are only a few anatomical parts that make hearing possible. However, if there is something wrong with any one of those small pieces, you can lose your hearing completely. The ear is made up of three parts–the outer ear, middle ear, and inner ear. […]
Shoshannah Stern is a well known deaf actress who is best known for her roles as Bonnie Richmond in Jericho, Holly Brodeen in Threat Matrix, and Megan Graves on Weeds. Shoshannah was born in Walnut Creek, California in 1980 and attended the California School for the Deaf, Fremont growing up. American Sign Language was her […]
As you are learning sign language, you need to master the skill of American Sign Language fingerspelling (spelling out words by hand one letter at a time). In American Sign Language, fingerspelling is used to indicate places, names, or ideas for which there is no official sign. Fingerspelled words can also be used if you […]
Step 8 – Taming Stress Signing, like I said before, is great for preventing tantrums with your baby. Signing helps eliminate the frustration your child feels when she can’t communicate. For example, when your child is frantically waving her arms in the air and signing “help” to you, you would sign “help” back while asking […]
We have searched for the best sign language books, checked them out, and read their reviews. All of the best sign language books we’ve found are listed below. Fortunately, we found a whole bunch of them. Some of these sign language books are good for use in the classroom while others are great if you […]
Below is a high quality printable free basic sign language chart image and PDF. Keep in mind that you will need Adobe Reader in order to view the PDF. You can get it free here. This American Sign Language chart outlines a few common signs and explanations that may help with communication where fingerspelling can […]
Great Ideas for that Perfect Gift! There are so many great gifts available to give to a friend or relative who loves ASL! Check out some of our favorites below: Support ASL Gifts Gifts from Amazon.com Love Letters by Emily Have a favorite sign language gift? If you have a favorite ASL gift recommendation or […]
It’s not uncommon to see a dog leading and assisting a blind person. You have probably seen a few of those trained dogs during the course of your life. But have you ever noticed a dog helping a deaf person? It’s true – dogs can be trained to assist deaf people. These hearing dogs are […]
While a hearing test seems like a normal part of having a baby, it is also a source of oppression for many deaf people. In this article, I will describe the procedures for testing hearing, and then share with you why deaf people find them oppressive. The Hearing Test for Infants Newborn infant hearing tests […]
ASL 3 – Unit 10 Interpreting Songs in ASL In this unit of the free American Sign Language lessons, you will be learning how to interpret songs in ASL. Interpreting Songs in ASL One of the most fun ways to use ASL is in the interpretation of songs. Songs interpreted into ASL aren’t used very […]
The Truth Behind the Sign I read something incredibly amusing today about the “I Love You” sign language sign. I read the “article” on a page called Signs of Satan. I am honestly thinking that whoever wrote this did it just for the attention. If that’s the case, I really hate giving them the satisfaction, […]
Step 2 – Getting Started The first thing you will do before you start teaching your infant sign language is pick the signs you are going to begin with. I suggest picking a handful of signs. Most parents choose signs that have to do with eating like “eat,” “drink,” or “milk.” Throw in some fun […]
Switched at Birth is a television show featured on ABC Family that has truly brought American Sign Language and Deaf Culture into the living rooms of today’s generation. It is the first television show to feature several deaf actors/characters and entire scenes shot using only ASL. Switched at Birth is about two teen girls and […]
Irish Sign Language (ISL) is the sign language used in Ireland (primarily in the Republic of Ireland). ISL is also used in Northern Ireland, but British Sign Language (BSL) is used there as well. ISL is more similar to American Sign Language and French Sign Language than British Sign Language and is not related to […]
An Interview with the Famous (Now Former) About.com Deafness Guide If you have ever researched deafness, deaf people, or sign language online, you have most likely landed on one of the many Deafness articles by Jamie Berke at About.com. Jamie was the Deafness Guide for About.com from 1997-2012. When I was learning sign language, her […]
Japanese Sign Language (JSL) is the sign language used in Japan. Just like how Japanese is completely different from English, JSL is completely different from ASL. For one, JSL uses mouthing to distinguish between various signs. ASL uses mouth movements a little bit, but not mouthing to this extent. Fingerspelling is also used more in […]
American Sign Language is NOT a universal language. This is a very common myth that needs to be debunked. Just like the thousands of different languages of the world–there are several different signed languages. We think this fact makes things more exciting because we absolutely love American Sign Language. We love learning it, we love […]
ASL 1 – Unit 14 Did You Enjoy the Class? Share Your Experience! Congratulations! You have completed the StartASL.com ASL 1 class! I hope that you have learned everything you have wanted to learn in ASL 1 and that you enjoyed learning sign language online free. Many new ASL students are very interested to know […]
The question of who invented sign language has sparked much debate and has a vague answer. If you want to know who invented sign language, you need to analyze the events in Deaf History. Some scientists credit mankind as the inventors of the first sign language. This is probably true. Early man, before spoken language, probably […]
ASL 1 – Unit 13 In this unit of the sign language course, we will be quizzing you on what you have learned so far. This unit is a cumulative review of everything you have learned so far. You will be quizzed on numbers, vocabulary, comprehension, and expression. Vocabulary Visit our ASL 1 Vocabulary Review […]
Using sign language flashcards is a great way to retain the ASL you’re learning when taking an ASL course. You can find our ASL Alphabet flashcards on our American Sign Language Alphabet page. We have had a great time using flash cards while learning ASL and below are some of our favorites. Please note that […]
Step 1 – Introduction Yes, you need to read an introduction before starting. This will just give you a background about why sign language for babies is so effective. Baby Signing Myths First, I want to list some myths about teaching your baby sign language: Signing with your baby is a new fad. Your baby […]
There are many different American Sign Language symbols and letters that are used in a variety of ways. There are symbols used for writing ASL signs, glossing ASL sentences, and fingerspelling in ASL. Symbols for Writing ASL Signs American Sign Language symbols were developed in order to write how ASL signs are signed. This is […]
While a complete ASL course is the best way to learn ASL, we have searched for all the best sign language videos if you wish to use one as a supplement to your learning. We have checked them out and read their reviews. There really are a lot of good ones to choose from! The […]
Signing songs for the deaf is a great way for students to learn a LOT of vocabulary and retain that vocabulary for a long time. If you need to interpret a song, I suggest finding a native Deaf signer or ASL interpreter to help out. If that’s not possible, the approach you take to interpret […]
American Sign Language is a very expressive language. Songs in sign language are therefore equally expressive and many times are more expressive than their purely vocal versions. If you’re interested in learning how to sign songs, visit our Interpreting Songs for the Deaf page. There are so many people that have interpreted songs into ASL […]
Spanish Sign Language is the sign language used in Spain. Just like how Spanish is completely different from English, SSL is completely different from ASL. SSL is the same across Spain, except for Catalonia and Valencia, which have their own signed languages (Catalan Sign Language and Valencian Sign Language). SSL was influenced by American, Mexican, […]
Stockard Channing is a film, stage, and television actress who narrated the film Through Deaf Eyes. She is best known for her role as First Lady Abbey Bartlet on The West Wing, Betty Rizzo in the film Grease, and in Six Degrees of Separation. She was born on February 13, 1944 and is the daughter […]
Swedish Sign Language (TSP) is the sign language used in Sweden. TSP did not stem from any other sign languages, but it did influence Finnish Sign Language (FSL) and Portuguese Sign Language (PSR). It has been in use since 1800 and in 1809, the first deaf school in Sweden was established. Swedish Sign Language was […]
When you are 9 years old, you don’t think about making history. Alice Cogswell made history at the age of 9 by sparking the beginning of the creation of American Sign Language and American deaf education. Alice is known as the young deaf girl who inspired Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet–the man who began the education of […]
If you are interested in purchasing American Sign Language software, please keep in mind that desktop software tends to be outdated and takes the form of other more modern types of resources which are more easily updated. We highly recommend our online courses if you want to learn ASL using your computer or mobile device. […]
American Sign Language (ASL) is the natural language of around 500,000 deaf people in the US and Canada. A “natural” language is a language that is learned as a first language in childhood. However, not all deaf people learn ASL as their first language. Many use it as their second language and some only use […]
Through Deaf Eyes is the most informational movie about Deaf people. Most hearing people are completely clueless when it comes to Deaf people, the Deaf community, and Deaf culture. This film on PBS probably opened thousands of hearing people’s eyes to the intriguing lives of Deaf people. Through Deaf Eyes not only emphasizes how funny, talented, […]
Step 10 – Your Growing Child When your child begins to speak, you may want to continue to teach your toddler sign language. If your child has begun to speak, you may notice that she stops using many signs. At this point, some parents will stop using sign language because they have gotten what they […]
Back in the day, deaf people would drive all the way to their friends’ homes to talk to them. Then, the TTY was invented in the 1960’s. Back then, it was called a TDD (Telecommunications Device for the Deaf). A teletypewriter looks like a word processor. It has a keyboard and a display screen. They […]
Auslan (Australian Sign Language) is a beautiful language. It is the sign language used in Australia and is related to British Sign Language (BSL) and New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL). These three signed languages descended from the same parent language and are part of the BANZSL language family. Australian Sign Language has also been influenced by […]
Step 11 – Finding More Signers Getting connected with other parents who teach their babies sign language can truly be a great thing. Not only do you have some support, but you can also make great friends. When you get together, you will be able to share strategies and progress. You can even learn new […]
At Start ASL, you can teach your baby sign language in 12 easy steps. Another great way to learn is to use highly recommended baby sign language books and videos. You can find all of the best baby sign language books and videos we’ve found below: Please note that when you choose to purchase through […]
Step 12 – Conclusion Many parents buy a baby sign language DVD or many books to learn what you have learned in these 12 steps. You have learned so much already without buying either of those! However, if you do wish to learn more than what we have offered here, we highly recommend buying one. […]
Step 4 – When Things Don’t Go the Way You Planned You may encounter some friends or family that don’t believe in baby signing. Skeptical friends and family can definitely depress your excitement. They may quote the myths we told you about earlier or tell you that signing with your baby will never work. All […]
Step 7 – Sign Combinations Babies will often start to combine vocal words (the baby talk begins!) as they progress in their learning. This is the same for signing children. If you sign with your baby long enough, and even when he becomes a toddler, he will most likely start combining signs. This may happen […]
British Sign Language is the sign language used in the United Kingdom (UK). One of the most notable features of BSL is their two-handed manual alphabet. BSL is related to Australian Sign Language (Auslan) and New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL). These three signed languages descended from the same parent language and are part of the […]
Chinese Sign Language (CSL) has been developing mostly since the late 1950’s and its signs are like written Chinese characters. CSL has several dialects with Shanghai being the most common. Even though the first deaf school using CSL was founded in 1887 by C.R. Mills, an American missionary, and his wife, CSL was not influenced […]
Lip-reading is rather unsuccessful (only an average of 20% understanding). Closed captioning, however, takes all the lip-reading out of watching television! You have probably watched television. And you have probably pressed a button on your remote that makes white words with a black background pop up on your screen (either on purpose or by accident). […]
Step 5 – Caregivers Some parents who use baby sign language stay at home with their children while others leave for work. If you are working away from home, you most likely leave your baby with a caregiver or family member. If your baby’s caregiver is not involved in the signing process, this may be […]
This article discusses a common Deaf cultural view of cochlear implants. Not everyone shares these views and this article is for educational purposes only. The company’s name used throughout the article has been omitted. A cochlear implant is a new mechanism for hearing when a hearing aid is not sufficient. A hearing aid amplifies sound […]
Many people wonder how deaf people are able to wake up if they can’t hear an alarm. However, with the advent of new technology for the deaf, waking up is no longer a problem for deaf people. A deaf alarm clock is an alarm clock that is usually hooked up to a louder alarm, a […]
When you are learning American Sign Language, it is important to get involved with the Deaf community. Many believe that learning ASL within the Deaf community is the only true way to become fluent in the language. But first, it is important to understand that the Deaf community is just one part of the Deaf […]
Educating the deaf is a hot topic, and these books are indispensable! The education of the deaf has always been a hot topic in the Deaf community, and learning the ins and outs of this education is very important. We can confidently recommend the books below when learning about Deaf education: Please note that when […]
Here are some of the best deaf jokes we’ve heard over the years: The Motel A deaf couple check into a motel and go to bed early. The wife wakes her husband in the middle of the night complaining of a headache. She asks him to go to the car to get some aspirin from […]
The Deaf Olympics, known as the Deaflympics, are international athletic competitions for the deaf. The Deaflympics started in Paris in 1924 and have had three official names: “International Games for the Deaf” from 1924 to 1965 (sometimes also the “International Silent Games”) “World Games for the Deaf” from 1966 to 1999 (sometimes also the “World […]
Great sign language products are hard to come by. There are tons of ASL books, software, and videos out there, but are they all really that good? No, not really. We have searched for the best products to recommend to you. We have checked them out and read their reviews. We want to make sure […]
Deaf Smith is famous for the important role he played in the Texas Revolution. Erastus “Deaf” Smith was born April 19, 1787 in Dutchess County, New York and lost most of his hearing due to a childhood illness. Smith first moved to Texas in 1821 where he married a Hispanic-Texan (Tejana) named Guadalupe Ruiz Duran. […]
Deaf people didn’t have many careers choices a few decades ago. They would usually find themselves working in trade jobs, non-profit work, or as teachers at schools for the deaf. But now, only a short time later, many doors have opened not only because of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), but because of deaf […]
Deaf Videophone Directory Deaf VP was a Deaf Videophone directory created by Sorenson. Videophones are telephones with a video screen. They enable deaf people to call each other (or a relay service) and use American Sign Language, their first language, to communicate. Videophones themselves, however, haven’t become very popular. The reason for this is that […]
Deanne Bray is a well known deaf actress who was probably the first deaf person Hollywood created an entire television show around. She is best known for playing Sue Thomas on Sue Thomas: F.B.Eye that aired on the PAX channel for 3 seasons. She competed with both hearing and deaf actresses for the lead role, […]
If you have ever wanted to read the true thoughts of a Deaf person who is a strong advocate for Deaf culture and is a proponent of the Deaf community, follow the blogs of Dianrez. When I was learning sign language and entering into the community of the Deaf, her blogs gave me true insight […]
ASL 1 – Unit 11 In this unit of the online sign language class, you will learn how to identify people. Conversation Read this outline, and then watch the conversation in action on the video clip. Try to recognize what is being said. Watch the video again until you can follow the conversation without the […]
