December is full of holidays! 😄 Since some of these December holidays may be part of our lives, these ASL signs are important to know as a beginner when having a conversation. We’ve shared a video to learn how to sign December, holiday, and a few different December holidays! We also have Yule and […]
by Caitlin Epstein (09/10/2020) In 2018, model, actor, and Deaf activist Nyle DiMarco answered the question “how do deaf people go to the movies?” DiMarco became a well-known public figure after participating in and winning the 22nd cycle of the show America’s Next Top Model, and he has since gone on to compete on Dancing […]
A Black Deaf TikToker, Charmay, spread awareness about Black American Sign Language (BASL), a dialect of American Sign Language (ASL). After her video had gone viral on TikTok: @itscharmayCool right? 😎 very old fashioned signs from 1887! My grandfather & his friends, who he went to school with, still use those signs!♬ original sound […]
by Teagan North (09/08/2020) Almost everyone is a consumer of health care services at some point in their lives. Doctor’s appointments and trips to the emergency room can require patients to give a brief description of their ailment, or even a detailed family history. The patient must understand the risks and benefits of diagnostic tests […]
When learning American Sign Language (ASL), it is important to know the American Sign Language alphabet. You’ll come to learn that the handshapes of ASL alphabets are often included when learning to sign. Let’s practice this! Learn how to sign different seasons in ASL, such as winter, spring, summer, and fall (autumn)! These are basic […]
by Anonymous (09/04/2020) In the United States, as of 2006, about 1 in 20 people is considered deaf or hard of hearing (1), however its uncommon to encounter deaf students in most colleges and universities. Around 1.3% of enrolled college students are deaf, and are more likely to enroll in Associates programs, community colleges, and […]
Vanessa, who is a Colts cheerleader for four years, learned American Sign Language (ASL) for the Colts fan base. Colts is an American football team in Indianapolis, IN. Vanessa has been known to connect with fans at games and events. At a training camp last year, she met a young fan and realized that she […]
by J. Conor Crockett | September 2, 2020 The Daily Bruin published a news article written by Noah Danesh on August 3, 2020 titled: “A Glove Developed by UCLA Researchers That Can Translate ASL into Speech”. Engineers at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) designed an electronic glove that could convert American Sign Language […]
Pets are more than just animals; they are our best friends and part of the family. In this video, you will learn some ASL signs for different pets that you need to know as a beginner.
by Nicole Colterman (08/27/2020) Martha’s Vineyard, home of astonishing landscapes, fishing towns, marvelous summer homes and one of the first known deaf communities in the United States. From the late 1600’s to early 1900’s Martha’s Vineyard had 1 in every 155 people born deaf, where the rest of America was 1 in every 5,700. The […]
Kevin Hall, a Black Deaf professional golfer from Cincinnati, was featured in the opening Masters video that is shared by CBS Sports. The Masters is one of the four major golf tournaments. Reactions to the feature of Kevin Hall are included in this article. For Kevin Hall, the silence of this year’s Masters is […]
by Maddie Hammer (08/24/2020) Since its discovery in December, the widespread outbreak of SARS-CoV2 has infiltrated every aspect of our lives. The outbreak duration is still ongoing and there have been more than 21 million cases in over 210 countries. And although there is currently no vaccine or cure, the World Health Organization (WHO) and […]
Wh-Questions are questions that require more than yes or no answers. The wh-questions words are who, where, when, what, which, why, and how. When signing wh-questions in American Sign Language (ASL), you’ll also learn how important it is to use non-manual markers (NMM)! But wait, what is non-manual markers? NNM consists of various facial expressions […]
by Rocio Caceres (7/23/2020) Sordo or The Silent War (English title) is a Spanish movie released in 2019 and directed by Alfonso Cortés-Cavanillas. Sordo’s genre falls between a few categories like drama, western, thriller, and deaf/hard hearing. Sordo translates to deaf from Spanish but titled to English as The Silent War. Sordo’s story is based on the comic by David Muñoz and […]
Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales, a new Playstation 5 video game, includes American Sign Language (ASL).
It is fall (autumn) season! Learn how to signs different words relating to the fall season! These are some of the essential terms (signs) that you should know as a beginner. In this signing video, you’ll learn how to sign fall, windy, cool, tree, leaf, green, orange, yellow, brown, and raking leaves in American Sign […]
This month, Netflix released a reality TV show, called “Deaf U,” which is one of the huge victories for the Deaf communities! “Deaf U” is based on the lives of Deaf and Hard of Hearing students at Gallaudet University. Gallaudet University, which is in Washington D.C., is the only university in the world that is […]
Are you wondering how to sign days of the week in ASL? Days of the week are some of the important signs that you should know as a beginner. We’ve shared a video on how to sign each day of the week with a clear demonstration as possible, so you can learn ASL with confidence! […]
Learn how to sign different colors in American Sign Language (ASL) online! You can slow down our ASL videos by clicking the settings on the bottom right corner of the video –> click playback speed –> then adjust the speed. How to sign colors, red, yellow, orange, green, blue, and purple in ASL: Colors: Wiggle […]
One of the most beautiful aspects of Deaf Culture is the value Deaf people put on their own deafness (their hearing loss). This is known throughout the Deaf community as Deaf Pride. While hearing society deems deafness a “disability,” many Deaf people feel that they are not disabled at all and are instead part of […]
American Sign Language is the most highly regarded asset of Deaf Culture. ASL is the natural language of the Deaf, so a strong goal of Deaf advocacy is to preserve ASL. There are many language systems that have been invented to try to help deaf children learn English—Sign Supported Speech, Signed English, and Cued Speech, […]
The Deaf highly value the literature and art of their culture. Deaf Culture art and literature is how the Deaf share their values with future generations – their values of sign language and deafness, Deaf education, Deaf experiences, Deaf pride, and more. There is a wealth of Deaf art, poetry, stories, theater, media, and even […]
Start ASL offers Group Practice Sessions hosted by our ASL Instructor for our Online Course students. These topic-based 1-hour sessions will give you the opportunity to practice ASL in a group setting with an ASL instructor. Topics include: Unit Vocabulary, Numbers, Sentence Types, Parameters, Time Signs, (etc.) and will vary each week. All levels are […]
Start ASL offers Virtual Office Hours with our Start ASL Instructor for our Gold level Online Course students. During these meetings, you can discuss challenges you are facing with the Start ASL Courses (discuss unit lessons, questions you may have about ASL or ASL Grammar as well as any other questions you may have regarding […]
Start ASL offers private Zoom ASL social events for students of our Online Course to practice! These are private ASL social events and are perfect for you to practice ASL and engage with our Start ASL Community! This is not a presentation or tutoring. This is an event where you’ll be socializing with others like […]
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. Begins at 6:00:00 a.m. Pacific Time (“PT”) on June 26, 2020. Ends at 11:59:00 p.m. PT on July 10, 2020. Entrants must be legal age of majority in their jurisdiction of residence. Internet access required. Void where prohibited by […]
by Michelle Waldo | August 28, 2018 When I was in college I spent a semester interning at Deaf & Hard of Hearing Services (D&HHS) in Grand Rapids, MI. One morning during my internship hours, a teacher (or paraprofessional?) walked into the agency with a student who appeared to be around middle school/early high school […]
by Madeline Huwaldt | October 3, 2018 Gallaudet University was founded in 1864 and is located in Washington D.C and is a federally chartered private school. Originally Gallaudet was a grammar school for deaf and blind children. Gallaudet was the first official school for deaf and hard of hearing people to get a higher education […]
by Clayton Shell | November 16, 2017 Nellie Zabel Willhite was the woman that I had found in my research on “Deaf people in History.” Born November 22, 1892, in Box Elder, South Dakota, she became the first woman to fly in South Dakota, and the first deaf woman pilot. She was not born deaf, […]
by Alyssa Weeks | November 14, 2017 My favorite person in deaf history is Marie Heurtin. You might know her as the French Hellen Keller but to many she is not known at all. Her story was one of trials and tribulation. Marie was a deaf-blind girl who had absolutely no manners and behaved like […]
So you’re ready to learn sign language… And it couldn’t be easier to start! If you want to learn sign language, then you’ve come to the right place. The Start ASL team has created a complete 3-Level ASL course curriculum that will get you signing right away! No more scouring the internet only to learn […]
We have had some fun experiences with American Sign Language games in the classroom. Here are some of our favorites: Sign Language Telephone Game Remember the game “Telephone” from grade school? Well, with this game, you sign it instead of say it. So, everyone lines up or forms a circle without looking at each other. […]
We all know Alexander Graham Bell (known as AGB in the Deaf community) as the inventor of the telephone. That makes him a good guy, right? Creating a way for man to effectively communicate across long distances? Not so much. Bell was an innovator and educator. However, he was also an oppressor, and this side […]
No Hearing People Here! Deaf people have been more in the spotlight than you know. There are so many famous deaf people and famous hard of hearing people who have been the founders of many organizations, been pioneers in deaf education, written books, painted famous artworks, held world records in sports, acted on several well-known […]
Children of a Lesser God is a 1986 film that, we believe, brought Deaf Culture and the values of deaf people into the public spotlight. If you have never seen it, you will be blown away. The movie stars William Hurt, Marlee Matlin, Piper Laurie, and Philip Bosco. The film was directed by Randa Haines, and […]
