Place your hand in the proper position. Your hand will be at about chin level, but should not cover your mouth. When you form signs, make sure the signs face away from you, but not directly toward the person you are talking to. According to lifeprint.com, "In general the palm of your hand faces 10 o'clock on the horizontal plane. Trying to force your palm to directly face the person you are signing to is uncomfortable for your wrist. But, you also don't want to be 'spelling to yourself' either" (Reference 2).
Learn a few letters at a time. Beginning with A, form the first few letters of the alphabet, and repeat these letters until you are comfortable. Then, add more letters. Continue this practice until you have memorized the hand formations for all 26 letters.
Fingerspell simple words. Form each letter in a deliberate, clear manner. Practice in a mirror to allow yourself to see your communication skills.
Practice with a partner. Have your partner fingerspell a word that you can practice reading. Then, fingerspell your own word and have your partner read. Continue to take turns until you are comfortable reading and spelling at a moderate pace.