Creative Ways to Learn American Sign Language

American Sign Language (ASL) is a form of non-verbal communication used by people with hearing impairments. The language is largely used in the United States, Canada and Mexico. ASL has its own grammar and sentence structure but is a fairly easy language to learn for both deaf and non-deaf people. The proper expression of emotions is at the core of effectively learning, understanding and appreciating the language.
  1. ASL Learning Games

    • ASL games make the learning process more interesting and enhance memory and understanding. There are numerous games both manual and virtual that can be used to learn different aspects of the language. Video games and manual games can be downloaded online and can be played by any learner. A common game involves players signing an ASL word, and the next player repeating the first word and adding another sign word. The game continues among the players and any player who forgets the sequence of words leaves the circle. The player who remembers the most words wins the day.

    Participatory Learning

    • Participatory learning is especially effective in a classroom setting. The teacher allows the students to take charge in learning aspects such as spelling. For example instead of writing a word on the board, the teacher lets a student who is having problems understanding write down the word. Then another student can spell it out to the student who has yet to understand. Through this process students can actively learn finger spelling, alphabets and other ASL concepts.

    Learning from a Deaf Person

    • One of the most creative and effective ways of learning ASL is through a deaf person. For example one can learn the language faster by interacting and participating in deaf people's community activities. Studies show that nine out of every 10 deaf children are born to parents who are not deaf. Hearing parents properly learn sign language through interacting with their children; they polish up their skills along with their hearing impaired children.

    Sign Language Flashcards

    • Flashcards are a fun and very practical way of learning sign language. This method is applicable for both children and adults. An interesting technology is lenticular flashcards, which when moved from side to side show how a sign is literally made. These flash cards can be accessed through local retail shops dealing with hearing and visual aids. They are easily portable and are effective tools in understanding ASL.

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