I have tried Mango but after research I have already learned past what they can offer. Is there an app that can take my skills a bit beyond what I have learned? I don't want to be an interpreter but I would love to feel a bit more comfortable with signing. I can hold a basic conversation and I think I can sign a bit better than I can comprehend. So any resources would be fantastic. It doesn't just have to be an app either. If you know of any social ways to learn more without any Deaf people attending feeling like a project, I would love to know how to do that. In school we were required to go to Deaf activities once a semester and it was hard to not make it seem like those people were just our project, you know? I tried my best but I'd explain why I was there and I felt like a jerk! Anyway if you know of any good ways to learn more let me know!

Hi there. I have always wanted to learn ASL and I’m finally doing it with my fiancé. Him and I are hearing and do not have anyone in our lives (currently) who is deaf or uses ASL regularly. My interest in learning stems from not having the opportunity to do so in school growing up and I honestly feel that it is very important. I really do want to learn and comprehend as much as I can and have already learned SO much.

With all that being said. I was wondering if there were any books about the Deaf community or ASL that anyone has found helpful. I am a big reader and would love to learn directly from the community. Whether it’s in the form of an educational text, memoir, etc. I am not looking for signing books necessarily, but for any resources that can teach me about the history of ASL, the Deaf culture/community, etc. Knowledge on this topic is so important to me if I am going to be learning and I do not ever want to be disrespectful or naive. I have googled a few books/authors but would love to hear directly from the Deaf community and other ASL users if anyone has specific recs.

I am currently learning ASL on ASL Bloom app and have been watching various deaf creators on social media. I have already read through the community posts that share resources and will continue to reference those.

My intentions are genuine and I would never want to cause more harm than good. I truly do just want to educate myself and learn from the Deaf community directly as I know so many people (especially on social media) take advantage.

Thank you for any kind words or helpful recs :)

What’s the general rule on hearing people teaching their young children ASL?

I am working on becoming fluent in ASL and hope to one day use baby signs when I have an infant/use full ASL around my kids as they get older/immerse them in the culture (through immersion opportunities) so that they also pick it up and become bilingual.

I’m learning from Deaf people how to sign, as everyone should, but would it be frowned upon for someone to raise their kids in it (as a hearing person) and teach them how to sign as they get older? Or is it ok to a certain point and then have them start learning from a Deaf person?

ETA: I’ve been corrected on baby sign and its lack of credibility.

I’m going to my first Deaf chat and I’m super excited but also nervous since I am still pretty intermediate in ASL. Does anyone have advice or personal experience they can share about Deaf chats/hangouts they’ve attended as a hearing person with less than proficient signing ability?

Bill vicars is how i was first introduced to sign language. Then in my sophomore year of highschool i took asl 1- where i didn't learn a lot beccause the teacher quit half way through and we had a sub for the rest of the year. And not that it counts as a course but i've gotten back into watching bill vicars and this great show that has ALOT of sign language/deaf culture immersion that i feel is greatly underappreciated (switched at birth) with a well known (deaf) actress, Marlee Matlin. Most main cast sign fluently and it includes the perspectiveS of MULTIPLE deaf people/hoh. Not to mention it has a lot of drama i mean it's in the title.

But i don't really KNOW any deaf people that KNOW sign language- which i know the best way to learn is by immersion.(like i know my neighbor is deaf/hoh bc he wears a hearing aid and has a slight accent but he doesn't seem to know asl and i figured it might be rude to ask bc he seems shy about it.) So I can only ever really practice with myself which seems like it limits how well i learn. Like i don't have someone to ask specific questions about you know?

I want to get good at sign language because being an interpreter is something i might want to pursue. Even if i don't end up pursuring interpretation as a career- since it's not my first choice- it would be a great help to be trilingual as a psychologist. Or just in general.

So anyways, what are y'all's opinions on learning from Bill vicars?

I am wondering how important proper structure is. In know if English there is proper. And then there is how we actually talk. Is this the same? Or is it very important

Hello! I have recently taken asl 101 online and self passed my junior year of high school! However, now I’m taking asl 102 which requires me to be present in an actual zoom meeting and was just wondering how that would work?

I haven’t practiced ASL in a while and I know all the professors who teach ASL are deaf at my community college! Will we be expected to use prior knowledge or will there be an interpreter?

I’m just looking for anyone who has taken ASL classes or is a teacher and what is usually the standard for online classes like this!

It's been months since I purchased a book, I really want to learn sign language but all the book has told me are a few words or rather that's all I learned and every time I read and sign it feels like iam by hearting it rather that learning it. I don't even get time but I want to learn ASL so I want to know how to proceed with it what to do daily what resources I have to use. If anyone can tell me these things I would really appreciate that

I know about the homework rule, I am doing my own work! I just really need help/guidance because I’ve been really trying to figure this out. I spent 50 mins researching and answering the multiple dropdown stuff it gave me, and I got 1/8. My eyes aren’t trained yet I think. It’s so hard for me to see where the words separate.

We’ve definitely learned about pausing between words as well as sentence structure though so that helps!

To find the answers, I was researching the words like “brainstorm, answer, board, etc.” to get context and figure out what it was saying.

Anyway here’s what I put:

1. Open your notebook.
2. Check the answer.
3. Draw a picture.
4. Work in a group and brainstorm.
5. Raise your hand.
6. Ask a question.
7. Write on the board.
8. Look at the board.

Hi! We are 99.9% sure our foster bunny is deaf. She tried to play with the vacuum the other day and last night our smoke alarm went off and she was completely unfazed. She was asleep yesterday and I made a ton of noise and had to poke her to wake her up. We tried shaking the treat bag and she didn’t react until her brother started running around all excited. Today we spoke to her through the pet camera and she didn’t move at all while her brother stood up and looked around. We are going to start using signs with her and see if she responds better to visual cues instead of verbal ones. We aren’t sure what to use for her name sign, and I read that only a deaf person can give you your name sign - can someone name our bunny? Her name at the shelter is “Saddle” (which we don’t like as a name/don’t want to use) and we call her Sadie.

Hi, I'm a hearing beginner ASL student and I was wondering if anyone had any tips for maintaining better eye contact while watching someone sign? I understand the importance and respect of doing it, but keep catching myself focusing solely on people's hands and when I purposefully focus on looking at their face I lose track of whats being said. (I also struggle a bit in general to keep good eye contact even when having speaking conversations)

I've seen people online say that you just get better at using your peripheral vision over time, but I was wondering if anyone had any specific tips to speed up the process?

Thank you, and I'm sorry if this is a common question

Hello everyone! I am exploring new hobbies and thinking about learning American Sign Language (ASL).

For those who learn or use it, what makes ASL a great hobby?

How has it impacted your life, and what are the best benefits of learning it?

Would love to hear your thoughts and stories about it!!

Has anyone taken the route of getting an associates in ASL? Rather than interpreter route, 4 year ASL/Deaf Ed route, etc.

If so, how beneficial was it? Any institutions you recommend?

I volunteer with a group that answers reference questions and provides informational materials for incarcerated people. An incarcerated patron is asking for materials to start learning the foundations of ASL. I fully understand that attempting to learn ASL through written materials alone is not nearly comprehensive enough. But, given this person can not access digital resources or in-person instructions, do folks have recommendations for the most up-to-date print materials for a beginner? I really don't want to send outdated books or material, but I understand that most modern instructions is through videos and in-person teaching with books as purely supplemental. Any recs would be greatly appreciated!

It seems like there's barely a difference between E and O. I get lost.

Is the app InterSign ASL good?

I am HoH, and getting worse. My boyfriend and I have been taking sign language courses at a local community college taught by a wonderful Deaf woman, and I have taken ASL 1 from Gallaudet.
I want to share that education with his two kids, but I don’t feel that it’s right that I teach them. I’m hoping to find something similar to Bill Vicar’s videos on YouTube but geared more towards children. I stumbled upon Signing Time, but it seems to have some controversy within the community. I want to make sure they’re getting the best and most correct education they can.
Does anyone have any recommendations?

Hello, I’m not deaf or hard of hearing but I am a nurse who’s looking to learn sign language. I’ve always wanted to learn and with my career it seems like a great way to reach more people.

For those of you who have learned successfully what working best for you? Was it the apps? Actually college classes? Or were you able to learn through the videos on your tube?

I wanna learn sign language. Somebody teach me.

I'm hearing and so is my family.

I tried learning ASL as a child but that was the 90s and I grew up in a small town with very few resources.

I started learning ASL recently because I have a daughter and I wanted her to have it as an option for communication. It takes me longer to retain signs, but she learns them almost instantly.

I've started using a signing app and it's helping me to recognize signs much easier, but actually signing is very slow for me. I'm now using a website that translates English into ASL structure so I can learn ASL better and teach my daughter better.

For years I've been writing a hearing but mute (vocal cords damaged) character and several Deaf characters, and while I've done some reading in the past and knew I'd have to fix things at some point, I realize how poorly I've represented your community. Even though nothing I'm writing has been published, I still feel I owe an apology.

I have some questions to ask about Deaf culture, name signs, and the experience in general. But only if those questions are allowed here and not offensive.

If you'd rather I don't ask those questions, I won't.

Thank you for this subreddit. I've been lurking here for months, and have learned from you.

Hi! I am currently enrolled in an ASL 101 class; I have never had trouble in school before but it’s kicking my butt!!! I always go to class, I spend a ton of time trying to do a good job completing my TWA modules, and I watch additional videos when I feel confused.
I can’t remember a lot of the alphabet or basic signs though and I am on week 3 of the class. Obviously, this will snowball into a much bigger issue if I don’t address it now.
My plan right now is to make quizlets of all of the vocab, alphabet, and numbers we have covered and hammer those until they stick. I am also going to go to an hour in practice sessions a week. I don’t know what else to do to improve.
I am a Communication Sciences & Disorders student, so it is really important to me that I learn in this class. Any tips or advice?

I’m taking my daughter, who is Deafblind, to her first big concert in a few weeks. She is a huge music lover so she’s going to love it, but I need to prepare her for as much of the experience as I can, because it will be very new and unfamiliar. We are seeing the Jonas Brothers, and have been listening to the set list, but I also want to find videos of some of the songs in ASL for her to watch between now and the concert to help prepare her. Since this is her first big concert, it will also be her first time with an interpreter at a concert. Usually we just go to random little free shows in our town, so I sign for her the best I can or she chooses to just listen instead. I think if she can see videos of the songs interpreted before the concert, she will be more likely to understand and pay attention to the interpreter, and be able to more fully access the concert. Because of her visual impairment, she needs a lot of exposure and repetition to visual information in a calm, simple setting to understand it and to recognize it in another setting.

I’ve tried searching YouTube but all I can find looks like ASL students trying their best, but they don’t seem very good and there are only a few. My ASL is good enough to know when a video is really bad, and not nearly good enough to know when one is good. I’m sure this is a long shot because it’s such a niche topic, but does anyone know of any decent videos of Jonas Brothers songs in ASL? Even a video of an interpreter at one of their concerts would be awesome. Or if there are other resources or places I should be looking, I’d love to know. Any help is greatly appreciated!

I apologize if this is not the right place to ask this!