Learning post number 10!
After the disappointing app I used for the last post, The ASL App is not one I think I will be using again. It was overall not helpful. This post is going to be about ASL TikTok!
I used TikTok for this post, and believe me when I tell you that finding the right one took no time at all. I simply typed “asl for beginners” into the search bar and boom, Tiktokers. My only hesitation in doing this is that my algorithm on TikTok is going to be all messed up, and I fear that my daily cat video intake may be affected.
The first thing I noticed with my search results were that there are a few different types of ASL learning TikToks.
There are three types of ASL TikTok that I noticed the most.
The first kind of TikToker is helpful, using basic sign words like hello, and other key everyday words. They are in the camera doing the signing with you, making it feel like you are participating while they are still the center of attention because, well, TikTok.
The second kind I noticed were the accounts that just post the pictures of the hands signing. Some have voiceovers, some just have music. There is no actual person in the video at all.
The third one, which honestly does not surprise me, are the TikTokers that are chaotic. These are the pages that, while they still are technically teaching ASL, they are focusing on vulgarity. It does not surprise me, because it is the internet, but it does suck that these accounts come up when something as simple as “ASL for beginners” is searched. It would be incredibly easy for a kid to come across these by accident. I would count this entire point as a con towards using this resource.
– Dallas
