ASL Keeps Getting More Interesting!

I started this project with a few resources in mind that I wanted to test out. This week was the first time where I was feeling stumped as to what resources I was going to use. Thank goodness for the internet! I found a website that lists and describes six resources to learn American Sign Language. As I was reading, I became interested in the ASL University, however as I continued to read, I realized that it may be a little too advanced for where I am at in my learning. Instead, I decided to try Start ASL because it teaches more of the basics in vocabulary and grammar. The website says that all six methods are free. I have not looked into the other five methods yet, but Start ASL gives you one lesson for free. You do have to create an account, but you do not need to give them any credit card information. The paid version includes group events, instructor help, assignments, quizzes, and assigned readings. At the end of the paid lesson, they will provide you with a certificate. The free version does allow you to take the quizzes, however from what I can tell they do not count towards a certificate.

Obviously, I signed up (for the free lesson)! After getting it all set up, I was greeted with a video about how the website works. I bring this up because I thought it was odd that the video was set up as a voiceover with no captions. There may have been a way to add captions, but I found it strange that a video on a website meant to teach people sign language did not have an ASL interpreter in the corner or automatic captions. This signifies that this course is for people who are hearing and learning ASL rather than deaf or hard of hearing folks. I have only completed two of the four available units in lesson one and I have already learned so much. I learned that the ASL alphabet uses 22 signs combined with movements to make up an alphabet with all 26 letters. The website also provides participant’s with a list of occasions when one would fingerspell rather than use a sign. They urge participants to avoid moving straight to using fingerspelling when you get stuck on a word. Much like we would when we have forgotten a word when speaking, you would use other signs to describe what you were trying to say. I found this interesting because I have been telling myself that I need to become more comfortable with the ASL alphabet so that when I am in doubt, I could at least spell it out, but I realize that that would be awkward. I would find it unusual if someone I was speaking with began to spell everything. The coolest thing that I learned was that there is a written form of ASL called glossing! The words are written in the order in which they are signed versus how they would be said in English. It also includes symbols that indicate the grammar that should be used when signing.

During the lesson there was a video where two people have a very short conversation in ASL. I was able to watch the video and understand what they were signing relatively quickly! This was a big deal for me because it is one thing to be able to sign, but it is another to understand someone when they are signing.  I need to continue to practice my alphabet because I do not know it well enough to understand when someone is fingerspelling speedily. However, a couple of weeks ago I made a video where I fingerspelled my name and I had mentioned after that I felt I may have gone a bit too fast, but clearly someone who’s first language is ASL would have been able to understand.