Learning ASL? Learn This FIRST!!! (10 Things You Need to Know About ASL)

Hey signers, welcome to Learn How to Sign. If  you are trying to learn how to sign you found   the right video. Today i'm going to share 10  things that you need to know before you even   start learning ASL. I repeat, learn this first!  Now before you even start learning a language,   it's good to understand the big picture of why  you're wanting to learn this and what is truly   important. After you watch this video you don't  have to go anywhere else because we have made   and are making tons of ASL videos. A great  starting point is our series of videos called 150   Essential Signs. I'll put the link  in the description to that playlist.   Be sure to like. subscribe and be  notified. So let's get to the good stuff.  Number One: Why ASL ASL, American Sign Language,  is a visual language used by deaf people   and their community in America. It is not  universal, hence the name, American Sign Language.   And yes, it is a language, complete with grammar  ASL is not English. Okay now I wish I had time to   share the story of how American Sign Language  was created but this video would be about an   hour long and so i'm just going to give you the 30  second version and get straight to the good stuff.   So a hearing guy named Gallaudet and a deaf  Frenchman set up the first school for the deaf in   Hartford, Connecticut where they used home signs  that deaf children had been using at the time,   French Sign Language, plus deaf children  from Martha's Vineyard which was an island   with a large amount of deaf people took their  Martha's Vineyard Sign Language to the school   and that's how ASL was born. Guys if I went  through all the details of how this was created,   it really should be made into a movie. Number Two: It's not all about the hands.   Okay yes the hands are a very important  part but so is the facial expression.   Don't be afraid to express yourself whenever  you're signing something and don't hold   back. Expression is so important and has so much  meaning. For instance if you have the sign scared.   If I did.......that means I'm not scared. But  if I did..... that shows that I'm terrified.   The facial expression is the only thing that  changed and it changed the meaning completely.  Number Three: Your signing space. Whenever you're  signing you need to make sure that your signs are   in a comfortable position within a box about  this size. Now some signs go above the head but   typically you're going to keep it in this space.  Don't sign really small and don't sign really big,   keep it in a comfortable space for your body. Number Four: Which hand do I use?   Look at which is your dominant hand and  that's the hand that you're going to be using   consistently. You do not switch back and  forth because that can be really confusing.   For instance, I'm right handed so whenever I'm  signing a sign I use my right hand for the main   part of the sign. For instanc, the sign help. My  right hand is making the main part of the sign and   my non-dominant hand is the supportive part but  if you're left-handed your sign would look like   this. Know the difference whenever you are doing  this and practice it consistently the same way.  Number Five: The alphabet and specifically  fingerspelling. Fingerspelling is a spelling   that is used with the ASL alphabet. Now do not  rely on fingerspelling when you don't know a word.   First try to act it out. But fingerspelling  is used all the time for names, places, titles   so it's essential to know and you can  check out our alphabet video right here.  Number Six: The Parameters of Sign. Now the  Parameters of Sign is ASL lingo for a how a   sign breaks down. There are five parts to this.  There's the handshape, palm orientation, location,   movement and non-manual signals. First we have  handshape. Whenever you're signing something you   need to know the correct handshape that  you're using. For instance. me and my.   The only thing that changes is the hand shape  but the meaning is completely different then you   have palm orientation my and your. It's where the  palm is facing again completely different meaning.   The next one is location you have mom and dad.  Everything is the same except for the location,   mom and dad, completely different  people. The next is movement. Happy   versus enjoy. Again everything is the same for the  movement. And last is non-manual signals. This is   everything to do with your facial expression and  body language. For instance, understand.....don't   understand showing that you know something  or you don't know something. All of these   parameters of sign are so important to know that  you are making the sign correctly. Number Seven:   Your first signs! We have made a first  signs playlist that has 150 of them   so here are a few to get you started. HELLO MY NAME   M-E-R-E-D-I-T-H I can't wait for you guys   to start practicing. Speaking of practice.... Number Eight: Practice Daily! If you are just   getting started remember, you don't have to know  it all at once. Take your time and practice.  Number Nine: Go to deaf events in your town, get  involved in your local deaf church or contact   the local interpreting agency. They have tons of  information about how to get connected with deaf   people in your area. And bonus tip, notice I use  the word deaf. This is an accurate term to use.   Hearing impaired is actually considered  rude but more on that in another lesson.  And Number 10: Resources!!!! Our youtube  channel! We have tons of ASL videos already   and are releasing more all the time. And shout  out to the other ASL creators. We are all a   family and everyone learns different. There are  many great videos on youtube that teach ASL.   Voice-off learning is such a great method. Now  we aren't doing it right now in our basic videos   but we certainly do and will be doing voice off  learning as well in future videos. Check out   our website we have an ASL dictionary if you're  wanting to learn a single word. It's a great place   to go to easily search or browse to find the word  you're after if you're interested in baby signs   check out babysignlanguage.com. It's a great  resource you might even find someone familiar.   That was a lot but congratulations, you're  done! You've mastered ASL! I mean, just kidding,   there's still so much to learn and we've  got you covered. Be sure to subscribe   so you can check out all of our future videos  and until next time keep learning how to sign.

Channel: Learn How to Sign

Views: 268,780

Keywords: asl learn this first, asl watch this first, asl basics, asl important, asl essential, asl first signs, asl first, asl lesson, 10 things you need to know about asl, why asl?, asl hands, asl facial expressions, asl morphemes, which hand do I use?, ASL signing space, asl fingerspelling, parameters of sign, hand shape, palm orientation, location, movement, non-manual signals, first signs, asl practice, asl resources, learn how to sign, learn asl, asl, american sign language

Id: 6w1ZDaE-whc

Length: 7min 23sec (443 seconds)

Published: Mon Nov 02 2020