If you are looking for a new skill, why not learn Sign Language?
These simple tips to learn basic Sign Language will get you started. In this article, we'll guide you through the most important steps to learning Sign Language. You will also find the basic signs that are common, along with helpful and easy ways to start your Sign Language journey.
The Diverse World of Sign Language
First off, you will never fully learn Sign Language by simply studying all of the different signs and gestures. Rather, you must learn about the origins and context of signing first.
Learning Sign Language involves understanding history, regional accents and dialects, as well as cultural influences on signing. In fact, there are so many aspects to Sign Language that learning all the specific signs around the world would take a lifetime, even for a native speaker.
But that doesn't mean you can't learn basic Sign Language.
If you are interested in a bit of time travelling, you can learn more about the history of Sign Language by reading our other article in this series.
Now, let's explore the basic tips and steps to learn Sign Language.
Tip 1: Decide Which Type of Sign Language You Want to Learn
There are many different types of Sign Language, and the one you choose will depend on your needs. There are more than 300 different types of Sign Language in existence today, but here are the four most common types of Sign Language used:
- South African Sign Language (SASL)
- American Sign Language (ASL)
- British Sign Language (BSL)
- International Sign Language (ISL)
Sign Language is generally categorised into three sections:
The first section of signed language is Gesture Sign Language. This is not a complete or full form of communication; it is a way for people who can't hear or speak to communicate with each other by using their hands.
The second section is Manual Alternative Communication (MACC). This type of communication uses signs and gestures in order to communicate with others. It can be used by the Deaf or those who are hard-of-hearing, as well as people who have speech disabilities or those who cannot speak at all.
The third section is Manual Language Systems (MLS). This type of system uses hand movements to convey meaning and information through symbols, letters, numbers, or written words. It allows people in the Deaf community to communicate with each other through writing or typing on a keyboard computer device such as an iPad tablet PC laptop PC desktop PC laptop PC desktop PC
Take some time to do research and reflect on which category and type of Sign Language you would like to learn. Once you have decided the kind of language that resonates most with you, you are ready to move on to the next tip.
Tip 2: Take Sign Language Lessons
Taking Sign Language lessons has never been this easy. There are many different channels and platforms that are helpful and where you can learn. Here are a list of possibilities available to you:
- Take a class: If you're interested in learning sign language, finding a class is a great way to get started! In-person classes are offered at community centres, at educational centres and online. Classes are also a great way to meet new people and learn from others who are facing similar challenges.
- Watch videos online: Now you can learn online easily with resources like YouTube for free.
- Take an online course: Online courses are a great alternative for those who want to learn in their own time or who have other responsibilities and only limited free time to learn. Basic Conversational SASL is a comprehensive and fun online course offered by Wits Digital Campus.
- Hire a qualified tutor: A great way for learning quickly is hiring a private tutor. We have a range of qualified sign language tutors on Superprof that can help you learn sign language in no time. Plus, most tutors offer the first lesson free!
Tip 3: Join a Sign Language Group
Deaf clubs and groups are often welcoming to people who identify as having hearing loss. Deaf clubs and groups can be a great way to meet new people, and they provide an opportunity to practise using Sign Language. If you visit the website Meetup.com, you can search for a nearby club or group.
Tip 4: Watch and Mimic Interpreters
If you're interested in learning Sign Language, you can easily learn a few signs by watching others. You can often find sign language interpreters at Deaf community events or on TV during special, live events.
Tip 5: Ask Your Deaf Friends or Family to Teach You
If you already know someone who uses Sign Language, ask them to teach you some signs. This will help remove some of the difficulties you may have in communicating with them in spoken or written English, which benefits everyone!
Tip 6: Use an App
You can also learn Sign Language on your phone!
The FingerTalk app is a comprehensive South African Sign Language dictionary which also tests your knowledge with a challenging quiz.
Sign BSL, which is a British Sign Language dictionary app is another useful app. If you don’t know how to sign a particular word, you can search for it easily on the app.
There are also great apps for ASL learners. The language learning platform, Drops, released ASL on their Scripts app in conjunction with the United Nations’ International Day of Sign Languages. The app teaches learners how to read and write alphabets and character-based languages systems.
Sign Language For Beginners
Sign Language for beginners is not that hard to learn. It does not take a lot of time and effort to learn the basic signs or gestures of this language. The first thing you should do is practise the signs in front of a mirror until you get them right. Once you can do this with ease, you can start using signs in real-life situations.
Although signs may seem straightforward at first, they can also be used in a complex way. You can use them to convey different messages or instructions, depending on how you position your hands and fingers.
For example: a single finger waving side-to-side means someone is lying; while moving your hand back and forth means no; while turning your hand over means yes.
If you've been thinking about learning Sign Language for a while now, here are some basic signs to get you started:
1. Hello: Bring your hands in front of your face, palms facing each other with fingers spread apart. Then bring your right hand down and touch the left side of your face with it while raising your eyebrows and smiling.
2. How are you: Bring one hand up and make a circle in front of you with your index finger, then slowly move it from side to side as if you're checking something out. This is the same sign for "how are you?" in many countries.
3. Goodbye: Bring both hands together in front of your chest and then make two fists with them while pulling them apart with force. If you add an extra movement where you wiggle one hand slightly forward, then back again over the other hand, this indicates waving goodbye as well as good luck!
3. Thank you: Place both hands flat together at chest height, palms touching each other and facing outward (like praying). Then bow your head slightly forward while lowering your eyes so they look down towards the floor below where you're standing or sitting (like bowing).
There are many other gestures that you can use as well, these are just some examples of the many others that exist.
Sign Language is a wonderful way for you to communicate with the Deaf or those who are hard of hearing.
It's a visual language, and signing can be used to get your point across when you don't have the ability to speak or hear. It can help those who cannot speak so they can socialise in public and with friends and family. Sign Language is also something that has many benefits in the workplace.
Did you know that there is a wide variety of jobs available where you could put your sign language skills to good use?
Take a look if you are already proficient in Sign Language.
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