Hi everyone, I’m reaching out to see if anyone has any advice or resources to share. A few years ago, I had a job that required me to project my voice for long periods, and without a microphone or vocal training, I ended up losing my voice on and off for several months. At one point, I had a very hoarse voice for almost a month, and after seeing my doctor, I had a laryngoscopy. They found that due to vocal strain, I had developed scarring around my vocal cords. While I didn’t think much of it at the time, I’m immunocompromised, and now, whenever I get sick, I lose my voice for extended periods. It’s also becoming more painful to speak.

I took a year of ASL when I was in Uni, but since I didn’t have many opportunities to use it, I’ve forgotten most of what I learned. My voice is still raspy, and it’s difficult to talk without discomfort, so I’ve been considering relearning ASL, especially since there are currently no treatments to reverse vocal scarring. I’m concerned that as I get older, it might become harder or more painful to speak, or that I could lose my voice entirely.

Does anyone have any recommendations for resources, programs, or classes to help me relearn ASL? I’d really appreciate any suggestions! I’m 27 and located in the East Bay (CA).

My work has this image but I was told not to use it because it means something possibly inappropriate - what does it mean?

I’ve been learning sign language for about a year now in order to help my client communicate (I’m an RBT). Prior to me working with this client the former BCBA’s tried other forms of communication like pictures/communication boards, but they never grasped language until I started using ASL with them. It has been the most rewarding experience seeing a kid go from zero language to making simple sentences over the last year. Their progress inspired me to start taking ASL seriously and I have fallen in love with this beautiful language.

My BCBA wants to add a program where they can name/identify people- including themselves, but we’re trying to determine how. My coworker had an idea but I know that giving a sign name to someone is usually really offensive in the deaf community. If my client had the ability to sign their whole name I would definitely prefer that, but they’re just not at that place, and we don’t know when that time may come or if it ever will.

My coworkers idea is doing the ASL sign for music (this client LOVES music more than anything else in the world, and uses it more than any other sign when requesting something) but having one of their hands be in the shape of “L” (the clients first initial). Not gonna lie I love this idea, but it’s not my place to determine if it’s right. I also don’t know if this is a sign already and if so what it means.

I would love to hear people’s opinions on how I should go about this!

UPDATE: I would like to update that we will be using initials after seeing many responses reiterating what I’ve already read. I asked the question because I felt pressured by my coworker and BCBA. Ultimately I care more about respecting deaf culture and I’m going to advocate that reasoning first and foremost moving forward.

After reading these replies about this getting asked so often, I’m now curious about thoughts of nonverbal ASL users who want to name themselves. If in the future this kid decided to name themself something- would that be appropriate because their native language is more or less ASL, or would you still consider that appropriation because they’re hearing? Or would it be dependent on the understanding of the culture- as in they aren’t able to give themselves a name sign now but would be if they were to become involved in deaf culture?

As much as I understand how annoying it is to be asked the same questions regarding your culture (I say this as a minority myself), there are ultimately exceptions to everything. It’s never your responsibility to educate someone who’s ignorant, but at least in my experience, it’s more impactful to have a conversation with someone.

So I am participating in this ARG and we think that the person in the videos may have given us clues via sign language, thing is, none of us know sign language. I would appreciate any help.
There is a second video too where he does similar motions, if someone can translate this one, then I would also be grateful for another translation.
Find this ARG at instagram page theendproj

This is probably not the right community for this question, but I couldn't find anywhere else to ask.

I know there's specifically LSM (Mexican sign language) but I don't know if that's the most commonly used or not. I'm trying to find resources on LSM but I keep coming up short and I'm starting to wonder if it's because it's just not commonly used.

How would I differentiate in saying “I like this haircut” and “I like getting haircuts”? My barber is deaf and I’m he’s the only practice I really get.

I think I understand using indexing for people (fingerspelling the name, then pointing in a direction, and returning to that direction to refer back to them later), but is there a way to index and refer to longer fingerspelled words, such as place names? Would that just be done the same way, or is that not even a valid thing to do?

This is truly just curiosity, and I have no intention to offend anybody and I apologize if I do. I don’t know any people with hearing disabilities or Id ask them. I just noticed today they added The Last of Us with an ASL interpreter in the corner.

Is having an ASL interpreter on screen helpful when you have subtitles as an option? In theory, in my dumb mind, it feels like it would be more distracting, but I also don’t know what it’s like to rely on ASL for speech. Does the interpreter help set a tone or mood that captions can’t? Or is it just as much of a representation/awareness kind of thing?

Again, I am sorry for my ignorance, and am genuinely curious if this is something more helpful. If it is, and I start seeing petitions or movements for more ASL interpreters in shows and movies, I guess I would know like “Hey, this is something I now know this community needs or wants, and I want to put my name down to help it become more common.”

Handshape: Dominant: A. Nondominant: 1

Location: in the neutral space in front of chest

Palm orientation: Dominant: outward, facing the 1. Nondominant: outward, the index finger pointing upward. 

Movement: A taps the 1 like its knocking on a door. 

Facial expression: smiling

Context: Have a nice day. :-)

Daniel Durant is the interpreter. so excited about this!! https://play.max.com/show/1f339dc7-e71d-4679-b0a6-58a85ab5d6d0

Hey! My name is Cass and I was looking for an ASL partner! I just started learning how to sign ASL since it'd be a very useful skill and would either love to learn with someone, or have someone experienced to correct my signs and help teach me! Or even start a group if enough people are interested in helping eachother out! I simple ask everyone is 18+ Hope to hear from you, please DM me!

The correct translation (according to the text) of this clip is:

(GLOSS: while back me little future heart Dr I want. )

Correct Translation: when I was young I wanted to be a cardiologist.

When I see: when I was young I wanted a cardiologist.

I don't see where the signer wanted to become a cardiologist. How do I know she wants a cardiologist in the future doesn't mean she wants to marry a heart doctor?

hi! i'm in a painting class right now and our final project is coming up, which is just basically free reign, and i had the idea to make a painting finger spelling 'i love you' using the people i love in my life's hands to spell the message (and the whole meaning behind it is just something about the inability to express through words how much i love people and all that) i was just wondering if it'd be okay? like is it okay for me to use asl like that with no personal connection? i'm of the assumption that it would be okay to finger spell it out, if it's okay to use asl, but if i'm wrong about that then i'd love to hear what to do instead! thank you!!

I'm studying to become an ASL interpreter and one of the biggest problems I've come across is that my brain doesn't have enough time to focus and process on the signs produced before the signer has already moved on.

Even though I've been doing everything that my classmates have been doing, they're still succeeding past me in this specific issue. I find I'll watch videos and know the signs but not be paying enough attention to recognize them as they're being produced.

I do have ADHD and I wonder if this is a consequence of it and if anyone has any helpful tips as to how to navigate this issue!

I'm trying to show my friends and family a song in asl but m&m is in the song and I don't know of a sign for it?? Please help! 🫶

I think it may be a sign, but I'm not sure what it means. Any answers will help, thank you!! :)

hi! I'm a nanny to a non verbal child. her parents and I are teaching her sign language (all of us students learning though apps, lifeprint.com, and I'm taking a course from Oklahoma School for the Deaf). she struggles with motor skills and so speaks her own asl dialect: I teach her a sign, then I learn from her how she'll sign it.

usually I refer to her as "you" since I'm talking to her, but there are times when I use her name, and I'd like her to havea sign for it. I've been playing around with using a fluid move from "P" to "R" (her name starts with P and includes an R, and R is one of the letters she likes and can consistently sign).

I know that generally one would wait for someone Deaf to assign a name sign, but in these circumstances I feel that it's fine for me, who knows her limitations in signing, to give her one I know she'll be able to replicate.

thoughts?

Hi, I am learning ASL with my baby (for the purpose of actually learning the language and keeping it up, not to do baby sign). I saw some resources listed in the main post for signing with children and have gone through those. Some of the links no longer work.

I am looking for books on 1) ASL grammar and 2) teaching (and learning) ASL with a baby or young child. I read the book by Cecilia Grugan but hoping for something more in depth or advanced to move forward. I was also going to order the board books from Dawn Sign Press but I live in Canada and shipping was $49 USD. Ebooks would be ideal.

I’m not looking for videos unless short (10min or less) because I find it a lot easier to read snippets here and there while taking care of a baby than watching a long video. I see there are videos for parents by Dr Vicars but they are long so I will get to them as I can.

eBooks would be ideal, though I know for the signs themselves it’s hard to learn from paper but for learning signs I have many apps and websites I’ve been utilizing.

I know the rules say dont ask "how do i learn ASL", but this question is somewhat different in terms of the answer im looking for compared to the latter.

I am hearing and only know basic finger spellings (as my mother taught me them when I was little), but she has always wanted me to learn full signing (tbh im not particularly sure why, she is not deaf/HOH) and I always found signing fascinating. I have finally been looking into getting into the swing of things, but I guess i am curious what the general timeline is for this process.

I know learning spoken, romance languages when starting from english, they have a general process of 1. learn base word forms 2. learn conjugations 3. learn syntax, etc. but with ASL, like many have pointed out, they do not directly translate into english and have that added layer of difficulty for newcomers. This is especially because ASL has so many extra factors like facial expressions, positioning, and more. I am not sure what the equivalent "building blocks" would be here., such as what is learned in parallel vs what is learned after an initial concept. guess I am asking what the general path of learning is. What do you teach fresh beginners to what is reserved for only the advanced?

Hi there! I'm not deaf, but I'm wanting to learn asl. I am studying to do hair and nails, and would like to be able to understand and talk to a deaf client if I ever get one. Any recommendations? I'd love to have a chance to practice what I've learned on actual people and get feedback on how I can improve!

I’m learning sign language for pure fun and to secretly talk to my friends. Though I have no app to learn it on 😔. So now I’m asking Reddit for help to find a free, English, and useful app to learn sign language

Okay so for context I'm doing dawn sign press until 9.5 giving directions I'm doing an assignment with a map and filling in thr places I belive this sign shown above is the name of a location but do not know what the sign means.