Learning Sign Language - 3 Helpful Tips | The Communication Blog

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Learning Sign Language - 3 Helpful Tips

By Dona Turner


For many people, there is no urgency to learn sign language until they have a personal need to learn. It's often the result of having a deaf child or career opportunity that requires sign language. In any case, you may find that you enjoy sign language once you get accustomed to it, as it gives you a whole new way to communicate. Use these tips to help you have a much easier learning experience.

The first step after deciding that you want to learn sign language is to figure out which variety you want to learn. Very much like traditional spoken languages, there are many different sign languages. There are different varieties even among those who speak English. There are even American and British variations of sign language, as well as a simplified version known as Pidgin Signed English. The version you want to learn will depend on where you live and where you plan to use sign language. Because there are similarities between different English based sign languages... so once you know one, you will find it possible to communicate at a basic level with those who use a different version.

Because sign language uses hand signals for letters and words, you should probably begin by learning the alphabet. It's important to master finger spelling because it can be used to communicate when you do not know the sign for a particular word. You can speed up your letter learning by purchasing a sign language alphabet chart. Finger spelling is a fundamental tool when signing so it's important to master it quickly. These alphabet charts are easily found in book stores and online.

When learning sign language, understand that because word aren't spoken, facial expressions are very important. While the literal meaning of the words are conveyed with the hands, deaf people use facial expressions to communicate far more than people with normal hearing. This means that you need to make sure your facial expressions match the words you are signing as you learn to communicate through sign language. Eye contact is also very important when talking to hearing impaired people. These challenging aspects of learning sign language, but it's good to know about them.

Many people are surprised to discover just how common sign language is as a form of communication. That's why learning is so beneficial whether you are learning for your career or for reasons that are personal to you. It isn't terribly difficult to learn sign language but you'll have to invest some time and energy to the process. Keep these great tips in mind as you learn sign language and you should be fine.




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