Osmosis Mom Posted July 4, 2011 Share Posted July 4, 2011 I am looking for suggestions for dd on how to learn some ASL pretty quickly. She is highly motivated to learn ASL before taking a course or two at college in ASL. Also, what and where do you suggest she explores to further this interest? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happi duck Posted July 4, 2011 Share Posted July 4, 2011 Talking Hands: What Sign Language Reveals About the Mind by Margalit Fox is a really interesting book that covers the study of a village with its own sign language and also the history of sign. http://www.amazon.com/Talking-Hands-Language-Reveals-About/dp/0743247124 A Basic Course in ASL is an often used text. http://www.amazon.com/Basic-Course-American-Sign-Language/dp/0932666426 Be aware that any book might include old signs or regional signs that will differ from what is taught in class. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LittleIzumi Posted July 4, 2011 Share Posted July 4, 2011 http://www.lifeprint.com Free, teaches classifiers and all that fancy ASL stuff. :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LittleIzumi Posted July 4, 2011 Share Posted July 4, 2011 To go further, she needs to find the deaf community & work with a native "speaker." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Osmosis Mom Posted July 4, 2011 Author Share Posted July 4, 2011 Thanks, ladies. I also looked around in our area. Apparently a Northeastern U. has a great 4 year degree in ASL. Too bad she is not going there!!!! She just now found this passion of hers -a bit late! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fhjmom Posted July 4, 2011 Share Posted July 4, 2011 The Signing Naturally series is what the Interpreting program my husband is in uses. The DVD's are very good receptive practice. A Basic Course in ASL (referred to above) was the text used in the ASL I and II classes he took at a different community college before transferring into the interpreting program. He felt behind his classmates that had been through the SN series. Although if your DD wants exposure before taking ASL I in college this may be fine. I highly recommend that your DD do some reading in Deaf Culture as well as doing the language study. To truly learn the language, she needs to practice with native language users; however, there are many jokes in Deaf Culture about ASL students. She would be wise to learn a little more of the culture she would be walking into and how to be respectful as a student within that culture. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doodle Posted July 4, 2011 Share Posted July 4, 2011 http://www.lifeprint.com Free, teaches classifiers and all that fancy ASL stuff. :tongue_smilie: :iagree: The lesson plans on LifePrint follow a similar sequence to ASL classes. Bill Vicars has a lot of good information on his site. I took ASL 1-4 using the Signing Naturally series. I have not seen the teacher's text, but the student text is not something that you could use for self study. Check your library for Talking with your hands, Listening with Your Eyes by Gabriel Grayson. http://www.amazon.com/Talking-Your-Hands-Listening-Eyes/dp/075700007X/ref=pd_sim_b_21 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted July 4, 2011 Share Posted July 4, 2011 It's worth learning the phonemes of signed languages and a shorthand for writing them down quickly because it is something she'll want to do in class. Rosie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Osmosis Mom Posted July 4, 2011 Author Share Posted July 4, 2011 Thanks for the input. She is toying around with becoming an interpreter. Not sure if it is some romantic dream or what. I once suggested she become a speech therapist in which case ASL would be helpful (I assume). However, she is at the wrong school if this is what she wants to do! Our local cc is one of the leaders in ASL/Interpretation, but she only has one semester before going off to school. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted July 4, 2011 Share Posted July 4, 2011 Interpreting is a good job to do to pay your way through another college course. :) Rosie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happi duck Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 The Signing Naturally series is what the Interpreting program my husband is in uses. The DVD's are very good receptive practice. A Basic Course in ASL (referred to above) was the text used in the ASL I and II classes he took at a different community college before transferring into the interpreting program. He felt behind his classmates that had been through the SN series. Although if your DD wants exposure before taking ASL I in college this may be fine. I highly recommend that your DD do some reading in Deaf Culture as well as doing the language study. To truly learn the language, she needs to practice with native language users; however, there are many jokes in Deaf Culture about ASL students. She would be wise to learn a little more of the culture she would be walking into and how to be respectful as a student within that culture. This reminds me: The book For Hearing People Only: Answers to Some of the Most Commonly Asked Questions about the Deaf Community, Its Culture, and the "Deaf Reality would be useful too. If this is the same book I have, the questions and answers came from Deaf Life Magazine. http://www.deaflife.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zaichiki Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 I second the recommendation for Signing Naturally. It's a very comprehensive program. Don't forget the DVDs! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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