#learn american sign language

[learnasl]

Get Inspired to Learn ASL from 5 Deaf Personalities

Stories of Deaf celebrities who use American Sign Language (ASL) everyday may inspire you to learn ASL by yourself. Learning American Sign Language (ASL) can be quite a rewarding and meaningful experience, and getting motivated by individuals that have mastered it can help motivate any beginner. Listed below are 5 deaf celebrities who definitely have made an impression within their respective fields, and who may perhaps influence people to learn ASL:

Marlee Matlin: Academy Award-winning actress who has been deaf since she was 18 months old. She's starred in a number of films and television shows, and is also an advocate for deaf rights.

Nyle DiMarco: Model and actor who claimed both America's Next Top Model and Dancing With the Stars. Nyle is also an activist for the deaf community and uses his platform to elevate awareness about deaf culture.

Sean Forbes: Deaf musician and rapper who produces music videos in ASL. He aims to break down boundaries and reveal that music can be accessible to everybody.

Leah Coleman: Deaf comedian who utilizes ASL to perform stand-up comedy. She's been showcased on television shows and performs at comedy clubs around the country.

Matt Hamill: Deaf wrestler and mixed martial artist who's received several championships and medals. He is also an advocate for the deaf community and uses his platform to increase awareness towards deaf athletes.

These 5 deaf celebrities have all found accomplishment in their respective professions, and also have utilized their platform to raise recognition towards deaf culture and advocate for the deaf society. By simply learning ASL, individuals may also help break-down barriers and create a far more inclusive society.

[reasonsforhope]

"As a Deaf man, Adam Munder has long been advocating for communication rights in a world that chiefly caters to hearing people. 

The Intel software engineer and his wife — who is also Deaf — are often unable to use American Sign Language in daily interactions, instead defaulting to texting on a smartphone or passing a pen and paper back and forth with service workers, teachers, and lawyers. 

It can make simple tasks, like ordering coffee, more complicated than it should be. 

But there are life events that hold greater weight than a cup of coffee. 

Recently, Munder and his wife took their daughter in for a doctor’s appointment — and no interpreter was available. 

To their surprise, their doctor said: “It’s alright, we’ll just have your daughter interpret for you!” ...

That day at the doctor’s office came at the heels of a thousand frustrating interactions and miscommunications — and Munder is not isolated in his experience.

“Where I live in Arizona, there are more than 1.1 million individuals with a hearing loss,” Munder said, “and only about 400 licensed interpreters.”

In addition to being hard to find, interpreters are expensive. And texting and writing aren’t always practical options — they leave out the emotion, detail, and nuance of a spoken conversation. 

ASL is a rich, complex language with its own grammar and culture; a subtle change in speed, direction, facial expression, or gesture can completely change the meaning and tone of a sign. 

“Writing back and forth on paper and pen or using a smartphone to text is not equivalent to American Sign Language,” Munder emphasized. “The details and nuance that make us human are lost in both our personal and business conversations.”

His solution? An AI-powered platform called Omnibridge. 

“My team has established this bridge between the Deaf world and the hearing world, bringing these worlds together without forcing one to adapt to the other,” Munder said. 

Trained on thousands of signs, Omnibridge is engineered to transcribe spoken English and interpret sign language on screen in seconds...

“Our dream is that the technology will be available to everyone, everywhere,” Munder said. “I feel like three to four years from now, we're going to have an app on a phone. Our team has already started working on a cloud-based product, and we're hoping that will be an easy switch from cloud to mobile to an app.” ...

At its heart, Omnibridge is a testament to the positive capabilities of artificial intelligence. "

-via GoodGoodGood, October 25, 2024. More info below the cut!

To test an alpha version of his invention, Munder welcomed TED associate Hasiba Haq on stage. 

“I want to show you how this could have changed my interaction at the doctor appointment, had this been available,” Munder said. 

He went on to explain that the software would generate a bi-directional conversation, in which Munder’s signs would appear as blue text and spoken word would appear in gray. 

At first, there was a brief hiccup on the TED stage. Haq, who was standing in as the doctor’s office receptionist, spoke — but the screen remained blank. 

“I don’t believe this; this is the first time that AI has ever failed,” Munder joked, getting a big laugh from the crowd. “Thanks for your patience.”

After a quick reboot, they rolled with the punches and tried again.

Haq asked: “Hi, how’s it going?” 

Her words popped up in blue. 

Munder signed in reply: “I am good.” 

His response popped up in gray. 

Back and forth, they recreated the scene from the doctor’s office. But this time Munder retained his autonomy, and no one suggested a 7-year-old should play interpreter. 

Munder’s TED debut and tech demonstration didn’t happen overnight — the engineer has been working on Omnibridge for over a decade. 

“It takes a lot to build something like this,” Munder told Good Good Good in an exclusive interview, communicating with our team in ASL. “It couldn't just be one or two people. It takes a large team, a lot of resources, millions and millions of dollars to work on a project like this.” 

After five years of pitching and research, Intel handpicked Munder’s team for a specialty training program. It was through that backing that Omnibridge began to truly take shape...

“Our dream is that the technology will be available to everyone, everywhere,” Munder said. “I feel like three to four years from now, we're going to have an app on a phone. Our team has already started working on a cloud-based product, and we're hoping that will be an easy switch from cloud to mobile to an app.” 

In order to achieve that dream — of transposing their technology to a smartphone — Munder and his team have to play a bit of a waiting game. Today, their platform necessitates building the technology on a PC, with an AI engine. 

“A lot of things don't have those AI PC types of chips,” Munder explained. “But as the technology evolves, we expect that smartphones will start to include AI engines. They'll start to include the capability in processing within smartphones. It will take time for the technology to catch up to it, and it probably won't need the power that we're requiring right now on a PC.” 

At its heart, Omnibridge is a testament to the positive capabilities of artificial intelligence. 

But it is more than a transcription service — it allows people to have face-to-face conversations with each other. There’s a world of difference between passing around a phone or pen and paper and looking someone in the eyes when you speak to them. 

It also allows Deaf people to speak ASL directly, without doing the mental gymnastics of translating their words into English.

“For me, English is my second language,” Munder told Good Good Good. “So when I write in English, I have to think: How am I going to adjust the words? How am I going to write it just right so somebody can understand me? It takes me some time and effort, and it's hard for me to express myself actually in doing that. This technology allows someone to be able to express themselves in their native language.” 

Ultimately, Munder said that Omnibridge is about “bringing humanity back” to these conversations. 

“We’re changing the world through the power of AI, not just revolutionizing technology, but enhancing that human connection,” Munder said at the end of his TED Talk. 

“It’s two languages,” he concluded, “signed and spoken, in one seamless conversation.”"

-via GoodGoodGood, October 25, 2024

[bunnelbaby]

Here’s a list of children’s YouTube channels and videos for those wishing to learn sign language while regressed or dreaming:

𐐪𐑂 Miacademy Learning Channel

𐐪𐑂 MyGo! Sign Language For Kids

𐐪𐑂 Cocomelon MyGo!

𐐪𐑂 ASL Kids Club

𐐪𐑂 ASL Kids

𐐪𐑂 Baby Sign Language

𐐪𐑂 Talking With My Body

𐐪𐑂 Sesame Street: American Sign Language Songs Compilation

𐐪𐑂 Rap It, Read It, Say It, Sign It

𐐪𐑂 See It, Say It, Sign It

𐐪𐑂 Animal Signs

𐐪𐑂 Sign the Colors

𐐪𐑂 Have Fun Learning ASL!

𐐪𐑂 American Sign Language For Kids - Full Episodes and More by PBS Kids

𐐪𐑂 Books & Stories in ASL For Kids

𐐪𐑂 Sign Language Songs by Patty Shukla

𐐪𐑂 My First Signs: See and Sign

[classical-bluess]

Thinking about all the hearing damage All Might probably has from his decades of hero work 🤟

[persephonessugarbaby]

A fantastic resource for learning sign language FOR FREE is the ASL University website

Dr. Bill Vicars, who is deaf / hard of hearing, "has been offering online sign language instruction since 1997", and still adds to his websites to this day. After much research, he has determined the most commonly used words and created his lessons "moving from most frequently used to less frequently used" words and concepts. So what does this website offer?

Lessons that include a teaching video, vocabulary list, sentences containing words learned, practice quizzes, and information on deaf culture and asl grammar

A section on the 100 most commonly used signs

A dictionary that has (1) Written description of how to sign the word, along with pictures, gifs, and videos, (2) Sample sentences showing how to use the word, and the appropriate context, often with accompanying videos, (3) In-page links to signs with similar appearance or meaning, (4) Common variations of the sign, (5) Questions he's answered regarding that words

There's more on the website, including pages on signing the alphabet and one with deaf/HoH jokes that's got some gems, but those listed above are the features I find most helpful for beginners. GOOD LUCK 😁

[codfiish]

this is so stupid but i think the “americans assuming everyone else is american” post that’s pissed me off the most, or at least the one that’s stuck with me the most, is one demanding that everyone who reads it learns asl. like what do u think the a stands for and do u understand how sign languages actually work . answer quickly

[isawthe-sign]

I'm learning how to do websites in my Ed Tech class, so I made The Sign - Resource. It's a bunch of reasources for learning ASL and Deaf culture.

[habitual-creatures]

Learn American Sign Language w/ HABIT !

THIS WEEK'S SIGN IS...

RABBIT

ENJOY THE LITTLE LESSON, RABBITS.

[ REGARDS, HABIT ]

[boos-gh0st]

I had my ASL lesson yesterday and my teacher asked me about the story of my favourite game

So I spent

The entirely of our thirty minute session

Signing about in stars and time

AND SHE WAS INVESTED

And she said it seemed really interesting

And bonus was that I learned more signs as I went through the story and she said I was very confident signing (which she rarely sees because I sign shyly with her ig 😭)

Anyway

Go play in stars and time

And learn asl so more people know about it too

[joshuakellin]

Does anyone know any apps for learning asl that don’t require u to pay for lessons after the first few

[learnasl]

Utilize Media's Representation of the Deaf Pop Culture to Learn ASL

An easy method to learn ASL (American Sign Language) is as simple as observing Deaf personas utilize signs in movies, video clips, and television shows. Recently Deaf representation in Hollywood has expanded. Positive change has taken place in the way Deaf individuals are depicted on the screen. From light-hearted TV comedies to serious movie dramas, the Deaf community’s representation has become much more refined, accurate, and inclusive.

Positive Instances of ASL Use in the Media

Academy Award-winning movie "CODA"

CODA is among several recent movies to feature the usage of sign language. The movie includes the same volume of scenes in ASL as with spoken English. Within the article on the Today Show web site, reporter Meghan Holohan stated, “CODA has certainly sparked conversations in the Deaf community. Audiences loved the movie, and many appreciate that Deaf actors play all the Deaf characters.”

Switched at Birth The Television program "Switched at Birth" highlights ASL. These types of show increasingly bring in audiences to sign language at the same time gaining deaf awareness, with many therefore opting to learn ASL.

Paul McCartney's “My Valentine” With more than 2.5 million audiences, music videos presenting ASL, like “My Valentine” clearly reveal popular taste. In the “My Valentine” video, 2 lovers convey emotions by signing to one another. The video casts Oscar winner Natalie Portman and Johnny Depp emoting intensely while utilizing sign language to perform the song’s lyrics.

Eternals

Lauren Ridloff, a Deaf actress, accomplished a historic milestone within the Marvel Cinematic Universe by playing the very first major Deaf character in the movie "Eternals." Makkari quickly became a fan favorite and developed some real-world service for ASL together with the Deaf community at the same time. With regards to the language-learning company Preply, a 250% rise in online inquiries about learning sign language took place after the Eternals debut.

Besides CODA and Eternals, other films which feature Deaf actors utilizing ASL are A Quiet Place 2, Hawkeye and Sound of Metal.

Each videos stated above benefit Deaf representation in Hollywood as these productions hired Deaf performers and professionals. This approach may lead to normalization of deafness, having more jobs for the Deaf, and motivating a lot more hearing people to learn ASL.

Favorable Deaf representations in pop culture can help to develop a more significant understanding of the Deaf experience. Witnessing accurate portrayals of Deaf people on television as well as in cinemas and videos helps reduce stereotypes. Furthermore, it really encourages audiences to think more deeply regarding issues of diversity and inclusivity.

Moreover, more exceptional Deaf representation in popular culture can provide role models for younger generations of Deaf people. It can also inspire them to pursue their aspirations. As increasing numbers of stories showcasing Deaf characters are produced for television and films, the public will come to understand the Deaf experience a lot better. And this, subsequently, can result in greater acceptance and inclusivity by mainstream modern society.

[brights-daily-puns]

Almost forgot to post this!

If there are any deaf folks or those who know ASL, please let me know if I said anything wrong ^^;

[tothelighthouse1]

i could write a book of poetry that isn’t poetry at all, just beginners of a new language

two weeks ago someone in my class asked “can you please turn the light on, it’s too dark for me to see”

they said “ask the small star look at me please. i have no eyes here.”

yesterday someone told me “the building next door to mine burned down last night”

they said “my home’s soulmate died last night. it’s death was red and orange.” i didn’t catch the last word so she spelled it out for me “O-R-A-N-G-E.”

[voodoo-tofu]

ASL class but so tired that it went through one eye and out the other

[sincerely-astra]

Hiii <3

can i request Garnet with a s/o who uses ASL? like they can hear it's just their first/home language lol

☁️Garnet x reader who uses ASL☁️

As someone learning ASL, this request got me so excited! :)

Garnet first met you in a party supply store, Garnet getting party decorations for Steven's birthday party.

You were trying your best to communicate with the cashier, trying to return an item you had accidentally bought the day prior, but no matter what you did the cashier was still left utterly confused.

Nonetheless, you continued trying to communicate with them even over their growing frustrations. They kept asking for you to, "Just tell me what you want!" Refusing to look at any note you wrote to them.

The tension kept rising as the cashier was about to kick you out, thankfully though, Garnet was there just in time to stop a potential fight.

She stopped the cashier mid-sentence and turned to you, calmly asking, "What exactly do you need?" Then quickly taking the note you handed to her, read it, and turn back to the cashier.

"They are looking to return this item."

And after one frustrated grumble later, you managed to get your money back! ...In store credit-

A win is a win you suppose.

Garnet led you out of the store, having bought her supplies while the cashier processed the return.

The automatic doors closed behind you two, and you turned to face Garnet, signing, "Thank you!" And although Garnet didn't understand what the sign meant, she replied with a, "No problem." Before walking off to the temple.

After that, you hadn't seen eachother for a while. Garnet had missions, and you had life to deal with.

Garnet being busy didn't stop her from thinking about you though, infact, your interactions intrigued her. Of course, she's met deaf and hard of hearing people before, but something about you stuck out to her...

...

Maybe, it's because she thought you were cute.

When she came to this revelation, she thought it was as good as a time if any to learn ASL.

' It's an important skill. ' She tried to rationalize, just a tad in denial.

When you guys met again, this time at the Big Donut, you can only imagine your suprise when you asked Garnet about her day in ASL, and she signed back-

You were rightfully ecstatic!

Only a few people in Beach City knew ASL, so it was nice to actually be able to communicate with someone else. Not to mention, Garnet was a fast learner too!

You rapidly signed back to Garnet, asking when she learnt ASL and if there was anything like sign language for gems.

Garnet and you grew expectionally close in one afternoon.

From then on, you would visit the temple to hang out with Garnet. This, of course, meant you met the other gems, Steven, and eventually Connie, you all got along well though.

Steven and Amethyst love to go on adventures with you, Pearl enjoys having you help out around the temple, and Connie is actually learning ASL from you.

You make sure to reserve some time with Garnet too amid the shenanigans.

As Garnet grew closer to you, it was getting harder and harder to deny her feelings for you. The inner Ruby and Sapphire in her were urging for Garnet to confess to you, in the most cheesy ways possible...

Garnet knew how she'd confess to you, and she didn't even need future vision for it.

Garnet invited you to go on patrol with her during the evening, which was really just strolling on the beach.

And as the sun set hit the tide, the temple back in the distance, Garnet turned to you and signed, "I love you." A simple gesture, but something she really hope you would love.

How could you say no to that???

You guys were now officially dating, And Garnet is absolutely in love. Ruby and Sapphire are not helping, as they urge her to hurry up and get a ring-

Garnet loves to get you any kind of ASL related thing she can find, shirts, mugs, pins, bumper stickers, all of it.

She also teaches the Crystal Gems (minus Pearl) ASL so they can communicate easier with you.

It was while you were dating that you told Garnet why you use ASL and it's cultural significance to you, which she is extremely supportive of. It really doesn't matter if you can or can't hear, she loves you for you.

And if you want to open up about your voice and actually speaking, then she's more than happy to help you. Definitely makes sure you are completely comfortable with it and makes sure you won't push yourself too hard, she doesn't want you to feel forced to do anything.

The first time Garnet heard your voice her jaw dropped, her thought process was literally, ' How can someone be so perfect? '

Loves your voice, 10/10, would 100% listen to it again, only if you want to though.

It really doesn't matter how often she uses her future vision, you always leave her breathless.

God help any bullies that try and mess with you, Garnet is not having it. She might seem calm, cool, and collected, but inside, she is seething.

How can they bully someone for such an arbitrary thing as using another language??

Personal bodyguard Garnet :))

Now, when Garnet unfuses and you get to meet Sapphire and Ruby, you best believe they are all over you.

Ruby is determined to learn ASL from you and no one else!

Sapphire is just giddy to meet the person Garnet loves so much. She would also love to learn ASL too though.

Ruby and Sapphire would practice with eachother and go on dates while only communicating in ASL-

Garnet would also love to meet your family if you'd let her, being able to see your family and culture is definitely on her bucket list.

A/N: Sorry that this is so long, I just love Garnet-

[butchjo]

people who know asl/any kind of sign language: does sign language have 'filler' words? like how when people are thinking about what they're going to say next, they'll go 'umm'? is there an equivalent in sign?