Instructor: Billie J0 HammellExperience: 30+ years Signing (C.O.D.A.)

American Sign Language

• ASL is a visually perceived, gesture-based language. That means it is a language that is expressed through the hands and face and is perceived through the eyes. It is not just waving your hands in the air. If you furrow your eyebrows, tilt your head, glance in a certain direction, twist your body a certain way, puff your cheeks, or any number of other “inflections” you are adding or changing meaning in ASL.

• It is a visual-gestural language that carries just as much information as an oral/aural (mouth/ear) language.

AGAIN/repeat/re-/over

DEAF HEARING

(culturally)/speak/say/public

LEARN LIKE (emotion)

MEANING MEET NAME NICE/clean

NO

SIGN (as in “signing”)

SLOW STUDENT TEACHER THANK-you UNDERSTAND WHAT WHERE WHO WHY

INDEXING:Just point at the person or thing: HE/SHE/IT/ME/YOU/THISUse a sweeping movement: THEY/THEM/THOSE/YOU-ALL/WE/US

AGAIN

Handshape: Right hand = "bent-hand" Left hand = "flat hand“Location: Neutral signing area in front of the bodyPalm Orientation:Right hand = starts facing up or at a "10 o'clock" positionLeft hand = varies: palm up, palm right, or "neutral 2 o'clock position"Movement: Right hand moves in an arc until the fingertips touch the left palm.Non-Manual Marker: neutral

To sign again, flatten out your leading hand. Bend your second hand at a right angle, then tap it against the middle of the palm of your first hand.

DEAFHandshape: index fingerLocation:• Starting location: In general

it starts on the cheek near the ear but occasionally you will see it start near the mouth (on the cheek).

• Ending location: On the cheek near the mouth.

Orientation: If done with the right hand, the right palm can face either left or somewhat forward.Movement: Small arc.Variation: If you do this sign while puffing out the cheek, with a larger arc it means, "Deaf, and proud of it!“Description: Touch your finger on your cheek near your ear, then move your finger in a small arch and touch it near the mouth. Remember, start and end the sign on the cheek. Do not do it on the ear or mouth, but rather near them.

To sign deaf, using your index finger point to your hear and with a slight arch move down towards your mouth

HEARING-(PHYSICAL)(EXAMPLE: I AM LOSING MY HEARING)

IF YOU WANT TO DISCUSS "PHYSICAL" HEARING, JUST TAP YOUR EAR TWICE.

HEARING (CULTURALLY)SINCE HEARING PEOPLE TEND TO "SPEAK," DEAF PEOPLE REFER TO "HEARING PEOPLE" BY USING A SIGN THAT LOOKS LIKE WORDS TUMBLING FROM THE MOUTH.

THE MOVEMENT IS A SMALL ROTATION. UP, FORWARD, DOWN, AND BACK. REPEAT TWICE. THINK OF WORDS TUMBLING FORTH FROM THE MOUTH.

The right sign for "hearing" depends on whether you are discussing "a person who can hear" or if you are referring to the physical ability to hear.

LEARN

Memory hint: Think of grabbing information from a book or piece of paper and placing it in your head.

To sign learn, place your flat right palm upward. Use your left had as if you are grabbing something up and raise it to your head.

LIKE(emotion)

To sign like, start the sign palm against your chest. Start pulling your hand slightly away from your chest with the middle finger and thumb pointing back toward the chest (but not touching either my chest or each other), then move the hand forward while bringing the index and thumb together.

Note: this sign doesn't mean "similar" or "same as."

MEANING

To sign meaning, place right palm facing left hand, left hand V tapping the palm of the right palm twice, second tap turning slightly.

When done with furrowed eyebrows this sign is used to ask "What does that mean?" or "What is the meaning of _______?"

The sign for MEANING can also be used to mean "purpose" or "intent."

MEET

To sign meet, Hand are separated with Index fingers up. Held erect both hands come together, knuckles meet.

Note: imagine each index finger is a person and they come together to meet

NAME

Handshape: "H" handshape onboth hands.

Movement: Tends to be a double movement (but a single movement is also common).

Non-Manual Marker: In general this uses a neutral facial expression. In the sentence "What is your name?" signed as NAME YOU? (Wh-question expression) you furrow the eyebrows and tilt the head forward a bit.

Inflections: NAMED (verb) (When he was a puppy I named my

dog Fido) [Note: For the verb version of this sign, I use a single movement.]

To sign name, tap the ‘H’ hands twice

NICE(clean)

The concepts:• "clean up" • "to clean" • "cleaning“use what I call "the process" form of the sign wherein you use extra movement to show a process is taking place.

So, if you want to sign "clean-up" as in "clean up your bedroom" you would use a double motion.

(Repeat the sign to mean: "cleaning, or clean-up.")

Sign nice by laying your non-dominant hand flat with your palm up, and wiping across the hand with your dominant hand.

NO

A firm, solid "no" as in a command. Uses one motion.

Another variation of no uses a double motion and a negative headshake.

Is done similar to the normal sign for "no" except that it starts off toward the right and moves in toward your body.

The sign for no is like that scolding teacher in high school that always says no to everything. The sign looks like a mouth saying no. Take your index finger together with your middle finger and tap them together with your thumb.

SIGN (as in “signing”)

NOTE: Being able to ask for the sign for something allows you to expand your vocabulary faster.

The sign for "sign" as in "a roadway sign" or a billboard is different from "sign" as in "American Sign Language."

Form both hands into "1" hand shapes. Then draw a couple of large circles in the air with the tip of each index finger. The movement for each hand is: up, back, down, forward, and so on in an alternating circular movement. As if pedaling a bicycle backwards. Both hands move at the same time. When the right hand is up, the left hand is down. When the right hand is forward, the left hand is back.

T0 sign the word “sign”, extend your two index fingers and rotate them around each other.

SLOW

NOTE: If you do this sign very fast, it means "very slow." If you start the sign and hold it in place for a moment, then roll your eyes and then finish it quickly it means very, very slow.

To sign "slow," slide the dominant hand (right hand if you are right handed) up the non-dominant forearm a short distance--starting at the back of the base (left) hand. You only need to go a few inches.

STUDENT

Notes:The more "casually" you do the sign STUDENT, the more the sign looks as if you are throwing away a piece of paper.

Note: When signing "STUDENT" your non-dominant hand should stay down near your torso and not move up toward your head when you move the dominant hand upward. We want to avoid looking as if we are combining the signs STUDENT and TEACHER.

The sign for "student" is a combination of the sign "learn" and the non-initialized sign for "person." Hold your "non-dominant") hand out flat, palm facing upward. Take your dominant hand and grab some imaginary information off of your palm. Lift that information up and stick it in your head. Then show the person sign.

TEACHER

Memory aid: Take information from your head and put it in the other person's head.

Note: The casual version of the sign "teacher" is done lower. Down closer to the chest and shoulders.

The sign TEACHER starts with both hands held up near the head in somewhat "flattened O" handshapes. Then both hands move forward about six inches. Then they change into "flat hands" (like "B" handshapes with the thumb alongside--not draped over the palm) and move downward to show a version of the PERSON sign. Thus you have a combination of TEACH + PERSON = teacher

THANK(you)

Memory aid: Imagine blowing a kiss to the person you are thanking. (Don't pucker up --unless you'd like to get to know him better.)

Usage: The thank you sign is a great gentle introduction to manners. It is great to get older babies in the habit of saying thank you when given something. The thank you sign is also a great way to remind older kids to be polite when out in public without being overbearing or embarrassing them.

NOTE: The sign "THANK YOU" can also be interpreted to mean "good." (Especially if you are holding a sandwich in one hand.)

To sign thank you, extend your fingers and thumb. Touch you fingers to your chin and bring your fingers forward. It is almost like you are blowing a kiss out, to thank the person –but the sign is a bit lower.

UNDERSTAND

Memory aid: Think of a "light bulb" turning on in your head.

DON'T-UNDERSTAND:Often students ask me "How do you sign 'don't'?" I always have to ask them what is the rest of the sentence in which they want to use the concept of "don't." The reason I need to know the rest of the sentence is because there isn't just "one" sign for "don't." There are dozens of ways to express the concept of "don't" in ASL. Most of the time the concept is "incorporated" into the movement of the sign and the facial expressions or shaking of the head.For example, in the sign "don't understand" you express the concept of "don't" by using a negative headshake:

Hold your hand up near your forehead. Your index finger is bent and the tip of the index finger is touching the pad of your thumb (your thumbprint). Then flick your index finger so that it points up.

WHAT

There is a facial expression that is sometimes called a "wh-q" expression. It is the type of facial expression you should use when asking questions that have an answer other than yes or no. Generally these questions start with the letters "wh" as do the signs WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, WHY...so you can see why we call this expression a "wh" question expression. Expressing the concept of "WHAT" has more to do with your facial expression than your hands. For example, if I pointed to my watch and used the "wh-q" facial expression it would mean that I'm asking you "What time is it?" You've probably already used this sign many times in your life.

In the picture below I'm doing a general gesture for "what" while using the WHAT facial expression. Hold your relaxed "5" hands in front of you. Hunch your shoulders a bit. Jut your head forward a bit. Use a WH-Q (wh-question) facial expression. The hands move slightly forward and to the sides.

WHERE

NOTE: "furrow the eyebrows" They are part of the sign. When asking questions you use "furrowed eyebrows" for all of the "wh-" question types: WHO, WHEN, WHERE, WHY, WHICH, FOR-FOR=(what-for).

However, if you are asking a yes/no question (a question that can be answered with a yes or no) your eyebrows should be up.

Remember: Eyebrows up for "yes/no" questions.Eyebrows downfor "wh" questions.

The sign for "where" is made using your index finger. Hold your hand in front of you and "waggle" the finger side to side a couple of times. Imagine yourself looking at a map on the wall. You put your finger on the map and move your fingertip a bit to the left then a bit to the right as you try to finger out "where" you are on the map.

WHO

Memory aid: Imagine that the reason your finger is fluttering is because of the air that flows from your mouth when you say "who."

The way to sign ‘who’ is to place the tip of your thumb on your chin with your index finger extended. Bend your index finger twice.

WHY

NOTE: "furrow the eyebrows" They are part of the sign. When asking questions you use "furrowed eyebrows" for all of the "wh-" question types: WHO, WHEN, WHERE, WHY, WHICH, FOR-FOR=(what-for).

The sign for "why" is made by touching (or coming near) your forehead with the fingers of your dominant hand then while bringing your hand forward and down , change it to the letter "y," keeping your palm facing you.

ASL way: “You Name?”

ASL way: “Deaf You?”

ASL way: “Student you?”

ASL way: “Your teacher name, what?”

ASL way: “You understand he/she?

In ASL to indicate HE, SHE, or IT, you just point at the person or thing to which you are referring.If the person has exited the area, then you point to where the person was recently.If the person hasn't been in the area then you pick a vacant spot off to the right (if you are right handed, or off to the left if you are left handed) and point into the air in that direction. Then each time you point in that direction for the duration of that conversation it will refer to "HE / HIM or SHE / HER"

Note: You can use your "eye gaze" to help identify the person you are talking about. It is common to glance over toward the person to whom you are referring.

ASL way: “who he/she?”

ASL way: “Again, name you?

ASL WAY: “S/he student s/he?”

ASL way: “this your?”

ASL way: “Where (___?___)?”

ASL way: “Nice meet”

ASL way: “Hearing you?”

ASL way: “ASL teacher , you?”

ASL way: “you learn sign, where?”

ASL way: “you learn sign, why?”

ASL way: “how do you sign ‘thanks’?”

ASL way: “Student, he/she?”

ASL way: “they learn sign?

ASL way: “your teacher, who?

ASL way: “you like learn sign?”

YES NO THERE

In sentences like: “do you understand him/her? The eyebrows are raised to indicate it is a

question

Sample Sentence: Do you like to meet Deaf people?ASL WAY: you like meet deaf?

Hi, I John Smith [spell first & last name].Nice meet you.I hearing. [or whatever you are]I student [spell name of your school]I learn learn sign (repeating sign learn is same as learning)Teacher name [spell the name of your teacher]He/she Deaf/HH (use the label that fits your instructor: Deaf/HH/Hearing)He/she teach goodI understand he/sheI like he/she

NOTE: Students should practice the story until they can sign it from memory in front of a class or video recorder

This story is similar to something you may sign when meeting a Deaf person.

In the early 1800’s, Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet, a hearing minister and a graduate of Yale University met and became friends with a young deaf girl named Alice. Gallaudet took an interest in teaching the girl and succeeded at teaching her a few words. The girl’s father, Dr. Mason Cogswell, encouraged Gallaudet to become involved with the establishment of a school for the Deaf.

So, in 1815 Gallaudet headed for Europe in Search for teaching the Deaf.

While in England, Gallaudet met up with the director of a Paris school for the Deaf, a man by the name of Sicard.

Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet & Alice Cogswell

Continued…

Sicard was there with two of his Deaf pupils, Jean Massieu and Laurent Clerc, who were also teachers at the school in Paris. They were in England giving demonstrations on how to teach the Deaf by using sign language. The Paris school, which had been founded by the Abbe Charles Michel de L’Epee in 1771, was using French Sign Language in combination with a set of methodically developed signs.

Gallaudet persuaded Clerc to return with him to the States and in 1817 the first American school for the Deaf was established in the city of Hartford, Connecticut.

Over time, the sign used at that school, plus the signs that were already being used by Deaf people in America evolved into what we now know as ASL.

Roch-Ambroise Cucurron Sicard Jean Massieu & Laurent Clerc

Continued…

It is important to note that sign language was being used here in America before Gallaudet and Clerc set up the school. One example (than you may want to research more) took place in Martha’s Vineyard. At one time many Deaf people lived there and all or almost all of the townsfolk knew how to sign whether or not they were Deaf.

You will often see the term “Deaf” spelled with a capital “D” throughout the lessons. Generally, a capitalized form of the word “Deaf” will be used when talking about those who are “culturally Deaf.” When referring to those are physically deaf a lowercase “d” will be used. While it is true that in general “Deaf” people are physically deaf, that is not always the case. The case could be made that some hearing children of Deaf parents are culturally Deaf. If it becomes important to indicate that a person is both physically and culturally Deaf the label “d/Deaf” will be made.

People who feel that being Deaf is about “language, culture, and a visual orientation to life” subscribe to the “cultural model” of Deafness.

Continued…

In general, members of the American Deaf Community do not think of themselves to be disabled. They do not see or label themselves as impaired versions of hearing people. They see themselves as a cultural group bonded together by a common language. Members of the Deaf Community do not want to be “h/hearing.” If given a choice, many of them would choose to remain DEAF.

There are indeed many deaf people in the U.S. who consider themselves to be disabled. Such individuals are generally not fluent in ASL and do not consider themselves to be members of the core (culturally) Deaf Community. So, most of the time when the term “Deaf Community,” We are discussing people who are culturally Deaf.

Continued…

People who feel that “deafness is a problem to be solved” subscribe to the “pathological model” or the “medical model” of deafness and are not culturally Deaf.

It may help to realize it is not our “deafness” that we value, rather it is our “Deafhood.”