I started learning because I work in manufacturing and can't hear anyone over the machines. I also work in a clean room so I have to talk to people through windows. A few months ago I got a deaf coworker so he's been teaching me and practicing. It's so useful.
That's really cool! I work in construction, and between the loud environments and the need for hearing protection, it can be impossible to communicate verbally with my coworkers. I'd love to be able to sign to my coworkers. I think its really cool to learn sign and another verbal language at the same time and just power-blast the language center of the brain with the kinesthetic processing center. Like learning how to play guitar and sing at the same time.
This is a great opportunity for you both! You'll carry this knowledge with you for life to pass on. if only as secret code between you and a grand child or child. At some point. This knowledge will propel you to the front of a line and that moment. the gratitude will sink in and you'll be glad you had the presents of mind to do what you are doing.
Years ago I took a class in ASL and learned over 200 words and, of course, the alphabet. At that time I was a classroom aide for 3rd grade. The teacher let me teach the children the alphabet. One of the children always had trouble learning his spelling words. By practicing his spelling using ASL he started getting every word correctly spelled in the tests. The teacher asked him how he did it. He said his fingers remembered better than his brain. During the test he was finger spelling with one hand and writing the words with his other hand. Later, he was diagnosed with dyslexia and that's why he had trouble spelling and reading. ASL also helped him with his writing skills. Now I'm a grandma and I have taught my grandbabies signs for water, eat, please, thank you , good, bad and help. Love watching those pudgy little baby hands signing! The signs aren't perfect, just like baby talk, but it makes it easier to know what they want. They don't like to see the "no" sign. Lol
Awwwe that's so heartwarming! It's such an AWESOME first language for youngsters, they can always communicate much more early on with their hands before speech develops.
I loved reading this - thank you so much for sharing! My wife and I have taught every one of our children, when they were toddlers, the signs for "food", "water", "milk", "more", "sleep", etc., and it has been HUGELY beneficial. As they learned to speak, sign saved us from innumerable tantrums and unnecessarily frustrating situations. Even when they can't remember the word and they resort to baby speak, they can remember the sign.
@@annarodriguez9868 That's great! My wife and I have been blessed with 6 healthy children! I don't personally agree with the idea that there is some specific number of children that all families should have. I think that number is different for each family. For us, being a family of 8 works exceptionally!
I'm learning bc I literally can't talk when I'm upset... it's really hard to stay motivated though, because I only wish I knew it in those moments where I go non-verbal. Sign language should be an option for languages at school.
Ahhh I understand you so much, I pray you will be able to learn sign language, and I pray that you may be able to express your emotions when your angry thank you so much Holy Spirit for doing this in Jesus name amen Jesus got you love and loves you so much ✝️💗✨🧸, come to believe in him if you don’t already, God got you and loves you , Jesus died for you and resurrected on the 3rd day for us all, and ascended into heaven for us all! Pray this : Jesus I don’t know that much about you but I want to , may you come into my life, forgive me and be my Lord and savior I pray thank you so much in your name amen “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 NIV
im learning because ive heard that deaf/mute/hard of hearing people get super happy when they find some one that knows sign because not many know sign and I think they should have more opportunities to connect with people. also got anxiety and sometimes words won’t come out and so ✨ASL✨
Can confirm, I've typically had positive encounters any time I run into a person who signs. I was even able to sign to someone when they walked into our church by accident (we meet in a little clubhouse at the moment) and they weren't sure what was going on so I was at least able to explain the basics and invite them to stick around if they wanted (they had other things to do). Thanks to one of the videos on this channel, I feel like I'll be better equipped if such a thing happens again, instead of having to fingerspell most of the words. (Also, that was my first encounter with the sudden shock of someone walking through the signing space -- our pastor hadn't yet realized that the newcomer was Deaf and had come over to try to talk, then realized what was going on and got out of the way so I could continue explaining. But my internal reaction to that breach of etiquette was quite instructive!)
I work as a social worker. I was working with someone whose dead and signed “my name is -insert name-, how are you?” He was SO HAPPY having someone that he thought was fluent in asl he started signing like crazy. I barely new enough to be able to sign ‘slow done’ and ‘know not enough’
I am going to be 80 in October. A few years ago I decided to do some specific things to keep my brain/mind sharp. One was to learn a different language. ASL had recently been classified as a foreign language. I’ve always loved watching signers and singers who signed. Two years ago I focused on signing our worship songs and the only place to practice was at home or in church while I sang and worshipped. At first I started signing very small so I wouldn’t distract anyone, as I didn’t know many signs yet. One of the perks of the shutdown was, our two services were aired online. As we were able to attend in person again, I would watch the first worship service and look up signs I didn’t know and then go to the second service and be able to remember a few more, although not all. So many times, someone, even people I didn’t know, would comment on how they loved watching me sign the songs. I also discovered that singing with signing was so much more worshipful, as I had to really focus and contemplate what the real meaning of each word was. Until recently, I got all of my information from ASL books, mainly the big thick ‘American Sign Language’ book. Last week I finally found your website that also includes religious signs that so many books and online signs don’t cover. Thank you. I thank GOD for you and love your teaching. It’s great! If GOD makes a way, I plan to go on a mission trip to Senegal next January 2023 to Bethlehem Academy for the Deaf!!! I’m so excited that now I can also learn to have conversations with them too, as they are being taught ASL. GOD Bless.
@@bonniecaskey5823 Yes, I did, Bonnie. Thank you Faith. We actually left for Senegal Feb 3rd and returned the 13th. I discovered I was inadequate at reading signs, as I have no partner to practice with. But I was able to help out with the first level of learners with painting and helping learn counting, colors, fruit and recreation with a large parachute. I also did my best to explain the ‘wordless’ book to 29 children. They in turn signed the meaning of each colored page. It was beautiful! One young boy drew my portrait with a lead pencil on a brown piece of construction paper. I love it. When I didn’t understand them or couldn’t make myself understood, I just hugged them and that was sufficient. I left my heart with them. The deaf are the largest group of unreached people groups in the world and in need of interpreters for the gospel of Jesus Christ. Keep teaching the children ASL. They love it. Thanks for asking.
im planning to learn ASL and im planning to invest 20 hrs for it.. how much am i going to learn in 20 hrs? how enough is 20 hrs for ASL complete beginner ?
That’s great! Welcome to learning ASL! Let us know if you have any questions or request. This is a great series for beginners, on top of vocabulary there’s a lot of grammar and theory sprinkled throughout. We’re releasing the 3rd part of the series this Monday. 150 Essential ASL Signs ua-cam.com/play/PLMN7QCuj6dfYFq2d8CrautQ--BmczT-xv.html
I have been so eager to learn ASL since i babysat a sweet deaf girl who taught me my first signs and gave me my sign name. I think of her so often (we moved), her sheer delight as I picked up the most basic signs still makes me smile. Sweetie, you will never know how much you changed my life while I watched you all those afternoons, I will think of you every time i learn a new word
This is a great video, but it would be nice if it had subtitles, especially since a lot of HoH and Deaf people want to learn sign languages and it's much easier to watch with CC. If you have the ability, it would be great if you could add more CC so I can watch your ASL videos!
im planning to learn ASL and im planning to invest 20 hrs for it.. how much am i going to learn in 20 hrs? how enough is 20 hrs for ASL complete beginner ?
Thank you for your hard work! My daughter is autistic and mostly non verbal, but she signs like a champ! Daddy has to step up his signing game to keep up!
My grandmother graduated from Galledette college. My mom and her brothers were hearing children of deaf parents. My mom and uncle were interpreters and my mom was a teacher of ASL. Your sign for understand is different from what I grew up with. My mom also interpreted church services. I’m grateful for this channel as a refresher. Thank you for your channel. God bless. ❤️🙏🏻💯✨🥰
My best friend/ brother is hard of hearing, we met in the 4th grade when he got his first hearing aid. We mostly talk over texting now that we live far apart, but I can't wait to have a full conversation with him one day in ASL. I also think it's incredibly practical, most people become hard of hearing as they get older, and the isolation of not being able to hear for them seems so miserable. If we all learned to sign we could communicate so much more 💕
Very new to this.Going deaf in my senior years is challenging. Can't understand spoken voice at all. After seeing Meredith present the ASL alphabet , I was hooked on her style and approach. I know no-one who is deaf or uses sign language. She has a clarity of voice that is clear by her word formation. I'm trying to learn to read lips also. Glad to have found this site. Meredith is a godsend..
Hello from the west coast! I'm on Vancouver Island and have trouble hearing people speak. (Restaurants and malls are very hard for me.) I live in a building with several deaf people and want to be able to say at least "Hi and how are you." I love Meredith's videos.
I decided today, December 1st 2021, I wanted to learn how to sign. I'm a Cubmaster for our local Cub Scouting pack and I wanted to be ready if we ever have a deaf child want to be a Scout. Thank you for all that you are doing.
That's pretty cool! It's really nice that you're making the effort yo be ready. I'm sure it will make a world of difference for the child as well as the other cub scouts that will have that important lesson in empathy and inclusion. Cuddos to you and best of luck with your studies.
That's wonderful. but go a head give it a chance and contact the deaf services w ith children and let them know that your local cub scout pack supports deaf children as well! When you do this. You're giving us valuable chance and confidence to be part of the greater whole of humanity and giving people chance to learn that we too can do it! I'm so glad you're learning ;)
I am interested in Sing language when I saw in TV series. Now I am self study learning. I would like to know about of your sing language learning journey. If u don't mind pls share your experience.
I started learning when we were told our son had auditory neuropathy. Even though it was a mis DX we still use basic signs as he is non verbal ASD. I would love to continue to learn this beautiful language
I took ASL as an elective class for three semesters back in college in the 90’s. I majored in Nursing and it was a great skill to have in healthcare. I excelled at it, but it’s definitely one of those “use it or lose it” things… and I lost it. So, in my 50’s now, I’m taking it again as part of an overall self-improvement plan for what remains of my life. I’m loving it, and I find this lovely instructor to be especially helpful. Thanks so much for offering these videos! 🙏🏼💗
My dad is mostly deaf and reads lips. He's 87 and went to a deaf school in Kansas City when he was young. My sister and I shared a bed when we were young. In order to keep talking way into the night, we learned the ASL alphabet and used it. I think this brought us closer since we had to hold hands to speak. My mom had super hearing and could hear even the tiniest whisper. I've always had an interest in learning sign language. I know a little, but not enough.
I've been super interested in learning ASL for years but never had the time to really practice enough. Now that I do, this channel is my new number one!! I'm excited! Thank you for taking your time to have put this channel together.
I just started learning because I've come across many deaf/HoH people in my time working customer service, and I don't understand why sign language ISN'T universal...
I just started learning ASL to better communicate with a coworker of mine because her interpreter isnt always there for her and I wanted to be able to help her when I can. Your videos are a major help.
One of my concerns regarding the learning process is actually about attending d/Deaf community events. Would my efforts be uncomfortable for people? It’s difficult to imagine asking each person if they’re okay with my being there, but I’d really hate to infringe on a sort-of Safe Space, if that makes sense.
Definitely appreciated. Don't worry about infringing. Body language, if you're relaxed, people will relax too. It's all about how you carry yourself, have confidence in yourself, as well.
I stumbled onto your page recently and love it! I'm surrounded by people who have various issues with hearing/processing/language, and many of us are trying to learn ASL together. My wife is Hard of Hearing, my girlfriend and daughter both have non-verbal moments, and I have audio processing issues, to name a few of us. Also, I'm a counselor for community mental health, and have noticed there's a huge lack of support for Deaf and HoH folk, and would love to be able to provide support in that area, though I know that level of fluency is a few years off.
Informative video here, thank you! I am not deaf, but years ago, it was my ambition to become an ASL teacher for young children. I work well with young children, & worked for many years as an early childhood professional. A course for 'baby sign language' was offered to us, & I excitedly signed up for it. I really enjoyed the course! My dreams were shattered, once I knew that that particular profession would no longer be an option in my life. I have severe rheumatoid arthritis, which has left my hands quite disfigured. I can't even clap (applause) anymore. (BTW, I do know the sign for 'applause').🙌 Sign language is an art in my opinion. I actually find it very beautiful to watch. Not that I wish anyone ever to be deaf! But kudos to you for taking the time to learn, teach, & use such a unique language. 👍
I teach kindergarten and have ALWAYS wished that I knew ASL. I’m so excited to find your channel as a resource. ASL will be an excellent tool/skill to have for my little learners to engage more senses while learning and for me to gain gain their attention in a variety of ways! Thank you! 🤟🏼
Thank you for this introduction. I've entered ASL on my calendar to begin to focus each day on the tutorials & learning videos to move forward with my learning. jrn🤞
Thank you for these videos. My son plays sport and always wants me to give him support from the sidelines. He cant hear me being so far away so we are learning to sign together. You changed our world.
I've been meaning to learn ASL for years, because I was planning to get into healthcare (EMS). Now that I've had my first deaf patient and barely knew any sign language, that fire under my pants is lit. I'm glad this video series is here to help. Thank you! Apologies if I don't comment on other videos. I'm likely gonna be preoccupied with reviewing what I've learned. I'll try to remember to leave 👍s. Edit: I really appreciated the "medical signs" video! I'd love to see one listing various body parts, specifically ones subject to common ailments/injuries (heart, lungs, various joints, liver, kidneys). Also useful would be one listing common ailments and/or treatments. You gave us "cold" (the disease, not the temperature) and "surgery" already. Also useful would be flu, Covid (is it just finger-spelled?), sick, headache ("head hurt"?), ambulance, IV (finger-spelled?), breathing, pulse... you get the gist. I'm sure others can add to this wishlist. In most other fields, people have time to wait for an interpreter. We don't always have that luxury, so being able to communicate with our patients is critical. Most of us make do with writing things on paper when dealing with deaf patients. We can do better than that, and your help is instrumental in making that happen. I don't mean to come across as a choosing beggar. I'm grateful for the videos you've posted already, and only looking to provide feedback for stuff we in healthcare could use. Again, that's assuming it's not already up somewhere else on this channel. I haven't watched them all yet. I plan to take my time and really learn this stuff. Thanks again!
I’ve always been fascinated with signing and watching deaf people communicate. Always wanted to learn so perhaps I could communicate with them if it ever came around.
So glad I found this!!! I recently had a deaf girl join my kid's pickleball class and that has encouraged me to want to learn ASL so I can communicate with her more. So I'm going to start learning with your videos--thanks!!! Ironically, I've been doing the "I love you" hand sign since 1986 when I lived in Japan and starting doing a hand sign in all the pictures I was in.
This is going to be really helpful. I work at Chick-fil-A and I serve deaf people all the time. It is really frustrating for them to order and I want to fix that. Besides, I've been meaning to fully learn sign language for a really long time. I only know the alphabet and a few signs for restaurant and retail interactions. So thank you!!
This is exactly what I told my family today - I used to work at Trader Joe’s and met several deaf customers over the years, and I always regretted that I couldn’t communicate with them! I am hoping that after watching Meredith’s videos (and lots and lots of practice), in the future if I meet a deaf person, we can have a chat 🙂
I can't thank you enough for your videos! I've wanted to learn to Sign for over 20 years but just couldn't afford what our local College wanted to charge! You are a blessing!
recently ive met someone who has trouble speaking and communicates a lot through sign language. most of her friends that ive seen use sign language with her and i want to make her feel more comfortable by learning sign language as we've become friends. im on day 1 but im motivated to learn this wonderful language as ive wanted to for a while, thank you for these amazing videos!
My reason would be quiet selfish but sometimes I don't really just feel like opening my mouth and learning ASL could be a great help. Also, I've always been asking for advice, interviewing people about certain opinions and views. And I thought, I wanted to be able to ask anyone in any shape or form, even deaf/mute ones. So yeah 🙂
I learning ASL because i love it and it is funny i am not deaf and i don't know anybody who is deaf but i think i need this in the future.And i am from Serbia but i love ASL
I'm ambidextrous so therefor having to choose one hand is super hard. I've been switching it up (because even though both hands are dominant, the other will do different things. I mostly write with my right because i'm better with my cursive, and i brush my teeth or use a fork with my left) and so this is real hard lol
This has been a life saver! I'm learning ASL because i'm autistic an non verbal when it comes to public spaces. Half of my life, i avoided thoses and therefore, never really experienced many things outside of my house. After years of work, i finally succeeded to be in public spaces with no dangerous reactions like runaway! Problem is, nothing could go out of my throat even if i really wanted to. I started to think that maybe i needed to go back to my home-only life but then i clicked this video out of curiosity since it was on my recommended. This opened my mind to continuing the progresses i've done to go back in public spaces, thank you so much
I’m glad I happened upon your videos. I’m trying to learn ASL to better communicate with my Goddaughter who has autism and has speech difficulty. These are great videos!
I am a special education teacher....and I love my students. THIS IS SO HELPFUL, thank you. So many of my students will benifit by being better able to communicate with me. I am here for them, and you have given me the tools I need to be there for them.
I know your exclusively mentioning for the deaf… I’m learning for my non verbal son who has severe autism and no communication, we have learned so many signs but I decided I want to learn it fluently to better teach him. He does ok with picture exchange but still extremely limited. When younger he could not and would not take to sign. But it’s becoming his go to as we learn. He is not deaf or mute just on verbal
Hi my name is Chantal and i start sign language with your video because i work at a museum and a group of deaf people came in the museum and no one was able to help them. So I decided to take the task to learn ASL sign language. My collegue are learning with me. Thank you for all videos 🌹🌹🌹🌹👍👍👍👍
I'm living on the gallaudet campus while my wife gets her doctorate and this is helping a LOT I work constantly but I can watch these videos over and over and without needing too much time and it's really helping me be able to actually communicate with their friends here and just the people I'm living around now so thank you for these!!
Great videos...both of my daughters have autism and use signing daily in school...this is a great channel that will help me learn as they are learning in school!❤
I was pleasantly surprised to see that everything in this video video I learned in an ASL class I took over a decade ago. I'm looking to get back into it and teach my kids he did I want my whole family to do it. I am not deaf. However, I am very introverted And I have a history of extreme anxiety I I would be terrified to talk to people. ASL feels At home for me. Used to pretend I was mute At times When speaking was too difficult for me. When using my voice felt too heavy, ASL Made communicating lighter. Such a liberating feeling. It also feels more sincere and right I think because of all the facial embodied expressions that go into it. There are so many words that have many and opposite meanings in people use them in many ways . often say one thing and mean another. I feel like ASL is more honest. I look forward to picking backup and teaching my children. I get overwhelmed with how much my children talk with me and need me to answer them back. I think if we all learn ASL then at times when at times when I have anxiety or have anxiety or am drained with speaking We can use asl have a lot more positive experience. Kids could feel like we have a secret family Wave communicating, And if we ever encounter someone from the deaf community, We can be involved communicate with them. 😊 I took up 2 semesters of a beginner class, Years ago they didn't offer anymore after that. I enjoy ASL.
Both my parents are blind since birth, yes I know braille. But they also had blind/deaf friends so I learned fingerspelling so I could communicate with them. I am so lucky to have been living when all our technology has advanced so fast and so far that my parents and their friends have a wealth of tools to use. UA-cam has opened up this world to non blind/deaf folks. Thank you for being part of this new world of awareness. Keep up this platform you are doing a good thing.
I work at a dental office and we had a deaf guest today. I've always wanted to learn sign but knowing I would be able to communicate with her has really encouraged me to just do it!
I've been signing most of my life. I'm 50yrs old and started when I was 5yrs old. I didn't grow up with ASL I grew up with SEE. Thanks for these videos. It's nice to learn the signs that are different.
Thank you so much! Your videos are great! I learned basic things when I was a kid and have always held on how sign my name. I'm re-learning because my daughter has epilepsy (focal to the language area in her brain) so she has an extreme stutter, making it hard to speak which leads to her feeling frustrated. We are learning this together as a way to communicate, especially when she's frustrated and can't get her words out.
I am a 3 tour Vietnam combat veteran with VA diagnosed PTSD. Also profoundly deaf. I have found that learning and using ASL redirects and refocuses my unwanted thoughts in a very good way. I can’t sit in a waiting room unattended without drifting back into the anxiety of combat. Instead of sitting waiting mindlessly I focus on how ASL applies to the moment in terms of how to spell or say the words relative to what I am seeing.
thank you. in last 2 yrs Im learning signing here and there but want to be more focus and improve it. Happy to find your YT channel. Im learning bcs I have 2 deaf coworker, when I am upset cant speak out without being emotional and my face speaks a lot that time and many other reasons ...on other hand after few times learning/practising - realised that learning sign language helps with memory, body expression, calm mind buzzing, calm down reactions, = many positive outcomes...and coworkers are very happy that someone is learning signing
Thank you for this. I really want to learn asl because. I think communication is such an important thing in our lifes. I don't really have any deaf people around me but I really hope this can come in handy in the future. I'm pretty young and really want to learn. I'm not even a teen but i just thought of learning today and your channel is gonna really help me i know. thank you for these videos!
I started learning Cherokee at RSU public TV channel with a man named Wade Blevins very nice guy and he uses ASL to help in learning Cherokee which is how I got the passion for wanting to learn it thank you Miss Meredith you are a wonderful teacher and I must say are absolutely beautiful person as well inside and out
This is exactly what I need. Um, I have a question I'm right hand but I don't know what happens with my right hand because when I try to make a sign I can't. But I can do with my left hand. So in other words I can do the signs with my left hand and not with my right hand. It's very strange. My exprofessor of Sign Language told me that if I am right hand I can do it with my left hand. Because my left hand has a good grip. To me this is a mystery. Thanks for your video. Greetings from Puerto Rico. 🤟☺️🇵🇷
Typically that isn’t the case but if you have better control of your left hand then go for it. Just be consistent with using the same hand and not switching it back and forth that is when it can become confusing and difficult to understand. Greetings from the US! 🇺🇲🤟🤗
I’m so excited to learn! I just have this suden urge to learn it and your channel is a great resource! Thank you for your hard work and great videos :)
I love learning to sign. I have a customer who is deaf and he is so patient with me while learning. It has shortened our time when trying to have conversations being we have to write out everything. I work in a busy bar and being able to at least sign even half the time is so much easier. I also like everyone to feel welcome. I do make him 😂 a lot. I also am trying to pick a dominant hand. I can use both to write or eat well everything so it has been my biggest strugvle to be consistent. Thankfully he is really good at signing so it doesnt seem to bother him.
Thank you so much. Your videos have helped me. My son is hard of hearing and this is helping me communicate with him, seeing him learn and finally communicate with me. It the best again thank you so much
Thanks so much for sharing these videos. I’m actually getting started late. I love being Santa and making kids ( and myself) smile. I’ve been so nervous to meet a deaf child and not be able to get them to enjoy their experience as much. I’m hoping one day I’ll be able to surprise a deaf child with a little bit of signing! 😉🎅 Practice, practice, practice!
Love your channel, my son is loosing his hearing, age 13, uses hearing aids. I tell him that we all have to learn ASL for him. Now we will be trilingual Spanish, English and ASL. I tell him that it will benefit him in the future.
i started learning ASL together with my hearing non verbal 20mo daughter to communicate our thoughts to each other. I'm so happy she can express herself more and I can understand her too
The thing is, i usually learn from her (and subscribe to keep me notified) as she uses very simple, good language with a few pop of colour here and there. Also, she makes everything look simple, because she explains it beautifully. Thanks so much, ur really helping me out :)
My hearing son & I started to learn bc he in swim lessons, I am behind a glass but he likes to tell me how he is doing & what the coach is saying. This way he can still talk without relying on hearing. We've been doing pretty well. Songs have seemed to help us learn and retain the most words.
Thank you for this video! I practice 2+ hours every night. I'm realizing that I'm learning much faster than I thought I would. I'm learning for work, as a second language, and for church. It's a lot of fun too!!
I went to school there in Connecticut for 2 years as I needed to know how to communicate with the clients I worked with. Loved it there and was even given a sign name
I have a coworker that is deaf and he works with me and his son. There’s been a lot of barriers for the father with a lot of other workers and I want to learn ASL to talk to him when I see him. His son has been really kind and shown me a few basic signs.
I am trying to learn sign language because I have progressive hearing loss that will eventually cause me to go deaf. Sometimes my hearing aids go on the fritz and I can't understand people. My fiance and I have made a pact to learn together to prepare ourselves for the future so we can communicate better.
You’re videos help me so much I’m not hard of hearing or deaf but I can’t hear very well and sometimes I need help understanding what I am actually saying or other people. Thank you!!
THANK YOU!! I was trying to learn from reading/literature and it’s much harder than the videos. I have 2 fellow employees who are deaf and I want to be able to communicate with them. So every word is one step closer.
I am learning ASL because I am losing my hearing, after eleven surgeries and little improvement I am finished with surgery, no more!!! Hearing aids only help a little bit, I can't wear one in my left ear, it causes problems. Maybe one in the right ear. Using ASL is a great way for me in my circumstance. I have been told to get a cochlear implant but because hearing aids cause trouble, I am not seeking one of those either. Hearing Impairment is in my family so I am not surprised it is happening. I am happy I found your site, there are very few if any options since we live in a rural area. Thank you for the excellent video, consider me your new student. PS There are a few deaf people where we live, a few signers in the market and hardware store, no deaf churches or deaf clubs. Thank you, see you next class!
I've started going nonverbal increasingly often, and it would feel so relieving to have a way to easily communicate with certain people during those moments when my voice simply can't come out. Im going to try to learn!
Thank you so much for these videos! I'm from the UK but I'm learning ASL instead of BSL because whilst I don't know any deaf British people, I do have a deaf friend in Texas that I play games online with, and would love to be able to sign with her when we video chat or meet up! She's so stoked that I'm learning!
Thank you for this and your other videos. My wife has worn hearing aids for many, many years (doctor says too many concerts as a teen with no hearing protection) and everything has been mostly fine. Yesterday, though, she had a hearing test and she is down about 50% across almost the entire frequency spectrum. As she noted, the doctor said words that shocked her - cochlear implant. She's not entirely sure about it and is afraid that things are just going to get worse. She knows a few signs, but I have been a lazy schlub and it is time to change that. Hoping to surprise her at some point. I'm off to watch more videos!
I have hearing loss due to nerve damage (too many severe ear infections as an infant and toddler and continuing issues mean I can't wear hearing aids). In addition to my hearing getting worse as I get older, I have worsening auditory processing issues, e.g. someone says "chair" and I hear "bear" which makes for a lot of hilarious misunderstandings between my husband and me, but also a lot of not-so-funny misunderstandings between other people and me. I struggle with pronouncing some words and go nearly incoherent when stressed. Thankfully my husband is understanding about all of this and my need to use the closed-captioning on the TV, even though it distracts his ADHD brain. I also struggle to retain and follow oral instructions, which can be a real issue in the workplace. The number of times I've been called stupid even though I'm actually quite smart and intelligent has done massive damage to my self-esteem and my career. So, time to brush up on the ASL I learned at 10 and take it farther. Best of luck to you and your wife!
@@jenniferpanther2979 I can relate to this completely. Although I do have a cochlear implant (and quite thankful for it), I still have a very difficult problem with processing certain sounds. Without my CI, I am 100% deaf. The biggest instigator for the implant was the time I pulled out in front of a fire truck, as I didn't hear the siren. My husband flatly said "it's time to do something about it." The word "four" is confusing. My brain hears "more" or "door." I have to remember the context of the subject to figure out what the correct word is. And my deceased husband and I used to have some good laughs at my expense because of some of my "mis-heards" if any of this makes sense. I've been in your shoes. Still there in many situations. I am determined to learn ASL, if it kills me. I'm an old lady (71) but better later than never.
I love learning new things, especially languages and learning this feels important and I’d love to be able to speak with someone who’s deaf, because they must not find too many people in public that know ASL.
I want to start learning asl because I meet this girl online and she told me she was deaf so I decided it was going to be the next language I wan to learn
This is awesome! I've always wanted to learn sign language and as for a reason... there are so many. The knowledge of it stands alone and then there's the ability to communicate effectively and not just with those that are deaf.
I’m learning because I talk with my hands so much and it would be useful to Make them into actual words and not flailing hands lol. At my work there was once a deaf person ordering something and wanted to know how much. I knew how to sign $6 so I was able to sign and get the message across without writing anything. 3rd, my favorite show has a deaf main character and I really like her!
I started learning ASL because my brother has a disability where he can not talk, so I'm teaching him. So I can finally talk to my brother. I've always been so curious and always wanted to talk to him like I talked to everyone else.
I started learning because I work in manufacturing and can't hear anyone over the machines. I also work in a clean room so I have to talk to people through windows. A few months ago I got a deaf coworker so he's been teaching me and practicing. It's so useful.
I hope you and your coworker can have some great chats in ASL in the future.
That's really cool! I work in construction, and between the loud environments and the need for hearing protection, it can be impossible to communicate verbally with my coworkers. I'd love to be able to sign to my coworkers.
I think its really cool to learn sign and another verbal language at the same time and just power-blast the language center of the brain with the kinesthetic processing center. Like learning how to play guitar and sing at the same time.
This is a great opportunity for you both! You'll carry this knowledge with you for life to pass on. if only as secret code between you and a grand child or child. At some point. This knowledge will propel you to the front of a line and that moment. the gratitude will sink in and you'll be glad you had the presents of mind to do what you are doing.
Very cool.
The reason why I’m doing sign language is because that I want to be able to talk and speak in sign with other deaf people they can’t hear
Years ago I took a class in ASL and learned over 200 words and, of course, the alphabet.
At that time I was a classroom aide for 3rd grade. The teacher let me teach the children the alphabet. One of the children always had trouble learning his spelling words. By practicing his spelling using ASL he started getting every word correctly spelled in the tests.
The teacher asked him how he did it. He said his fingers remembered better than his brain. During the test he was finger spelling with one hand and writing the words with his other hand.
Later, he was diagnosed with dyslexia and that's why he had trouble spelling and reading. ASL also helped him with his writing skills.
Now I'm a grandma and I have taught my grandbabies signs for water, eat, please, thank you , good, bad and help.
Love watching those pudgy little baby hands signing!
The signs aren't perfect, just like baby talk, but it makes it easier to know what they want. They don't like to see the "no" sign. Lol
Awwwe that's so heartwarming! It's such an AWESOME first language for youngsters, they can always communicate much more early on with their hands before speech develops.
I loved reading this - thank you so much for sharing!
My wife and I have taught every one of our children, when they were toddlers, the signs for "food", "water", "milk", "more", "sleep", etc., and it has been HUGELY beneficial. As they learned to speak, sign saved us from innumerable tantrums and unnecessarily frustrating situations. Even when they can't remember the word and they resort to baby speak, they can remember the sign.
@@nicholaswadge1469 I'm ust curious, but how many children do you have? Some people think 3 is too many.
My husband and I were blessed with 4.
@@annarodriguez9868 That's great! My wife and I have been blessed with 6 healthy children! I don't personally agree with the idea that there is some specific number of children that all families should have. I think that number is different for each family. For us, being a family of 8 works exceptionally!
Wonderful story. Thanks for sharing.
I'm learning bc I literally can't talk when I'm upset... it's really hard to stay motivated though, because I only wish I knew it in those moments where I go non-verbal. Sign language should be an option for languages at school.
So glad you are finding something that will work for you.
@@LearnHowtoSign Tysm 💖💖
Ahhh I understand you so much, I pray you will be able to learn sign language, and I pray that you may be able to express your emotions when your angry thank you so much Holy Spirit for doing this in Jesus name amen Jesus got you love and loves you so much ✝️💗✨🧸, come to believe in him if you don’t already, God got you and loves you , Jesus died for you and resurrected on the 3rd day for us all, and ascended into heaven for us all!
Pray this : Jesus I don’t know that much about you but I want to , may you come into my life, forgive me and be my Lord and savior I pray thank you so much in your name amen
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
John 3:16 NIV
@@jadacakes7636 Thanks 😊💖
My school now teaches asl, and a lot of people are interested in it. So I think it’ll stay. So hopefully more schools start to teach it.
im learning because ive heard that deaf/mute/hard of hearing people get super happy when they find some one that knows sign because not many know sign and I think they should have more opportunities to connect with people. also got anxiety and sometimes words won’t come out and so ✨ASL✨
Can confirm, I've typically had positive encounters any time I run into a person who signs. I was even able to sign to someone when they walked into our church by accident (we meet in a little clubhouse at the moment) and they weren't sure what was going on so I was at least able to explain the basics and invite them to stick around if they wanted (they had other things to do). Thanks to one of the videos on this channel, I feel like I'll be better equipped if such a thing happens again, instead of having to fingerspell most of the words.
(Also, that was my first encounter with the sudden shock of someone walking through the signing space -- our pastor hadn't yet realized that the newcomer was Deaf and had come over to try to talk, then realized what was going on and got out of the way so I could continue explaining. But my internal reaction to that breach of etiquette was quite instructive!)
I work as a social worker. I was working with someone whose dead and signed “my name is -insert name-, how are you?” He was SO HAPPY having someone that he thought was fluent in asl he started signing like crazy. I barely new enough to be able to sign ‘slow done’ and ‘know not enough’
I am going to be 80 in October. A few years ago I decided to do some specific things to keep my brain/mind sharp. One was to learn a different language. ASL had recently been classified as a foreign language. I’ve always loved watching signers and singers who signed. Two years ago I focused on signing our worship songs and the only place to practice was at home or in church while I sang and worshipped. At first I started signing very small so I wouldn’t distract anyone, as I didn’t know many signs yet. One of the perks of the shutdown was, our two services were aired online. As we were able to attend in person again, I would watch the first worship service and look up signs I didn’t know and then go to the second service and be able to remember a few more, although not all. So many times, someone, even people I didn’t know, would comment on how they loved watching me sign the songs. I also discovered that singing with signing was so much more worshipful, as I had to really focus and contemplate what the real meaning of each word was. Until recently, I got all of my information from ASL books, mainly the big thick ‘American Sign Language’ book. Last week I finally found your website that also includes religious signs that so many books and online signs don’t cover. Thank you. I thank GOD for you and love your teaching. It’s great! If GOD makes a way, I plan to go on a mission trip to Senegal next January 2023 to Bethlehem Academy for the Deaf!!! I’m so excited that now I can also learn to have conversations with them too, as they are being taught ASL. GOD Bless.
God bless you darling ❤️
Did you get to go to Senegal?!?😊
@@bonniecaskey5823 Yes, I did, Bonnie. Thank you Faith. We actually left for Senegal Feb 3rd and returned the 13th. I discovered I was inadequate at reading signs, as I have no partner to practice with. But I was able to help out with the first level of learners with painting and helping learn counting, colors, fruit and recreation with a large parachute. I also did my best to explain the ‘wordless’ book to 29 children. They in turn signed the meaning of each colored page. It was beautiful! One young boy drew my portrait with a lead pencil on a brown piece of construction paper. I love it. When I didn’t understand them or couldn’t make myself understood, I just hugged them and that was sufficient. I left my heart with them. The deaf are the largest group of unreached people groups in the world and in need of interpreters for the gospel of Jesus Christ. Keep teaching the children ASL. They love it. Thanks for asking.
im planning to learn ASL and im planning to invest 20 hrs for it.. how much am i going to learn in 20 hrs?
how enough is 20 hrs for ASL complete beginner ?
Just started learning ASL, your videos are awesome. God bless you
That’s great! Welcome to learning ASL! Let us know if you have any questions or request. This is a great series for beginners, on top of vocabulary there’s a lot of grammar and theory sprinkled throughout. We’re releasing the 3rd part of the series this Monday. 150 Essential ASL Signs ua-cam.com/play/PLMN7QCuj6dfYFq2d8CrautQ--BmczT-xv.html
@@LearnHowtoSign kkĺ
Me too!
I have been so eager to learn ASL since i babysat a sweet deaf girl who taught me my first signs and gave me my sign name. I think of her so often (we moved), her sheer delight as I picked up the most basic signs still makes me smile. Sweetie, you will never know how much you changed my life while I watched you all those afternoons, I will think of you every time i learn a new word
This is a great video, but it would be nice if it had subtitles, especially since a lot of HoH and Deaf people want to learn sign languages and it's much easier to watch with CC. If you have the ability, it would be great if you could add more CC so I can watch your ASL videos!
YES! We are actually go back through video and adding hand typed subtitles. You'll see them all updated soon.
It's been 4 months since you commented so you probably already know, but the videos have CC now :)
Cell phones enable cc
I'm using the cc on it and it's helpful. Look for the cc button
im planning to learn ASL and im planning to invest 20 hrs for it.. how much am i going to learn in 20 hrs?
how enough is 20 hrs for ASL complete beginner ?
Thank you for your hard work! My daughter is autistic and mostly non verbal, but she signs like a champ! Daddy has to step up his signing game to keep up!
That’s why i’m learning too, but I’m the autistic one😼
My grandmother graduated from Galledette college. My mom and her brothers were hearing children of deaf parents. My mom and uncle were interpreters and my mom was a teacher of ASL. Your sign for understand is different from what I grew up with. My mom also interpreted church services. I’m grateful for this channel as a refresher. Thank you for your channel. God bless. ❤️🙏🏻💯✨🥰
My best friend/ brother is hard of hearing, we met in the 4th grade when he got his first hearing aid. We mostly talk over texting now that we live far apart, but I can't wait to have a full conversation with him one day in ASL. I also think it's incredibly practical, most people become hard of hearing as they get older, and the isolation of not being able to hear for them seems so miserable. If we all learned to sign we could communicate so much more 💕
Very new to this.Going deaf in my senior years is challenging. Can't understand spoken voice at all. After seeing Meredith present the ASL alphabet , I was hooked on her style and approach. I know no-one who is deaf or uses sign language. She has a clarity of voice that is clear by her word formation. I'm trying to learn to read lips also. Glad to have found this site. Meredith is a godsend..
Hello from the west coast! I'm on Vancouver Island and have trouble hearing people speak. (Restaurants and malls are very hard for me.) I live in a building with several deaf people and want to be able to say at least "Hi and how are you." I love Meredith's videos.
I decided today, December 1st 2021, I wanted to learn how to sign. I'm a Cubmaster for our local Cub Scouting pack and I wanted to be ready if we ever have a deaf child want to be a Scout. Thank you for all that you are doing.
That's pretty cool! It's really nice that you're making the effort yo be ready. I'm sure it will make a world of difference for the child as well as the other cub scouts that will have that important lesson in empathy and inclusion. Cuddos to you and best of luck with your studies.
That's wonderful. but go a head give it a chance and contact the deaf services w ith children and let them know that your local cub scout pack supports deaf children as well! When you do this. You're giving us valuable chance and confidence to be part of the greater whole of humanity and giving people chance to learn that we too can do it! I'm so glad you're learning ;)
I have been interested in learning ASL for years!! So glad I found these videos. So easy to follow along. Thank you Meredith and team!!
I am interested in Sing language when I saw in TV series. Now I am self study learning. I would like to know about of your sing language learning journey. If u don't mind pls share your experience.
I’m autistic and i struggle with facial expression
I started learning when we were told our son had auditory neuropathy. Even though it was a mis DX we still use basic signs as he is non verbal ASD. I would love to continue to learn this beautiful language
I took ASL as an elective class for three semesters back in college in the 90’s. I majored in Nursing and it was a great skill to have in healthcare. I excelled at it, but it’s definitely one of those “use it or lose it” things… and I lost it. So, in my 50’s now, I’m taking it again as part of an overall self-improvement plan for what remains of my life. I’m loving it, and I find this lovely instructor to be especially helpful. Thanks so much for offering these videos! 🙏🏼💗
My dad is mostly deaf and reads lips. He's 87 and went to a deaf school in Kansas City when he was young. My sister and I shared a bed when we were young. In order to keep talking way into the night, we learned the ASL alphabet and used it. I think this brought us closer since we had to hold hands to speak. My mom had super hearing and could hear even the tiniest whisper. I've always had an interest in learning sign language. I know a little, but not enough.
Can we have the full story? I'd love to hear some of the history, it often helps me understand the concept as much as the actions
We definitely plan on it!
I've been super interested in learning ASL for years but never had the time to really practice enough. Now that I do, this channel is my new number one!! I'm excited! Thank you for taking your time to have put this channel together.
I just started learning because I've come across many deaf/HoH people in my time working customer service, and I don't understand why sign language ISN'T universal...
For real
My first time learning ASL, you're a great teacher, keep it up.
Thank you! And wya to go!!!! You keep it up too.
I just started learning ASL to better communicate with a coworker of mine because her interpreter isnt always there for her and I wanted to be able to help her when I can. Your videos are a major help.
I have 80% hearing loss and I am 74 years old. You have made me excited to learn. Thank you. ☺️
I must say this! I’m a Flight Attendant and this has helped me A LOT! Love it!
One of my concerns regarding the learning process is actually about attending d/Deaf community events. Would my efforts be uncomfortable for people? It’s difficult to imagine asking each person if they’re okay with my being there, but I’d really hate to infringe on a sort-of Safe Space, if that makes sense.
From what I've read, deaf people really appreciate and like it when hearing people make efforts to learn and understand.
Definitely appreciated. Don't worry about infringing. Body language, if you're relaxed, people will relax too. It's all about how you carry yourself, have confidence in yourself, as well.
I stumbled onto your page recently and love it! I'm surrounded by people who have various issues with hearing/processing/language, and many of us are trying to learn ASL together. My wife is Hard of Hearing, my girlfriend and daughter both have non-verbal moments, and I have audio processing issues, to name a few of us. Also, I'm a counselor for community mental health, and have noticed there's a huge lack of support for Deaf and HoH folk, and would love to be able to provide support in that area, though I know that level of fluency is a few years off.
You have a wife and a girlfriend?
Informative video here, thank you!
I am not deaf, but years ago,
it was my ambition to become an ASL teacher for young children.
I work well with young children,
& worked for many years as an early childhood professional.
A course for 'baby sign language' was offered to us,
& I excitedly signed up for it.
I really enjoyed the course!
My dreams were shattered,
once I knew that that particular profession
would no longer be an option in my life.
I have severe rheumatoid arthritis,
which has left my hands quite disfigured.
I can't even clap (applause) anymore.
(BTW, I do know the sign for 'applause').🙌
Sign language is an art in my opinion.
I actually find it very beautiful to watch.
Not that I wish anyone ever to be deaf!
But kudos to you for taking the time to learn, teach, & use such a unique language. 👍
I teach kindergarten and have ALWAYS wished that I knew ASL. I’m so excited to find your channel as a resource. ASL will be an excellent tool/skill to have for my little learners to engage more senses while learning and for me to gain gain their attention in a variety of ways! Thank you! 🤟🏼
Over half deaf at the age of 26 and worried about my future so this is super helpful, thank you so much for these videos!~
You're so welcome!
Thank you for this introduction. I've entered ASL on my calendar to begin to focus each day on the tutorials & learning videos to move forward with my learning. jrn🤞
Thank you for these videos. My son plays sport and always wants me to give him support from the sidelines. He cant hear me being so far away so we are learning to sign together. You changed our world.
I've been meaning to learn ASL for years, because I was planning to get into healthcare (EMS). Now that I've had my first deaf patient and barely knew any sign language, that fire under my pants is lit. I'm glad this video series is here to help. Thank you!
Apologies if I don't comment on other videos. I'm likely gonna be preoccupied with reviewing what I've learned. I'll try to remember to leave 👍s.
Edit: I really appreciated the "medical signs" video! I'd love to see one listing various body parts, specifically ones subject to common ailments/injuries (heart, lungs, various joints, liver, kidneys).
Also useful would be one listing common ailments and/or treatments. You gave us "cold" (the disease, not the temperature) and "surgery" already. Also useful would be flu, Covid (is it just finger-spelled?), sick, headache ("head hurt"?), ambulance, IV (finger-spelled?), breathing, pulse... you get the gist. I'm sure others can add to this wishlist.
In most other fields, people have time to wait for an interpreter. We don't always have that luxury, so being able to communicate with our patients is critical. Most of us make do with writing things on paper when dealing with deaf patients. We can do better than that, and your help is instrumental in making that happen.
I don't mean to come across as a choosing beggar. I'm grateful for the videos you've posted already, and only looking to provide feedback for stuff we in healthcare could use.
Again, that's assuming it's not already up somewhere else on this channel. I haven't watched them all yet. I plan to take my time and really learn this stuff. Thanks again!
I’ve always been fascinated with signing
and watching deaf people communicate.
Always wanted to learn so perhaps I
could communicate with them if it ever
came around.
So glad I found this!!! I recently had a deaf girl join my kid's pickleball class and that has encouraged me to want to learn ASL so I can communicate with her more. So I'm going to start learning with your videos--thanks!!! Ironically, I've been doing the "I love you" hand sign since 1986 when I lived in Japan and starting doing a hand sign in all the pictures I was in.
You got this!
This is going to be really helpful. I work at Chick-fil-A and I serve deaf people all the time. It is really frustrating for them to order and I want to fix that. Besides, I've been meaning to fully learn sign language for a really long time. I only know the alphabet and a few signs for restaurant and retail interactions. So thank you!!
This is exactly what I told my family today - I used to work at Trader Joe’s and met several deaf customers over the years, and I always regretted that I couldn’t communicate with them! I am hoping that after watching Meredith’s videos (and lots and lots of practice), in the future if I meet a deaf person, we can have a chat 🙂
I can't thank you enough for your videos! I've wanted to learn to Sign for over 20 years but just couldn't afford what our local College wanted to charge! You are a blessing!
recently ive met someone who has trouble speaking and communicates a lot through sign language. most of her friends that ive seen use sign language with her and i want to make her feel more comfortable by learning sign language as we've become friends. im on day 1 but im motivated to learn this wonderful language as ive wanted to for a while, thank you for these amazing videos!
My reason would be quiet selfish but sometimes I don't really just feel like opening my mouth and learning ASL could be a great help. Also, I've always been asking for advice, interviewing people about certain opinions and views. And I thought, I wanted to be able to ask anyone in any shape or form, even deaf/mute ones. So yeah 🙂
I learning ASL because i love it and it is funny i am not deaf and i don't know anybody who is deaf but i think i need this in the future.And i am from Serbia but i love ASL
Welcome to our channel!
I'm ambidextrous so therefor having to choose one hand is super hard. I've been switching it up (because even though both hands are dominant, the other will do different things. I mostly write with my right because i'm better with my cursive, and i brush my teeth or use a fork with my left) and so this is real hard lol
This has been a life saver!
I'm learning ASL because i'm autistic an non verbal when it comes to public spaces. Half of my life, i avoided thoses and therefore, never really experienced many things outside of my house. After years of work, i finally succeeded to be in public spaces with no dangerous reactions like runaway! Problem is, nothing could go out of my throat even if i really wanted to. I started to think that maybe i needed to go back to my home-only life but then i clicked this video out of curiosity since it was on my recommended. This opened my mind to continuing the progresses i've done to go back in public spaces, thank you so much
I’m glad I happened upon your videos. I’m trying to learn ASL to better communicate with my Goddaughter who has autism and has speech difficulty. These are great videos!
I am a special education teacher....and I love my students.
THIS IS SO HELPFUL, thank you.
So many of my students will benifit by being better able to communicate with me.
I am here for them, and you have given me the tools I need to be there for them.
I'm learning asl because I have selective mutism and I dont have time to write everything down most times. Ty for making this! :D
Fellow selectively mute person!! :D
I know your exclusively mentioning for the deaf… I’m learning for my non verbal son who has severe autism and no communication, we have learned so many signs but I decided I want to learn it fluently to better teach him. He does ok with picture exchange but still extremely limited. When younger he could not and would not take to sign. But it’s becoming his go to as we learn. He is not deaf or mute just on verbal
Hi my name is Chantal and i start sign language with your video because i work at a museum and a group of deaf people came in the museum and no one was able to help them. So I decided to take the task to learn ASL sign language. My collegue are learning with me. Thank you for all videos 🌹🌹🌹🌹👍👍👍👍
This is awesome. So glad you all are learning ASL!
@@LearnHowtoSign thank you for the respond, have a good Nights🌹🌹🌹
I'm living on the gallaudet campus while my wife gets her doctorate and this is helping a LOT I work constantly but I can watch these videos over and over and without needing too much time and it's really helping me be able to actually communicate with their friends here and just the people I'm living around now so thank you for these!!
Great videos...both of my daughters have autism and use signing daily in school...this is a great channel that will help me learn as they are learning in school!❤
I was pleasantly surprised to see that everything in this video video I learned in an ASL class I took over a decade ago. I'm looking to get back into it and teach my kids he did I want my whole family to do it. I am not deaf. However, I am very introverted And I have a history of extreme anxiety I I would be terrified to talk to people. ASL feels At home for me. Used to pretend I was mute At times When speaking was too difficult for me. When using my voice felt too heavy, ASL Made communicating lighter. Such a liberating feeling. It also feels more sincere and right I think because of all the facial embodied expressions that go into it. There are so many words that have many and opposite meanings in people use them in many ways . often say one thing and mean another. I feel like ASL is more honest.
I look forward to picking backup and teaching my children. I get overwhelmed with how much my children talk with me and need me to answer them back. I think if we all learn ASL then at times when at times when I have anxiety or have anxiety or am drained with speaking We can use asl have a lot more positive experience. Kids could feel like we have a secret family Wave communicating, And if we ever encounter someone from the deaf community, We can be involved communicate with them. 😊
I took up 2 semesters of a beginner class, Years ago they didn't offer anymore after that. I enjoy ASL.
So glad you are picking it back up again!
Both my parents are blind since birth, yes I know braille. But they also had blind/deaf friends so I learned fingerspelling so I could communicate with them. I am so lucky to have been living when all our technology has advanced so fast and so far that my parents and their friends have a wealth of tools to use. UA-cam has opened up this world to non blind/deaf folks. Thank you for being part of this new world of awareness. Keep up this platform you are doing a good thing.
I work at a dental office and we had a deaf guest today. I've always wanted to learn sign but knowing I would be able to communicate with her has really encouraged me to just do it!
I've been signing most of my life. I'm 50yrs old and started when I was 5yrs old. I didn't grow up with ASL I grew up with SEE. Thanks for these videos. It's nice to learn the signs that are different.
Thank you so much! Your videos are great! I learned basic things when I was a kid and have always held on how sign my name. I'm re-learning because my daughter has epilepsy (focal to the language area in her brain) so she has an extreme stutter, making it hard to speak which leads to her feeling frustrated. We are learning this together as a way to communicate, especially when she's frustrated and can't get her words out.
I am a 3 tour Vietnam combat veteran with VA diagnosed PTSD. Also profoundly deaf. I have found that learning and using ASL redirects and refocuses my unwanted thoughts in a very good way. I can’t sit in a waiting room unattended without drifting back into the anxiety of combat. Instead of sitting waiting mindlessly I focus on how ASL applies to the moment in terms of how to spell or say the words relative to what I am seeing.
thank you. in last 2 yrs Im learning signing here and there but want to be more focus and improve it. Happy to find your YT channel. Im learning bcs I have 2 deaf coworker, when I am upset cant speak out without being emotional and my face speaks a lot that time and many other reasons ...on other hand after few times learning/practising - realised that learning sign language helps with memory, body expression, calm mind buzzing, calm down reactions, = many positive outcomes...and coworkers are very happy that someone is learning signing
Thank you for this. I really want to learn asl because. I think communication is such an important thing in our lifes. I don't really have any deaf people around me but I really hope this can come in handy in the future. I'm pretty young and really want to learn. I'm not even a teen but i just thought of learning today and your channel is gonna really help me i know. thank you for these videos!
I want to learn because it opens up me to new people, and I already talk with my hands, so let's put that to good use
I started learning Cherokee at RSU public TV channel with a man named Wade Blevins very nice guy and he uses ASL to help in learning Cherokee which is how I got the passion for wanting to learn it thank you Miss Meredith you are a wonderful teacher and I must say are absolutely beautiful person as well inside and out
This is exactly what I need. Um, I have a question I'm right hand but I don't know what happens with my right hand because when I try to make a sign I can't. But I can do with my left hand. So in other words I can do the signs with my left hand and not with my right hand. It's very strange. My exprofessor of Sign Language told me that if I am right hand I can do it with my left hand. Because my left hand has a good grip. To me this is a mystery. Thanks for your video. Greetings from Puerto Rico.
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Typically that isn’t the case but if you have better control of your left hand then go for it. Just be consistent with using the same hand and not switching it back and forth that is when it can become confusing and difficult to understand. Greetings from the US! 🇺🇲🤟🤗
I’m so excited to learn! I just have this suden urge to learn it and your channel is a great resource! Thank you for your hard work and great videos :)
You are so welcome!
I love learning to sign. I have a customer who is deaf and he is so patient with me while learning. It has shortened our time when trying to have conversations being we have to write out everything. I work in a busy bar and being able to at least sign even half the time is so much easier. I also like everyone to feel welcome. I do make him 😂 a lot.
I also am trying to pick a dominant hand. I can use both to write or eat well everything so it has been my biggest strugvle to be consistent. Thankfully he is really good at signing so it doesnt seem to bother him.
i'm learning ASL this year and this video was so incredibly helpful, thank you for sharing.
I have signed for years but I love this, so many people can benefit from learning ASL THANK YOU
I'm learning because I have several deaf coworkers and this seems like a much more effective way to communicate with them
Thank you so much. Your videos have helped me.
My son is hard of hearing and this is helping me communicate with him, seeing him learn and finally communicate with me. It the best again thank you so much
Thanks so much for sharing these videos. I’m actually getting started late. I love being Santa and making kids ( and myself) smile. I’ve been so nervous to meet a deaf child and not be able to get them to enjoy their experience as much. I’m hoping one day I’ll be able to surprise a deaf child with a little bit of signing! 😉🎅
Practice, practice, practice!
The first ever channel that called other creators as a family, this is genuine humanity and I quite liked it. Going to be learning from today.
Love your channel, my son is loosing his hearing, age 13, uses hearing aids. I tell him that we all have to learn ASL for him. Now we will be trilingual Spanish, English and ASL. I tell him that it will benefit him in the future.
I started learning because when i go to my favorite nail salon its hard for me to communicate, and you have actually really helped me! Thank you ❤
i started learning ASL together with my hearing non verbal 20mo daughter to communicate our thoughts to each other. I'm so happy she can express herself more and I can understand her too
I regret not finding you earlier! Please keep doing what your doing. I'm learning so much!
The thing is, i usually learn from her (and subscribe to keep me notified) as she uses very simple, good language with a few pop of colour here and there. Also, she makes everything look simple, because she explains it beautifully. Thanks so much, ur really helping me out :)
I'm a selective mute and you've helped me so much I can go to place and communicate I'm forever thankful for you
I recently made a friend who is deaf and I would love to make it easier for us to communicate. Thank you for making that possible 💕
My hearing son & I started to learn bc he in swim lessons, I am behind a glass but he likes to tell me how he is doing & what the coach is saying. This way he can still talk without relying on hearing. We've been doing pretty well. Songs have seemed to help us learn and retain the most words.
Thank you for this video! I practice 2+ hours every night. I'm realizing that I'm learning much faster than I thought I would. I'm learning for work, as a second language, and for church. It's a lot of fun too!!
I went to school there in Connecticut for 2 years as I needed to know how to communicate with the clients I worked with. Loved it there and was even given a sign name
I'm 14 and while there isn't a specific reason for me to learn sign, It has still been great learning from your videos!
I have a coworker that is deaf and he works with me and his son. There’s been a lot of barriers for the father with a lot of other workers and I want to learn ASL to talk to him when I see him. His son has been really kind and shown me a few basic signs.
This UA-cam channel is truly so helpful. I appreciate you
I am trying to learn sign language because I have progressive hearing loss that will eventually cause me to go deaf. Sometimes my hearing aids go on the fritz and I can't understand people. My fiance and I have made a pact to learn together to prepare ourselves for the future so we can communicate better.
You’re videos help me so much I’m not hard of hearing or deaf but I can’t hear very well and sometimes I need help understanding what I am actually saying or other people. Thank you!!
THANK YOU!! I was trying to learn from reading/literature and it’s much harder than the videos. I have 2 fellow employees who are deaf and I want to be able to communicate with them. So every word is one step closer.
I am learning ASL because I am losing my hearing, after eleven surgeries and little improvement I am finished with surgery, no more!!! Hearing aids only help a little bit, I can't wear one in my left ear, it causes problems. Maybe one in the right ear. Using ASL is a great way for me in my circumstance. I have been told to get a cochlear implant but because hearing aids cause trouble, I am not seeking one of those either. Hearing Impairment is in my family so I am not surprised it is happening. I am happy I found your site, there are very few if any options since we live in a rural area. Thank you for the excellent video, consider me your new student. PS There are a few deaf people where we live, a few signers in the market and hardware store, no deaf churches or deaf clubs. Thank you, see you next class!
Hello from somewhere in Europe! As the resources are abundant I'll start with ASL.
I often find convient using hand gestures to express my feelings. That's why I chose to learn this.
I love your videos my grandma and grandpa were deaf my aunt is deaf as well I also have many other family members that are deaf it is good to know
I've started going nonverbal increasingly often, and it would feel so relieving to have a way to easily communicate with certain people during those moments when my voice simply can't come out. Im going to try to learn!
Thank you so much for these videos! I'm from the UK but I'm learning ASL instead of BSL because whilst I don't know any deaf British people, I do have a deaf friend in Texas that I play games online with, and would love to be able to sign with her when we video chat or meet up! She's so stoked that I'm learning!
I want to learn because it’s such a beautiful language and I would love to be able to communicate with deaf/HoH people whenever I can!
Thank you for this and your other videos. My wife has worn hearing aids for many, many years (doctor says too many concerts as a teen with no hearing protection) and everything has been mostly fine. Yesterday, though, she had a hearing test and she is down about 50% across almost the entire frequency spectrum. As she noted, the doctor said words that shocked her - cochlear implant. She's not entirely sure about it and is afraid that things are just going to get worse. She knows a few signs, but I have been a lazy schlub and it is time to change that. Hoping to surprise her at some point. I'm off to watch more videos!
I have hearing loss due to nerve damage (too many severe ear infections as an infant and toddler and continuing issues mean I can't wear hearing aids). In addition to my hearing getting worse as I get older, I have worsening auditory processing issues, e.g. someone says "chair" and I hear "bear" which makes for a lot of hilarious misunderstandings between my husband and me, but also a lot of not-so-funny misunderstandings between other people and me. I struggle with pronouncing some words and go nearly incoherent when stressed. Thankfully my husband is understanding about all of this and my need to use the closed-captioning on the TV, even though it distracts his ADHD brain. I also struggle to retain and follow oral instructions, which can be a real issue in the workplace. The number of times I've been called stupid even though I'm actually quite smart and intelligent has done massive damage to my self-esteem and my career. So, time to brush up on the ASL I learned at 10 and take it farther. Best of luck to you and your wife!
@@jenniferpanther2979 I can relate to this completely. Although I do have a cochlear implant (and quite thankful for it), I still have a very difficult problem with processing certain sounds. Without my CI, I am 100% deaf. The biggest instigator for the implant was the time I pulled out in front of a fire truck, as I didn't hear the siren. My husband flatly said "it's time to do something about it." The word "four" is confusing. My brain hears "more" or "door." I have to remember the context of the subject to figure out what the correct word is. And my deceased husband and I used to have some good laughs at my expense because of some of my "mis-heards" if any of this makes sense. I've been in your shoes. Still there in many situations. I am determined to learn ASL, if it kills me. I'm an old lady (71) but better later than never.
I've been interested in ASL since last year but I was busy and now I have enough time to learn it.
I love learning new things, especially languages and learning this feels important and I’d love to be able to speak with someone who’s deaf, because they must not find too many people in public that know ASL.
I want to start learning asl because I meet this girl online and she told me she was deaf so I decided it was going to be the next language I wan to learn
This is awesome! I've always wanted to learn sign language and as for a reason... there are so many. The knowledge of it stands alone and then there's the ability to communicate effectively and not just with those that are deaf.
Im trying to learn sign because my dad is slowly going deaf so thank you for this
I’m learning because I talk with my hands so much and it would be useful to Make them into actual words and not flailing hands lol.
At my work there was once a deaf person ordering something and wanted to know how much. I knew how to sign $6 so I was able to sign and get the message across without writing anything.
3rd, my favorite show has a deaf main character and I really like her!
I started learning ASL because my brother has a disability where he can not talk, so I'm teaching him. So I can finally talk to my brother. I've always been so curious and always wanted to talk to him like I talked to everyone else.