Five Words

You've heard me enthuse about the joys of American Sign Language before. Wonderboy's hearing loss is our entire family's gain. I've decided to share the wealth by adding a new feature to Bonny Glen: Learn ASL in five words a week.

Here's a link to the wonderful ASL Browser, a site featuring video demonstrations of hundreds and hundreds of signs. Its setup won't allow me to link directly to a specific word, but there's an alphabetical listing for you to peruse.

Most of the signs at this site are demonstrated through a series of still photos instead of video, but I can link to individual words there. I recommend visiting the ASL Browser for a live-action demo of the words as well.

So, this week's Five Words:

Yes.

No.

Please.

Thank you.

Hello. (This one's at yet another site—the video's a little choppy.)

And finally, a big thanks to the folks behind all these sites, whose hard work brings the beauty of ASL to the world, free for the taking!

Comments

[Molly Smith]

Lissa, what do you recommend as the best sign language resource to use after completing the Signing Times videos?

[Mary Beth Patnaude]

Thank you! I just linked from your site to ASL Browser before reading this entry. I am trying to teach my 22 month old son, Aaron more signs, because he does not have very many words. I taught him "more, please", and was just teaching him "help" today.

[Barb]

What a great idea! I highly recommend teaching the sign for "more" - it's always one of the first (if not THE first) I teach my kids. Along with "eat" "drink" "water" "all done" and "yucky". :-D

[Michelle]

This is such a wonderful idea for your blog! My sons and I will be learning these each week. And as a plus, we stopped at Sonic while on a road trip this past week and in their kid's meals they are giving sign language cards. We have decks 3 and 4.

[Melissa Wiley]

Barb: I think you just gave me next week's wordlist! :)

Molly: Your library might have a series of videos about the Bravo family—while not nearly as magical as Signing Time (very different format, appropriate for kids 8 and up, I'd say), they cover a lot of useful signs and attempt to be engaging. Very bad 80s fashions, though! ;)

(Google "ASL" and "Bravo family" and you'll turn up several hits.)