Teaching Sign Language

FAQ

Question: Why don't you have any deaf/Deaf people teaching sign language on this website? Shouldn't only Deaf people be teaching ASL?

Answer: Honestly, there are no deaf/Deaf people teaching sign language on the website only because none have volunteered to help.

I created this website because when I was 13 years old and just starting to learn ASL, I looked for online ASL resources. There really weren't any. I found many dictionaries, but those don't help at all with learning the grammar and syntax of ASL.

When I graduated from college, I saw there were still no useful free online resources to learn ASL. There are many people, including adults who are out of college, who want to learn a bit of ASL to communicate with someone they know. I believe that anyone who wants to learn ASL should not be held back by time or money constraints. So, I decided to use my degree, do something I love, give people the free resource that I always wanted, and spread the beautiful language of ASL across the web.

Despite this, I do believe that sign language students greatly benefit from having a deaf teacher. However, no deaf person has created a website like mine even though giving more hearing people the ability to learn sign language is a goal of the Deaf community.

I am offering American Sign Language for free, I welcome any corrections to my lessons, and Deaf people are welcome, even encouraged, to teach the lessons (See my volunteer page). I have posted on numerous Deaf message boards, forums, and blogs letting people know about the ability to volunteer on this website. I still haven't received any corrections or volunteers.

The question that I have always wished people would ask is: "How can I get involved?" So far, I have been pretty alone in my venture of teaching sign language for free. The only help I have received is from my husband. He has been my number one supporter and without him, I wouldn't have any videos!

With more help, the site would have more lessons, the students would be able to learn from more than one signer, and maybe they would even be able to learn from a Deaf person--which is the most ideal. I have asked signing friends and put up the volunteer page regarding this, but I haven't found any volunteers yet. It doesn't matter, though. I love what I do, and if I have to do it alone, I'll still have fun doing it! :)

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