I’m having trouble finding a good Video curriculum on Sign Language?
I have seen quite a few books but I’d like something on DVD, Signing Time and Baby Signing Time are fine for vocabulary, but I’m interested in the language as a whole.
Is there an indepth series available that you can use to learn grammar as well?
I know of Lifeprint.com which is a great free resource and if need be then I will stick with it for myself, but I was wondering if there was something well put together, professional and indepth with the language. Something that you could use for ASL 101, 102, 201, 202 and maybe 301 and 303 also.
I want to know how to sign in the present, past and future tenses and such.
Have you looked into Say It With Sign (Sign Language Made Easy) or Signing Naturally? They both offer DVDs. I haven’t seen either myself - I saw someone recommend them on another signing thread on here, but I can’t remember which one. I think the Signing Naturally workbooks are the ones used to teach ASL classes, but the reviews say that the books are hard to follow and understand unless you are taking an actual course. I’m not sure if perhaps the DVDs would make things clearer? The Say It With Sign DVDs seem to have a lot of information, but I am not sure if it would teach sentence structure, etc. Hope that helps you start your research!
Our library had “Meet the Bravo Family” by Sign Enhancers. It was on VHS tape, and looks very “80s-ish” in dress and style(hopefully that isn’t too cheesy for you). It’s “narrated” by a deaf signer with vocals at the same time, which helps learn vocabulary. There are a number of role plays the family does, and they have a section that explains interesting aspects of ASL and deaf culture. I don’t think I’d buy them, but they were worth checking out. I’m always impressed at how quickly people can sign when they are fluent.
My DD absolutely loved Say It With Sign (Sign Language Made Easy) and still asks for it on occasion. It gives an introduction to ASL sentence structure and lots of practice with finger spelling. I got it from the library and it should be available on an inter-library loan at least within the US and maybe Canada. I would suggest getting this one from the library because it is very expensive to buy.
I also just previewed Signing Naturally (also on library loan) and I don’t think the kids will want to watch this since there is no sound. If I have time I will watch it when the kids are asleep. It seems to really need the book to give each numbered section the captions, but I can make out most of it. This series is however very affordable to buy used especially the VHS version.
Mirra, we made the decision to teach BC sign language before he was born. As an audiologist, it is my job to support the auditory/verbal mode of communication through devices such as hearing aids and cochlear implants, but in the case of hearing babies, I do believe that it is a fantastic complement to their auditory/verbal communication. Research has shown that hearing babies of deaf parents started to communicate well before the hearing babies of hearing parents as they were learning both speech and sign language. Children have the ability and the intent to communicate long before they can appropriately verbalise their wants and needs in a way that the parents can understand. Therefore the introduction of some basic sign language can bridge the gap between wanting to communicate and being able to vocalise.
Thanks for the karma Mirra but I do have to sheepishly confess that I took that explanation from something I had written on my Blog earlier in the week as I was just talking about sign language with my readers! Hope you don’t mind me cutting and pasting!
