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Sign Language is not just for kids. It's also not just for the deaf. A relatively simple language easily learned makes it a great tool for anyone. We can understand its value in several ways.

First, you may find yourself in a situation in which you need to communicate with someone who speaks only sign language. Having a rudimentary understanding would allow you to engage in simple communication with this person. Besides that, Sign Language is just plain fun. My daughter, husband and I all know it to varying degrees, and we can communicate with one another in a crowded room and others have no idea what we're saying. Third, learning any language will give you a skill that enhances you and may help others.

Since basic Sign Language is generally learned in the same language the majority speak, you do not have to learn new words to "speak" it. You already know the words; you just have to learn a new way to say them. Sign Language is a language of creating words in picture form. Many signs make sense once you know them. This also makes learning it easier than learning a completely foreign language.

Many, many, many different resources exist for learning Sign Language, from computer programs, video/DVD programs and books galore. "The Joy of Signing" (Riekehof) is a great basic primer for the aspiring learner. "Sign Language Made Simple" (Lawrence) and "Signing Illustrated"(Flodin) offer simple formats and extra help for self-study.

Since sign is pictorial, the representations in most books are easy to figure out and only require practice. I would suggest learning with a partner so you can have someone to practice with. This helps with learning to "read" sign, the most difficult aspect of learning it, and it make studying a new language a lot more fun. You can also find an "Idiot's Guide to Sign Language" and specific dictionaries such as the "American Sign Language Computer Dictionary" (Costello). The specialty books help you learn specific terms such as those used in education or in working with computers.

If you have access to the internet, you're all set. Lifeprint.com gives a list of links from A to Z and quick links to tutorials. Handspeak.com also gives great information. For the classroom teacher, aslpro.com is a great resource. Signingonline.com provides "interactive web-based instruction in ASL (American Sign Language).

When researching signs I'm unsure of to use for interpreting at church, I turn to commtecchlab and masterstech for help. They offer simple formats in which a person can look up a word and see a video of someone performing the sign. For those attempting to learn Sign Language without someone to show how to make a sign, these sites are invaluable.

The deaf often find themselves isolated from the larger hearing world because of communication difficulties. When they come across someone who can sign, they get so excited you have to tell them to slow down. Those who speak only sign will patiently teach and re-teach anyone willing to make the effort. Learning Sign Language requires a little patience, but it's an experience everyone should try.

Learn more about this author, Angela S. Young.
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