Learning Tips Articles

Fingerspelling Warm-Up Activities to Prevent Repetitive Motion Injuries

Fingerspelling Warm-Up Activities to Prevent Repetitive Motion Injuries

By Brenda Cartwright
Wednesday, February 1, 2023

Warm-up exercises are essential for signers and deter the possibility of injuries and cumulative trauma disorders. Read the article to find a variety of great stretches to get you warmed up for signing and especially for fingerspelling practice!
Signs That Are Close... But Not the Same — Conversation Basics

Signs That Are Close... But Not the Same — Conversation Basics

By Brenda Cartwright
Wednesday, December 21, 2022

This article is part of our “Signs That Are Close... But Not the Same” series, which highlights signs that look similar, but have different meanings. The signs discussed in this article include signs used when beginning to sign and having conversations: (1) Please vs. Sorry, (2) Please vs. Enjoy, (3) Understand vs. Don't Understand, (4) Know vs. Don't Know, (5) Help Me vs. Help You, (6) Friend vs. Good Friend, (7) Learn vs. Student, and (8) Teach vs. Teacher
Fingerspelling History

Fingerspelling History

By Brenda Cartwright
Thursday, December 1, 2022

ASL fingerspelling has interesting historical roots. Read the article to learn about the history behind the hand shapes.
Signs That Are Close... But Not the Same — Calendar Signs

Signs That Are Close... But Not the Same — Calendar Signs

By Brenda Cartwright
Wednesday, October 19, 2022

This article is part of our “Signs That Are Close... But Not the Same” series, which highlights signs that look similar, but have different meanings. The signs discussed in this article include calendar signs: (1) Day vs. Today, (2) Tomorrow vs. Yesterday, (3) Born vs. Birthday , (4) Days of the Week: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, (5) Thursday vs. High School, (6) Sunday vs. Wonderful, (7) AM vs. PM, (8) Noon vs. Midnight, and (9) Afternoon vs. Night
Tips When Starting to Fingerspell

Tips When Starting to Fingerspell

By Brenda Cartwright
Tuesday, October 4, 2022

Check out these important beginning guidelines for learning to fingerspell... and know that practice is the key.
Signing Space When Fingerspelling

Signing Space When Fingerspelling

By Brenda Cartwright
Tuesday, September 13, 2022

It is important to be consistent with your posture and hand placement to create the best signing space when fingerspelling. Check out these useful tips for best results.
Signs That Are Close... But Not the Same — Numbers

Signs That Are Close... But Not the Same — Numbers

By Brenda Cartwright
Wednesday, August 31, 2022

This article is part of our “Signs That Are Close... But Not the Same” series, which highlights signs that look similar, but have different meanings. The signs discussed in this article include signs related to numbers: (1) 3 vs. 6 vs. 9, (2) 6 vs. 7 vs. 8 vs. 9, (3) 72 vs. 76, (4) Single Digit vs. Teen Numbers, (5) Double Numbers, (6) 99 vs. French Fries, (7) Rocking Numbers, and (8) 1,000 vs. 1,000,000
What is Fingerspelling?

What is Fingerspelling?

By Brenda Cartwright
Monday, July 18, 2022

Are you wondering what fingerspelling means, or when to fingerspell words? Are you interested in learning good ways of practicing fingerspelling? Read the article for some very helpful information.
Signs That Are Close... But Not the Same — Introductions

Signs That Are Close... But Not the Same — Introductions

By Brenda Cartwright
Wednesday, May 4, 2022

This article is part of our “Signs That Are Close... But Not the Same” series, which highlights signs that look similar, but have different meanings. The signs discussed in this article include (1) Name vs. Weight, (2) I vs. You, (3) You / He / Her vs. Your / His / Hers (4) Your vs. My, (5) My / Mine vs. I / Me, (6) Deaf vs. Dorm vs. Home vs. Native American, (7) Good vs. Bad, (8) No vs. 20 vs. Duck vs. Chicken, and (9) Meet (as in “I met”) vs. Meet (as in “meet me”) vs. Meet (as in “they met”) vs. MEET (as in, "to meet many people").
Cooking Up Language with Signs: Fruit Pizza

Cooking Up Language with Signs: Fruit Pizza

By Jillian Winn and John Miller
Tuesday, April 12, 2022

Today we’re cooking up Fruit Pizzas. These are so cute. You can easily customize them to be themed for a special event or holiday. It’s also fun to have kids decorate their own. The article features a recipe and accompanying Signing Savvy word list to get you started on an interactive cooking activity that is great for spicing up language learning at home or in the classroom.