Signing Savvy Blog

The many facets of sign language

Thu, 06 Jun 2013 13:30:52 EDT

Sign language is not a universal language.

Unfortunately sign language is NOT universal throughout the world. There is American Sign Language, British Sign Language, Spanish Sign Language, Japanese Sign Language, Ausian (Australian Sign Language) and many more. In fact, there are even multiple sign languages used in the United States (American Sign Language, Signed Exact English, regional dialects, etc.). Although one universal sign language would probably make things easier, just like with spoken language, the world would have a very difficult time trying to come up with whose way of doing it was the best way!

What is the difference between American Sign Language and other sign languages?

Sign language has many different facets to it. American Sign Language (ASL) is the language created and used by the Deaf in the United States, Canada, parts of Mexico, and some other parts of the world. ASL has a limited amount of signs, but it is the purest language from the Deaf perspective. If you are using strict ASL and interpreting English, you often fingerspell words for which there are no signs. Being its own language, ASL not only has its own vocabulary, but also its own grammar and syntax that differs from English.

Signed Exact English (SEE) and other variations (Manually Coded English, Pidgin, etc…) are also "sign languages" used by some in North America. These languages typically use ASL signs as the base but add a lot more signs to reflect a larger part of the English vocabulary. This is often done using initialization (letter handshapes as you sign) to help clarify a specific word that otherwise might just be fingerspelled or signed with a conceptual similar word in strict ASL.

One example would be the sign for CAR. The ASL sign for CAR is two A hands gesturing like they are holding onto and moving a steering wheel. In ASL, this sign is used for any automobile you control with a steering wheel, including a car, truck, bus, van, etc. The English sign for CAR is two C hands, one on top of the other, moving away from each other. If you wanted to specify what type of car, the hand shape is modified to include the initial of the type of vehicle (c for car, v for van, b for bus, j for jeep, etc.).

TIP: Signing Savvy shows multiple variations of signs and also lists the sign type (ASL, English, etc.)

This is where the term "initialized sign" comes from. You clarify the meaning by initializing the sign with the first letter of the intended English word. Therefore, using the English version allows one to specify exactly what is communicated in English. In ASL, you would use the ASL sign for car and if it was important to clarify the type of vehicle, you would follow the sign with a fingerspelling of the vehicle type (JEEP, for example). This is just one example.

Many in Deaf culture prefer to sign using strict ASL, using only pure American Sign Language signs. Some have accepted some English signs. However, many English signs are not accepted by those that practice strict ASL, and if you use them in your everyday signing, it could be frowned upon by the Deaf. It is best to watch how others are signing around you and ask if you are in doubt.

Regional signs and sign variations

There are also regional signs that you will see in different parts of North America. This is similar to the concept of regional accents in spoken languages, such as the southern drawl vs. the New York accent. Another example of regional variations in spoken languages is how in the north carbonated, sugary drinks are called "pop" and in the south, it is called "soda" or even just "coke." These same sort of regional accents and variations happen with signing, as well. Using one sign over another is not wrong... just different.

Signing Savvy signs

Signing Savvy focuses primarily on American Sign Language and signs used in the United States and Canada.

Since Signing Savvy is first and foremost a reference for folks signing or learning to sign in North America, it is important for us to also include other signs that you may encounter beyond just ASL signs. For that reason, we also include some commonly used English signs. However, we try to always list the ASL sign as the first sign variation on any given word.

We have tried to include known variations of signs, along with how to fingerspell each word. As you communicate through sign with others in your region, you will find out soon enough what is the more accepted or used sign in your area.

An example of a word with multiple sign variations is HAPPY. As you can see in the image below, Signing Savvy provides 3 sign variations for the word HAPPY, along with the fingerspelled version.

You can find many articles about sign language on the Signing Savvy website. This article is a compilation of several of our past articles:

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Partnership with WonderGrove Kids on Animated Lessons supported by American Sign Language

Fri, 05 Apr 2013 15:19:10 EDT

Raising a young child in this day and age of fast paced life is difficult. It is hard to keep up with the excitement of animated video games and television shows, which often times are not displaying the behavior or teaching the lessons that we want our young children to learn and emulate. This is why we at Signing Savvy are very proud to have a partnership with an animation company, called WonderGrove Kids, that’s primary focus is to take the wonder and fascination of animation, and use it in a very positive way to teach children the basic fundamental building blocks of life.

WonderGrove Kids takes the wonder and fascination of animation and uses lovable characters
to teach children lessons for their everyday life to help them reach their full potential.

WonderGrove Kids have created an amazingly sweet and fun group of characters to help children of all walks of life have the opportunities to learn through animation. They have taken simple daily lessons and made them into great teachable videos, very colorful and fun to watch, yet short enough in length that they keep children’s attention. They are specifically designed to fit well with an Early Childhood Curriculum and perfect for daily use in the home or classroom. Children will ask to watch them over and over.

From "Always Buckle Your Seatbelt" to "Respect Others on the Playground" and "How to Order a Balanced Meal," the WonderGrove Kids series provides parents and teachers with a well-rounded selection of animated learning episodes to help children prepare for the daily challenges of life both inside and outside of school.

Working with Signing Savvy, WonderGrove Kids has created a sign language version of their animations. In the sign language version, not only are the animations closed captioned, but the key concepts presented throughout the animations are reenforced with sign language videos. The sign language version of the animations are great for children (and adults) that want to pickup and practice sign language vocabulary, including young hard of hearing and deaf children and hearing children that may have been introduced to baby sign language. Children with communicative delays can also benefit from the animations. Learning and using sign language has been shown to help with understanding vocabulary and context and improve overall communication. We're excited to bring you sign language through these adorable animated lessons.

Check WonderGrove Kids out! They will be a very welcome addition to any child's learning experience.

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Signing Savvy Member App now available on Kindle Fire via Amazon App Store

Sat, 09 Mar 2013 01:07:55 EDT

The Signing Savvy Member App is now available on the Amazon App Store. Having the app on the Amazon App Store makes it easier to install the app on Kindle Fire devices. The Signing Savvy Member App has been available on the Apple App Store for iOS devices and Google Play for Android devices for some time, so we are excited to be able to offer it on the Amazon App Store now as well.

The Signing Savvy Member App is for Signing Savvy full members. If you are not yet a full member, you can still use the app to easily check the Sign of the Day on your mobile device.

The Signing Savvy Member App allows full members to search and browse signs and word lists, create word lists, and use digital flash cards.

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Switched at Birth entirely in American Sign Language TONIGHT Monday, March 4

Mon, 04 Mar 2013 08:56:47 EDT

Tune into the television show Switched at Birth tonight (Monday, March 4th), to see the new episode "Uprising" told entirely in American Sign Language (ASL). It airs at 8/7 central time on ABC Family. It will be the first show on mainstream television to air in entirely ASL. The episode will have open captions for hearing viewers.

The storyline was inspired by protests that happened 25 years ago this March at Gallaudet University. The real-life "Deaf President Now" protests began on March 6, 1988 when the Gallaudet Board of Trustees appointed its seventh hearing president. The protests ended seven days later, on March 13th, after the first Deaf university president, I. King Jordan was appointed.

In the new Switched at Birth "Uprising" episode Daphne leads a demonstration after learning the Carlton School for the Deaf may close.

Switched at Birth is a one-hour television show about two teenagers who were switched at birth. One of the teenagers is deaf and the show incorporates sign language into most episodes. The show was first aired in June 2011 and is now in it's second season.

Check out the all ASL episode tonight to see the beauty of sign language in action!

For more information see the Video on Switched at Birth's All-ASL Episode.

To catch up on any episodes you may have missed, you can watch Switched At Birth online at the xfinity TV....

Teaching Young Children to Sign

Mon, 25 Feb 2013 19:27:30 EDT

I have had several questions about how to teach young children to sign recently, so I wanted to repost an article I wrote back in 2009 (with a few modifications), which answers many of the questions.

Research has shown that a child's muscles in the hands and fingers develop at a faster rate than those in the mouth and jaw. This shows us that a child is better equipped at a young age to sign before they can speak. And children certainly can understand language long before they can speak. Because of this many people are choosing to teach their infants to use sign language as an early form of communication, oftern refered to as "baby signing". It has been known to cut down on the amount of frustration on the part of an infant trying to communicate with their parents/caregivers.

Many people's questions then are: "How do we teach a young child to sign (deaf or hearing) in a way that is fun and productive?"

My answer: Through play! I had the pleasure of watching a young, 3-year-old, deaf child play yesterday while I met with her teacher and parents during a yearly meeting for the child's education. I watched this cute little preschooler interacting rather naturally with the toys in the dramatic play area (toy kitchen, doctor kit, etc…). She was using the play microwave and placing the plastic food on a plate and "warming it up" for us. Using one hand to punch the keys on the keypad as she counted off the numbers with the other. Then she took the spaghetti out of the microwave telling us to be CAREFUL and to wait because it was HOT. The teacher prompted the child to tell us what the food was that was on the plate, to which the child answered SPAGHETTI rather matter-a-factly!

The child went to play for a good 30 minutes giving us each SHOTS from her doctor kit and telling us not to CRY, etc…. The language used and expressed by this child was amazing and it was all done through play!

Signing Savvy can help with this educational/play experience by using the printing options to create word cards for you to use at home during your play with your child. By having the food signs printed on cards that can be exchanged when you "order your food" and having the child match up the sign to the food, a child will become familiar with the signs for the toys they interact with daily. Create a menu that not only has the food signs on it but some common phrases like, "Can I take your order?" or "Thank you, please come again".

Another playful activity is to play "sign and seek", where you first introduce a few objects and the sign for the objects to your child. Then you scatter the objects around the room. After which, you show the sign for an object and ask your child to bring it to you. If you are learning sign language yourself, the Signing Savvy Member App on a mobile device, such as an iPad, is a great way to quickly look up sign videos while playing this game. You could even make a word list of all the objects in your room prior to playing, so you have quick access while you play.

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Happy Valentine's Day!

Thu, 14 Feb 2013 09:19:01 EDT

We hope you have a great Valentine's Day! This is a reposting of our blog post from last Valentine's day. It does a great job of covering all the different ways to show LOVE... in sign language that is!

Many people know and use the sign for I LOVE YOU. This sign is used universal throughout the country and the world. We see it all over television, at sporting events and during "shout outs" to our mothers. The sign is actually the combination of the fingerspelled letters I, L and Y.

I have had people ask why the sign looks similar to the one that some people hold up at rock concerts, where the thumb is held down and the pointer finger and the little finger are held up. It is NOT the same. Remember, the thumb of the Y hand has to be present in order for you to be signing the I LOVE YOU sign.

Another sign that gets confused with the I LOVE YOU sign is the Hawaiian "shaka" sign meaning aloha, hang loose, or right on. Interestingly, this is also the ASL sign for YELLOW. Again, this is a different sign, as it leaves out the pointer finger. It is basically just shaking the Y hand.

The actual sign for LOVE is both arms folded across the chest. That is to show love or have love for another person or animal, etc.

Another sign for LOVE that you will see on the site is the kissing of the back of the S hand, then pulling it away from the mouth. This is a sign that is generally used to show a passion for something, like a certain type of food or a type of music.

Some people have asked why we don’t list the I LOVE YOU sign under the sign for LOVE on our site. It is because they are different signs and we don’t want new signers to confuse the single I LOVE YOU handshape with the general meanings and uses of the word LOVE. We don’t want you to confuse the signs and use the I LOVE YOU sign in a place where you really mean to just say LOVE.

An example of this would be this sentence: My mother loves to travel. You wouldn’t want to say: MOTHER + MINE + I LOVE YOU + TRAVEL (It just doesn’t make sense.) You need to use the sign LOVE there.

Another example sentence: I love to eat deep dish pizza! You wouldn’t want to say: PIZZA + THICK + I LOVE YOU + EAT. You need to use the kissing the back of the hand version of LOVE in this instance.

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The Use of an Assistance Dog for people who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 00:00:00 EDT

Many people have heard of individuals using dogs to assist them with their visual difficulties, but the use of dogs for people who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing is less understood by the general public. Hearing dogs for the deaf alert their owners to sounds, both inside and outside of the home. Some deaf people also choose to get hearing dogs for safety reasons.

The general public's lack of understanding about dogs for the deaf has been known to cause a problem for some hearing dog owners. Some restaurants or stores where the owners are not aware of the current Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) laws, have either told deaf owners to leave their dog outside, or refused them service. Some have even gone as far as saying, "You clearly aren’t blind! Why do you need a dog?"

These dogs are assistance dogs that have been very well trained and are not just your average pet with a vest on them. It is the owner’s responsibility to keep them well groomed and to monitor their behavior, but because of the extensive screening and training process these dogs go through, disruptive behavior is rarely a problem. These dogs are trained to alert their owners of different sounds such as a siren, fire alarm, crying baby, telephone, or car horn. It is through the use of these dogs that many deaf people say they become more independent and interactive with their surroundings. The dogs are trained to learn obedience, correct response to sounds, and how to respond to voice and hand signals.

There are resources out there to educate yourself about assistance dogs of all types and the laws that apply to them. Assistance / service dogs have also been known to work with individuals dealing with mobility assistance, seizure alert, medical alert, autism and psychiatric issues.

Find out more:

The story of Willa Macy, who lost her hearing when she was 14, and Honey, a golden retriever, who helped her to discover a new world of independence and security. It is also a story about Hearing Dogs - their background, training, special abilities, and the unique relationship they develop with their owners.

Luke and his hearing-ear dog, Herald
By Andrea Zoll and Arlene Garcia

A book for children about a deaf 9-year-old boy Luke and his hearing dog.

Lend Me an Ear: The Temperament, Selection and Training of the Hearing Ear Dog
By Martha Hoffman

Written by a hearing dog trainer, the book includes tips, trainer's secrets, and why hearing dogs are the fastest-growing facet of the assistance dog industry.

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Happy Birthday and Member App Update

Sun, 20 Jan 2013 13:00:00 EDT

We launched Signing Savvy in January 2009 with the goal of creating a comprehensive online sign language resource. Over the last four years the site has grown dramatically in content, features, and usage. We are so grateful for the support of all of our active users. It is you, our users, that make Signing Savvy so special. We particularly are thankful for our full members who allow us to continue to grow and maintain the site and enhance its features. As we celebrate the end of our fourth year, we are thrilled about the things to come in 2013 and beyond!

With that said, we are excited to announce that a new version of the Signing Savvy Member App for both Apple iOS devices and Android devices is now available. This long anticipated update addresses all known issues with the previous version, enhances the interface, adds additional sign information, and allows for searching of dates, times, and currency. And, most notably, the app now takes advantage of the iPad, iPad Mini, iPhone 5 Retina display, and Android tablet display if you are on one of those devices. The Signing Savvy Member App is for Signing Savvy full members. If you are not yet a full member, you can still use the app to easily check the Sign of the Day on your mobile device.

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About Signing Savvy Video

Sun, 13 Jan 2013 15:41:00 EDT

This video gives a brief overview of the Signing Savvy service and the inspiration behind it by one of the Signing Savvy founders, John Miller. In addition to his work on Signing Savvy, John has been a teacher, educator, and administrator at the K-12 and University level. His focus throughout his career has been on Deaf Education and working with Deaf and Hard of Hearing children and their parents.

Transcript of Video

Over 90% of deaf and hard of hearing children are born into hearing families. So that statistic alone is shocking for a lot of people to hear. But what that means is that over 90% of the children are coming home with a family that sign language is not their primary language.

People often ask me how it was that I got my start in sign language and where that interest came from. When I was a teenager, 12 or 13, and babysat for three little girls that lived across the street from me. And they were very close together in age, one, two, and three. The mother picked up pretty quickly that the middle child, the one that was two at the time when I started with her, wasn't responding and wasn't picking up the language that her sisters were. So after they did some testing they found out that she was in fact severe to profoundly deaf. And me as a twelve year old boy didn't really know how to help other than I wanted to.

So one thing that I could do is go to my local library and look for a sign language book. And I did that and learned the whole book really quickly and I took it back and tried to work with the little girl and work with the mom and get them to understand. And it was just a really neat experience for me to see that little girl for the first time in her life pick up on things and realize that there was a word for things and a way to ask for things and a way to communicate. So I really quickly learned that this was something that I really wanted to do with my life at a pretty young age.

The beauty of Signing Savvy to me is that it started out as this one vision (an online Sign Language Dictionary) but with everyone else who has jumped on board with it we have turned it into something that was beyond what any of us ever thought it could be.

It is so much more than just a book that you just open and look at a sign and go, "I think it is like this." You can actually click on that picture and you can see it come to life. It is so much more comprehensive and so much more inclusive than what a book would be.

I wanted something that could be a communication tool between school and home. A teacher can take the printing feature option and they can, after creating a word list of, let's say they are talking about vegetables in the classroom that week, they can create word lists of all the different vegetables and actually print those signs off onto cards that are sent home with the student. The children can sit down at the computer actually and be able to go through quizzes and (digital) flash cards and things like that they can do that study vegetables and then be able to go home and access that same teacher's word list.

We know that language cannot begin and end in the classroom. It has to continue on with home too. It is the parent's responsibility to do that in the home setting. It is the teacher's responsibility to do that at school. And it is everyone's responsibility to make that all mesh together enable to give our children the best opportunities possible.

I knew that there were other people out there that used sign language that were not necessarily deaf or hard of hearing but I did not realize to what magnitude it was. And I did not realize the outpouring of "thank you"s that we would get from people out there who stumbled upon our site for some reason or another that are so thankful because we have given them a voice - the people who have children with down syndrom, the people that have children with cognitive impairments, and, you know, the adults, I have a really touching letter from a young man who is in Afghanistan and lost his hearing from an accident there. And he said, "I did not have a voice, and you gave me back a voice."

We have the opportunity to make changes, to give children, adults, anybody who wants to a voice, a way to communicate that they may not have done before and it is exciting. It is exciting. And that is my passion. That's what I wanted to do....

Thinking BROAD as you learn sign

Thu, 27 Dec 2012 00:18:33 EDT

Recently I visited with a group of parents of young deaf children who were sharing their frustrations and struggles with learning sign. They were asking for tips to improve their skills as their families learn the language of their young deaf children. Their question is one that I hear often, and I know I have addressed it in previous blogs, but because I hear it so much, I thought it might be good to discuss it again. I will also point out a feature from our site that might help bring some clarity to the issue.

The parent's confusion was with the idea of how one sign can mean one of many English words AND how to know which English word to voice when the sign that they use could have multiple English translations.

Let's use the word FINISH for an example. If you pull up this word on Signing Savvy, in the "This sign is also used to say" (blue) box near the bottom of the page, you will see that this sign can also be used for ALREADY, COMPLETE, DONE, and ALL DONE.

This concept becomes difficult for new learners of the language to comprehend because they are used to all of these words being said differently and spelled differently in the English language. Remember, sign language is a visual language and many times if the concept that is being signed is conceptually correct, you don't need to worry if the word you are going to say is exactly the right English word, as long as the meaning of the concept is conveyed.

To further emphasize this point, if you sign FINISH after the sign HAVE, as in HAVE FINISH, you are changing HAVE into the past tense form of that word, which is HAD. This also works with DO (DO FINISH = DID) or pretty much any verb that you want to make into a past tense.

So if you revisit our example from above:

If the child were to sign: BOOK READ FINISH, you could voice, "I already read that book" or "I finished reading the book" or " I am done with my reading." Hearing people get all worked up over which one is right but to a deaf person, they are probably going to say that the concept is clear - the reading of the book is finished. The exact English words aren't important as long as the concept is understood.

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Happy Holidays

Sun, 23 Dec 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Give the Gift of Signing

Sat, 01 Dec 2012 00:00:00 EDT

The holiday season is just around the corner and if you are like me, the thought of "who to get what" is on your mind. A Signing Savvy membership is a unique, thoughtful, and valuable gift to offer to your friends, family, or colleagues.

In the last few years, we have received numerous requests for the ability to purchase Signing Savvy Gift Memberships. Well, now you can!

How does it work?

When you purchase a gift membership, you will receive an Activation Code (and activation instructions) that you can email or print to include in a card or wrap up as part of a gift. The receiver of the gift will be able to use the Activation Code to gain full access to all of the Signing Savvy features. The gift membership will begin once the gift receiver activates it.

The gift that gives back.

Similar to our recommendation program, as an added bonus for purchasing the gift and giving it to someone else, you will receive time toward a full membership in return! How does it work?

Membership Gift Purchased	What You Receive^***
3-Year Membership	60 days of full membership
12-Month Membership	30 days of full membership
4-Month Membership	10 days of full membership
1-Month Membership	5 days of full membership

If you already have a full membership, the time will be added on to your membership. If you don't yet have a full membership, you will once you purchase the gift. The more gifts you give, the more you receive.

^*** NOTE: You do not receive the bonus days if you gift the membership to yourself.

Get your shopping done early!

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The Many Faces of the Users of Sign Language

Sun, 25 Nov 2012 15:02:12 EDT

About a year and a half ago, I came across a young man having problems in one of my schools. He was about five years old and like any other five year old boy, he was a bit stubborn. But, unfortunately, he was also known to be a bit of a “flight risk” from the classroom. We will call him Alex.

Alex isn’t deaf. I don’t even think he is hard of hearing. Alex is a very bright young man….a bright young man with Downs Syndrome. Because of the Down’s, Alex has a lot of trouble with his expressive communication skills. He can hear everything anyone is saying to him, and he really enjoys interacting with others he comes across. He is a very affectionate boy. But up until a year and a half ago, Alex had no real way to communicate back to others what he wanted to say. He made noises here and there but other than gestures, his full thoughts were not being conveyed well and his frustration with communication was evident.

Thankfully Alex’s teacher had previously worked as a speech therapist in a Deaf and Hard of Hearing classroom and she suggested Alex be placed in a DH/H classroom setting where he would be submersed in sign language and he would have continual access to those who used it. Alex picked up on the concept of signing almost immediately. His signs, much like baby signs are often approximations of the true ASL sign, but they are definitely understandable. His command of language shows remarkable purpose and thought.

Today it is AMAZING to see Alex sign with his teachers, interpreters and his peers. He has a schedule and knows exactly how to use it and the purpose behind it, even making suggestions of ways to add to his schedule so that it is more complex and inclusive to his needs. He is reading everyday words that are a part of his schedule. His mother and the staff that work with him are so happy with Alex’s progress. “He has become a MUCH happier boy now that he can effectively communicate his wants and needs.” Adds one member of his educational team. His mother’s comment, “Our home life is night and day different and the frustrations, although still there at times, are so much less than what they were before Alex had a voice through sign language.” This comment brought a tear to my eye and a lump in my throat.

These are the people we created Signing Savvy for, the people who need a voice and those who work with them. We know there are others out there like Alex who may not be Deaf or Hard of Hearing but are still walking the earth “without a voice”. If you know anyone who fits into this category, please don’t hesitate to suggest the introduction of sign language to them. You may dramatically change their life forever!

Alex’s face is distinctly different than your typical Deaf or Hard of Hearing child, yet one thing is very much the same…..the smile when he is....

Black Friday Promotion on Signing Savvy Membership

Sat, 17 Nov 2012 11:16:25 EDT

We are offering a special promotion this week on Signing Savvy Membership. Very rarely are there promotions on Signing Savvy Membership, so don't miss this opportunity if you have been considering purchasing membership or if your membership is up for renewal soon.

To use the promotion, go to the membership page and purchase a 12-month or 3-year membership and enter the promo code below when you get to the payment page.

Promo Code: FRIDAY1YEARBONUS

Purchase a 12-month membership and recieve 2-months of membership for free.
A 12-month (1 year) membership costs $49.95, but with this promotion you receive 14-months of membership, which averages out to a cost of only $3.57 per month.
Terms: Promo code expires Friday, November 23, 2012 at 11:59 PM. Only valid with the purchase of a 12-month individual membership. One time payment for purchase required.

Promo Code: FRIDAY3YEARBONUS

Purchase a 3-year membership and recieve 6-months of membership for free.
A 3-year membership costs $99.95, but with this promotion you receive 42-months of membership, which averages out to a cost of only $2.38 per month.
Terms: Promo code expires Friday, November 23, 2012 at 11:59 PM. Only valid with the purchase of a 3-year individual membership.

If you already have an account, make sure you login prior to purchasing membership.

Membership Explained

Signing Savvy membership provides unrestricted, full access to all Signing Savvy features. There are many benefits to full membership, including unlimited searching, larger videos, the ability to create wordlists, use flashcards and quizzing, ability to print signs, ability to build phrases, and access to use our mobile app. Learn about all of the features.

There are several things that are free to use on Signing Savvy. As a visitor (not logged in, free account), you can browse all of the signs by letter. As a Registered Guest (logged in, free account), you get 5 daily searches, plus you can see sign descriptions and example sentences. We offer these free features because we want everyone to have access to learn sign language. However, in addition to giving you full access to all features, purchasing a Signing Savvy membership helps to support us and our continued growth so we can keep adding more sign videos, content, and features to the site. With the support of our members, we aim for Signing Savvy to be the best sign language learning....

Vote or pass gas?

Thu, 25 Oct 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Seeing that we are in midst of the election season, I thought it would only be fitting to share a non-partisan sign language story that should give you a good chuckle as you enter your local voting precinct.

This story relates directly to how signs can have very similar hand shapes and very similar movements BUT can have very different meanings just because of a few subtle changes! For example, see the similarity between the signs for vote and fart.

This experience happened to me in my first year of teaching in the public school system in rural Michigan. It was Election Day, and like many public buildings, the school was being used as a voting precinct. Because of this, the cafeteria was set up with tables and voting booths and the children had to eat their lunches in the classrooms. I knew by the tilting of their little heads and the look of wonder in their eyes when I explained to my two young kindergarten students, that they clearly had no clue what I was explaining to them about voting and elections, and why they weren’t eating their lunch in the normal location.

I decided that after lunch, on our way down to their mainstream classroom, I would take advantage of this teachable moment and show them the cafeteria all set up and the people in the booths voting.

As I opened the door to the cafeteria (filled with many elderly folks both working the election and voting themselves) and did some explaining, I thought I saw the light come on in one of my student’s eyes; at which time she said (with very clear speech and sign), “So all these old people are here farting!” Thankfully half the people in the room were hard of hearing themselves and didn’t hear my student’s perception of what was happening in the room! I laughed so hard I cried! To this day whenever I walk into the voting booth I think about that former student and her confusion of the two signs and their very different meanings! (I also wonder just how many people do walk in the voting booths, close the curtains and fart…sorry…I just do!)

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Clearing up the confusion between Translators, Interpreters, and Interveners

Sat, 20 Oct 2012 00:00:00 EDT

I thought it might be interesting for the Signing Savvy community to hear a little bit about the people who work in communication fields with deaf, deafblind, and hard of hearing individuals.

It's easy to misunderstand the difference (or to even know there is a difference!) between a translator, interpreter, and intervener. However, they are different professions with varying expertise. The type of person you would work with would depend on the situation and needs of the individual, such as the level of hearing loss and if there are other communication needs to consider.

Translators

A Translator converts written materials from one language to another. It is a term that people often use interchangeably with "Interpreter." However, an Interpreter and a Translator are actually considered different professions.¹ Translators work with written language and convert written materials from one language to another, while Interpreters work with spoken and sign language.

In the case of sign language, a translator would be someone (or a computer program) that translates written or typed English to Sign Language. Nearly all translation is done on a computer and requires knowledge of both Sign Language and English.

Interpreters

An Interpreter converts information from one spoken language into another— or, in the case of sign language interpreters, between spoken language and sign language. They help people who are deaf or hard of hearing and people who can hear communicate with each other.¹

An Interpreter’s primary job is to act as a conduit through which communication is carried out. Although often much of their job is to listen to spoken language and turn it into signs in the air in order to communicate, they also will watch sign language and turn it into an English sentence in a spoken form.

Sign language interpreters must be fluent in English and in American Sign Language (ASL). Some interpreters specialize in oral interpretation (mouthing speech silently to aid in lip reading), cued speech (hand shapes placed near the mouth to aid in lip reading), and signing exact English.¹

Interveners

An Intervener helps individuals that are deafblind communicate with others. Deafblind (yes, all one word) have both hearing and vision loss and, therefore, require different help with communication than someone with only hearing loss.

This is a job classification that is relatively new to many parts of the United States and still is a bit confusing for many people. The Intervener role, although newer to the U.S., has been around in Canada for many years. Interveners are typically a one-to-one service provider, while Interpreters often interpret one-to-one or in group settings in the front of a room.

Interveners MAY use tactile signing (making hand signs into the individual's hand) to interpret. They may also sometimes use Braille (written language used by blind and visually impaired), however, not always. In contrast, Interpreters usually would NOT be using, or be expected to know, tactile signing or Braille to communicate with deaf or hard of hearing individuals.

Braille Explained

Wed, 10 Oct 2012 12:13:21 EDT

There is sometimes confusion between the communication techniques used with deafness versus blindness, especially with understanding what Braille is and who uses it. It's not uncommon to tell someone you know sign language and then they ask if you know Braille.

Braille is typically not used by deaf or hard of hearing individuals. It is a written language used by the blind and visually impaired who may have a hard time, or be unable to, read written text. Braille uses patterns of raised dots to represent the characters of words. Instead of using sight to read text, the fingertips are used to feel the pattern of the raised dots to read Braille.

Similar to how there are different types of sign language, there are different versions of Braille. The United States uses English Braille. Even within English Braille there are different levels of encoding, similar to how there are different reading levels for English text.

Braille usage has declined because of the increased availability and use of screen reading software. However, braille education remains important for developing reading skills - in addition to physical books and other texts, Braille can be found in all types of locations from signs in public areas to in elevators. For example, see the Braille under the number 12 located next to the elevator button in the photo.

For more information on Braille, see the Braille Wikipedia page. We also have a previous Signing Savvy blog article, The mysterious confusion between deafness and blindness, that you may be interested in.

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This week is Deaf Awareness Week!

Tue, 25 Sep 2012 15:04:13 EDT

This week, September 24th to 30th, is Deaf Awareness Week. Deaf Awareness Week, also called International Week of the Deaf (IWD), is celebrated annually and ends with International Day of the Deaf on the last Sunday of the week. Deaf Awareness Week is celebrated by national and regional associations of the deaf, local communities, and individuals worldwide.

The purpose of Deaf Awareness Week is to increase public awareness of deaf issues, people, and culture. Activities and events throughout Deaf Awareness Week encourage individuals to come together as a community for both educational events and celebrations.

Here are some ways that you can participate in Deaf Awareness Week:

Help promote the beautiful language of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing by learning a special something and sharing it with others out there who may not know sign language. You can use Signing Savvy to lookup and pick out signs to learn and share. Also, visit the site each day the rest of the week to see the sign of the day, which have to do with Deaf Awareness Week (we've chosen the signs for deaf, hard of hearing, education, proud, community, and celebrate).
Volunteer to sign a children’s book for story hour at your local school or library.
Educate a co-worker or neighbor about Deaf Awareness Week. Tell them it’s Deaf Awareness Week and share a fact with them – anything from a statistic, misconception, or success story to showing them how to sign something.

For more information on the history, purpose, and types of events that occur during Deaf Awareness Week, see our Deaf Awareness Week page.

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Learning Many Languages to Master Just One

Wed, 12 Sep 2012 00:00:00 EDT

This article is by guest author Kelley King-Spears. There are a number of hearing people with various communication difficulties that learn sign language in order to use it as a tool for increasing spoken English vocabulary and developing better communications skills. When her son was presenting signs of developmental delay, Kelley began a journey of exploration to find tools and methods that would help her son learn to communicate better. Sign Language is one of the tools that helped her and her son along the way.

What do you do when you know deep in your gut that something is different about your child? How do you handle it when people tell you there's nothing to worry about? How do you give your little one the best start you possibly can when it feels like you're running against the wind?

These are just some of the thoughts that used to race around in my head when I realized that the little boy I had adopted was presenting severe signs of delay. It seemed as though I was the only one who noticed at first, and when family and friends did eventually notice, it was me that they were looking at.

Thus began my journey of digging and searching countless hours on the internet until my shoulders began to ache looking for the reason my son at two years old could not say more than a few short, hard to understand words.

After a long road of research, trial and error, having setbacks and making progress, I wanted to share what I learned with other parents with children with developmental delays. In my book, Jumpstart the Guide for Parents with Developmentally Delayed Children, I explain in detail how we grabbed the bull by the horns, wrestling with different concepts until my son began to learn how to use language. There are many different kinds of developmental delays and there is a broad spectrum. I wanted to provide encouragement for parents like me who are trying to find their way on the broad road of childhood conditions. I list resources in the book, like Signing Savvy, that helped me. Websites like Signing Savvy have been a God-send because when my son had no voice in his mouth we found a voice in his fingers.

Athough my son is not hard of hearing or deaf, signing opened the way for him to understand that he could actually communicate his wants and needs even if in a simple way. I see ASL as it truly is, another language. Being able to find little starter words in ASL became cobblestones that lead to true communication.

Along with sign language I also used flash cards with words and my own made up songs. After writing the book I wondered how many children have mommies who can sing well enough to hold their attention so that they could learn speech. I thought, "Well, maybe not that many." So I recently released my first children's album called Spch Lang Fun Speech Songs. Children can listen and learn from the songs for free online at spchlang.com.

Even though my son is now talking constantly I have become a self-appointed cheerleader to all the parents struggling with communication problems. Language is not simply to speak but to be able to be understood. I believe, there is always a way this can be accomplished.

About the Guest Author

Kelley King-Spears is a mother of four children and a former Licensed Practical Nurse. Three of her children are adults. She is passionate about caring for the needs of children.

Kelley has recently self-produced her first book, Jumpstart the Guide for Parents with Developmentally Delayed Children, and children's speech album, Spch Lang Fun Speech Songs, and is always looking for ways to enhance the experience and quality of living.

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A blended approach to learning sign language is still the best!

Mon, 20 Aug 2012 00:00:00 EDT

I often am asked what the best way to go about learning sign language is. My stock answer is to take a blended approach (classes, web resources, books, practicing with others) in order to give yourself the best and most well rounded experience.

Classes of some sort, whether it is through your local community college, church, school class, or becoming enrolled in an actual interpreter training program can all be great ways to learn the language. The reason for this is that the interactive part of taking a class and being able to actually practice with other new learners is so important!

I know many people have learned from books and through sites like Signing Savvy. However, taking a physical class with a teacher gives you the chance to get some expressive practice with other live individuals that can give you feedback and add a dimension not available through a book and internet resources.

Signing Savvy is the perfect companion when you are taking a class. Our site currently offers more than five thousand signs (and we’re always adding more). If you compare that to your average sign language book, that is about three times more signs! Signing Savvy full membership is comparable to the cost of a sign language textbook, but offers some very unique features that you can’t get from a book. Many of our customers who have become members are pleasantly surprised by the ability to access other user’s lists and create their own word lists that then allow them to create flashcards and quizzes to their specific learning needs. The printing capabilities are also a wonderful added perk, which allow you to create your own hardcopy flashcards or even add printed signs to story books and art projects.

There are many ways to use Signing Savvy to learn sign language while taking a class or learning on your own. See our article on how to use Signing Savvy to learn sign language for more tips.

Signing Savvy aims to be your sign language resource to aid you while taking a class, learning on your own, or as a reference to help you grow your sign language vocabulary. Whether you start with a class or just a book or the Signing Savvy website, learning sign language can be a wonderful experience that opens you up to a whole new way to communicate and see the world more visually through signs and body language.

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Using Signing Savvy to learn sign language

Sun, 12 Aug 2012 00:00:00 EDT

Signing Savvy is a great resource to use when learning sign language – whether you are taking a class or just trying to learn on your own.

Using Signing Savvy while taking a class

When you are taking a class, you can use Signing Savvy as a sign reference, build your own wordlists related to what you are learning in the class, and practice your vocabulary using the flash cards and quizzing features. Like using a textbook, Signing Savvy is a great companion to classroom learning. At about the same cost of a textbook, our site currently features more than five thousand signs – that’s about three times the number of signs in most sign language books. But Signing Savvy isn’t a textbook and is so much more than just a sign language dictionary, the site is always changing… we’re always adding more signs, content, and features. It’s really the features of the website, not just the vocabulary, that help people practice and learn sign language.

Teachers that use Signing Savvy will often create wordlists for each lesson plan or for the week’s vocabulary and then share those wordlists with their students so that they can use the Signing Savvy wordlists they have created to practice and test themselves with flash cards and quizzing. Teachers with younger students will often share the wordlists they’ve created with their student’s parents as well, so the parents can know what is being taught and try to learn the sign language vocabulary along with their child and help them practice it at home. Students and/or parents can also try to incorporate the signs from the current lesson’s wordlist into their activities and discussion for the week. Utilizing Signing Savvy’s wordlists, flash cards, and quizzing features is a great way to practice vocabulary and extend lessons from the classroom into the home.

Using Signing Savvy on your own

Signing Savvy users include people from all backgrounds and people interested in sign language for all types of reasons – from parents, friends, family, and neighbors of someone that uses sign language to communicate to students interested in learning a new language, those that have or are beginning to experience hearing loss, those that are deaf and hard of hearing, parents teaching their baby and young children sign language, people who sign songs and sign in church, teachers, interpreters, and more.

The way that most people use Signing Savvy to learn sign language is by creating wordlists and viewing wordlists created by others and then using the flash card and quizzing features to practice and test themselves. Full membership lets you have unlimited access to all of the Signing Savvy features including wordlists, flash cards, quizzing and more.

Whether you are new to sign language or a seasoned veteran, a few ways to use Signing Savvy include:

Start with the pre-built wordlists that we have (you can see some of our pre-built wordlists at the top of every page next to the search box, where it says "browse signs by..."). Test yourself on each of the wordlists using the flash card or quizzing features. Sign Language books are often organized into chapters by topics, such as numbers, colors, and animals. Using the Signing Savvy pre-built wordlists is similar to studying the vocabulary in a chapter of a sign language textbook.
Create a word list of words you want to start learning. There may be a specific topic that you’re interested in learning vocabulary for or there may be certain words that you find you would like to be able to sign regularly. Signing Savvy gives you the flexibility to create your own custom wordlist. After you have built your wordlist(s), use the flash card or quizzing feature to test yourself on those words.
View wordlists already created by other people and test your self on those words using the flash card or quizzing feature. You can view all wordlists that other Signing Savvy members have created and made public by clicking on the "Shared Lists" button, which is just under the "browser signs by..." box. There are thousand of wordlists that you can browse and search. For example, if you want to learn signs related to behavior, just type “behavior” in the search box on the shared wordlist page and click “Search for list”. It results with several lists from you to choose from, including wordlists about behavior and manners (that is just one example). Once you’ve found a wordlist that you would like to use, you can bookmark it so you can easily find it again and use the flash cards or quizzing features with the list.
Additionally, any sign or list of signs can be printed if you want to print signs, create a hardcopy of flash cards, or paste printed signs into story books or art projects.

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Kaos Signing Choir and Deaf Percussionist Evelyn Glennie are highlights from the Olympic Opening Ceremony

Sun, 29 Jul 2012 21:39:00 EDT

What was our favorite part of the Opening Ceremony for the London 2012 Olympic Games? It had to be the Kaos Signing Choir for deaf and hearing children and Deaf Percussionist Evelyn Glennie.

Kaos Signing Choir for Deaf and Hearing Children

If you saw the opening ceremony for the 2012 Olympic Games, you probably caught the children in pajamas singing and signing the British national anthem, "God Save the Queen." The children were from the Kaos Signing Choir for deaf and hearing children - the only integrated deaf and hearing children's choir in Britain. The choir includes 200 children from 4 to 18 years old, both deaf and hearing children who sing and sign together. The children's choir, from North London, signs in British Sign Language (BSL). Note: British Sign Language (BSL) and American Sign Language (ASL) are different forms of sign language and use different signs.

Deaf Percussionist Evelyn Glennie

What you may not have realized watching the opening ceremony was that the lead percussionist has been profoundly deaf since the age of 11. Award-winning Dame Evelyn Glennie, arguably one of the best percussionists in the world, was born in Scotland and plays internationally. She owns over 1800 percussion instruments from all over the world and also plays the Great Highland Bagpipe.

Glennie believes that "Deafness is poorly understood in general. For instance, there is a common misconception that deaf people live in a world of silence." She says, "Deafness does not mean that you can't hear, only that there is something wrong with the ears." She explains that hearing is a specialized form of touch that includes hearing sounds, feeling vibrations, and seeing items move and vibrate. She uses parts of her body, other than her ears, to hear. She detects vibrations and has learned to distinguish notes by where on the body she feels the sound and how thick the air feels - low sounds she feels mainly in her legs and feet, while she feels high sounds on her face, neck and chest. She also observes how items move to detect sound. She often plays barefoot in order to feel the music better.

To hear music by the talented Evelyn Glennie, you can find her CDs on Amazon, such as Her Greatest Hits.

To learn more about Evelyn Glennie, watch the documentary about her: Touch the Sound - A Sound Journey With Evelyn Glennie.

Article Sources:

Glennie, Evelyn (1993). Hearing Essay. Retrieved July 29, 2012, from http://www.evelyn.co.uk/Resources/Essays/Hearing%20Essay.pdf
Kaos Signing Choir for Deaf & Hearing Children website
Evelyn Glennie. (2012). In Wikipedia. Retrieved July 29, 2012, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evelyn_Glennie

Kim's Story: A mother's perspective of raising a deaf child

Tue, 12 Jun 2012 17:07:18 EDT

This article is by guest blogger Kim Martinez. We often hear from parents of young, newly identified deaf children with questions about their child's future and communication concerns. Because of that, we thought a guest blogger that can tell their story, from a mother's perspective, would be a great addition to the Signing Savvy blog. This is "Kim's Story"...

HI! My name is Kim Martinez, and I am proud to say, I am a mother of a deaf child. She is now 26, and I would not change the way she is. I know most mothers say this, but this is so true for me. When God gives you something special like this, you do one thing…..PUNT!!

I am not going to say this has been easy, it has been really hard actually, but because of the gift of a deaf child, it shaped her sister, my husband, myself, and most of all, OUR FAMILY!

We found out Lizzy was deaf when she was 18 months old. I have to admit, I felt guilty for not recognizing it earlier. God knows it was overwhelming, to say the least, to hear that our daughter was not "perfect." What’s perfect anyway????

I would say she was pretty darn perfect. As for overwhelming, let’s just say I went through a whirlwind of emotions. Sad, happy, shocked, concerned, worried, but I really had to go through all of those emotions, to be the mom that I became, because of her. I literally sat on the kitchen floor and cried for 3 days while the world went on around me. Thank the Lord my husband was there. I think I just needed to “process” what “our” future would be like.

The next question was, “what do we do now?” In 1986, there was no Internet, very little information, like there is now, so, MOM and Dad’s, thank your lucky stars, and jump on that Internet! If I had the information then, that there is now, it would have been easier, to say the least. But what does not kill us makes us stronger!

I was very fortunate to have a Center Based Total Communication School near us. I did hear about a School for the Deaf, but after some calling around, there is NO WAY, I could leave my child in a dorm, and see her on the weekend. Not my cup of tea! It may be good for others, but not us. And that’s ok, different strokes for different folks.

School was FUN!! She was a sponge and I have to say, she made it EASY! So receptive to sign, and loved communication. As soon as she was given a language, she TOOK OFF! She made us love the language. Sign Language was “our language” in our home.

My daughter came home with SO many new signs. I thought we had given her a "base," but wow, there was so much out there that we still had to learn, and putting her in a deaf and hard of hearing program was the way to go. She taught us more than we taught her. Matter of fact, I am still learning. She would come home from college, and teach me a “slew” of new vocabulary. Still to this day, when she comes home for a visit, I am still learning. Keep your eyes open to the deaf world, they can teach us so much and we will never stop learning. It’s their language, "listen to them." No pun indented!

Elementary school was pretty smooth sailing, even though I am pretty sure that I drove the teachers crazy. Communication books were my saving grace.

We were able to "keep in touch" between the happenings of our household and the school. I guess I didn’t take into consideration that the teacher was trying to teach my child, and they didn’t have time to write me a "journal" like I did to them. Communication is the key!! Remember that.

Middle school was very trying, to say the least. It doesn’t matter if your child is hearing or deaf, they still have hormones, feelings and MIDDLE SCHOOL DRAMA! YUCK!!

We had a lot of struggles, a switch of home district schools, socialization issues, and did I mention hormones???? There were a lot of concerns, which I hope my daughter will tell you about later in a personal blog of her own.

I am really proud to share with you "the normalcy" of High School. Lizzy was mainstreamed into all her classes with ALL of her hearing friends. She went into the Deaf Education Classroom for English and minor support. She maintained an A-B average grade through all of her high school years. She was a pitcher on a varsity softball team for 4 years, played volleyball, and socialized "nonstop." She had an enormous amount of hearing friends along with her deaf friends. ALL of her hearing friends knew sign. I feel that was the MOST important part of her education!! She was "included" in all events, conversations, and "gossip." All of her friends were considerate of how much she was missing if they didn’t sign to her. She was very lucky to say the least. I was lucky!

Lizzy graduated and we were very proud, TIRED, but proud. I will be completely honest with you. It’s not easy at all! There were many nights of homework, probably every night. Sitting with her, helping her, and if she didn’t get it one way, we would find another way for her to comprehend it. She was very smart, but with a language deficit sometimes you have to find another way to explain it. Drawing it out, acting it out, standing on your head… whatever it takes. There were many times that I became frustrated, and she became frustrated with me, so we either had to take a break, or my husband would take over. In the end, she "got it," and that meant a successful child.

Lizzy attended Gallaudet University for 5 years and graduated with her teaching degree in Education. Wow, my child is a Teacher! That is certainly a very proud thing to say! She always said she wanted to be a teacher because she wanted to give back to deaf students what she received in her schooling.

You know, in the end, it took a lot of work, a lot of laughs, a lot of tears, but most of all; we treated her like any hearing child. She never used her deafness as an "excuse." She was expected to do and act like her hearing younger sister; there was nothing different about her. We use to say, "your ears are broke, big deal."

I would not change her for the world, and I could not imagine her any different. I have become who I am today, because of her. I am working in a school district with deaf and cognitive students and love my job. I didn’t wake up and say, "I want a deaf child." I was given this gift, and I un-wrapped it and shared it with the world. Now I am here to share with you, "my gift." My overall suggestion, as a mom of a deaf child is, COMMUNICATE. Learn sign language or whatever mode of communication you use, explain to them everything, never leave them out, foster independence, protect, and most of all LOVE THEM FOR WHO THEY ARE!

About the Guest Author

Kim Martinez is a wife and mother of two girls. Their family found out that their first born was profoundly deaf at 18 months old. Now both of her girls are very grown up, but Kim continues to be passionate about deaf education. She currently works in the public schools with students that are cognitively impaired and also use some sign language in their education. She loves her job, always learning new sign language from her grown daughter who now lives in Washington D.C. She knows that she is who she is today because of the experience of raising a deaf child.

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