How do I get my signs to flow together so that I don't look choppy when I am signing?

By John Miller
Friday, April 30, 2010

As a beginning signer, it is just natural that you will be choppy. Once you get a larger sign vocabulary, you will not be so worried about searching for a way to say something that you know the signs for and you will be able to focus on the flow of your signs.

When you sign music it also helps with the flow if you let the music guide you. There are a few different sites on the internet for you to watch music being signed to show you what I mean. For example, check out the D-Pan. Remember as I have stated in previous blogs, when you are signing music it is glossed (changed into concepts rather than word for word). Check out some songs that are popular and see if you can catch what the people are signing and why they are signing them that way. It is actually an art form all it's own.

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Comments

Signing to songs

SigningSavvy User AllieThursday, May 20, 2010

I LOVE SIGNING TO SONGS!!! Actually, since I've started learning I can't help but sign to them! :)

Songs

Savvy User BriannaSaturday, May 22, 2010

My friends and I LOVE to sign to songs durig choir! Another thing that I've figured out is that when you're signing a song in stage, you have to over exagerate the signs so the people in the audience can see them.

ASL songs

Savvy User TomMonday, May 24, 2010

Thanks for the link to D-PAN, had never heard of that and they have some great stuff over there. I showed them to the 7 year old, HOH girl I work with and she was so amazed that there are lots of other people using sign language like this.

We are in a situation, that I bet some others making use of this great site are in, where she is like the very only person who uses sign language in her day to day life (besides myself, and I only work with her in school). Just googling "ASL song" will get a huge amt. of different songs on YouTube done by both Deaf-HOH folks as well as others that are just trying to learn/use this great language. It can be quite a revelation to see that there is a whole world of people out there that love and use sign language when members of your own family just will not or cannot learn practically any.

I've considered it a very good use of our time the few sessions of just trolling the internet looking for ways others use sign language. I've been astounded how isolated people can be who rely on sign language if they are primarily "mainstreamed." This site and others can at least HELP with that by showing you are not alone.