Learning Tips Articles
Signs That Are Close... But Not the Same — Food
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 food signs: (1) Breakfast vs. Lunch vs. Dinner, (2) Soft Drink vs. Tea vs. Vote, (3) Apple vs. Onion, (4) Water vs. Wine, (5) Eggs vs. Easter, (6) Turkey vs. Dirty vs. Pig, (7) Corn on the Cob vs. Sandwich vs. Picnic, (8) Hamburger vs. Cheeseburger, (9) French Fries vs. 99, (10) Cookie vs. Pie, and (11) Favorite vs. Taste vs. Lucky
Signing U.S. States in ASL
Learn how to sign each of the 50 U.S. state names in ASL. Not all states are signed using the same method... some are signed by letter fingerspelling and some have an established sign. Read the article to learn the signs, finding tips, word lists and images to help!
Signs That Are Close... But Not the Same — Family
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 family signs: (1) Family vs. Class vs. Team, (2) Girl vs. Aunt vs. Daily, (3) One-Handed Family Signs, (4) Man vs. Woman, (5) Two-Handed Family Signs, and (6) Child vs. Children
Fingerspelling Warm-Up Activities to Prevent Repetitive Motion Injuries
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
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
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
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
Check out these important beginning guidelines for learning to fingerspell... and know that practice is the key.
Signing Space When Fingerspelling
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
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