How did you learn, or how are you learning, ASL?

I'm pretty much self taught, but I have to admit sites like these really help ^^
 
I learned a bit from community classes and books and videos when I was growing up and just out of college. Then I moved to where I am now, and the school where I teach has ASL as a world language class. Two of the teachers are deaf. One of them taught a class at our local university so I sort of "took" the class...well, I went to it, but didn't tell the university so I didn't have to pay! (I didn't get any credits, but I didn't care about that. The teacher let me do it.)

Then I have started hanging out with other signers, kind of by accident or chance I met them. The rest is history. My skills have really improved mostly from watching interpreters at our faculty meetings and just chatting with deaf people. The foundation of what I got in class was a good starting point, but the human brain isn't made to learn language in a classroom, it's made to learn it by communicating! :)
 
I didn't start signing until I was 5 years old.

I went to an oral school before I was 5, then moved to a school that used interpreters and had a deaf program.

The school I went to used MSS. At that time, I simply knew it as "sign language"... not "ASL" or "SEE" or "MSS".

I didn't even know what ASL was until I went to RIT. I was at the interpreter support office requesting interpreters for my classes. They asked me what sign language I prefered... ASL, SEE, or PSE. I didn't know what it was, but from the way I signed... they figured I was PSE.

The reason why I was PSE was because I learned MSS (kinda like SEE) from my teachers and interpreters... and ASL from my deaf classmates. Because of that, I was able to understand SEE alone, ASL alone, and both.

When I went to community college, I had ASL interpreters... but didn't have any problems since I already understood ASL.
 
Im currently taking classes at Bridges (formerly the Nashville League of the Deaf and HOH)

We meet once a week...Wish I had someone to practice with though. I feel I am behind compared to the others (most people are there with someone..My mom is also taking the course but she has missed 4 classes and IMHO she's not taking it as seriously as she needs to)
 
While my husband (Hearing) attends classes with me (I am HOH), we are kind of lazy about practicing together when he gets home from work. He wants to check his email, go on Facebook, and relax first. Maybe have a small snack. Then by that time, the dog needs her dinner, and it's time to start our dinner. And after, we just watch our favorite shows or a movie. So forget practice, right? Or we'll "say" we'll do it a couple times a week, or on the weekend, but then we don't get to it... :naughty: We've gotten to know another couple in class a little bit, and so now we get together once a week or more, to practice together. It helps them, too. Maybe you could form a small study group? Meet on campus or a Starbuck's or something, and study/practice together? Just an idea. :) It really helps to practice with other people, because like people's speech patterns, their signing patterns are individual, too, and getting used to others helps me do better recognizing signs, etc. :hmm:
 
GrayEagle said:
While my husband (Hearing) attends classes with me (I am HOH), we are kind of lazy about practicing together when he gets home from work. He wants to check his email, go on Facebook, and relax first. Maybe have a small snack. Then by that time, the dog needs her dinner, and it's time to start our dinner. And after, we just watch our favorite shows or a movie. So forget practice, right? Or we'll "say" we'll do it a couple times a week, or on the weekend, but then we don't get to it... :naughty: We've gotten to know another couple in class a little bit, and so now we get together once a week or more, to practice together. It helps them, too. Maybe you could form a small study group? Meet on campus or a Starbuck's or something, and study/practice together? Just an idea. :) It really helps to practice with other people, because like people's speech patterns, their signing patterns are individual, too, and getting used to others helps me do better recognizing signs, etc. :hmm:
Click to expand...

^^Something I might do actually. Ask Mike if I can post a flyer looking for someone in my area to practice with
 
Could anyone tell me which would be a better ASL course program to take. I would love to learn more ASL (besides the basic things I've learned like fingerspelling and 'how are you?' And random basic words xD lol) Douglas College or Vancouver Community College ASL courses?
 
Never learned it growing up.

I took a 'community enrichment course' last fall from a terp, but she kept vocalizing the words and then signing it. I couldn't hear most of the words, so I quit that class.

I'm learning on Lifeprint and trying to get over my nervousness to remember and use sign among other deafies during Deaf Night Outs.

I really want to take accredited ASL courses from a deaf teacher, but in my state, that is available only at an university 200 miles away. I'm thinking of moving there after I complete my 2-year. If I do, I'll definitely take the courses there.
 
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