Sign language resources and extracurricular ASL (American Sign Language) materials for language+culture enthusiasts, ASL students and learners, instructors and teachers, interpreters, homeschoolers, parents and professionals for practice or self-study.
Equivalent to English: hard
May 24, 1844: Samual F. B. Morse, whose wife was deaf, dispatched the first telegraphic message over an experimental Baltimore-Washington telegraph line. Morse's financial manager Kendall donated a part of his wealth to build an institution (now Gallaudet University) on his estate.
May 25, 1947: Japanese Federation of the Deaf was formed.
May 21, 2015: Papula New Guinea's government officially endorsed sign language as the country's fourth official language alongside English, Tok Pisin and Motu.
May 24, 2016: Nyle and his partner Peta Murgatroyd won the Mirror Ball trophy in Season 22 of Dancing With the Stars.
21 May: World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development
"Cultural rights are an integral part of human rights, which are universal, indivisible and interdependent. The flourishing of creative diversity requires the full implementation of cultural rights as defined in Article 27 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and in Articles 13 and 15 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. All persons have therefore the right to express themselves and to create and disseminate their work in the language of their choice, and particularly in their mother tongue; all persons are entitled to quality education and training that fully respect their cultural identity; and all persons have the right to participate in the cultural life of their choice and conduct their own cultural practices, subject to respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms." -- Article 5 of the UNESCO Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity (2001)
New Zealand Sign Language Week
New Zealand Sign Language Week is held annually from 2 May to celebrate one of New Zealand's official languages and to help promote the language as well as raise awareness about New Zealand’s Deaf community.
Happy Mother's Day
How do you sign some common ASL words? thank you, I love you, please, hello, baby. Browse thousands of signed words in the ASL dictionary.
Learning ASL as a second language (L2) is fun and popular. Bilingualism is not the only benefit, but also bimodalism is another linguistic advantage for the cognitive and sensorial development. Plus many other benefits.
How long does it take to learn sign language fluently?
How to pick the right ASL class to fit your needs?
Learn about myths and facts about sign language.
Link to Synchronicity.
"If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to heart. The language of our thoughts and our emotions is our most valuable asset."
-- Nelson Mandela
Signing ASL as a first language (L1) is commonly found in Deaf families and codas as well as some deaf children in ASL-speaking bilingual schools. Studies from neuroscience to linguistics show that language acquisition, developmental milestones, and linguistic activities in the brain are similiar in signed language as found in spoken language.
Should you learn sign language for your deaf child?
Raising a bilingual-bimodal child: Don't insist on English.