| Sign language is the third most commonly used | | | | the moment (Nice! This can not be done whilst learning |
| language in America today. The ASL alphabet or the | | | | any other language). |
| Alphabet for American Sign Language is said to have | | | | It is very important that letters are shown clearly and |
| come to be by way of two means. At first it was only | | | | precisely as possible, although, the fluent ASL user can |
| thought the ASL Alphabet was brought to America by | | | | do this, while, moving their hands very quickly, requiring |
| Laurent Clerc a Deaf man who taught Deaf students | | | | lots of practice for beginning students of ASL if they |
| in the first School for the Deaf in Hartford, Conn. He is | | | | want to keep up with the conversation. |
| said to have adopted many aspects of FSL (French | | | | Typically younger students of ASL can pick up |
| Sign Language) in his teachings. New evidence says | | | | fingerspelling very quickly. Older users are very able as |
| that sign language was partly already here in America | | | | well, though ambidexterity may be a little weaker, |
| at Chilmark and West Tisbury on Martha's Vineyard | | | | therefore requiring more hand and finger manipulating |
| where a large collection of Deaf individuals | | | | practice. Fingerspell to yourself in front of a mirror for |
| communicated clearly and efficiently regardless of their | | | | practice and/or socialize with Deaf people is very |
| lack of effective education. From any perspective, sign | | | | popular; this is an ever accepted and highly |
| always has and always will be evolving similar to | | | | encouraged method of mastering the language. There |
| English as it has evolved over the years since | | | | are many tips that can help you pick up the alphabet |
| America broke away from England. | | | | more fluently, like, spelling words in the news paper as |
| The ASL Alphabet is a collection of hand shapes | | | | you read, spelling street signs as you pass them by, |
| (classifiers) that represent a letter of the alphabet in | | | | even practicing during a boring work meeting is easy, |
| the English language. These symbols are tools of a | | | | simply sign "spell" the names of your colleague under a |
| visual language that are essential to the communication | | | | table or at your side. |
| of Deaf and Hard of Hearing peoples. That said; the | | | | Learning the Sign Language Alphabet is not all you will |
| fluent ASL user actually uses finger spelling sparingly. | | | | need to know to be able to communicate with Deaf |
| Letters are commonly used mainly for names, jargon, | | | | and Hard of Hearing people; ASL has hundreds of |
| and slang. Hearing people who are just learning sign | | | | vocabulary words as well as its own structure and |
| often use finger spelling as a safety net for words | | | | grammar, but it is your first step into their world. |
| they don't know in sign or signs they can't remember in | | | | |