A free reference for new ASL learners
Clear first steps into American Sign Language, for hearing adults and families
Nine free guides for hearing people who are starting ASL. They cover how the language works, how to practice, how to choose a class, and how to learn as a family. The site sells nothing, and it points readers toward Deaf teachers, Deaf-led classes and the Deaf community.
What this site is
A reference to read before and alongside a class
Starting a new language raises practical questions. What kind of language is ASL? How do the alphabet and numbers work? Why does the face matter so much? How do you find a good class? The guides answer those questions in plain language, one subject per guide.
Written guides have limits. They cannot show movement, and they cannot watch your signing and correct it. That is why they keep pointing toward Deaf teachers, classes and community events, where the language is actually learned.
There is no named author, no teaching service and nothing to buy. About this site explains how the guides are written.
Start with these
Three guides that answer most first questions
Why ASL is its own language, with its own grammar
Word order, space and the face all work differently from English. A look at how ASL sentences are built.
Learning the fingerspelled alphabet without bad habits
Where to hold your hand, and the habits that are easy to pick up from a chart and hard to drop.
Choosing a first ASL class
The teacher matters more than anything else about a first class. What else to check before you enroll.
Where to learn
Kinds of classes worth looking for
ASL is taught in many settings, from evening classes at Deaf community centers to college courses and live online classes. The page on where to learn describes each kind, how to judge a class, and the questions to ask before you enroll.
Deaf-led community classes
Classes taught by Deaf teachers, often connected to local events and other signers.
College and adult education
Structured courses with levels, homework and regular feedback over a term.
Online courses
Live classes by video, and recorded lessons for review between classes.