Where to learn ASL | Learning Sign Language

Deaf-led community classes

Many Deaf community centers, Deaf clubs and Deaf associations run ASL classes for hearing people, taught by Deaf teachers. These classes are often held in the evening, and they tend to connect learners with local events and other signers.

For most beginners they are the first place to look. The teaching comes from people who use ASL every day, Deaf culture is part of every lesson, and the fees support the community whose language you are learning.

Listings are not always easy to find. Ask Deaf people you meet, ask a nearby school for deaf children, or ask a public library which local groups offer classes. The get help page has more on finding a local center.

College and adult education courses

Community colleges, universities and adult education programs often offer ASL, for credit or without credit. Courses usually run in a sequence of levels over a term, with homework, assessments and regular feedback. Some colleges have ASL or Deaf studies departments with Deaf faculty.

Ask who teaches each section, since the teacher can vary from term to term. If you are thinking about interpreting as a career, a college sequence is also where you can learn what interpreter education programs require. A beginner course on its own does not prepare anyone to interpret.

Online courses

Online learning comes in two main forms. Live classes by video put a teacher and a small group together at a set time. Self-paced courses offer recorded lessons you watch whenever you like.

A live online class with a Deaf teacher and a small group can work well, especially where no in-person class is available. Self-paced video is useful for reviewing vocabulary and for watching practice between classes. It cannot give feedback on your own signing, so it works best alongside a live class.

For a live class, check that you can see the teacher clearly from the waist up, that the group is small enough for the teacher to see you, that your own connection and lighting are good, and that there is regular time for learners to sign with each other.

Private tutors

A private tutor gives one-on-one lessons by video or in person. Lessons with a tutor can help a learner catch up, fix habits picked up from a chart or an app, bridge a gap between courses, or learn at home as a family. Some Deaf mentors work specifically with hearing families of deaf children.

Look for Deaf tutors first, and ask a tutor the same questions you would ask a class. One tutor is only one signer, so lessons with a tutor work best alongside classes and community events where you watch many signers.

Deaf community events

Socials, coffee meetups, sports, performances and festivals are not classes, but they are where the language is used. Time at events builds understanding and confidence in ways a classroom cannot.

Some events openly welcome learners, but some are for Deaf people only. Most learners do best to go once they know some basics, and to go as a guest. Practicing respectfully at Deaf community events covers the manners that matter.

Hearing families of deaf children are the exception. They are welcome at community events early, and they should not wait months to go, because their child benefits from seeing Deaf adults sign. Learning ASL as a hearing parent explains why.

How to judge a class

Whatever the setting, a good beginner class usually has these features:

A Deaf teacher, or Deaf teachers and guests involved throughout the course.
ASL grammar, space and facial grammar taught from the start, along with vocabulary.
Class time mostly signed, with voices off.
Deaf culture and the local Deaf community as part of the course.
A group small enough for the teacher to see every learner.
A clear next level or next step when the course ends.

Choosing a first ASL class explains each of these, and lists warning signs such as promises of fluency within a few weeks.

Questions to ask before you enroll

Who teaches the class, and is the teacher Deaf?
Does the course teach ASL, or a signing system that follows English word order?
How is class time divided between signing, watching and spoken explanation?
How many learners are in a group?
How does the course include Deaf culture and the local Deaf community?
What level comes next, and where do learners usually go after this course?
What happens if I miss a session?
Does the course claim to lead to fluency or interpreting work, and if so, on what basis?

Teachers of good classes are usually glad to answer these questions.

Access and training at work

Employers sometimes look for an ASL class when a Deaf person joins a team or becomes a regular customer. Staff learning some ASL can be welcome. Access is a separate matter, and a short class does not provide it.

Start by asking the Deaf person what access they prefer. For meetings, interviews, training and appointments, the answer is often a qualified interpreter. Some situations are best served by a Deaf interpreter, who brings fluency in ASL and lived Deaf experience and often works in a team with a hearing interpreter. Some people prefer live captioning. Preferences vary between people and between situations, so ask each time.

Arrange interpreters through an interpreter referral service or agency, and book ahead where you can. Do not ask a coworker who knows some signs to interpret, and do not lean on a Deaf person's children or relatives. The note on interpreters explains why.

For Deaf awareness training, book Deaf trainers. They teach from their own experience, and the work supports Deaf professionals. An introductory ASL class for interested staff can follow, ideally taught by a Deaf teacher as well.

The get help page explains how to find interpreter referral services.