Hello ASL Heroes!!! Hey, I could really use your help. If you’ve enjoyed having access to an expert in ASL you can help me continue my work for you. A small monthly donation from you would instantly make a big difference here at the studio because teachers don’t earn much and I could use some help paying for server and domain hosting for Lifeprint.com. Right now you can help out a humble (not to mention kind, caring, generous, compassionate, helpful, friendly, fair, and hard-working) ASL teacher -- just go here and a few clicks later you too will be a true “ASL Hero!” www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=64QMBRBXQSV6G Thanks! - Dr. Bill p.s. Want to have your very own USB drive with four semesters worth of ASL instruction (that’s the equivalent of two years of colleges classes) for just $79.95? See "SuperUSB" in the ASLUniversity bookstore at: lifeprint.com/bookstore/bookstore.htm Take care and love to you all. :)
Mr. Vicars, I wish you were my in school teacher! I am revisiting your videos and I have used your website. Thank you so much for helping me. I have been able to sign with amazing people who do not have the capability to speak. Makes me happy and the joy they get when they realize I can sign with them :) Again, thank you!
Hi Dani! If you are revisiting the videos you may want to use the master ASLU playlist to catch any videos you may have missed earlier. See item two below. ============================ How to use ASL University to learn sign language for free: 1. Visit Lifeprint.com and become familiar with the ASL University website. 2. Bookmark the official ASLU TH-cam master playlist: th-cam.com/play/PL6akqFwEeSpiLwRFA3ZvuOWMwPXwI7NqA.html 3. For quick reviews (to prevent memory extinction) bookmark the "Signs" channel playlist page: th-cam.com/users/Lifeprint-signsplaylists or more specifically: th-cam.com/users/Lifeprint-signsplaylists?view=50&sort=dd&shelf_id=1 4. If you use a desktop or laptop computer you can look up signs using this page: www.lifeprint.com/search.htm 5. If you use a mobile device you can look up signs using this page: www.lifeprint.com/search/index.htm 6. If you can’t find a sign after using the search options at Lifeprint.com then consider applying to join the Lifeprint-ASLU Facebook group and asking your question there. See: facebook.com/groups/Lifeprint.ASLU/ 7. Go through the ASLU Lessons for free: www.lifeprint.com/asl101/lessons/lessons.htm Your comments, questions, or suggestions are always welcome. To contact Dr. Bill Vicars, see: www.lifeprint.com/asl101/pages-layout/contact.htm If you like the free LIfeprint.com lessons you might enjoy the low-cost subscription version of the lessons. For information see: lifeprint.com/asltc/ Ways to support the ASL University channel: * Click the “thumb up” (like) icon on videos at TH-cam.com/billvicars * Click the “subscribe” button at TH-cam.com/billvicars (if you haven't done so yet) * Click the “Share” link and share the videos. * Buy some ASL University “official” clothing or ASLU gear: teespring.com/stores/aslu * Donate via: www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=64QMBRBXQSV6G * For other donation options, see: www.Lifeprint.com/donate.htm If you have any friends who might be in a position to do so you might want to consider inviting them to donate -- thus supporting Deaf children and the promotion of free sign language resources via Lifeprint.com
Thank you Dr. Bill Vicars... I appreciate a lot your vídeos teaching us more easy ASL. I'm not deaft but I'm in love with sign language i want to learn because in that way I can help people having difficulty to communicate with a (normal) person. And I would like to order the USB learning class... thank you so much you have changed my life because I can understand a little bit ASL.💖
@@yessychaparrita Just my two cents but I would suggest denoting the difference as being hearing/deaf as we are all wonderfully "normal." 😉 *Best wishes and keep learning! Your enthusiam for ASL really is beautiful to behold!*
Bill.. A few weeks ago, I unintentionally got mad at a grocery store staff who not following my questions. To my horror I learnt later that he was deaf. I felt terrible n was determined to learn ASL so I could go back to the store one day and sincerely apologize to the young man. That very evening, I came across ur video in a search, and thanks to u, I was able to have my first ASL conversation with him yesterday!! he was so happy and I came to peace with myself again. THANK YOU!! :)
From my reading of all4u100's reply, while it is not specifically stated as to if there was a specific apology, it would seem so or at least something similar to an apology since that the Hearing person did go back and have a signed conversation with the Deaf person that resulted in the Deaf person being happy and the Hearing person feeling peace.
@@Felix_Lover You missed out on the beautiful part about Dr. Vicars helping this person learn how to communicate using ASL and we can assume... apologize.
7 minutes in and I'm already able to ask two questions and understand how to answer them. Best lessons I have found so far. I love how there is no audio. Nothing to use as a crutch audibly. I HAVE to keep paying attention to the signs and what is on the screen.
At first I was a little angry that I didn't have sound to help me. But then I realized it was a lot better without because I've payed much more attention
Hello :) Often in ASL we will use a sentence order of: time, place, object, subject, verb, additional comments / negation/question ("TPOSV/C/N/Q"). We sign that way because it is efficient. For example, by establishing the "time" aspect of our story first we have no need to conjugate our verbs for tense. By putting our question signs (WHO, WHAT, WHEN, etc.) at the end of the sentence we minimuze the amount of eyebrow raising and lowering needed. Visit Lifeprint and check out the grammar pages.
I'm 49 years old and I'm deaf. Don't know sign language either. Slowly but surely I'm learning by watching your videos. Thank you so much Bill Vicars! You're the best!!
I had gotten so used to having no sound that I forgot my volume was turned up really loudly and when an ad came on full blast I nearly jumped a foot in the air.
Question: Are you Deaf and are you a member of the Deaf Community? Answer: I was born hard-of-hearing and as time goes on I become more and more physically Deaf. I live in the Deaf World. I married a Deaf woman, work in the field of Deaf-Studies, hang out with people who can sign, use close-captioning (or subtitles) seek out open captioned movies, watch the news in ASL, lived in Benson Hall at Gallaudet University (studied while doing an internship in D.C.), use an interpreter when I attend faculty meetings, have a text-only (no-voice minutes) phone, and devote my time to developing ASL-related resources for others. I've lived my life serving in Deaf organizations, setting up Deaf events, working with other Deaf, teaching ASL, teaching Deaf Studies, etc.) I met my wife (Belinda at a Deaf church. Our youngest child, Sarah (our fourth) was born with a substantial hearing loss due to having Aperts (a rare syndrome) attended the Utah State School for the Deaf pre-school program. Almost all of my close friends and associates are either Deaf or strongly tied to the Deaf Community. Question: Are you certified? Answer: I hold a doctorate in Deaf Education / Deaf Studies from an accredited university (Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas). I also hold a masters in Deaf Education from Lamar university. As far as I know, I was the first person from Utah to become ASLTA certified. I was previously a member of ASLTA back when they were still S.I.G.N. (Sign Instructors Guidance Network). I'm now in California. Question: Where did you learn ASL? Answer: Growing up in a small town I started learning ASL from a Deaf woman, (Kathy Hadfield of Brigham City, Utah. She later married Mark Erwin -- so she is now Kathy Erwin.) As I grew older I became fully immersed in the Deaf Community, lived with Deaf roommates, hung out with other Deaf people, read every ASL book I could lay my hands on, and took as many formal (and informal) classes as I could find -- eventually leading to a doctorate degree in Deaf Education / Deaf Studies. Here are a few of the experiences that influenced me: * Worked as a volunteer at the the Indiana School for the Deaf (as a teacher's assistant in Laura Gaalema's third grade class) * Worked as a volunteer for GLAD Orange County Outreach in California * Worked as a volunteer the (former) Indiana Branch Office of the National Association of the Deaf * Lived on-campus at Gallaudet University during a summer internship program * Took night classes at the Oregon School for the Deaf (Salem). * Participated in hundreds of hours of "American Judicial System" - related ASL training at California State University Northridge * Attended many (!) workshops * Researched ASL Linguistics, ASL acquisition, and Computer Assisted Language Learning during my doctoral studies Lamar University * Directed "immersion excursions" to exciting places with Deaf co-hosts for several decades * Directed an interpreter-training program for Davis County School District during which I interviewed, hired, and worked closely with many (around 30) Deaf guest-speakers and/or trainers * Many years of discussing the nuances of ASL with d/Deaf colleagues at work and online. Question: What kind of experience do you have teaching ASL? Answer: I taught ASL at Weber State University in Ogden, Utah for over a decade. I have taught ASL classes and/or workshops at the Utah Community Center for the Deaf, the IRS, Hill Air Force Base, Defense Depot Ogden Utah, Mills Montessori School, the Newgate Mall, Your Community Connection of Ogden, Clearfield Community Schools, Davis County School District, Weber County School District, Ogden City Corporation, The Sign Language Studio, Lifeprint Institute, Lamar University in Beaumont Texas, The Sign Language Association, ASL University, California State University--Sacramento, and dozens of other places. As of this writing I am a full-time, tenured, full professor of American Sign Language and Deaf Studies. Teaching ASL is my life's work. Update: Since I wrote the above, I've added "Guyana, South America" to the list. Guyana was by far the hardest work -- and the most fun.] Update: Add Singapore to the list. I've done two separate week-long sign language-related workshops for the National Association for the Deaf (in Singapore). For more information see: www.lifeprint.com/asl101/pages-layout/bio.htm
I recently lost hearing in my right ear, i panicked when this video had no sound i was frantically turning up all the volume afraid that i lost all my hearing suddenly. And then i coughed and i heard it. I was relieved.
I Am hard of hearing and the same thing happened. I was like. My day has come to become an asl expert I will practice so hard. Then I realized I could hear myself breathing...
watching this made me realize that I hardly ever have silence in my life While Interacting with other people, this is the first video I have ever watched without sound on purpose. While I was focusing on practicing, I almost felt like I was in the room with them. hyperfocus
I tried learning ASL by watching videos with included sound. After 4 lessons here I have not only learned more but had a *faster retention* of what I have learned *because there is no sound.* It forces hearing people to really pay attention to your signs instead of falling back on our ears. I love your work and appreciate the time, money and efforts it takes to offer ASL *for free* to the online community! Yes, I took your advice/request above because I really believe in your work here. Mr. Vicars, from the bottom of my heart... I congratulate you on a superb learning page that excels most in person classes. I am on lesson 23 but after each lesson I scroll back through lessons 1-22 etc to the end review what I have learned and pick up what I may have forgotten. *This entire course should be mandatory for every student in the US, IMHO.*
Thanks for the very nice feedback! I appreciate it! Hey everybody -- if you like crochet or amigurumi -- check out Appalachian Girl Designs' channel! th-cam.com/channels/OPURyWQnWesrGLQEDGA35A.htmlvideos
Epcot lp idk much about sign but I'm trying to learn some on my own. He makes me smile and laugh cause you can almost heard like the infliction in his speech threw his hands.
unlabledchicka92 actually it's "inflection", not infliction. and it's also "through", not threw. nothing personal or anything, just making you aware. if you want to learn signing, you'll need to understand the meanings of homophones (words that sound alike but have different meanings) and ensure your English grammar is correct, or it'll cause you (and others) lots of unnecessary problems. good luck!
I love your personality. You are an awesome teacher. My kids love watching your videos. You make learning really fun for them. I am glad that you are offering these important lessons. You are helping more people than you realize. These videos are helping my kids learn to speak with their uncle.
thank you Bill for making these high quality lessons freely available. I particularly enjoy they review and reinforcement of vocabulary all along the lesson and your sense of humor.
I know everyone's saying the same thing but I'll repeat it because it's true: This is the best ASL teaching channel on TH-cam! I moved from America about a year ago and am forced to speak/write/read with my native (but second) language. If they even teach sign language here, it's definitely not ASL. But your videos make it easy and even wildly funny to learn sign language! I was willing to suffer through tedious videos in the sake of learning, but I don't have to anymore. Even if I sometimes don't understand your rapid signing, through glimpses of words, context, and your expression I always know what you're talking about. Also, you would make a REALLY good actor - I could practically see the invisible sandwich in your hand when you signed "good", and your movements and expressions combined more than make up for the loss of sound. In fact, speaking of which, not having a voice explain everything prompted me to pay exclusive attention to your videos (although I nearly jumped out of my skin when an add suddenly blared out at an unnecessarily loud volume XD). I learned so so so so so so SO much in a mere half hour (+ 10 mins). Thank you so much for offering these wonderful (and free!) ASL classes!
This was actually an amazing video. I recently just served a table of deaf people today and I love learning languages so I spent a few hours once I came home trying to learn a little. Being someone who can speak I find the silent audio and only written text extremely helpful in learning because it brings you into the language more. It forces you to learn it rather than hear it and brush it off. I rarely leave comments but this was awesome!
I've learned over 1000 signs in the last few days with these videos and lifeprint.com. By far the best teaching tool for sign language that I've found. What a beautiful language!
I'm a waitress at a restaurant and last week a group of people came in who were deaf and used sign language throughout their whole meal, it made me realise how much it would mean to them if i could learn to communicate their way, rather than clumsily try and understand their order. This is why i've decided to learn sign language - thank you for this amazingly helpful tutorial!
Hello, I am 14 years old but you have helped me so much with learning ASL I would like to help special-needs children for my career in the future. I used to assess a mute girl when I was younger this inspired me to start learning ASL thanks to you it has been much easier and plenty of kids in my class want me to teach them now :)
What a fantastic thing to hear. I, too, wanted to learn ASL for the same reason. I'm 23, and just now learning. Do it while you're young and have the time.
Wow, I didn't know that people thought like me! That's what I would like to do when I am older too, and that is the exact same reason I am taking ASL! LOVE seeing people want to do the same thing as me!
I'm 29 years old and I'm just now beginning to learn ASL, and I must say this is the most amazing education video of all time. I sat here watching a completely silent video, followed along with them and signed what he was asking for and I learned so much... this video is absolutely amazing. Cannot wait to watch more!!
My daughter is autistic and uses sign language for a lot of her communication, I also work with special education students and your videos have helped me in refreshing my ASL from when I was fluent back in highschool. Thank you Bill very much
Ive been learning from you for about 5 years now and you're wonderful! I'd like to become an ASL interpreter one day, I have been losing my hearing for a long time now and this makes me feel safe knowing that if I do lose my hearing you have helped me greatly! I love when I get to use it at work because in my town they don't cater to deaf people at all so when someone sees that I can speak with them it brings me such joy ♥ Thankyou for all that you do!
Even if I can't hear you (because there is no sound to this video :p), I can see your beautiful personality! I'm just starting to learn, and you've helped me a lot. I have no reason to learn sign language other than talking to people who know, and that it's beautiful! Thank you! :D
I love this! This is a great way to learn sign language. It makes me think of the Pimsleur Approach for ASL. I'm also a teacher. I teach English to Hispanics on youtube.
Thanks so much for having these lessons up! I struggle with speaking and ASL makes it so much easier to communicate, but I've had trouble learning. These are such great lessons and the expressiveness and joking in them makes them really engaging. Thanks again! Communicating is becoming so much easier.
I am someone who have met a load of deaf or mute people, and I myself have D.I.D where one of my alters are selective mute. I am finding your videos to be very helpful when it comes to my goal of understanding asl, as well as giving myself a much broader way of communication. I can tell your student had fun recording this with you.
My first sign language video and I learned all the signs in this video so quickly. It's sooo FUN to watch! Thank you for sharing it in TH-cam. I REALLY want to learn. It's amazing.
I know i'm a little late, but i just recently started learning sign language, and this style of video with teacher and student is quite honestly the best form of youtube learning for a new language.!
Thanks Mattt! For higher resolution versions of my videos consider using the ASLU Playlist -- see item 2 below for the link. Happy studying! ============================ How to use ASL University to learn sign language for free: 1. Visit Lifeprint.com and become familiar with the ASL University website. 2. Bookmark the official ASLU TH-cam master playlist: th-cam.com/play/PL6akqFwEeSpiLwRFA3ZvuOWMwPXwI7NqA.html 3. For quick reviews (to prevent memory extinction) bookmark the "Signs" channel playlist page: th-cam.com/users/Lifeprint-signsplaylists or more specifically: th-cam.com/users/Lifeprint-signsplaylists?view=50&sort=dd&shelf_id=1 4. If you use a desktop or laptop computer you can look up signs using this page: www.lifeprint.com/search.htm 5. If you use a mobile device you can look up signs using this page: www.lifeprint.com/search/index.htm 6. If you can’t find a sign after using the search options at Lifeprint.com then consider applying to join the Lifeprint-ASLU Facebook group and asking your question there. See: facebook.com/groups/Lifeprint.ASLU/ 7. Go through the ASLU Lessons for free: www.lifeprint.com/asl101/lessons/lessons.htm Your comments, questions, or suggestions are always welcome. To contact Dr. Bill Vicars, see: www.lifeprint.com/asl101/pages-layout/contact.htm If you like the free LIfeprint.com lessons you might enjoy the low-cost subscription version of the lessons. For information see: lifeprint.com/asltc/ Ways to support the ASL University channel: * Click the “thumb up” (like) icon on videos at TH-cam.com/billvicars * Click the “subscribe” button at TH-cam.com/billvicars (if you haven't done so yet) * Click the “Share” link and share the videos. * ASL University “official” clothing or ASLU gear: teespring.com/stores/aslu * Donate via: www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=64QMBRBXQSV6G * For other donation options, see: www.Lifeprint.com/donate.htm If you have any friends who might be in a position to do so you might want to consider inviting them to donate -- thus supporting Deaf children and the promotion of free sign language resources via Lifeprint.com * Visit the “ASLU” bookstore at www.lifeprint.com/bookstore/bookstore.htm (feel free to suggest new products that you would like to see). Thanks!
I started going deaf when I was 5, I'm a sophomore in high school now. I currently have a hearing aid in my left ear. Slowly going deaf in both. Thank you for helping me learn how to communicate with others who share my struggle. I've taken classes in school that have attempted to teach me ASL, but they were boring. Thank you for making it fun!
I do not have a head for languages. I took Spanish classes for FIVE YEARS and it just did not stick no matter how hard I tried. I’m really impressed with how well I understood and was able to replicate these signs b/c somehow you’ve managed to do what none of Spanish teachers could do and actually get it to make sense in my brain!!! This is really really cool, wish my school district had offered ASL courses
Banuna, See below for some tips on how to get the most out of the lessons. How to use ASL University to learn sign language for free: 1. Visit Lifeprint.com and become familiar with the ASL University website. 2. Bookmark the official ASLU TH-cam master playlist: th-cam.com/play/PL6akqFwEeSpiLwRFA3ZvuOWMwPXwI7NqA.html 3. For quick reviews (to prevent memory extinction) bookmark the "Signs" channel playlist page: th-cam.com/users/Lifeprint-signsplaylists 4. If you use a desktop or laptop computer you can look up signs using this page: www.lifeprint.com/search.htm 5. If you use a mobile device you can look up signs using this page: www.lifeprint.com/search/index.htm 6. If you can’t find a sign after using the search options at Lifeprint.com then consider applying to join the Lifeprint-ASLU Facebook group and asking your question there. See: facebook.com/groups/Lifeprint.ASLU/ 7. Go through the ASLU Lessons for free: www.lifeprint.com/asl101/lessons/lessons.htm Your comments, questions, or suggestions are always welcome. To contact Dr. Bill Vicars, see: www.lifeprint.com/asl101/pages-layout/contact.htm Ways to support the ASL University channel: * For donation options, see: www.Lifeprint.com/donate.htm * Click the “thumb up” (like) icon on videos at TH-cam.com/billvicars * Click the “subscribe” button at TH-cam.com/billvicars (if you haven't done so yet) * Click the “Share” link and share the videos. Thanks!
OMG, Mr Bill (Bob) you're so funny! I'm trying to learn ASL on my own and so far you're my favorite instructor! I understand a lot of what you're saying behind the scenes based on your facial expressions and the context. I wish I had found your videos months ago, I'd be a lot better now. But I'm enjoying every minute of the journey. Thank you!
Hello Sarah! I'm glad you like the TH-cam lessons. You might want to check out the website that goes with the lessons too. See item 7 below. ============== How to use ASL University to learn sign language for free: 1. Visit Lifeprint.com and become familiar with the ASL University website. 2. Bookmark the official ASLU TH-cam master playlist: th-cam.com/play/PL6akqFwEeSpiLwRFA3ZvuOWMwPXwI7NqA.html 3. For quick reviews (to prevent memory extinction) bookmark the "Signs" channel playlist page: th-cam.com/users/Lifeprint-signsplaylists or more specifically: th-cam.com/users/Lifeprint-signsplaylists?view=50&sort=dd&shelf_id=1 4. If you use a desktop or laptop computer you can look up signs using this page: www.lifeprint.com/search.htm 5. If you use a mobile device you can look up signs using this page: www.lifeprint.com/search/index.htm 6. If you can’t find a sign after using the search options at Lifeprint.com then consider applying to join the Lifeprint-ASLU Facebook group and asking your question there. See: facebook.com/groups/Lifeprint.ASLU/ 7. Go through the ASLU Lessons for free: www.lifeprint.com/asl101/lessons/lessons.htm Your comments, questions, or suggestions are always welcome. To contact Dr. Bill Vicars, see: www.lifeprint.com/asl101/pages-layout/contact.htm If you like the free LIfeprint.com lessons you might enjoy the low-cost subscription version of the lessons. For information see: lifeprint.com/asltc/ Ways to support the ASL University channel: * Click the “thumb up” (like) icon on videos at TH-cam.com/billvicars * Click the “subscribe” button at TH-cam.com/billvicars (if you haven't done so yet) * Click the “Share” link and share the videos. * ASL University “official” clothing or ASLU gear: teespring.com/stores/aslu * Donate via: www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=64QMBRBXQSV6G * For other donation options, see: www.Lifeprint.com/donate.htm If you have any friends who might be in a position to do so you might want to consider inviting them to donate -- thus supporting Deaf children and the promotion of free sign language resources via Lifeprint.com * Visit the “ASLU” bookstore at www.lifeprint.com/bookstore/bookstore.htm (feel free to suggest new products that you would like to see). Thanks!
Hi Bill, u made me understand ASL even more. Im an ED nurse who goes go through patients who are deaf and it makes me sad not able to understand what they are trying to tell me. could u show us a lesson on medical side? like what type of allergies you have? How long is the pain etcs.. it wld be really helpful..
+JavaneseHijabi Hello :) I have lessons on "medical signing." See the medical signing playlist. But please know that those lessons are taught "in the target language" for students who have already taken up though "ASL 4" -- so you might need to work your way up to them.
I love this! I love this hands on experience! Took one class in middle school. Only the alphabet stuck. Had a supervisor at a job of mine that was learning it, he and a few who were deaf/hard of hearing would teach me a few words each day. A few of them stuck, after not having anyone to practice with. I don't want to keep passing up the opportunity to learn this language that I think is so cool and so useful. I really hope to be able to communicate with this fluently one day...
I love this method of learning a language. I've been wanting to learn ASL for a while and decided to look it up on TH-cam. So glad I found your videos Dr. Bill. Thank you for making these!
Found out my college roommate is deaf so I'm trying to learn some basic stuff before move-in day. You make it all so easy to learn and pick up on, thank you so much!!
These videos are really helpful I have several friends that are deaf and until now we have only been able to communicate with other devices and things. I can't wait until I can have a complete conversation with one of my deaf friends!
I'm deaf, I'm 40 years old, and started learning ASL just a bit ago. Man your lessons sure did good to me! a whole lotta more of motivation through your teaching skills/ magnetic charisma! Thanks Mr Vicars! I devoured the first lesson with a biiiiiig smile on my face :))
Wow! Thank you so much for putting all of your lessons online! I don't have a lot of money right now but I really want to learn ASL and your videos are making that possible for me. I can't thank you enough!
Ever curious: Michelle I also forgot to mention that I love your sense of humor, these videos could be really dry but your personality really brings life and levity to the lessons, I thoroughly enjoy them!
I have to say how cool it is to scroll through your comment section and see people of all ages, from child to adult learning a language as important as this. There's nothing there but nice words and encouragement. I'm so glad there are people making this a priority.
Asl is so fun to learn! I have a visual memory so learning languages is very difficult for me, but I am learning this really quickly! I am learning asl because my hearing is continually getting worse, I have speak problems(stuttering etc) and to talk to deaf/hoh people :p
A friend shared this video with me after I expressed an interest in learning ASL for personal reasons. And watching near the time you're introducing HOW, I saw the magic! I'm married to a magician, previously professional and now just recreational, (I mean his magic not our marriage 😂) and enjoyed seeing your trick! He's a corporate trainer now and often uses magic in his training! 🐇🎩
This is exactly what I have been looking for! I have been wanting to learn ASL for a few years now but have not had the time to be in a class every day. Thank you so much for doing this. Do you have any tips for learning ASL?
I've been learning ASL off and on for about 4 years now and these videos are fantastic for review. I appreciate that he uses somewhat beginner students because it reminds me to not be had on myself when I make a mistake. :) Thanks for the awesome vids!
Thank you Dr. Bill and students. I am just beginning to teach myself sign language and these lessons are wonderful additions to the books I am reading. I plan on watching your videos multiple times as they are great! I never understood humor in ASL until watching this video. Its amazing that once you understand what is being signed you can pick up on the comedy that goes along with it and the facial expressions.
Hello Bill, I'm writing to you today because I wanted to learn ASL and my best friend told me that your videos were the best because she learned it from you personally, her name is Heather Lawson. I'm excited because I am learning so much within a short time and it's helping me to be able to speak to my new friend Andre while he is taking the missionary discussions. The sister missionaries in my ward are not trained in ASL but we found an interpreter from another ward, and she's impressed with my ability and I showed her your videos because she asked how I had learned so quickly. Andre has spent most of his life forgotten by his family because he wasn't born deaf he lost his hearing at a young age and so his parents and siblings just wrote him off and none of them learned ASL. He has been so lonely and frustrated for so long he was a little confused as to why I wanted to learn to talk to him , and why us four women want to teach him not only about the Gospel but to teach him English and reading in English. It's been several weeks since the missionaries found him and we started working with him, and it's been so rewarding I am so blessed to have met Andre and to be part of his amazing journey! Thank you for the wonderful videos that makes ASL fun and easy!
Hi Mr Bill, I just want to thank you. I work at Home Depot in Houston and I love the look on customers face who cannot speak when I sign. One of my bosses was having a hard time trying to help a deaf customer. I walked up to them and agreed him by signing, again I love the look on his face. I was able to get him what he needed, another happy customer. Thanks again, enjoying your videos...
Can I just say thank you for this. I been wanting to learn to sign for years ever since I was in grammar school and saw the ASL alphabet at a mall . Seeing the teacher and student interact with one another and understand what they are saying to one another is amazing. Makes me realize I am actually learning!
I am learning ASL so fast now that I have started watching these. I am loosing my hearing in my left ear and I am feeling compelled to prepare for the future.
Took a beginning ASL class at my college to be able to talk to my friend in my art class, lost touch with him sadly, and 2 years later I'm coming back to ASL to refresh on what i used to know. I've never had a negative experience with my friend who is deaf, he was always so kind and patient. I've been to a few deaf community get togethers and they have always been so welcoming and helpful, even when i would sign so poorly. Thank you Bill for helping me re learn ASL!
Every so often there is a woman that comes into the store I work at who is deaf. I have been looking on search engines for special websites that might have classes on ASL, but today I just stumbled across this video and it is really fun to learn and easy as well. I cant believe I never came to TH-cam for signing! I could say thanks before, that was it, so now hopefully I can work my way up to being able to fully converse with her. Thank you, Bill!
On a whim i decided to pick back up on ASL. Last time i practiced was 15 years ago in high school and in barely any time at all i was able to follow along with you and your student. Looking forward to learning a partial mastery over the language
recently I got some deaf friends and I'm eagerly want to communicate with them. I have to thank you dr. bill! now you're making everything becomes easier!
Hello Mr. Vicars,I am a hearing person but I find sign language fascinating and so I started learning through the internet (I did not find any lessons in my area).Will I be able to communicate easily with a deaf person just by watching your lessons and by reading your posts at Lifeprint?Thank you in advance!
+Ειρήνη Μαραγκάκη Hello :) Whether or not American Sign Language lessons will empower you to converse with local Deaf people depends on where you live since your local Deaf may use a signed language other than ASL. (There are many different signed languages throughout the world.) Many Hearing individuals have mentioned to me that studying here (on TH-cam) and at my website (Lifeprint.com) has enabled them to "begin" conversing with their Deaf classmates, coworkers, associates and/or family members. The more you study and practice the easier such conversations will become.
Probably one of the most important aspects to learning is immersion. So watching videos will help grasp some ideas, but to really "Learn" and make it stick, get involved! Find any deaf centers in your area and find out what activities there are happening. Sometimes it's plays, church meetings, games, bingo, fast food, bowling, etc. Get involved. If your area is too small, ask around if anyone knows anyone deaf nearby. They can tell you if anything happens around you. I know that this is so long ago, but the suggestion will be for anyone, anywhere in a America that wants to learn ASL and really grasp ASL. The deaf are extremely forgiving and helpful to new learners. Learn a few basics and go use them. Let them fine tune your skills and signs. You will probably also learn colloquial signing, as well as some regional signs.
I’m not deaf but I love to learn cuz my friends 3 of them are deaf in my country ( I’m from Iraq ) then I start talk and communicate with my friends Until I come to USA 6 years ago, also I met my neighbor a deaf couple but their son 5 years old he is not deaf, I felt happy to be their friend but I realized that Arabic sign language is different than American Sign Language, any way I start watching Bill Vicars videos and learn and I’m so happy to communicate with my neighbors, I think they should put a sign language class in schools for the kids to communicate with others and learn about them, I feel so special cuz my neighbors love me and happy to have them as my friends. Thank you mr Bill Vicars your videos mean a lot to us.
I used to watch and learn these in high school almost a decade ago. Now I have come back to re-learn and you have always been the best and most fun! Thank you
Francesca, If I may ask, what is your goal in learning ASL? What "level" of signer do you currently consider yourself to be? What profession are you in and/or major in college? If you feel like responding but don't feel like responding in public, my email is on this page: www.lifeprint.com/asl101/pages-layout/contact.htm Why do I ask? Because sometimes special projects come up for which I like to maintain a list of potential student assistants to invite to be involved.
Hi, my name is Janet from Saskatchewan, Canada, i'm a tutor tutoring a deaf boy, well a pre-teen. I just started learning ASL since May of this year. I have been teaching Signed English and not happy that i wasted years teaching my student signed english since 2011. but I have a question. "what is your mom's name?" why isn't it signed as it is ? can you please explain. or "what is your name?" its not signed as is right? why When i first took on this job, i taught myself, the school had books in signed english but not in asl so that what i learned and taught my deaf student. I realizes there is more to asl then just the signing, the gestures, facial expressions and more. What author do you recommend for me to understand.
Janet, In regard to developing a better understanding of ASL grammar, please see: www.lifeprint.com/asl101/topics/subject-verb-object-asl-sentence-structure.htm
Janet Forest a very poor explanation to "what is your name" and how its signed would be that in my experience, you would sign YOUR NAME WHAT because people signing generally end with the question word. so "What is your mother's name?" would be signed YOUR MOTHER NAME WHAT. Don't forget the eyebrows.
It's the same with any two languages. If you translate word from word from french, you get something like 'how yourself call you?'. It's always a bad idea to try to translate each word in a sentence. You have to learn what the grammar is in _that_ language. Why do they say it that way in french? Because that's just how the language developed. They think english sounds just as backwards.
I used to have a roommate that is Hard of Hearing and his mom is deaf. I have always found sign language fascinating and I asked him to teach me to sign. He said it was too difficult to teach someone to sign and never did. My best friend and I love the show "Switched at Birth" which features a family dealing with daughters switched at birth and one of them is deaf. It is an amazing show and we have picked up a few of the signs. Then I found your channel and I have to say thank you. This is an amazing learning experience for me. I just wish I had friends were I live now who were deaf so I apply what I have learned. Again I wanted to say thank you so much. Your videos help me a lot.
My cousin is hard of hearing sometimes and other times completely deaf and Switched At Birth encouraged me to learn ASL!! It's my favourite show and now I didn't even have to read the subtitles!
I'm sort of confused as to how asl is related to English. do you put the order of the words the same way you do in English? one time you signed "deaf you?" and another time you signed "you deaf?" so I just want to know how to organize the words to form sentences on my own. oh and thank you for your very entertaining and useful lessons!
asl and english don't have the same word order format. the first word you sign is the word that is given emphasis in the sentence, i believe. so when he signs "deaf you?" the idea of her being deaf is emphasised. whereas when he signs "you deaf?", it has the same sort of emphasis as if she had asked "are you deaf?" and him responding "are YOU?" if that makes sense.
In English you might ask a roommate: “You coming?” as a shortened way of asking “Are you going to the party tonight?” Or you might also phrase your question as: “Are you coming?” Either way works fine as long as there is plenty of context (meaning, your friend knows there is a party and it is obvious that you are asking about his participation). You might shorten your question even more to: “Coming?” Your roommate would still understand you. In English lots of different word orders are common. This is no different from ASL. In ASL you could ask someone: YOU DEAF? YOU DEAF (are)-YOU? DEAF (are)-YOU? In context you can use extreme shortening: Signer A: “YESTERDAY I GO DATE.” = “Yesterday I went on a date.” Signer B: “DEAF?” = “Is she Deaf?” Thus “appropriate grammar” is influenced by how much context you have. ----------------------------------------------------------- Now for a quick primer on ASL grammar: Believe it or not, the basic word order in ASL sentences with transitive verbs is Subject-Verb-Object. If anyone wants to argue you on this grammar rule, simply refer them to the "Linguistics of American Sign Language" (3rd Ed.) textbook page 135 where on item #3 of the chapter summary it states: "The most basic word order in ASL sentences with transitive verbs is Subject-Verb-Object." In situations where the conversation partners have pre-existing information and/or are introducing a new topic to the conversation it is common to "topicalize" the sign for the topic. To topicalize a sign you move it to the beginning of the sentence, raise your eyebrows, and tilt your head forward a bit. English also uses "topicalization." You will see it in phrases such as: "Do you remember John? Well, yesterday, I saw him..." "That red sweater of yours? I washed it and..." "About tomorrow, we need to..." "Do you recall my old car? I sold it." "In regard to your educational plan, you should..." Just as it would drive a Hearing person nuts if their conversation partner topicalized EVERY sentence -- the same is true for ASL. If you topicalize every sentence you sign in ASL you are going to seem very weird in real life conversations. So, feel free to topicalize to establish or change your topic but once you have done so you should STOP topicalizing for the rest of the discussion on that subject. Let me give you an example. Suppose I’m at home with my wife and wanted to inform her that I’m going to the store and ask her if she needed anything -- I should sign: I/ME GO STORE. NEED ANYTHING? The first sentence is obviously “subject-verb-object.” The first sentence would be unmarked. (Unmarked means I wouldn’t do anything fancy or extra to it.) The second sentence would use raised eyebrows. (It would be “marked” with raised eyebrows to add the meaning of “do?”-[Yes or no?] If I topicalized the first sentence as, “STORE? I/ME GO” it would seem slightly awkward or strange to her. It would be the equivalent in English of saying? “Do you know the store? I’m going to it.” Well, duh! Of course she knows the store. It is the same store we have “gone to” for over a decade. I’m going to the regular store -- there is no need to “mark” it (or in other words there is nothing remarkable about the store and there is no need to distinguish it from some other store nor to ask if she remembers it). Thus topicalization in that context would be a waste of effort and inappropriate. However, if I wanted to let her know that I was going to a different store I could sign: HEY, REMEMBER YESTERDAY NOTICE NEW STORE? I/ME GO. WANT COME-on? Which would be the equivalent of saying, “Hey, do you remember yesterday we saw a new store? I’m going. Do you want to join me?” Since she and I shared the experience of driving home yesterday and seeing a new store I could (and should) shorten my sentence to: NEW STORE? I/ME GO. WANT COME-on? Topicalization works on objects: “JOHN? YESTERDAY STORE I SAW-(him)” (O?SV) John? Yesterday I saw him.” Topicalization works on subjects: “JOHN? LEAVE CITY” (S?VO) “John? He left town.” So, I’m going to state this again: The basic word order of ASL sentences with transitive verbs (verbs which have an object) is subject-verb-object. If your sentence can be made more efficient or engaging by clarifying or emphasizing your topic then go ahead and move that topic to the front of your sentence and raise your eyebrows while looking in your conversation partner’s eyes for a glimmer of understanding then go ahead and finish your sentence. ----------------------------------------------------- We tend to move question signs such as WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, WHY, WHICH, HOW, HOW-MUCH, & HOW-MANY (which are sometimes referred to as "WH"-type questions) to the end of complex or long sentences so as to allow for efficient facial grammar. By that I mean, you don’t have to furrow your eyebrows the whole length of the sentence if you put the question word at the end of the sentence. ----------------------------------------------------- During questions such as "Did you...?" "Will you...?" "Are you...?" (which are sometimes referred to as "Yes/No"-questions since they are answered with a yes or no) we tend to repeat the pronoun at the end (low context situations) -- again for the purpose of allowing efficient facial grammar. (Example: "YOU GO PARTY (are)-YOU?" Thus the second use of the YOU sign (accompanied by raised eyebrows) is functioning as the equivalent of the "be"-verb "are" in English. ----------------------------------------------------- [end]
+WOWCruiser It's just a different language. Have you ever tried translating french into english just by translating each word? It doesn't really make sense. That's how languages are. If you know at least two languages this will make perfect sense.
Dr. Bill Vicars, I was born with a handicap and my alternate hand can only be used palm down but I am interested in knowing ASL. Can I sign with just one hand, already knowing some words use both one or two hand(s) but do all. You should post a video "tutoring with just one hand", I would be interested. My nephew was born with autism and I can use just a simple stroke of an arm movement to communicate. I would gladly appreciate your help if so, Thank You.
Hi dr bill my name is Michael I am 12 I found interest in asl when my deaf neighbor taught me basics I fell in love and have watched your videos to further my knowledge of asl please reply
I wish that I knew you had this channel up years ago.... I absolutely loved it. I learned ASL in High School and have not used it in years. I have been wanting to get back into it and be able to sign for my church one day. I have searched so many different lessons and I happened across yours... It is so refreshing and easy to learn. REPETITION IS KEY! Thank you Mr. Vicars for allowing me to learn and refresh my memory on the basics. I will continue to follow and learn. Excellent Teacher!!!!
HELP!!! I think I'm loosing my hearing cuz when people talk to me and I'm not looking at them I can't really hear anything except muffle sounds. I told my dad this is happening and he doesn't believe me. I'm ok in ASL but I want to learn more. but how to I tell my dad to get my ears checked
I know the importance of using different facial expressions when signing, but I have so much trouble watching you and not just smiling all the time because you're such a joy to watch and to learn from. Thank you so much Bill!
I don't personally know anyone who is deaf, but 20 years ago I tried teaching myself ASL & didn't get very far with library books I used. This is a great tutorial so thank you for sparking my interest to want to learn another way of communicating! I love the repetition, it helps tremendously!
Hello ASL Heroes!!!
Hey, I could really use your help.
If you’ve enjoyed having access to an expert in ASL you can help me continue my work for you.
A small monthly donation from you would instantly make a big difference here at the studio because teachers don’t earn much and I could use some help paying for server and domain hosting for Lifeprint.com.
Right now you can help out a humble (not to mention kind, caring, generous, compassionate, helpful, friendly, fair, and hard-working) ASL teacher -- just go here and a few clicks later you too will be a true “ASL Hero!”
www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=64QMBRBXQSV6G
Thanks!
- Dr. Bill
p.s. Want to have your very own USB drive with four semesters worth of ASL instruction (that’s the equivalent of two years of colleges classes) for just $79.95? See "SuperUSB" in the ASLUniversity bookstore at:
lifeprint.com/bookstore/bookstore.htm
Take care and love to you all.
:)
Mr. Vicars, I wish you were my in school teacher! I am revisiting your videos and I have used your website. Thank you so much for helping me. I have been able to sign with amazing people who do not have the capability to speak. Makes me happy and the joy they get when they realize I can sign with them :) Again, thank you!
Hi Dani!
If you are revisiting the videos you may want to use the master ASLU playlist to catch any videos you may have missed earlier.
See item two below.
============================
How to use ASL University to learn sign language for free:
1. Visit Lifeprint.com and become familiar with the ASL University website.
2. Bookmark the official ASLU TH-cam master playlist:
th-cam.com/play/PL6akqFwEeSpiLwRFA3ZvuOWMwPXwI7NqA.html
3. For quick reviews (to prevent memory extinction) bookmark the "Signs" channel playlist page:
th-cam.com/users/Lifeprint-signsplaylists or more specifically: th-cam.com/users/Lifeprint-signsplaylists?view=50&sort=dd&shelf_id=1
4. If you use a desktop or laptop computer you can look up signs using this page: www.lifeprint.com/search.htm
5. If you use a mobile device you can look up signs using this page:
www.lifeprint.com/search/index.htm
6. If you can’t find a sign after using the search options at Lifeprint.com then consider applying to join the Lifeprint-ASLU Facebook group and asking your question there. See:
facebook.com/groups/Lifeprint.ASLU/
7. Go through the ASLU Lessons for free:
www.lifeprint.com/asl101/lessons/lessons.htm
Your comments, questions, or suggestions are always welcome.
To contact Dr. Bill Vicars, see: www.lifeprint.com/asl101/pages-layout/contact.htm
If you like the free LIfeprint.com lessons you might enjoy the low-cost subscription version of the lessons. For information see: lifeprint.com/asltc/
Ways to support the ASL University channel:
* Click the “thumb up” (like) icon on videos at TH-cam.com/billvicars
* Click the “subscribe” button at TH-cam.com/billvicars (if you haven't done so yet)
* Click the “Share” link and share the videos.
* Buy some ASL University “official” clothing or ASLU gear: teespring.com/stores/aslu
* Donate via: www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=64QMBRBXQSV6G
* For other donation options, see: www.Lifeprint.com/donate.htm If you have any friends who might be in a position to do so you might want to consider inviting them to donate -- thus supporting Deaf children and the promotion of free sign language resources via Lifeprint.com
Thank you Dr. Bill Vicars... I appreciate a lot your vídeos teaching us more easy ASL. I'm not deaft but I'm in love with sign language i want to learn because in that way I can help people having difficulty to communicate with a (normal) person. And I would like to order the USB learning class... thank you so much you have changed my life because I can understand a little bit ASL.💖
L
@@yessychaparrita Just my two cents but I would suggest denoting the difference as being hearing/deaf as we are all wonderfully "normal." 😉
*Best wishes and keep learning! Your enthusiam for ASL really is beautiful to behold!*
Bill.. A few weeks ago, I unintentionally got mad at a grocery store staff who not following my questions. To my horror I learnt later that he was deaf. I felt terrible n was determined to learn ASL so I could go back to the store one day and sincerely apologize to the young man. That very evening, I came across ur video in a search, and thanks to u, I was able to have my first ASL conversation with him yesterday!! he was so happy and I came to peace with myself again. THANK YOU!! :)
I know this was posted 9yrs ago, but were you ever able to go back and apologize to him?
From my reading of all4u100's reply, while it is not specifically stated as to if there was a specific apology, it would seem so or at least something similar to an apology since that the Hearing person did go back and have a signed conversation with the Deaf person that resulted in the Deaf person being happy and the Hearing person feeling peace.
@@Felix_Lover You missed out on the beautiful part about Dr. Vicars helping this person learn how to communicate using ASL and we can assume... apologize.
@@Felix_Lover In their post they said they went back and apologized
7 minutes in and I'm already able to ask two questions and understand how to answer them. Best lessons I have found so far. I love how there is no audio. Nothing to use as a crutch audibly. I HAVE to keep paying attention to the signs and what is on the screen.
At first I was a little angry that I didn't have sound to help me. But then I realized it was a lot better without because I've payed much more attention
Jennifer Suzanne Same! At first it was annoying, but then it was quite nice. Puts you more in that world, and it's easier to concentrate.
Same, my retention for ASL without sound has skyrocketed with this course and my retention of learned signs is higher.
Hello :)
Often in ASL we will use a sentence order of: time, place, object, subject, verb, additional comments / negation/question ("TPOSV/C/N/Q"). We sign that way because it is efficient. For example, by establishing the "time" aspect of our story first we have no need to conjugate our verbs for tense. By putting our question signs (WHO, WHAT, WHEN, etc.) at the end of the sentence we minimuze the amount of eyebrow raising and lowering needed. Visit Lifeprint and check out the grammar pages.
I'm 49 years old and I'm deaf. Don't know sign language either. Slowly but surely I'm learning by watching your videos. Thank you so much Bill Vicars! You're the best!!
i hope you learn soon!
Update needed! Can u sign now?
How are you now?!
asi ! 🚱♍♋
Well from the time they posted, they should be 52 now
I had gotten so used to having no sound that I forgot my volume was turned up really loudly and when an ad came on full blast I nearly jumped a foot in the air.
+ForeverCellist I did too!
+ForeverCellist Lol, I had that happen to me when I streamed it on my phone, everyone looked at me like I farted in church
+ForeverCellist Same :"
Lol ME😂
Hahah same here
I just fell in love with signing. 11 minutes in and I'm having the most fun signing to the empty chair in the room. Thank you! :D
😂😂
So cute
lol :-) Thats cute!
Its been 10 years! How are you now?
Question: Are you Deaf and are you a member of the Deaf Community?
Answer: I was born hard-of-hearing and as time goes on I become more and more physically Deaf. I live in the Deaf World. I married a Deaf woman, work in the field of Deaf-Studies, hang out with people who can sign, use close-captioning (or subtitles) seek out open captioned movies, watch the news in ASL, lived in Benson Hall at Gallaudet University (studied while doing an internship in D.C.), use an interpreter when I attend faculty meetings, have a text-only (no-voice minutes) phone, and devote my time to developing ASL-related resources for others.
I've lived my life serving in Deaf organizations, setting up Deaf events, working with other Deaf, teaching ASL, teaching Deaf Studies, etc.) I met my wife (Belinda at a Deaf church. Our youngest child, Sarah (our fourth) was born with a substantial hearing loss due to having Aperts (a rare syndrome) attended the Utah State School for the Deaf pre-school program. Almost all of my close friends and associates are either Deaf or strongly tied to the Deaf Community.
Question: Are you certified?
Answer: I hold a doctorate in Deaf Education / Deaf Studies from an accredited university (Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas). I also hold a masters in Deaf Education from Lamar university. As far as I know, I was the first person from Utah to become ASLTA certified. I was previously a member of ASLTA back when they were still S.I.G.N. (Sign Instructors Guidance Network). I'm now in California.
Question: Where did you learn ASL?
Answer: Growing up in a small town I started learning ASL from a Deaf woman, (Kathy Hadfield of Brigham City, Utah. She later married Mark Erwin -- so she is now Kathy Erwin.) As I grew older I became fully immersed in the Deaf Community, lived with Deaf roommates, hung out with other Deaf people, read every ASL book I could lay my hands on, and took as many formal (and informal) classes as I could find -- eventually leading to a doctorate degree in Deaf Education / Deaf Studies. Here are a few of the experiences that influenced me:
* Worked as a volunteer at the the Indiana School for the Deaf (as a teacher's assistant in Laura Gaalema's third grade class)
* Worked as a volunteer for GLAD Orange County Outreach in California
* Worked as a volunteer the (former) Indiana Branch Office of the National Association of the Deaf
* Lived on-campus at Gallaudet University during a summer internship program
* Took night classes at the Oregon School for the Deaf (Salem).
* Participated in hundreds of hours of "American Judicial System" - related ASL training at California State University Northridge
* Attended many (!) workshops
* Researched ASL Linguistics, ASL acquisition, and Computer Assisted Language Learning during my doctoral studies Lamar University
* Directed "immersion excursions" to exciting places with Deaf co-hosts
for several decades
* Directed an interpreter-training program for Davis County School District during which I interviewed, hired, and worked closely with many (around 30) Deaf guest-speakers and/or trainers
* Many years of discussing the nuances of ASL with d/Deaf colleagues at work and online.
Question: What kind of experience do you have teaching ASL?
Answer: I taught ASL at Weber State University in Ogden, Utah for over a decade. I have taught ASL classes and/or workshops at the Utah Community Center for the Deaf, the IRS, Hill Air Force Base, Defense Depot Ogden Utah, Mills Montessori School, the Newgate Mall, Your Community Connection of Ogden, Clearfield Community Schools, Davis County School District, Weber County School District, Ogden City Corporation, The Sign Language Studio, Lifeprint Institute, Lamar University in Beaumont Texas, The Sign Language Association, ASL University, California State University--Sacramento, and dozens of other places. As of this writing I am a full-time, tenured, full professor of American Sign Language and Deaf Studies. Teaching ASL is my life's work.
Update: Since I wrote the above, I've added "Guyana, South America" to the list. Guyana was by far the hardest work -- and the most fun.]
Update: Add Singapore to the list. I've done two separate week-long sign language-related workshops for the National Association for the Deaf (in Singapore).
For more information see:
www.lifeprint.com/asl101/pages-layout/bio.htm
You're hired!
Wow, talk about credentials! You've been one busy man. And I thought my life was busy. Bwahahaha. And giving back so graciously. Good Man!💞💞💞👌😁👍🏼
Thanks Debra!
(I haven't forgotten about our project!)
😁🤗🤞💞😎💖Since
Dude what In the world is going on
I recently lost hearing in my right ear, i panicked when this video had no sound i was frantically turning up all the volume afraid that i lost all my hearing suddenly. And then i coughed and i heard it. I was relieved.
I Am hard of hearing and the same thing happened. I was like. My day has come to become an asl expert I will practice so hard. Then I realized I could hear myself breathing...
L 💀💀💀💀💀💀💀
I just fell out of my chair 😂😂
I'm losing hearing in my right ear and trying to pick up asl. Is this a good video to watch btw?
@@bu8673 Yes.
My goal is to learn, at least, one video a day.
How many videos are there and did you ever meet your goal?
you shouldn't try to learn so fast if i was you i would go like the most of 2 vids a week because its so much to learn
alysia steele I agree. I have to go over the first two again because I forgot a bunch already.
Out of curiosity, did you keep up with it?
when your around signing you dont forget things
watching this made me realize that I hardly ever have silence in my life While Interacting with other people, this is the first video I have ever watched without sound on purpose. While I was focusing on practicing, I almost felt like I was in the room with them. hyperfocus
I tried learning ASL by watching videos with included sound. After 4 lessons here I have not only learned more but had a *faster retention* of what I have learned *because there is no sound.* It forces hearing people to really pay attention to your signs instead of falling back on our ears.
I love your work and appreciate the time, money and efforts it takes to offer ASL *for free* to the online community! Yes, I took your advice/request above because I really believe in your work here.
Mr. Vicars, from the bottom of my heart... I congratulate you on a superb learning page that excels most in person classes.
I am on lesson 23 but after each lesson I scroll back through lessons 1-22 etc to the end review what I have learned and pick up what I may have forgotten.
*This entire course should be mandatory for every student in the US, IMHO.*
Thanks for the very nice feedback! I appreciate it!
Hey everybody -- if you like crochet or amigurumi -- check out Appalachian Girl Designs' channel!
th-cam.com/channels/OPURyWQnWesrGLQEDGA35A.htmlvideos
Bill is hilarious. I never realized it but physical comedy looks alot like bills exaggerated signing.
Ikr? Cracked me up!
Epcot lp idk much about sign but I'm trying to learn some on my own. He makes me smile and laugh cause you can almost heard like the infliction in his speech threw his hands.
unlabledchicka92 actually it's "inflection", not infliction. and it's also "through", not threw. nothing personal or anything, just making you aware. if you want to learn signing, you'll need to understand the meanings of homophones (words that sound alike but have different meanings) and ensure your English grammar is correct, or it'll cause you (and others) lots of unnecessary problems. good luck!
dang. you right! thats funny how i never noticed it before......
As a support for all deaf people worldwide I decided to learn sign language .
ASL is not worldwide, it's just for America! You would have problems in other countries ;)
Cool
Joshua Garvida different in each country
+Joshua Garvida There are different languages in different countries.
asi bir bölii
I love your personality. You are an awesome teacher. My kids love watching your videos. You make learning really fun for them. I am glad that you are offering these important lessons. You are helping more people than you realize. These videos are helping my kids learn to speak with their uncle.
While i was talking in school with some friends and to my parents, i started signing while talking without thinking about it
happens all the time, my friends are like, "pick one language, jeez!"
I do that all the time
The Littlest Panther w
Lol
I do that too.
thank you Bill for making these high quality lessons freely available. I particularly enjoy they review and reinforcement of vocabulary all along the lesson and your sense of humor.
I have to go
I know everyone's saying the same thing but I'll repeat it because it's true: This is the best ASL teaching channel on TH-cam!
I moved from America about a year ago and am forced to speak/write/read with my native (but second) language. If they even teach sign language here, it's definitely not ASL. But your videos make it easy and even wildly funny to learn sign language! I was willing to suffer through tedious videos in the sake of learning, but I don't have to anymore.
Even if I sometimes don't understand your rapid signing, through glimpses of words, context, and your expression I always know what you're talking about. Also, you would make a REALLY good actor - I could practically see the invisible sandwich in your hand when you signed "good", and your movements and expressions combined more than make up for the loss of sound.
In fact, speaking of which, not having a voice explain everything prompted me to pay exclusive attention to your videos (although I nearly jumped out of my skin when an add suddenly blared out at an unnecessarily loud volume XD).
I learned so so so so so so SO much in a mere half hour (+ 10 mins). Thank you so much for offering these wonderful (and free!) ASL classes!
@2:33 You learn sign, why? For fun. For credit. and to meet curvy ladies!
I laughed so hard
23:39 is the timestamp
This was actually an amazing video. I recently just served a table of deaf people today and I love learning languages so I spent a few hours once I came home trying to learn a little. Being someone who can speak I find the silent audio and only written text extremely helpful in learning because it brings you into the language more. It forces you to learn it rather than hear it and brush it off. I rarely leave comments but this was awesome!
I've learned over 1000 signs in the last few days with these videos and lifeprint.com. By far the best teaching tool for sign language that I've found. What a beautiful language!
I'm a waitress at a restaurant and last week a group of people came in who were deaf and used sign language throughout their whole meal, it made me realise how much it would mean to them if i could learn to communicate their way, rather than clumsily try and understand their order. This is why i've decided to learn sign language - thank you for this amazingly helpful tutorial!
Hello, I am 14 years old but you have helped me so much with learning ASL I would like to help special-needs children for my career in the future. I used to assess a mute girl when I was younger this inspired me to start learning ASL thanks to you it has been much easier and plenty of kids in my class want me to teach them now :)
What a fantastic thing to hear. I, too, wanted to learn ASL for the same reason. I'm 23, and just now learning. Do it while you're young and have the time.
Awesome :)
I'm very touched by your comment.
Wow, I didn't know that people thought like me! That's what I would like to do when I am older too, and that is the exact same reason I am taking ASL!
LOVE seeing people want to do the same thing as me!
Awsome,I feel the same way. :)
I'm 29 years old and I'm just now beginning to learn ASL, and I must say this is the most amazing education video of all time. I sat here watching a completely silent video, followed along with them and signed what he was asking for and I learned so much... this video is absolutely amazing. Cannot wait to watch more!!
Dr Bill I am 53 and just learning ASL , thank you for making not only an educational videos for this but making them a lot of fun as well .
My daughter is autistic and uses sign language for a lot of her communication, I also work with special education students and your videos have helped me in refreshing my ASL from when I was fluent back in highschool. Thank you Bill very much
Ive been learning from you for about 5 years now and you're wonderful! I'd like to become an ASL interpreter one day, I have been losing my hearing for a long time now and this makes me feel safe knowing that if I do lose my hearing you have helped me greatly! I love when I get to use it at work because in my town they don't cater to deaf people at all so when someone sees that I can speak with them it brings me such joy ♥ Thankyou for all that you do!
Even if I can't hear you (because there is no sound to this video :p), I can see your beautiful personality! I'm just starting to learn, and you've helped me a lot. I have no reason to learn sign language other than talking to people who know, and that it's beautiful! Thank you! :D
I agree!
Nobody Same!
don't you just LOVE bill vicars?
I love this! This is a great way to learn sign language. It makes me think of the Pimsleur Approach for ASL. I'm also a teacher. I teach English to Hispanics on youtube.
That is awesome! Some of my friends are learning English through You Tube videos. I will mention your name to them!
Wonderful! I appreciate your suggestion. Thank you!
Pimsleur Approach is something I do not know. I made a note and will see what that means! ty
Thanks so much for having these lessons up! I struggle with speaking and ASL makes it so much easier to communicate, but I've had trouble learning. These are such great lessons and the expressiveness and joking in them makes them really engaging. Thanks again! Communicating is becoming so much easier.
I am someone who have met a load of deaf or mute people, and I myself have D.I.D where one of my alters are selective mute. I am finding your videos to be very helpful when it comes to my goal of understanding asl, as well as giving myself a much broader way of communication. I can tell your student had fun recording this with you.
My first sign language video and I learned all the signs in this video so quickly. It's sooo FUN to watch! Thank you for sharing it in TH-cam. I REALLY want to learn. It's amazing.
I know i'm a little late, but i just recently started learning sign language, and this style of video with teacher and student is quite honestly the best form of youtube learning for a new language.!
Thanks Mattt!
For higher resolution versions of my videos consider using the ASLU Playlist -- see item 2 below for the link.
Happy studying!
============================
How to use ASL University to learn sign language for free:
1. Visit Lifeprint.com and become familiar with the ASL University website.
2. Bookmark the official ASLU TH-cam master playlist:
th-cam.com/play/PL6akqFwEeSpiLwRFA3ZvuOWMwPXwI7NqA.html
3. For quick reviews (to prevent memory extinction) bookmark the "Signs" channel playlist page:
th-cam.com/users/Lifeprint-signsplaylists or more specifically: th-cam.com/users/Lifeprint-signsplaylists?view=50&sort=dd&shelf_id=1
4. If you use a desktop or laptop computer you can look up signs using this page: www.lifeprint.com/search.htm
5. If you use a mobile device you can look up signs using this page:
www.lifeprint.com/search/index.htm
6. If you can’t find a sign after using the search options at Lifeprint.com then consider applying to join the Lifeprint-ASLU Facebook group and asking your question there. See:
facebook.com/groups/Lifeprint.ASLU/
7. Go through the ASLU Lessons for free:
www.lifeprint.com/asl101/lessons/lessons.htm
Your comments, questions, or suggestions are always welcome.
To contact Dr. Bill Vicars, see: www.lifeprint.com/asl101/pages-layout/contact.htm
If you like the free LIfeprint.com lessons you might enjoy the low-cost subscription version of the lessons. For information see: lifeprint.com/asltc/
Ways to support the ASL University channel:
* Click the “thumb up” (like) icon on videos at TH-cam.com/billvicars
* Click the “subscribe” button at TH-cam.com/billvicars (if you haven't done so yet)
* Click the “Share” link and share the videos.
* ASL University “official” clothing or ASLU gear: teespring.com/stores/aslu
* Donate via: www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=64QMBRBXQSV6G
* For other donation options, see: www.Lifeprint.com/donate.htm If you have any friends who might be in a position to do so you might want to consider inviting them to donate -- thus supporting Deaf children and the promotion of free sign language resources via Lifeprint.com
* Visit the “ASLU” bookstore at www.lifeprint.com/bookstore/bookstore.htm (feel free to suggest new products that you would like to see).
Thanks!
29:05 This bit cracked me up. Also loved how the over exaggeration really showed the sarcasm
I started going deaf when I was 5, I'm a sophomore in high school now. I currently have a hearing aid in my left ear. Slowly going deaf in both. Thank you for helping me learn how to communicate with others who share my struggle. I've taken classes in school that have attempted to teach me ASL, but they were boring. Thank you for making it fun!
I do not have a head for languages. I took Spanish classes for FIVE YEARS and it just did not stick no matter how hard I tried. I’m really impressed with how well I understood and was able to replicate these signs b/c somehow you’ve managed to do what none of Spanish teachers could do and actually get it to make sense in my brain!!! This is really really cool, wish my school district had offered ASL courses
Banuna,
See below for some tips on how to get the most out of the lessons.
How to use ASL University to learn sign language for free:
1. Visit Lifeprint.com and become familiar with the ASL University website.
2. Bookmark the official ASLU TH-cam master playlist:
th-cam.com/play/PL6akqFwEeSpiLwRFA3ZvuOWMwPXwI7NqA.html
3. For quick reviews (to prevent memory extinction) bookmark the "Signs" channel playlist page:
th-cam.com/users/Lifeprint-signsplaylists
4. If you use a desktop or laptop computer you can look up signs using this page: www.lifeprint.com/search.htm
5. If you use a mobile device you can look up signs using this page:
www.lifeprint.com/search/index.htm
6. If you can’t find a sign after using the search options at Lifeprint.com then consider applying to join the Lifeprint-ASLU Facebook group and asking your question there. See:
facebook.com/groups/Lifeprint.ASLU/
7. Go through the ASLU Lessons for free:
www.lifeprint.com/asl101/lessons/lessons.htm
Your comments, questions, or suggestions are always welcome.
To contact Dr. Bill Vicars, see: www.lifeprint.com/asl101/pages-layout/contact.htm
Ways to support the ASL University channel:
* For donation options, see: www.Lifeprint.com/donate.htm
* Click the “thumb up” (like) icon on videos at TH-cam.com/billvicars
* Click the “subscribe” button at TH-cam.com/billvicars (if you haven't done so yet)
* Click the “Share” link and share the videos.
Thanks!
OMG, Mr Bill (Bob) you're so funny! I'm trying to learn ASL on my own and so far you're my favorite instructor! I understand a lot of what you're saying behind the scenes based on your facial expressions and the context. I wish I had found your videos months ago, I'd be a lot better now. But I'm enjoying every minute of the journey. Thank you!
I know this was 8 years ago, but for anyone who was confused, Mr. Vicars (Bill) was saying his teacher was Bob! 🖤
Thank you for providing all of the classes for free! I love these
Hello Sarah!
I'm glad you like the TH-cam lessons.
You might want to check out the website that goes with the lessons too.
See item 7 below.
==============
How to use ASL University to learn sign language for free:
1. Visit Lifeprint.com and become familiar with the ASL University website.
2. Bookmark the official ASLU TH-cam master playlist:
th-cam.com/play/PL6akqFwEeSpiLwRFA3ZvuOWMwPXwI7NqA.html
3. For quick reviews (to prevent memory extinction) bookmark the "Signs" channel playlist page:
th-cam.com/users/Lifeprint-signsplaylists or more specifically: th-cam.com/users/Lifeprint-signsplaylists?view=50&sort=dd&shelf_id=1
4. If you use a desktop or laptop computer you can look up signs using this page: www.lifeprint.com/search.htm
5. If you use a mobile device you can look up signs using this page:
www.lifeprint.com/search/index.htm
6. If you can’t find a sign after using the search options at Lifeprint.com then consider applying to join the Lifeprint-ASLU Facebook group and asking your question there. See:
facebook.com/groups/Lifeprint.ASLU/
7. Go through the ASLU Lessons for free:
www.lifeprint.com/asl101/lessons/lessons.htm
Your comments, questions, or suggestions are always welcome.
To contact Dr. Bill Vicars, see: www.lifeprint.com/asl101/pages-layout/contact.htm
If you like the free LIfeprint.com lessons you might enjoy the low-cost subscription version of the lessons. For information see: lifeprint.com/asltc/
Ways to support the ASL University channel:
* Click the “thumb up” (like) icon on videos at TH-cam.com/billvicars
* Click the “subscribe” button at TH-cam.com/billvicars (if you haven't done so yet)
* Click the “Share” link and share the videos.
* ASL University “official” clothing or ASLU gear: teespring.com/stores/aslu
* Donate via: www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=64QMBRBXQSV6G
* For other donation options, see: www.Lifeprint.com/donate.htm If you have any friends who might be in a position to do so you might want to consider inviting them to donate -- thus supporting Deaf children and the promotion of free sign language resources via Lifeprint.com
* Visit the “ASLU” bookstore at www.lifeprint.com/bookstore/bookstore.htm (feel free to suggest new products that you would like to see).
Thanks!
Hi Bill, u made me understand ASL even more. Im an ED nurse who goes go through patients who are deaf and it makes me sad not able to understand what they are trying to tell me. could u show us a lesson on medical side? like what type of allergies you have? How long is the pain etcs.. it wld be really helpful..
+JavaneseHijabi
Hello :)
I have lessons on "medical signing." See the medical signing playlist. But please know that those lessons are taught "in the target language" for students who have already taken up though "ASL 4" -- so you might need to work your way up to them.
+Bill Vicars Hi Bill!!! awesome!!! i shall start my lesson with ur clips now yeay!! ^.^" thank u sooo much!!!
+JavaneseHijabi How did it go? We're your patients surprised
+Bill Vicars, this is good to know as I am a phlebotomist and would like to learn medical signing as well. Thank you for all that you do!
its kinda amazing how you can still have a sense of humor and be funny while nobody can really, fully understand you. Thank you!
I'm taking ASL classes at LongBeach city college. And my teacher want the class to watch your videos so we can learn from the Master. Thank you
Heh. I'm more like the "Jester" than the "Master." But hey thanks!
no problem thank you
you're amazing haha
ASL is an awesome language to know.
I love this! I love this hands on experience!
Took one class in middle school. Only the alphabet stuck. Had a supervisor at a job of mine that was learning it, he and a few who were deaf/hard of hearing would teach me a few words each day. A few of them stuck, after not having anyone to practice with.
I don't want to keep passing up the opportunity to learn this language that I think is so cool and so useful. I really hope to be able to communicate with this fluently one day...
Omg I can't believe I'm reading ASL!! Dr Bill is amazing!
I love this method of learning a language. I've been wanting to learn ASL for a while and decided to look it up on TH-cam. So glad I found your videos Dr. Bill. Thank you for making these!
You are the best online ASL teacher. I catch on so fast with your videos! Thanks so much for sharing! :)
Found out my college roommate is deaf so I'm trying to learn some basic stuff before move-in day. You make it all so easy to learn and pick up on, thank you so much!!
That's so nice of you! Keep it up :)
These videos are really helpful I have several friends that are deaf and until now we have only been able to communicate with other devices and things. I can't wait until I can have a complete conversation with one of my deaf friends!
it's incredible that in just 30 minutes, you can already start understanding what they're signing. amazing.
best teacher asl
+Travis Roberts Travis, I'll send you your payment soon. (Heh.)
I'm deaf, I'm 40 years old, and started learning ASL just a bit ago. Man your lessons sure did good to me! a whole lotta more of motivation through your teaching skills/ magnetic charisma! Thanks Mr Vicars! I devoured the first lesson with a biiiiiig smile on my face :))
Wolverine (birth name: James Howlett; colloquial: Logan, Weapon X).
“I’m the best at what I do, but what I do best isn’t very nice.”
**_bows gently while smirking_**
Wow! Thank you so much for putting all of your lessons online! I don't have a lot of money right now but I really want to learn ASL and your videos are making that possible for me. I can't thank you enough!
Ever curious: Michelle I also forgot to mention that I love your sense of humor, these videos could be really dry but your personality really brings life and levity to the lessons, I thoroughly enjoy them!
I have to say how cool it is to scroll through your comment section and see people of all ages, from child to adult learning a language as important as this. There's nothing there but nice words and encouragement. I'm so glad there are people making this a priority.
Asl is so fun to learn! I have a visual memory so learning languages is very difficult for me, but I am learning this really quickly! I am learning asl because my hearing is continually getting worse, I have speak problems(stuttering etc) and to talk to deaf/hoh people :p
A friend shared this video with me after I expressed an interest in learning ASL for personal reasons. And watching near the time you're introducing HOW, I saw the magic! I'm married to a magician, previously professional and now just recreational, (I mean his magic not our marriage 😂) and enjoyed seeing your trick! He's a corporate trainer now and often uses magic in his training! 🐇🎩
This is exactly what I have been looking for! I have been wanting to learn ASL for a few years now but have not had the time to be in a class every day. Thank you so much for doing this. Do you have any tips for learning ASL?
+Raelynn Kelley
All my best tips are posted over at Lifeprint.com
Also, google: peer advice student to student site:lifeprint.com
Sitting in the hospital overnight. Best thing to do? Learn ASL! Thank you for these videos. I've always wanted to learn. I'm so fascinated with it.
I am taking an ASL 1 class and your channel is helping me a lot. Thank you for making these videos.
This video was excellent. There is just enough repetition to make it stick without getting boring. The humor made it fun. Thank you so much!!
I've been learning ASL off and on for about 4 years now and these videos are fantastic for review. I appreciate that he uses somewhat beginner students because it reminds me to not be had on myself when I make a mistake. :) Thanks for the awesome vids!
Dr. Bill, you are such a funny and charismatic teacher! What a great way to learn just by jumping in (and enjoying a few jokes)!
Thank you Dr. Bill and students. I am just beginning to teach myself sign language and these lessons are wonderful additions to the books I am reading. I plan on watching your videos multiple times as they are great! I never understood humor in ASL until watching this video. Its amazing that once you understand what is being signed you can pick up on the comedy that goes along with it and the facial expressions.
You are an amazing teacher! Thank you so much for letting thousands of people learn from you!
Thank you Bill! I'm chilean (hearing person) and I wanted to learn ASL. This is just what I've been looking for! :)
I have a deaf classmate so I decided to learn ASL a week ago. I found it fascinating . Thanks for the videos , they have helped a lot .
Hello Bill, I'm writing to you today because I wanted to learn ASL and my best friend told me that your videos were the best because she learned it from you personally, her name is Heather Lawson. I'm excited because I am learning so much within a short time and it's helping me to be able to speak to my new friend Andre while he is taking the missionary discussions. The sister missionaries in my ward are not trained in ASL but we found an interpreter from another ward, and she's impressed with my ability and I showed her your videos because she asked how I had learned so quickly. Andre has spent most of his life forgotten by his family because he wasn't born deaf he lost his hearing at a young age and so his parents and siblings just wrote him off and none of them learned ASL. He has been so lonely and frustrated for so long he was a little confused as to why I wanted to learn to talk to him , and why us four women want to teach him not only about the Gospel but to teach him English and reading in English. It's been several weeks since the missionaries found him and we started working with him, and it's been so rewarding I am so blessed to have met Andre and to be part of his amazing journey! Thank you for the wonderful videos that makes ASL fun and easy!
Ahh, mormons
Hi Mr Bill, I just want to thank you. I work at Home Depot in Houston and I love the look on customers face who cannot speak when I sign. One of my bosses was having a hard time trying to help a deaf customer. I walked up to them and agreed him by signing, again I love the look on his face. I was able to get him what he needed, another happy customer. Thanks again, enjoying your videos...
Can I just say thank you for this. I been wanting to learn to sign for years ever since I was in grammar school and saw the ASL alphabet at a mall . Seeing the teacher and student interact with one another and understand what they are saying to one another is amazing. Makes me realize I am actually learning!
I am learning ASL so fast now that I have started watching these. I am loosing my hearing in my left ear and I am feeling compelled to prepare for the future.
Took a beginning ASL class at my college to be able to talk to my friend in my art class, lost touch with him sadly, and 2 years later I'm coming back to ASL to refresh on what i used to know. I've never had a negative experience with my friend who is deaf, he was always so kind and patient. I've been to a few deaf community get togethers and they have always been so welcoming and helpful, even when i would sign so poorly. Thank you Bill for helping me re learn ASL!
i love him, he is sooo funny, and really good teacher too!!! great!!! :)
Every so often there is a woman that comes into the store I work at who is deaf. I have been looking on search engines for special websites that might have classes on ASL, but today I just stumbled across this video and it is really fun to learn and easy as well. I cant believe I never came to TH-cam for signing! I could say thanks before, that was it, so now hopefully I can work my way up to being able to fully converse with her. Thank you, Bill!
Somehow you remind me of heisenberg (walter white) but great lesson! Thank you for teaching us :)
On a whim i decided to pick back up on ASL. Last time i practiced was 15 years ago in high school and in barely any time at all i was able to follow along with you and your student. Looking forward to learning a partial mastery over the language
I would like to be in that class looks like fun
recently I got some deaf friends and I'm eagerly want to communicate with them. I have to thank you dr. bill! now you're making everything becomes easier!
Hello Mr. Vicars,I am a hearing person but I find sign language fascinating and so I started learning through the internet (I did not find any lessons in my area).Will I be able to communicate easily with a deaf person just by watching your lessons and by reading your posts at Lifeprint?Thank you in advance!
+Ειρήνη Μαραγκάκη Hello :) Whether or not American Sign Language lessons will empower you to converse with local Deaf people depends on where you live since your local Deaf may use a signed language other than ASL. (There are many different signed languages throughout the world.) Many Hearing individuals have mentioned to me that studying here (on TH-cam) and at my website (Lifeprint.com) has enabled them to "begin" conversing with their Deaf classmates, coworkers, associates and/or family members. The more you study and practice the easier such conversations will become.
Probably one of the most important aspects to learning is immersion. So watching videos will help grasp some ideas, but to really "Learn" and make it stick, get involved! Find any deaf centers in your area and find out what activities there are happening. Sometimes it's plays, church meetings, games, bingo, fast food, bowling, etc. Get involved. If your area is too small, ask around if anyone knows anyone deaf nearby. They can tell you if anything happens around you. I know that this is so long ago, but the suggestion will be for anyone, anywhere in a America that wants to learn ASL and really grasp ASL. The deaf are extremely forgiving and helpful to new learners. Learn a few basics and go use them. Let them fine tune your skills and signs. You will probably also learn colloquial signing, as well as some regional signs.
I’m not deaf but I love to learn cuz my friends 3 of them are deaf in my country ( I’m from Iraq ) then I start talk and communicate with my friends Until I come to USA 6 years ago, also I met my neighbor a deaf couple but their son 5 years old he is not deaf, I felt happy to be their friend but I realized that Arabic sign language is different than American Sign Language, any way I start watching Bill Vicars videos and learn and I’m so happy to communicate with my neighbors, I think they should put a sign language class in schools for the kids to communicate with others and learn about them, I feel so special cuz my neighbors love me and happy to have them as my friends. Thank you mr Bill Vicars your videos mean a lot to us.
I have decided to rededicate myself to learning sign. I told my friends back at Hinds that I wanted to learn sign so I couldn't hear bs from ppl.
I like how Bill adds some humor as he teaches. Not all serious. Makes it more fun to learn.
Thx, I'm learning a lot, great teacher, smart student
I used to watch and learn these in high school almost a decade ago. Now I have come back to re-learn and you have always been the best and most fun! Thank you
Francesca,
If I may ask, what is your goal in learning ASL?
What "level" of signer do you currently consider yourself to be? What profession are you in and/or major in college?
If you feel like responding but don't feel like responding in public, my email is on this page:
www.lifeprint.com/asl101/pages-layout/contact.htm
Why do I ask?
Because sometimes special projects come up for which I like to maintain a list of potential student assistants to invite to be involved.
Hi, my name is Janet from Saskatchewan, Canada, i'm a tutor tutoring a deaf boy, well a pre-teen. I just started learning ASL since May of this year. I have been teaching Signed English and not happy that i wasted years teaching my student signed english since 2011. but I have a question. "what is your mom's name?" why isn't it signed as it is ? can you please explain. or "what is your name?" its not signed as is right? why
When i first took on this job, i taught myself, the school had books in signed english but not in asl so that what i learned and taught my deaf student. I realizes there is more to asl then just the signing, the gestures, facial expressions and more. What author do you recommend for me to understand.
Janet,
In regard to developing a better understanding of ASL grammar, please see:
www.lifeprint.com/asl101/topics/subject-verb-object-asl-sentence-structure.htm
Janet Forest a very poor explanation to "what is your name" and how its signed would be that in my experience, you would sign YOUR NAME WHAT because people signing generally end with the question word. so "What is your mother's name?" would be signed YOUR MOTHER NAME WHAT. Don't forget the eyebrows.
It's the same with any two languages. If you translate word from word from french, you get something like 'how yourself call you?'. It's always a bad idea to try to translate each word in a sentence. You have to learn what the grammar is in _that_ language. Why do they say it that way in french? Because that's just how the language developed. They think english sounds just as backwards.
I used to have a roommate that is Hard of Hearing and his mom is deaf. I have always found sign language fascinating and I asked him to teach me to sign. He said it was too difficult to teach someone to sign and never did. My best friend and I love the show "Switched at Birth" which features a family dealing with daughters switched at birth and one of them is deaf. It is an amazing show and we have picked up a few of the signs. Then I found your channel and I have to say thank you. This is an amazing learning experience for me. I just wish I had friends were I live now who were deaf so I apply what I have learned. Again I wanted to say thank you so much. Your videos help me a lot.
My cousin is hard of hearing sometimes and other times completely deaf and Switched At Birth encouraged me to learn ASL!! It's my favourite show and now I didn't even have to read the subtitles!
I'm sort of confused as to how asl is related to English. do you put the order of the words the same way you do in English? one time you signed "deaf you?" and another time you signed "you deaf?" so I just want to know how to organize the words to form sentences on my own.
oh and thank you for your very entertaining and useful lessons!
sign lauguage is backwards similar to Spanish
asl and english don't have the same word order format. the first word you sign is the word that is given emphasis in the sentence, i believe. so when he signs "deaf you?" the idea of her being deaf is emphasised. whereas when he signs "you deaf?", it has the same sort of emphasis as if she had asked "are you deaf?" and him responding "are YOU?" if that makes sense.
In English you might ask a roommate:
“You coming?” as a shortened way of asking “Are you going to the party tonight?”
Or you might also phrase your question as:
“Are you coming?”
Either way works fine as long as there is plenty of context (meaning, your friend knows there is a party and it is obvious that you are asking about his participation).
You might shorten your question even more to:
“Coming?”
Your roommate would still understand you.
In English lots of different word orders are common.
This is no different from ASL. In ASL you could ask someone:
YOU DEAF?
YOU DEAF (are)-YOU?
DEAF (are)-YOU?
In context you can use extreme shortening:
Signer A: “YESTERDAY I GO DATE.” = “Yesterday I went on a date.”
Signer B: “DEAF?” = “Is she Deaf?”
Thus “appropriate grammar” is influenced by how much context you have.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Now for a quick primer on ASL grammar:
Believe it or not, the basic word order in ASL sentences with transitive verbs is Subject-Verb-Object. If anyone wants to argue you on this grammar rule, simply refer them to the "Linguistics of American Sign Language" (3rd Ed.) textbook page 135 where on item #3 of the chapter summary it states: "The most basic word order in ASL sentences with transitive verbs is Subject-Verb-Object." In situations where the conversation partners have pre-existing information and/or are introducing a new topic to the conversation it is common to "topicalize" the sign for the topic. To topicalize a sign you move it to the beginning of the sentence, raise your eyebrows, and tilt your head forward a bit. English also uses "topicalization."
You will see it in phrases such as:
"Do you remember John? Well, yesterday, I saw him..."
"That red sweater of yours? I washed it and..."
"About tomorrow, we need to..."
"Do you recall my old car? I sold it."
"In regard to your educational plan, you should..."
Just as it would drive a Hearing person nuts if their conversation partner topicalized EVERY sentence -- the same is true for ASL. If you topicalize every sentence you sign in ASL you are going to seem very weird in real life conversations.
So, feel free to topicalize to establish or change your topic but once you have done so you should STOP topicalizing for the rest of the discussion on that subject.
Let me give you an example. Suppose I’m at home with my wife and wanted to inform her that I’m going to the store and ask her if she needed anything -- I should sign:
I/ME GO STORE. NEED ANYTHING?
The first sentence is obviously “subject-verb-object.”
The first sentence would be unmarked. (Unmarked means I wouldn’t do anything fancy or extra to it.) The second sentence would use raised eyebrows. (It would be “marked” with raised eyebrows to add the meaning of “do?”-[Yes or no?]
If I topicalized the first sentence as, “STORE? I/ME GO” it would seem slightly awkward or strange to her. It would be the equivalent in English of saying?
“Do you know the store? I’m going to it.”
Well, duh! Of course she knows the store. It is the same store we have “gone to” for over a decade. I’m going to the regular store -- there is no need to “mark” it (or in other words there is nothing remarkable about the store and there is no need to distinguish it from some other store nor to ask if she remembers it). Thus topicalization in that context would be a waste of effort and inappropriate.
However, if I wanted to let her know that I was going to a different store I could sign:
HEY, REMEMBER YESTERDAY NOTICE NEW STORE? I/ME GO. WANT COME-on?
Which would be the equivalent of saying, “Hey, do you remember yesterday we saw a new store? I’m going. Do you want to join me?”
Since she and I shared the experience of driving home yesterday and seeing a new store I could (and should) shorten my sentence to:
NEW STORE? I/ME GO. WANT COME-on?
Topicalization works on objects:
“JOHN? YESTERDAY STORE I SAW-(him)” (O?SV) John? Yesterday I saw him.”
Topicalization works on subjects:
“JOHN? LEAVE CITY” (S?VO) “John? He left town.”
So, I’m going to state this again: The basic word order of ASL sentences with transitive verbs (verbs which have an object) is subject-verb-object. If your sentence can be made more efficient or engaging by clarifying or emphasizing your topic then go ahead and move that topic to the front of your sentence and raise your eyebrows while looking in your conversation partner’s eyes for a glimmer of understanding then go ahead and finish your sentence.
-----------------------------------------------------
We tend to move question signs such as WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, WHY, WHICH, HOW, HOW-MUCH, & HOW-MANY (which are sometimes referred to as "WH"-type questions) to the end of complex or long sentences so as to allow for efficient facial grammar. By that I mean, you don’t have to furrow your eyebrows the whole length of the sentence if you put the question word at the end of the sentence.
-----------------------------------------------------
During questions such as "Did you...?" "Will you...?" "Are you...?" (which are sometimes referred to as "Yes/No"-questions since they are answered with a yes or no) we tend to repeat the pronoun at the end (low context situations) -- again for the purpose of allowing efficient facial grammar. (Example: "YOU GO PARTY (are)-YOU?" Thus the second use of the YOU sign (accompanied by raised eyebrows) is functioning as the equivalent of the "be"-verb "are" in English.
-----------------------------------------------------
[end]
+WOWCruiser wow what an ableist prick
+WOWCruiser It's just a different language. Have you ever tried translating french into english just by translating each word? It doesn't really make sense. That's how languages are. If you know at least two languages this will make perfect sense.
i am newly deaf and decided to look up sign language classes. i am learning a lot thanks to this videos!
Dr. Bill Vicars, I was born with a handicap and my alternate hand can only be used palm down but I am interested in knowing ASL. Can I sign with just one hand, already knowing some words use both one or two hand(s) but do all. You should post a video "tutoring with just one hand", I would be interested. My nephew was born with autism and I can use just a simple stroke of an arm movement to communicate. I would gladly appreciate your help if so, Thank You.
I want to teacher a deaf kids, so I'm going to watch your videos. You are the best
Hi dr bill my name is Michael I am 12 I found interest in asl when my deaf neighbor taught me basics I fell in love and have watched your videos to further my knowledge of asl please reply
+Michael Sanchez
Fist bump dude!
I wish that I knew you had this channel up years ago.... I absolutely loved it. I learned ASL in High School and have not used it in years. I have been wanting to get back into it and be able to sign for my church one day. I have searched so many different lessons and I happened across yours... It is so refreshing and easy to learn. REPETITION IS KEY! Thank you Mr. Vicars for allowing me to learn and refresh my memory on the basics. I will continue to follow and learn. Excellent Teacher!!!!
HELP!!! I think I'm loosing my hearing cuz when people talk to me and I'm not looking at them I can't really hear anything except muffle sounds. I told my dad this is happening and he doesn't believe me. I'm ok in ASL but I want to learn more. but how to I tell my dad to get my ears checked
I have this same problem with my vision, my mother thinks I'm faking it so she refuses to get me glasses
Oh that such. I'm blind in one eye too and my dad didn't believe me until we got my eyes checked just wait until then. You will show her up 😄
Minecraftdream27
+Abby Turner hey abby turner what id do is just keep saying what to everything hes saying until he gets the point xD
+Abby Turner all i can tell you is that your dad should listen to you because its really important, but not the end.
Really loved the way that Lady smiles every now and then 🥰.
Why did I turn up my volume thinking there would be sound? 💀
I know the importance of using different facial expressions when signing, but I have so much trouble watching you and not just smiling all the time because you're such a joy to watch and to learn from. Thank you so much Bill!
The captions are super helpful but what bothers me is that it says "shakes head" when they're nodding...
One of my aides typed up those captions in an effort to be helpful. Looks like you've noticed something that needs to be fixed. Thanks for commenting.
Bill Vicars ^^ no problem.
Will your aides be adding captions to other videos too?
Dr. Vicars is WONDERFUL!! He has a great sense of humor - he makes it FUN to learn how to ASL!! I wish I had Dr. Vicars teaching me ASL in person!!
Your payment should arrive soon.
;-)
:)
im in college learning A.S.L i hope to one day teach the beautiful deaf students to learn drums... JUST IMAGINE ahahaha
I don't personally know anyone who is deaf, but 20 years ago I tried teaching myself ASL & didn't get very far with library books I used. This is a great tutorial so thank you for sparking my interest to want to learn another way of communicating! I love the repetition, it helps tremendously!
whatch out 7:35 c4 exploded !!
LOLOL
Loooooool
Good sense of humor is my favorite part 😂😂 he’s an amazing teacher as well, easy to follow and learn
Am I the only one doing this BC switched at birth
me 2
ive been exposed
I’m watching it now and decided to learn lol