Fingerspelling…Why is it Tough to Understand?

Many people have a difficult time understanding fingerspelling.  If you are feeling frustrated with fingerspelling, you’re not alone.

Here are some tips when reading fingerspelling:

• Try and catch the first letter and last letter of the word
• Use context clues to help narrow the word possibilities
• DO NOT PANIC when you see the person you are talking with fingerspell
• Ask the person you are conversing with to slow down his or her fingerspelled word
• Ask the person to repeat the fingerspelled word

The more you interact with the Deaf community, the better you will be able to sign and understand fingerspelling.