ASLdeafined Newsletter – Study Tips, Girls Scouts, & More

ASLdeafined Weekly Newsletter – 8/10/18

 

Studying with ASLdeafined

Whether you’re a newbie to our site or a seasoned senior, you’ll definitely be able to take advantage of some of our best study tips this week! Learning American Sign Language can be easy and fun if you focus and learn one sign at a time. Here’s how to get the most out of our 300+ lesson strong curriculum:

1. Faster videos can be slowed down. In the upper left-hand corner of every video there is an option to slow down the video- just click the box that says “Slow Video Playback” and you’ll be able to review each vocabulary word at the right pace for you!

2. Do ALL the activities. You might think you don’t need to do the activities at the end of the lesson, but we promise you: It HELPS! Students that take the time to complete all the lessons are able to reinforce key concepts in Sign Language, such as the way your hand shapes itself and the locations of signs. These activities also include English-to-ASL translating practice. By skipping these activities you are really missing out!

3. Utilize the “My Vocabulary” feature. (Shown Right) Need to study up before that vocabulary quiz? This is the best way for a quick review. You can add vocabulary words to your “My Vocabulary” page (accessible via the Dashboard) and then review them all at once, like video flash cards! You can also access this feature via mobile so you can study on the bus, during lunch- whenever you’ve got a spare minute to practice your ASL!

4. Practice with a friend. Now that you’ve got the hang of the vocabulary it’s time to put it to practice. Buy reviewing with a partner you gain a skill called “retention”, which is basically how well you understand another person signing to you. You know you’ve got it down if you can understand another person’s signs. Want a bit of a challenge? Try going to a “Deaf Coffee” or another meetup and sign with a Deaf person that knows ASL: It’s great practice and you might even make some new friends!

Remember that with learning any language, practice makes perfect! Taking the time to study each lesson will help you remember more down the line. 

 

Deaf History Spotlight: Juliette Gordon Low!

Did you know that the founder of the Girl Scouts was deaf? Julliette Gordon Low became deaf in early adulthood, but that never stopped her from forming one of the most iconic groups in American! She was raised in Georgia with Southern values, and became inspired by the Boy Scouts. She eventually moved to England to learn more about a troop called the “Girl Guides”.

The Girl Guides were a group dedicated to teaching young girls first aid, cooking, and other skills like tying knots. She founded several Girl Guides groups while living in England, and eventually moved back to the states (bringing a love of the Guides with her!). She founded the very first American Girl Guides group in her hometown of Savannah, Georgia- this was the foundation of the modern Girl Scouts (and their famous cookies, of course!). 

Low taught the Girl Scouts about knot tying, foraging, and first aid among other important skills. Despite some support from outside the organization, the Girl Scouts were mostly funded by herself in the beginning. Today her birthday, October 31st, is celebrated as Founder’s Day by scouts across the country. 

 

What’s New with ASLdeafined?

Now that we are heading back to school, ASLdeafined is ready now more than ever! Thanks to key features developed in the last year students and teachers are able to utilize the site and make learning American Sign Language a breeze. For students, you are able to save your favorite vocabulary to review later for quizzes with ease. With our ASLdeafined mobile app you can even review these videos on the bus!

Teachers will love our updated curriculum, now including more lessons that reinforce important concepts (such as handshapes and location). Teachers will also find that we have updated the dictionary to include more signs, and now have a completely user-friendly system of tracking student scores. 

Our last summer webinar has come and gone, BUT you can still email us for one-on-one training to utilize the ASLdeafined curriculum. We are happy to help!

Have new ideas for ASLdeafined? Email us at info@asldeafined.com! 

 

Handshape of the Week: S!

The S-handshape looks like a closed fist with the thumb across your remaining fingers, shown below in the sign for ADOPT.

Other signs that use the S-handshape include:

Charge
Abuse
Fight
Loud
Protest
Freedome
Love
Drop
Strength
Power