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More about Learning Sign for those New to Sign
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Learning sign is fun and easy!
We have found the easiest way to introduce yourself to sign is to first learn some "keysigns" for everyday things.
Many signs quickly become obvious, you may recognise them from your own natural gestures, so remembering "Keysigns" can be easy!
If you are wanting to sign with adult signers then it is then a good idea to learn the Australian Sign Alphabet,
so if you ever don't know the sign for something, you can resort to fingerspelling. A tip with fingerspelling that is rarely emphasised is that the vowels
, 'a', 'e', 'i', 'o' and 'u' are the thumb and fingers on one hand, pointed to by the other hand.
You can look-up signs online here, or veiw signs by category. So keep practicing and expanding your sign knowledge. Try and find other people who sign you can practise this method of communication with.
Soon you'll be able to hold reasonable conversation in sign and will begin playing with it's own little puns,
humour and slang.
By now you may feel you are ready to think about doing a course in sign. In the past these have largely only been available at the more serious level, usually through a Uni or TAFE.
We are pleased to report that recent years have seen dramatic increases in the number of people learning sign language. As a result you can often find "beginner" or "First" signer courses at many local community centers, adult learning centers and alike.
There are also a number of tutors specialising in classes for "newbies", which are more customised to the needs of participants.
Please see our online BABY/STARTER SIGN COURSE PROVIDERS DATABASE for provider details.
Perhaps you feel you are ready for a more advanced course, where you can expand your range and understanding of sign,
and come to understand the logic behind the grammer of the language. If you wish to continue learning sign from here,
the most obvious step is to become a qualified interpreter. These are in high demand, so pay rates are well in excess
of a suffering teacher's wage. Still higher rates are paid for interpreters with specialised AUSLAN knowledge, such
as medical, legal or engineering terms.
Please see our online ADVANCED SIGN COURSE PROVIDERS DATABASE for provider details.
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Recommended Resources:
Auslan Children's Picture Dictionary Volume 2
This is the second book in a series of Auslan (Australian Sign Language) Dictionaries for children. This edition includes over 3000 signs under the topics : Insects and Bugs, Native Animals, Reptiles, Occupations, Describing People, Emotions and Feelings, Size Texture Appearance Distance, Utencils and Crockery, Time to Cook, Furniture, Transport, The Alphabet, and Number 1-10. Each listing includes a line-art illustration of the sign, a description of how to do the sign and a pictorial representation of the meaning.
Break Time Poster the signs you'd use taking tea or lunch break. Sizes A3, A4, A5
Sign Alphabet Poster Australian Fingerspelling Alphabet. Used Nationally, also New Zealand and UK. 3 Designs and Sizes to choose from
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Update: 27th June 2006
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