For most people, a common treatment for daily stress is spending a long holiday vacation relaxing on the beach soaking up the sun. However, stress relief is taking on a new and different form nowadays. Because of expanding appeal and accessibility of learning holidays, a lot more people are now unwinding and relaxing by attaining additional skills or hobbies, such as painting, French bread baking, or learning ASL online. Some choose to travel to destinations like Hawaii, Morocco, Paris or London to pursue these interests, while some decide to learn ASL online straight from their very own homes.
In order to learn ASL, you should employ a distinct skill set and go through other instructional methods than you would to learn a spoken language. For example, while listening is crucial to understanding a spoken language, audio cannot teach ASL. Instead, becoming proficient in ASL calls for either live or video-based teaching.
Research Before Choosing a Method to Learn ASL Online
Hence, it is important to look for a reliable online ASL video training course such as those offered by Start ASL or look for a certified instructor for in-person training. To accomplish this, you need to do thorough research and check the online reviews and testimonials of several ASL schools and instructors.
Set ASL Study Goals for the Holiday Period with an Action Plan
The following is a sample action plan to find out some of the most common ASL signs during a long holiday time period.
1. Have a list of the signs you intend to learn online.
2. Draw or glue an image of each sign on the top side of a flashcard along with the equivalent written word on the backside.
3. Learn five to six new signs each day during the holiday break.
4. Revise the words day-to-day using a spaced repetition approach.*
*Spaced repetition is a learning method that’s usually done with flashcards. Newly introduced and more difficult flash cards are shown more often, whereas older and much easier flashcards are shown less often to utilize the so-called “psychological spacing effect.” Several studies show spaced repetition increases learning rates.
Other Ways to Learn ASL Online During Long Holidays
Aside from flashcards, here are a few recommendations for practicing your American Sign Language knowledge throughout a long holiday or whenever you are on a break from work.
1. Attend virtual meetings or in-person Deaf and Hard-of-hearing gatherings in your area. You will quickly get to a conversational stage once you immerse yourself in ASL via interactive dialogs with D/HoH community members at social gatherings.
2. Have a look at ASL videos or movies. An example is SIGN, a short film about the bond between a hearing man and a Deaf man through brief scenes, music, and sign language. To get additional information on ASL movies, you can go to www.aslfilms.com, the web page of ASL Films. This independent production organization is Deaf-owned and operated and creates movies as well as other feature film media in ASL for the Deaf and Hard-of-hearing community.
3. Join online ASL conversation and practice groups. Attaining conversational proficiency in ASL easily depends on frequently using it as it is a journey of learning. With that being said, one of the best ways to gain expertise is to participate in online discussions and practice groups. Such groups also help you get immersed in Deaf and Hard-of-hearing culture. When immersed within the culture, you will find endless opportunities to make use of your ASL skills.
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