Learning ASL

[Catherine Delaney]

Hello everyone I am Cat! I am currently trying to educate myself on the language of ASL for a class project. This was also motivated by my graduate studies of becoming a Speech Language Pathologist. I am starting off with the basics including the alphabet and other signs we use daily such as saying hello, goodbye, please, thank you, etc. Language is beyond fascinating and with the range of clients I have I want to be able to encourage communication in modalities that work for each patient I work with. As a future SLP, this will allow me to work with clients that are hard of hearing and have limited usage of verbal communication. ASL can also be used with clients that have voice pathologies and aphasia which is a great tool for these populations. I am looking to see if anyone would recommend any resources or tips to aid me on this learning journey. I also would love to hear about others perspectives learning or using ASL. 

[Sofruf]

Hi Cat! My name is Sofia, I am currently pursuing my masters in clinical nutrition science to be come a registered dietitian. I took ASL 101 and 102 in undergrad but have been interested in sign language since I was little. I grew up in Rochester which is home to the Rochester Institute of Technology a prominent deaf college. I participated in theater with hard of hearing individuals and learned so much from them. I became fascinated with ASL and how I can use it in my profession. I’ve had the opportunity to communicate with my patients through sign and describe dietary needs etc. Speech language pathology sounds like an incredible career!

[Shannon Justice]

On 4/8/2025 at 8:19 PM, Catherine Delaney said:

Hello everyone I am Cat! I am currently trying to educate myself on the language of ASL for a class project. This was also motivated by my graduate studies of becoming a Speech Language Pathologist. I am starting off with the basics including the alphabet and other signs we use daily such as saying hello, goodbye, please, thank you, etc. Language is beyond fascinating and with the range of clients I have I want to be able to encourage communication in modalities that work for each patient I work with. As a future SLP, this will allow me to work with clients that are hard of hearing and have limited usage of verbal communication. ASL can also be used with clients that have voice pathologies and aphasia which is a great tool for these populations. I am looking to see if anyone would recommend any resources or tips to aid me on this learning journey. I also would love to hear about others perspectives learning or using ASL. 

Hey Cat, I've been studying sign language for a while now, off and on .I work with you at S.Oaks. This is Shannon .Your review sounds intersting.If you ever need help studying,let me know. Good luck on everything...

[Nadeema]

Hi, my name is Nadeema and I’m just starting my journey in learning ASL. I’m a complete beginner. Like I don’t even know the basics yet but I truly want to learn..

Two years ago, I had ear surgery when i faced some hearing problems and i gain back my hearing after that surgery. But recently, I’ve started experiencing hearing loss again. The doctors told me I might need to go through the same surgery, but I also know that this may keep happening. It’s emotionally and financially heavy, I don’t want to keep depending on expensive treatments or be a burden to those around me.. and also I’ve reached a point where I feel like, if this is what life is offering or god is giving, maybe I should accept it with strength and prepare myself.

That’s why I want to learn ASL..not only because I may lose my hearing permanently someday, but also because I believe sign language is one of the most beautiful forms of communication. I don’t want to feel like I’m disappearing from the world..I want to connect, express, and live fully, even if it’s in silence..

I’m hoping to find kind people here who will help me step by step.. I don’t want to feel alone. I really hope I can be part of this community and learn with your support.. And yeah here I'm with an open heart, ready to learn..

Thank you for being here.

[Michelle B]

Hi! I am a Hard of Hearing Specialist in Utah. Our program is free to individuals who are hard of hearing no matter where they live. We offer support and cover things like basic sign language and lip reading classes in person and online. We also have a weekly online support/discussion group for individuals with hearing loss and/or their communication partners. I have been working on my sign language recently because I have been interacting a lot more with the Deaf and hard of hearing community through my work. I learned sign 20 years ago but then never used it, so now I have been relearning ASL. 

[eafe.uka]

On 8/7/2025 at 8:22 AM, Nadeema said:

Hi, my name is Nadeema and I’m just starting my journey in learning ASL. I’m a complete beginner. Like I don’t even know the basics yet but I truly want to learn..

Two years ago, I had ear surgery when i faced some hearing problems and i gain back my hearing after that surgery. But recently, I’ve started experiencing hearing loss again. The doctors told me I might need to go through the same surgery, but I also know that this may keep happening. It’s emotionally and financially heavy, I don’t want to keep depending on expensive treatments or be a burden to those around me.. and also I’ve reached a point where I feel like, if this is what life is offering or god is giving, maybe I should accept it with strength and prepare myself.

That’s why I want to learn ASL..not only because I may lose my hearing permanently someday, but also because I believe sign language is one of the most beautiful forms of communication. I don’t want to feel like I’m disappearing from the world..I want to connect, express, and live fully, even if it’s in silence..

I’m hoping to find kind people here who will help me step by step.. I don’t want to feel alone. I really hope I can be part of this community and learn with your support.. And yeah here I'm with an open heart, ready to learn..

Thank you for being here.

Hey Nadeema

Thank you for sharing your story
I’m also Hard of Hearing and I really felt your words
It’s not easy facing the unknown with your hearing but the strength you’re showing is real
Learning ASL changed a lot for me
It helped me feel seen and connected in ways I didn’t expect

You’re not alone here
We’re all learning together and you’ve already taken a big step just by showing up with an open heart

If you ever need someone to learn with or talk to I’m around

You got this

[123Oliver123]

when I was in an impatient I had a lot of trouble expressing how I was feeling and this girl knew the ASL alphabet and thought it to me then we made up a ton of signs as well and I decided I wanted to learn it thuroly

[EmmaBrown]

That’s a really thoughtful direction for your studies, especially as an SLP where flexible communication methods can make such a difference for clients. ASL is a full language with its own grammar and cultural context, so pairing structured learning (like alphabet and basic vocabulary) with real interaction or video-based practice tends to help a lot. Many learners also find it useful to follow Deaf creators and structured lesson series to build fluency beyond isolated signs. You can explore additional learning resources and community perspectives here: Spin mama