Learn ASL

Season 33, episode 17 of the hit animated sitcom The Simpsons entitled “The Sound of Bleeding Gums” is outstanding for its use of American Sign Language ( ASL ) (although the characters have only 4 fingers), and for its casting of Deaf actor John Autry II to be the voice of the Deaf character Monk. Autry became the first Deaf performer to voice a character on the show through this role. The ep. 17 additionally features a few other Deaf performers, like comedian Kathy Buckley and 3 youngsters, Kaylee Arellano, Ian Mayorga, and Hazel Lopez from No Limits, a nonprofit organization dedicated to deaf kids. This fact reinforces the impact of “The Sound of Bleeding Gums” as a turning point in US entertainment history for the Deaf community. Concern for Deaf People and Deaf Culture “The Sound of Bleeding Gums” installment of The Simpsons demonstrates that its creators care about dealing with real-life issues on the show, especially regarding people of different communities like the Deaf. For i...

Every year, Girl Scouts across the United States commemorate October 31st as Founder's Day. The date was chosen to commemorate the birthday of Girl Scouts founder Juliette Gordon Low. Ms. Low, who blazed a trail for countless young girls to follow and lived a life of daring, self-assurance, and integrity, would not accept "No" for an answer when confronted with negativity in her never-ending quest to make Girl Scouts of the USA a success. Juliette Gordon Low, also known as "Daisy," founded Girl Scouts of the USA in 1912, when women in the United States did not yet have the right to vote. Juliette grew her first troop of 18 girls into a global organization with nearly three million members in 92 countries and over 59 million alumnae. She envisioned the Scouts from the start as a movement in which girls could band together, work together, express their individual strengths, and realize their dreams. Ultimately, as countless Girl Scouts have done since, she reali...

Deaf TV star Rose Ayling-Ellis and her professional dance partner Giovanni Pernice won a BAFTA for their appearance on the UK television show Strictly Come Dancing. During their ballroom dance to Clean Bandit's song "Symphony," the music was turned off for a few seconds as the couple danced in silence. Rose, an actor from the popular British soap opera EastEnders, was the first Deaf contestant on Strictly Come Dancing. Through her stellar performance on the show, she powerfully brought society's perceptions of the Deaf community to the forefront. The BAFTA Presenter Impresses Viewers  Rochelle Humes, an English singer and tv presenter, presented Rose with her BAFTA in the most touching way possible by announcing the winner in sign language . Rochelle's notable action coincided with the passage of a new UK law that designated British Sign Language (BSL) as an official language in England and Wales. Rose Ayling-Ellis' Accomplishment had a Significant Impact Ms...

Young children often astound their parents whenever they achieve milestones in their lives, like from learning how to walk to potty training. For deaf father, Zachary Lotane of Laguna Beach, California, who communicates solely in American Sign Language (ASL), seeing his hearing 1-yr-old daughter interpret for him by signing was a huge one. One day the little girl, who’s named Madison, was waddling down an aisle in a supermarket holding two packages of dish-washing sponges and suddenly dropped the packages. She then quickly showed her dad through ASL what she was concerned about, signing, “Baby crying.” She next pointed in the direction of the sound she heard, which her dad couldn’t hear. Zachary then repeated Madison’s gesture and asked her, “Baby crying?” as she crouched down to pick up the sponges she had dropped. Zachary shared it on TikTok as @oursignedworld. Not only was it a "wow" moment for Zachary Latone, but it was also a heartwarming one for the many people who w...

Academy Award-winning Deaf actor Troy Kotsur recently made an appearance in one episode of the timeless PBS children’s show ‘Sesame Street” teaching American Sign Language . He's the 2nd Deaf person in history to actually win an Oscar, the 1st being his co-star in CODA, Marlee Matlin.  He's on the program to teach two of the Muppets and also the show’s global audience the regularly featured “Word of the Day” in American Sign Language (ASL). He explained to Sesame Street characters Rosita and the Count that he is Deaf and utilizes ASL to interact with others. What is American Sign Language (ASL)? This well-recognized form of sign language is used by Deaf people all over North America and in other parts of the planet also, including in Canada. The use of sign language to communicate is called signing. ASL uses both manual or hand-based gestures and also movements with other parts of the body to convey messages. The Word of the Day is Diversity The actor explained that it means un...

The International Day of Sign Languages (IDSL) offers a chance for individuals to maintain and also protect the linguistic identity and cultural diversity of Deaf individuals as well as other sign language users around the globe. Countries emphasized the global oneness engendered through the use of sign languages during the 2022 observance, which featured the theme “Sign Language Unites Us.” Through the celebration, Deaf organizations, governmental agencies, as well as civil institutions continued to promote and recognize national sign languages as critical to preserving their respective countries’ distinct linguistic environments.  The next sentences show the importance of International Day of Sign Languages for deaf individuals and society as a whole. Sign language is actually the only means of communication for the Deaf and those who are not able to speak. Having a special day that recognizes their distinct verbal medium is thus encouraging and helpful to such groups. The IDSL ...

  If your desire was to learn American Sign Language (ASL) in the 1800’s fewer educational organizations could offer more value than Oklahoma State University. Oklahoma State University (OSU), founded on December 25, 1890 as Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical College in Stillwater, OK, has evolved into one of the foremost land-grant universities in the United States, thanks to its rich traditions and progressive academic culture. In the fall of 2021, OSU made its American Sign Language (ASL) major into a bachelor’s degree program, a crucial development for students who want to study signing and possibly teach ASL in the US or around the world. The move was also a great leap forward for the D/HoH community, which has long been under-resourced by both the public and private sectors. Previously, ASL was only offered as a minor at OSU. Dr. Woodall-Greene, who was then an adjunct professor close to receiving her doctorate, applied for the position. Dr. Woodall-Greene was selected as ...