Can You Learn Sign Language Online?

Different groups, including both the Deaf community and the hearing population, rely on sign language to communicate through hand movements, facial expressions, lip patterns, and hand shapes. Online sign language classes can help students learn anywhere through in-depth lessons. So, can you learn sign language online? Read on to find out.

How to Learn Sign Language Online

In brief, sign language utilizes visual communication systems expressed by hand, face, and lip movements. It is a comprehensive visual language with similar linguistic traits as a spoken language. Generally, North Americans who are deaf or experiencing difficulty hearing rely on American Sign Language (ASL) as a method of communication. Other people can use ASL to communicate with deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals.

If you are looking to learn sign language, the online platform offers various ways to understand gestures or movements used in the Deaf community. Sign language immersion enables you to communicate effectively with Deaf individuals. Here are some ways to learn sign language online:

Watch Online Videos

It is easy to study sign language from online professionals with different video platforms, such as YouTube and BSL Zone. Watching videos of sign language allows you to mimic and repeat signs and grasp one or more gestures at a time. Watching online videos is one way to learn sign language and communicate easily with the Deaf and hard-of-hearing community.

However, learning sign language online can be a challenge since watching and mimicking online videos. It is essential to build a foundation with basics before moving on to more advanced sign language gestures, shapes, and expressions. If you are learning sign language for the first time, considering online classes comes in handy.

Take an Online Course

One of the most practical ways of learning sign language online is to take an online course from a reputable online platform like LanguageBird. Several deaf universities and organizations also offer online courses to deaf, hard-of-hearing individuals, and the general population. A structured curriculum taught in a one-to-one format helps ASL students build a foundation in visual communication and allows opportunities to practice with a proficient instructor.

Flexibility is Key

Online courses provide systematic learning to begin from the basics while advancing your skills to advanced signs. Further, an online course is more flexible because learners can attend online classes at different times depending on their schedules. Taking an online course enables you to grasp concepts at your own pace, practice adequately and without competition.

Get Started with Professional Tutors

Learning sign language online can be ideal for accessing professional tutors and resources crucial for understanding the language quickly. Besides having fun learning the language to promote communication with the Deaf community, learning sign language online expands your language comprehension skills. If you are learning sign language for career purposes, learning online enables you to have a reliable learning platform.

Here at LanguageBird, we can help you get started with learning sign language efficiently and effectively online. To find out more about our courses and what makes us different from other online language programs, download your free ebook below!