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TRANSLATE THIS PAGE
To go to the PRACTICE launch page, click here.
FINGERSPELLING STRATEGIES
Some
fingerspellers seem to have no trouble at all.
Others require years of practice before mastery.
Real-Life Letter Sequence
Repeating the alphabet over and over is about as helpful to learning how to fingerspell as it is for learning to read: You have to know it, but that's not how you do it.
In words, letters seldom make themselves useful in convenient alphabetic order. So, naturally, it makes sense (and it works!) to practice letter-combinations (sequences) as they actually occur, in real words.
Try focusing on common letter-sequence practice drills, fingerspelling them again and again. You might be delighted with how quickly you are able to pick up the mechanics of common letter-sequences, and gratified by how often they will show up in fingerspelled words.
"Here's
the drill ... "
Some two-letter sequences to practice are:
| th | he | an | re | er |
| in | on | at | nd | st |
| es | en | of | te | ed |
| or | ti | hi | as | to |
Here are some three-letter sequences:
| the | ing | and | ion | ent |
| for | tio | ere | her | ate |
| ver | ter | tha | ati | hat |
| ers | his | res | ill | are |
Avoid the Jerks
Remember to avoid bouncing or jerking each letter, as this wastes energy, can exacerbate repetitive-motion problems, and makes viewing comprehension extremely difficult. The goal is to produce smooth, fluid, and accurate fingerspelling.
Speed
or Accuracy?
Speed will come with practice, and is not a goal to take
the place of accuracy and clarity. Focus on accuracy and clarity.
Speed will take care of itself.
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The coolest way yet to improve your receptive fingerspelling skills. |
| Beginners can
learn to recognize the different handshapes that make up the
letters of the alphabet.
Signers of every ability level can practice reading many fingerspelled words at speeds varying from novice to expert. After becoming confident with your fingerspelling perception, test your new skills and receive an evaluation of your performance. Can you read Marvin's blazingly fast fingers to qualify as a world champion? |
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MORE Books, Videos, and CDs
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Expressive and Receptive Fingerspelling for Hearing Adults
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 Master
ASL! Fingerspelling, Numbers, And Glossing
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Fingerspelling in ASL |  Turn-Taking,
Fingerspelling, and Contact
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| ONE of the many resources learners use to improve
FINGERSPELLING skill and technique. |
Numbering in ASL | Number
Signs for Everyone (includes DVD!) (2008) |
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The
English Alphabet in ASL
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This page
was edited:
09/15/2009
This page has been visited
times since:
July 12, 2009.
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are made available throughout this site, and we hope that earnest seekers of
knowledge will take advantage of them.
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