Customer Reviews (1)

Good, but not all official signs
I needed to read in detail in the intro to find out if these signs were official ASL signs or not - it turns out they are a mix. If that doesn't bother you, then the book has excelltent pictures. However, I feel like if you are going to teach a kid to sign, you should teach them the official signs - teaching them different ones means that only you and the few people you know can understand them; with ASL signs, everyone can understand them even if it takes baby a bit longer to master the signs. ... Read more

Product Description
Research has shown that very young children can learn sign language before they learn to speak. Teach Your Tot to Sign: The Parents’ Guide to American Sign Language provides parents and teachers the opportunity to teach more than 500 basic American Sign Language (ASL) signs to their infants, toddlers, and young children. Hearing children, deaf children, and children with special needs can benefit from learning the elementary signs chosen for this handy pocket-size book. Young children who can communicate using simple signs become less frustrated and also bond in a special way with their parents. In teaching ASL to parents of toddlers and preschool teachers, author Stacy A. Thompson recognized the need for a book that could be used at home and in the classroom. Her book features fundamental signs of great appeal to young children and concise instructions on how to sign, including the critical importance of facial expression.

Teach Your Tot to Sign anticipates all of the common desires and interests of young children — food, pets, planes, trains, cars, and boats, games, holidays, vegetables, family — in short, nearly everything. Reflecting children’s endless curiosity, the vocabulary chosen ranges from signs for "baby," "broken," "clown," "dinosaur," "firefighter," "gentle," "hot," "hurt," "ketchup," "pacifier," "rooster," "sad," "spaghetti," "wagon," "water," "wet," to "you’re welcome," and even "McDonalds." This lively assortment of signs will help every child convey earlier in their development their thoughts, feelings, and desires to their parents and teachers. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (26)

Teaching Your Tot to Sign
Teaching my twin granddaughters to sign so they can communication with us and each other. Little early to determine if it is working but their grandfather and I are having fun trying!

Awesome book
Great book.
Easy to use
Even a great tool for adults to learn sign
Illustrations are easy to understand
Definitely recommend!!!

Wonderful book! Thrilled I bought it!
I am thrilled that I chose this book and ordered it to teach my daughter sign language. The illustrations, descriptions, and reminders/tips are excellent for helping me learn them and then show them to my daughter. Plus that it is in alphabetical order, makes it really easy to find that one word that I am looking for. I would definitely recommend this book to any parent wanting to teacher their child signing.

Best Child Sign language book
This is a great one! The descriptions for hand movement are fantastic, give excellent instructions, and "memory aids" for remembering the words. The book is a convenient size and fits in the diaper bag without adding weight, so it's a great companion to take out and about with you.

I HIGHLY recommend this book, especially for parents who have NEED to teach thier children to sign (deaf or otherwise non-verbal kids). The book teaches Americal Sign Language, as opposed to modified sign the way a lot of "baby" or "toddler" videos and books teach, so it's good for life-long communication.

This is one that has already gotten lots of use in our house, and it's my first go-to reference when I need to understand what my toddler is trying to communicate with me!

Love it!
I love this book.My son's learning center teaches a new sign language word every week and this has been an excellent resource for me to continue (& keep up) his learning.There are arrowed pictures to ensure that you are signing properly, along with a helpful memory hint.It's amazing how quickly kids pick up sign language! ... Read more

Product Description
This unique collection of essays, accompanied by a pioneering DVD, at last brings a dazzling view of the literary, social, and performative aspects of American Sign Language to a wide audience. The book presents the work of a renowned and diverse group of deaf, hard-of-hearing, and hearing scholars who examine original ASL poetry, narrative, and drama. The DVD showcases the poems and narratives under discussion in their original form, providing access to them for hearing non-signers for the first time. Together, the book and DVD provide new insight into the history, culture, and creative achievements of the deaf community while expanding the scope of the visual and performing arts, literary criticism, and comparative literature. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Fantastic
Wondeful book with lots of detail, and great drawings. I learned a lot and still useit as a reference.

It would be better if...
This book is helpful when learning American Sign Language terms for Sexual Behavior. However, it is hard to distinguish hand positioning at times. The book uses drawings of a person signing the ASL vocabulary words. It would be easier to determine hand and finger placement if they had used photos of people signing instead of drawings.

Signs of Sexual Behavior: An Introduction to Some Sex-Related Vocabulary in American Sign Language
Book was helpful in interpreting some vocabulary in a course related to sexual behavior, however book was old and did have region related signs.

Sorry for being inappropriate...
I'm not deaf and I don't know deaf people, but I love the book. I found it in my college library and me and my buddies learned all the signs. Years later, I saw it here on Amazon and had to buy it. Reading this book is like learning curses in other languages, and therefore, I recommend it.

Excellent resource
This is an excellent resource for ASL students, lawyers, medic specialists, etc. ... Read more

Product Description
Sign Language Among North American Indians Compared With That Among Other Peoples And Deaf-Mutes - First Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology to the - Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, 1879-1880, - Government Printing Office, Washington, 1881, pages 263-552 is presented here in a high quality paperback edition. This popular classic work by Garrick Mallery is in the English language. If you enjoy the works of Garrick Mallery then we highly recommend this publication for your book collection. ... Read more

Product Description
Sign Language Interpreters in Court: Understanding Best Practices is the first comprehensive text examining the role and function of sign language interpreters working in the legal arena. Designed for interpreters seeking a principled basis to justify best and emerging practices, the book presents a critical analysis of the constitutional, statutory and ethical foundations underpinning the work of court interpreters. Sign Language Interpreters in Court: Understanding Best Practices offers the theoretical tools for understanding, applying and articulating the various roles and functions undertaken by sign language interpreters in court. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A Must Read for ALL Interpreters
I am reading this book again for the second time.It is the best interpreting book I have ever had the privilege of reading.I find it a wonderful resource even if you are not planning to become a court interpreter.Carla Mathers has a way of explaining things in such a logical way that the sound reasoning for each principle presented improves reasoning skills in all arenas of interpreting!

Exceptional Guidance for Sign Language Legal Interpreters
I have read this book "Sign Language Interpreters in Court: Understanding Best Practices" and gained a great deal of insight into the various roles of court interpreting.It is probably the single best source of information for sign language interpreters working in the legal setting.It covers best practices for privileged communications, proceedings interpreter, table interpreter, and guidance on how to educate the court system on these matters and properly staff a trial.And the best part is that it is written not for spoken-language interpreting, but specifically with Sign Language legal interpreting as it's focal point.I feel that any certified interpreter working in legal settings should read this book, for it will indeed provide much needed guidance for this specialized field of interpreting.I am thankful to Carla Mathers for writing such a book and providing valuable resources for legal interpreters.I certainly enjoyed the book and I know you will too. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (5)

Wonderful teacher's resource!
Highly recommend!I teach preschool and this book has been great for our class.So many great ideas and games of how to introduce new words and incorporate sign into our daily activities.Many, many pages full of pictures of how to sign certain words!That being said, I do find that my background in ASL does help make it easier to understand these pictures.Someone who has never seen any ASL will be able to do every sign according to the pictures, but they may not be completely accurate in how they interpret the pictures of each sign.

Great resource for professionals in the field of speech and language therapy
As a public school speech pathologist, I found this resource to be very useful in helping young learners access the school curriculum in a fun and engaging way. Excellent!

An excellent resource!
This book is a must for any preschool teacher serious about incorporating ASL into classroom activities.Dennis and Azpiri write from their own experience of using ASL in the classroom, and, though neither is fluent in ASL, they share their detailed curriculum for using ASL in the classroom.Most impressive is their understanding that signs cannot be used in a vacuum, and that simply throwing signs into the classroom without an understanding of the rich and complex history of ASL would be irresponsible.Instead, they provide a context for using the language by giving a basic introduction for beginners, then providing a strong case for *why* the language should be used: to motitave and engage young learners, to match multiple learning styles, and to include children with various abilities, for a start.From the classroom teacher's point of view, the best part about this book are the copious lesson plans, on topics common to the early childhood classroom (weather, seasons, school, family, colors, community helpers, animals, feelings).These authors demonstrate that using ASL to assist in teaching about all those other topics will easily engage and enhance children's learning.--Kathy MacMillan, author of Try Your Hand at This: Easy Ways to Incorporate Sign Language into Your Programs

excellent resource
This book is an easy to understand approach to incorporating ASL into hearing educational venues.Its step-by-step approach is backed up by the discussion of down to earth techniques that must be employed to reach the target audience - children and their families.I like that it borrows from another culture to establish a calm, controlled environment among those who most benefit from order, structure, and discipline - our children!And they include a healthy dollop of creativity!Thanks to Ms. Dennis and Ms. Azpiri for sharing their work with the general public!It is chock full of ideas to get you started.

Great for Parents, Too
I am not an early childhood educator, but I am the parent of a toddler who is rapidly maxing out my sign language abilities.This book is perfect for us.

Unlike many sign language dictionaries which are intended for adults, this book includes just the vocabulary you use with small children: colors, numbers, shapes, family members, weather, feelings, behavior, and more.

Though I mainly bought the book for the signs, the lesson plans also provide some fun ideas for games to play with your child.

I am giving it four stars because some of the sign pictures are not very easy to interpret.They do have good descriptions accompanying them, but you have to already know what the "S hand" looks like, for instance.If you have some basic ASL familiarity, you can figure them out, but it might be hard for very inexperienced signers to read.

Overall, though, I highly recommend this for parents who are signing with their children! ... Read more

Product Description
?I love you.? ?What can I get you?? ?Let?s take a walk.?
Wanting to say simple things like these but not being able to is frustrating and disheartening?but learning how to communicate can be easy and fun! This book is a basic guide to the alphabet, vocabulary, and techniques it takes to connect using American Sign Language. Whether signing out of necessity or learning for the sake of growing, you will enjoy this practical primer. After reading this book, you will be able to use American Sign Language in a social, educational, or professional setting. Whether the goal is to communicate with hearing-impaired grandparent, a child with special needs in school, or an infant, people learn sign language for many different reasons. Easy to read and reference?and complete with images and examples of common signs ?this basic guide allows you to make a meaningful connection that?s otherwise impossible. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

First impression
I haven't read the book, but the product description is discouraging. The grammatical mistakes makes this product seem unprofessional. I'm afraid to even look inside the book itself. How do I know that what's inside is creditable if what's on the product description is not? ... Read more

Product Description
Subtitle: With Brief Explanatory Notes of the Gestures Taught Deaf-Mutes in Our Institutions for Their Instruction and a Description of Some of the Peculiar Laws, Customs, Myths, Superstitions, Ways of Living, Code of Peace and War Signals of Our AboriginesGeneral Books publication date: 2009Original publication date: 1885Original Publisher: L.R. Hamersly ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

an adventure in misprint media
The content of the book is valuable and presumably accurate as it was first published in 1885. The hand signs themselves are described verbally rather than demonstrated visually (no illustrations). This can be disappointing to some readers. The concepts/words/phrases are entered alphabetically, but interspersed with long disquisitions on American Indian history, culture, and anecdotes. This makes locating a specific sign somewhat challenging. Worse, the book seems to have escaped any editing whatsoever. Typographical errors abound, and the index is absolutely worthless as page references are wildly inaccurate. The author, William Philo Clark, was a Captain in the Second Cavalry. His compilation of sign language was commissioned by Lieutenant General P. H. Sheridan. Clark's experience and interaction with a wide variety of tribes gives his compilation great authority. Using the book is troublesome and frustrating, but it is a major source for the common sign language of the time, and its accounts of life among the American Indians of the Great Plains and the Southwest is absorbing.

Much more than a "dictionary"
I bought the book since I read about it in "Wooden Leg" biography. The old Cheyenne describes the author as a very knowledgeable "sign speaker". Actually the book is much more than a dictionary since the author has collected a huge number of stories and information about different indian tribes. Definitely a precious information source on the life of American indians as seen from a white soldier who spent lots of time with them during the last years of their freedom.

This book was written by someone who was there.
One language connected all tribes of Americans not long ago.This book is filled with translations from English to Native American Sign Language as well the historical facts related to the period that this book was written.Even tribal accents are noted as certain tribes expressed the same words using their own habitual pronunciations in sign.This book not only clearly explains the language but paints a picture alphabetically of the subjects, abstract and tangible, that Native Americans talked about in 1877. ... Read more

Product Description
EXAMBUSTERS Study Cards printed/boxed or on CD-Rom are specifically designed for exam preparation: AP, PSAT, New SAT, SAT II, ACT, PRAXIS, PPSAT, New GRE, GED, New GMAT, New MCAT, CLEP, ASVAB, New York State Regents, HSPT, COOP, SSAT, ISEE, and classroom quizzes, tests, and finals. Each EXAMBUSTERS Study Card title provides a concise, focused review of course material. Only essential facts and formulas are presented. We cover many introductory high school and college courses, and our titles are approved by the New York City Board of Education.

Why are Study Cards the best way to learn?
Because we learn most effectively when we can:
---absorb information in small, progressive increments.
---take an active part in the process
---receive immediate feedback (the answer is shown as soon as we fill in the blank)

Who wrote the cards?
High school teachers, test prep coaches, language experts, professional interpreters and translators, and college professors, with a focus on preparing students for standardized tests such as the AP, New SAT, SAT II, PRAXIS, GRE, GED, GMAT, MCAT, ACT, CLEP, and many others. Each Course in a Box or Course on CD-Rom covers the basics of a full year introductory course. EXAMBUSTERS Study Cards focus only on essential facts, definitions, and formulas. The flash cards were designed to help students learn and review courses efficiently.

What is the advantage of flash card study over textbooks and review books?
---Parents, tutors, and teachers can work together with students. Perfect for home schooling!
---Groups of students can have fun turning a study session into a trivia game.
---Portable: Learn a few each day. A sense of accomplishment grows as your stack of I have no idea! decreases, and the stack of I know the answer! increases.

Who has benefitted from our study cards?
* high school and college students
* head start oriented grade school students
* parents and grandparents concerned about their children's education
* teachers (for classroom, small group activities)
* tutors (for one-on-one teaching)
* business travelers and tourists

What is special about EXAMBUSTERS Study Cards on CD-Rom?
Cutting edge. . . the only series of its kind. User-friendly software--simple for all ages to explore. Study cards are displayed on the screen, one at a time, and can be eliminated from the stack just like printed cards. Our Screensaver Mode displays a new question and answer every few seconds in random order. Learn subliminally! Finally, our test mode randomly selects questions to create a quiz, mid-term, or final--your choice--a new test every time. The EXAMBUSTERS software program keeps track of the test time limit and grades you at test completion. Grades are stored in a table on the help menu so you can track your progress.

What are the computer system requirements for EXAMBUSTERS Study Cards on CD-Rom?
At least 500 MHZ processor, Intel Pentium II (or equivalent), 128 MB of RAM, 400 MB of disk space. Microsoft Windows XP or VISTA operating system, 2x CD-ROM drive, 256-color SVGA monitor: minimum resolution 800 x 600. Not compatible with Macintosh. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

CLASSROOM AID -- Liked the software.
My students love them. We use them in class for group study and a jeopardy/trivia game. They're good review before finals and good preview for upcoming lessons. Exambusters cover the basics in an unconfusing format. In our learning center, we use the software. It's easy to figure out. Just click around and all the functions are clear. Students can remove cards they know or don't need from a virtual stack of cards, the same as if they had index cards printed. The screensaver helped with vocabulary study especially. The computer test was different each time and no matter how many times it was taken. There are three lengths to choose from, quiz, mid-term, and final.

Good Reinforcement
Try these first to review math and/or vocabulary you haven't seen for awhile. Just the basics are presented and I found I already knew some of the answers, but other times, the cards filled in the gaps. That's what's good about flash cards, you can pull out the ones you don't need. Can't do that with a work book unless you want to rip out some pages and use a lot of white out!! The software and the cards were both helpful; the same information in two different forms. Thanks, Exambusters. You've covered it all and given me more confidence!

USED CARDS WITH ALL MY CHILDREN
Helpful to my four children in junior high and high school. They have most courses and also the tests like SAT, SSAT, AP. Easy to use and fun (which is saying a lot when your kid would rather be out with friends than studying!)

Focused studying. Photo sign language cards are helpful.
I've tried several courses: math, science, history and language. My kids especially love the Sign Language cards! I purchased all three card sets and the CD-software. The photographs are more realistic than drawings which you mostly find in ASL products. Great for younger kids too. My daughter's using them in her Brownie troupe and my three-year-old has picked up on some of the alphabet and numbers already. My older son has some mild learning disabilities and looking at a page in a book with so much information all together makes him nervous. I put one card at a time on a cleared table. It helps him focus and that gives him more confidence. People have been making or using flash cards forever, and I think they always will be no matter how fancy computers and software gets (but the Exambusters software is good too). I've recommended them to others.

reasonable price, easy to use... intuitive software... try different titles
When I was in school, flash cards were the best way to learn and I always made my own. The exambusters cards cover many of my daughter's courses and I bought her several. Sometimes we work together and she and her friends study in a group too--making a trivia game. Try the software. The screensaver function is great!! In our house, we love to learn new languages. The program flashes words or phrases and then translation every few seconds. The material goes into your brain by osmosis and the constantly changing cards on the screen keep pulling you back to read more. The software is much easier to figure out than some other brands we've purchased. It's intuitive; you don't need to read a lot of confusing instructions. All in all, good investment. ... Read more

Product Description
View a family album and meet family members and community workers through signs and photos. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (6)

Let's Sign
Great Book. It was suppost be in excellent condition. Ends were all chewed up! Not a good buy. I would not have purchased it even at garage sale.

BABY SIGN
THIS BOOK WAS VERY HARD FOR ME TO FIGURE THE SIGNS, BECAUSE THE CHARATERS HAND MOVEMENTS WHERE TO SMALL. THE HANDS ARE AS SMALL AS ON THE FRONT OF THE BOOK.

Good Book for Both Parents and Children
This is the 1st book I got in order to learn and teach my baby sign language.I thought it was a great beginner book.Good illustrations, easy to learn.I've since moved on to a kids sign language dictionary so I can learn more words.My child is now 16 months old and does a significant amount of signs with me.It's a great help, and I recommend all new parents try it with their children.It can ease some of the frustrations children have because they can't yet say what they want or feel.

Good and simple
This is a very nice book. My son is hearing impaired and so we are using this to learn sign. It's very simple though so you get through it fast when reading it before bed. It's a great book though.

Let's Sign
What a great book for parents wanting to learn to sign with their babies.Great pictures and excellent explanations.Colorful and holds the attention of a baby very well. ... Read more

Product Description
The American Sign Language Handshape Puzzle Book features 54 different puzzles to help students learn, review, and strengthen their signing vocabulary. Inspired by the bestselling dictionary, this unique workbook offers a variety of puzzles at three different levels — easy, medium, and difficult. Author Linda Lascelle Hillebrand provides a concise explanation of the basic handshapes used in American Sign Language (ASL), then invites readers to have fun while solving all sorts of sign puzzles.

Users can practice sign identification with Crossword and Word Search puzzles that have signs as clues rather than words. Easy puzzles show as few as six signs while advanced puzzles contain as many as 30 signs each. Some of the crossword puzzles provide spaces both across and down for the multiple meanings that many signs can represent.

Handshape Order puzzles require users to identify the handshape of the sign in an illustration, then list the sign’s meaning in English. Match puzzles also challenge readers to find corresponding signs for English glosses. Solutions to Doesn’t Belong and Sign Description puzzles depend upon knowing the parameters of ASL signs—handshape, orientation, location, and movement—to deduce which word in a list doesn’t belong, and to write the English word for the described signs. The American Sign Language Handshape Puzzle Book is a new, different and entertaining way to practice ASL that students of all ages are sure to enjoy. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Unique Concepts
I bought this book without having seen it before or having any idea how good/bad it would be.I have not been disappointed.It is certainly unique in the ways the author created reinforcements of lessons learned from its companion "The American Sign Language Handshape Book".I like the variety of puzzles (word search, crossword puzzle, multiple choice, multiple meanings, etc.).Having an answer key to all the puzzles makes it easy for a student to work independently. The main drawback is that some of the drawings are difficult to follow, but for the most part I still think it's worth the reasonable price I paid for it.

Plan to use the handshpe puzzle book with my advanced sign language puzzle book
As a teacher of ASL. I plan to use this book with my more advanced students 2nd year or end of the first year for review purposes. I have tried a few and find them good.

Handshape Puzzle Book
This book challenged me in many ways.The Handshape Sign Book itself, along with this puzzle book, is proving to be a very valuable asset.If you want to move forward with your signing, this will indeed help you do so.It's difficult to practice alone, but this book helps you do this.HIGHLY RECOMMENDED, as is the case with all of Linda Lascelle Hillebrand's books.

A supplementary resource for classroom or self-teaching
The American Sign Language Handshape Puzzle Book is a supplementary resource for classroom or self-teaching American Sign Language. It consists of 54 different puzzles featuring 899 ASL signs, to help students review and strengthen their signing vocabulary. Simple diagrams of signs illustrate the words that belong in the crossword, word search, and four other types of puzzles, all divided into three different skill levels. A complete answer key for every puzzle is included, in this clever and captivating educational tool.
... Read more

Product Description
Appearing first in 1981, this dictionary remains the largest and most comprehensive book of sign language ever published. Now, completely revised and expanded, American Sign Language features:

• More than 7,000 sign entries, plus cross-references

• More than 12,000 illustrations

• 2,000 more signs than any other ASL dictionary, including dozens of signs that have only recently come into usage

• Arranged alphabetically to enhance usability

This book is indispensable to deaf people and their relatives, friends, and associated. Social workers, otologists, hearing and speech therapists, audiologists, and rehabilitation workers have long considered this book a major addition to their libraries. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

helpful
I purchased this for a home which house individuals who are deaf and receive 24/7 supports.The books been helpful.

Very helpful
I found this book to be extremely helpful.I took ASL 1 last semester, and the teacher didn't assign us a book; instead, he encouraged us to try out different dictionaries.My choices were a bit limited because the local library only had a few, but I got lucky.This one has a lot of words in it that some of the other dictionaries don't.People in my class kept asking me to look up words for them.The pictures and descriptions are both very clear.Quite a few of the descriptions actually tell where the sign comes from, which made it much easier to remember them.It also tells you if a sign has multiple meanings.I will say that, since this dictionary is 11 years old, a few of the signs are outdated, and sometimes the first sign on the page isn't the sign most commonly used.If you're taking a class and are not sure which sign is best, be sure to ask your teacher.Overall, though, I thought this was a great dictionary and would highly recommend it.

As an extra note, I found that it was really helpful to have several dictionaries to cross-reference; a couple of my friends had different dictionaries than I did, so if we were having problems, we compared the signs/definitions.

Near-Perfect Resource
This is the most complete collection of signs and definitions. If only it was updated more frequently. Users must be careful to read all the descriptions and cross reference with other sources, like on-line dictionaries.
All languages change, but ASL changes more rapidly than others. Think of the many images andtypes of telephones just over the last 10 years. Most phones don't even have cords anymore. Signs reflect the visual change in the world around us. The most modern sign for phone, or many other concepts, may not be listed accurately in this printed dictionary.

Baby sign made easy
We started with the signing for baby books and were pretty dissapointed.They didn't really give you everyday signs.So this unabridged ASL dictionary was great.Illustrations to show you what signs are and how to do them.This book was better than any of the baby signing books we bought and was much cheaper for all the infomation it contains.

ASL Dictionary
I love this book. It has been a tremendous help to me. I am taking an ASL course and I do habilitation w/ a deaf child. This book is very valuable to my work. I would highly recommend it. ... Read more

Product Description
The only dictionary of its kind, Random House Webster's American Sign Language Legal Dictionary is sure to become the definitive ASL reference for legal matters from criminal law to real estate. Whether it is used in the courtroom, classroom, office, or home, Elaine Costello's unrivaled dictionary bridges language gaps in legal matters between the deaf community and their families, colleagues, and community. The third in a successful series of specialized sign language dictionaries, Random House Webster's American Sign Language Legal Dictionary features over 1,000 signs, complete definitions, full-torso illustrations, and step-by-step descriptions of how each sign is formed. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Wonderful resource!
This is a great resource for interpreters! Legal interpreting is nerve racking enough. So knowing that I have a clear understanding of the vocabulary, and how to sign it, is a huge relief! I reccomend this dictionary to all professional interpreters, it's a must-have!

great
I liked the books they were in great shape. It didnt take long to receive them either. I was very happy with them.

Not As Great As Expected
I admit it. I'm not a big fan of Elaine Costello. It seems to be that a lot of the signs in this book are English...not ASL. Of course, there aren't that many books out there about legal sign language, so it is helpful to a point. Just make sure before you start using the signs that they are true ASL signs and not Signed English. ... Read more

Product Description

In a book with far-reaching implications, Edward S. Klima and Ursula Bellugi present a full exploration of a language in another mode--a language of the hands and of the eyes. They discuss the origin and development of American Sign Language, the internal structure of its basic units, the grammatical processes it employs, and its heightened use in poetry and wit. The authors draw on research, much of it by and with deaf people, to answer the crucial question of what is fundamental to language as language and what is determined by the mode (vocal or gestural) in which a language is produced.

Customer Reviews (3)

The basic starting point for studying linguistics of ASL
Title says it all.This is THE book.The book is very instructive for anyone interested in linguistics, as every issue in linguistics is covered (but via an analysis of a visual, multi-dimensional language).Many insights can be gained from this book, no question.

An intensive study of American Sign Language as a language.
This book is and was intended for use by linguists, educators, and others such as anthropologists who were in the 1970's and the 1980's beginning to realize that ASL was not a manual gesture system mimicing English, butrather a language in its own right. Dr. Bellugi and Dr. Klima have beenworking on exploring this language for the past 30 years, both in studyingnative signers (the prelingually deafened of deaf parents) and also instudying aphasics in the deaf community in comparison to aphasics in thehearing community. This particular book sticks mostly with elucidating thegrammar, the lexicon, the syntax, and all the other components which makeup ASL.

As a Deaf person whose first language was English, and who wasrequired in college to take a foreign language I had to, of course, learnASL. I started using ASL when I totally lost my hearing to get informationin my classes which I couldn't get through lipreading. As I progressed inNeuroscience and Science education for my Ph.D. I found that I needed toknow more about ASL and the grammar and syntax of it. This particular bookwas required for one of my classes studying English versus ASL grammar.Because the book is so heavy duty, I did not read enough for the book orlanguage to make sense. It wasn't until I read the book over summervacation, very slowly, that I gleaned the vital information which I neededas both an educator and a neuroscientist.

This is not an easy book toread. Many of the best books never are. This is not to say that the authorsdid not try to make the information accessible. They did, but the topic isvery confounding. I recommend this book for anyone sincerely interested inlearning accurately about ASL, no matter what their field, but with thewarning to give yourself time to assimulate the information, and read thebook. I personally would not require reading the book partially for aclass, because it is only in starting from the beginning and going to theend that you can view the language as a whole. This is a book that shouldbe used and read over a period of two semesters, with a lot of discussion.Karen Sadler, Science Education, University of Pittsburgh

Very good book but not for the causul reader!
One of the few books the discuss the language, the culture, and society of the American Deaf.A real goldmine of treasure will be found in this book.The book is not intended to teach the language (i.e. American SignLanguage), but presents how research proves that it is indeed a language inits own right--apart from English.Recomended reading for any seriousstudent of the language. ... Read more

Product Description
In The Creation Story, Deacon John P. Audia provides children with a simple version of the classic story of Creation illustrated in word and sign. Through engaging full-color images and rhyming verses he captures the attention of children, both deaf and hearing, and reminds them that God is living in them and that they are a special part of God's creation. This story is a first step in helping children to understand that when God speaks we all can hear. The Creation Story provides a way for parents and children to share not only the story but also the different signs that are used to tell the story. It is the ideal book for those looking to help encourage both adults and children to deepen their faith and serves as a learning tool to expose them to American Sign Language (ASL), the universal language for the hearing impaired. It also gives hearing children a head start on a bilingual education and offers potential to improve literacy skills by introducing them to the benefits of sign. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Children will enjoy this book
Deacon John P. Audia is a hearing Deacon from the Diocese of Rockville Centre, Long Island, New York. He is very involved with deaf ministry, however, serving as Chaplain for the Deaf Community. In "The Creation Story: In Words and Sign Language," he has worked with illustrator David Spohn to create a simple, beautiful book designed to introduce children to both the Biblical creation story as well as the American Sign Language needed to tell the story.

The creation story is retold in poetic form, with each of the seven days having its own page. For example, on the first day,

God created Heaven and Earth
for you and me.
Earth began in nothing
but darkness, wind, and sea.
Then Earth became bright
as "God created light."

On the facing page is a simple illustration of what was created that day. The colors used are very calming, predominantly blues, which make this a very relaxing book to look at. Children will love to look at the pictures and to learn the signs while at the same time gaining a deeper appreciation for God's act of creation. ... Read more

Product Description
Learning sign language is a rewarding experience that leads to greater communication skills. This basic introduction guide is for people without any prior knowledge of sign. The approach to "Signed English" is based upon the way a child would first be taught a language. In 17 sections, The Art of Sign Language teaches by using themed exercises about topics such as everyday communication, the body, home, school, leisure, eating, and drinking. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (14)

it's a great book
My best friend always wanted to learn sign language, so I gought him this great book!

Be careful what you buy.....
I teach American Sign Language and a student broght this book to me for review and I was shocked by the incorrect signs such as Duck is signed as No! If you want a good book try Carol Padden's book not this one!

not perfect, but good
Our daughter learned some ASL at her preschool and we wanted to know more about it, so this book seemed to be the right one. It is good for learning some basics, but if you really want to learn more about ASL, you need another book. The signs in this book are clear and with all the pictures easy to learn. We liked it, it is a good beginners book.

DO NOT BUY THIS BOOK!
I'm an educated deaf person, using American Sign Language since birth.His book horribly disgusted me when I read the Preface.His perspective on using Signed Exact English to educate a child was presposterous and without proof.In fact, using Signed English isn't a language, opposed to using the true sign language: American Sign Language (ASL).Where was his credentials or research he put in the book other than working with "hearing impaired individuals" and how did he become an expert on ASL?That being said, his book had plenty of errors in sign language and deaf people will have difficulty understanding people who learned how to sign from the book.Signed Exact English (SEE) is not a natural way for a child to learn, because as a child grows, the grammar and syntax improves.Forcing a child to learn grammatical appropriate way of speaking hinders their ability to think and stunts their intellectual ability.If the general population doesn't correct their child every time he/she says "I want milk" we shouldn't do that with deaf children as well.Buying this book and learning how to sign from this book will be a waste of your money and time.Buy a book that's devoted to ASL and will teach you something about deaf culture in general.

a total let down
I have wanted to learn ASL for years and was given this book as a gift and started teaching myself. I thought I was learning fine until I went online to learn a few signs that weren't in the book.I found a lot of what I had learned is not even correct.I was so frustrated that this book is even sold in stores. Avoid this book!!!
... Read more