Trying to Learn ASL but Having Trouble

Question

Hello, all! Okay, so I’ve started to try to learn ASL online because I just feel like it’s not right for me to not know it, in a way—I’m born hearing, but I just feel like it’s a responsibility to insure that I am able to communicate with deaf/HoH people. I hope that’s not an offensive way of looking at it or anything; I’ve been trying to read up on deaf culture but the information is kind of hard to find and conflicting in places. Anyway, sorry, I’m rambling. So, I’ve been trying to learn ASL and I’ve been watching tutorials but I’m finding more and more that I’m having a lot of difficulty forming some of the signs; it’s like my hands aren’t flexible enough. After just fifteen minutes of practice, my hands are burning and clicking every time I move my fingers. I don’t know if I’m doing something wrong or if I’m overreacting and everyone has this issue or what! Some signs I outright can’t make my hand form; for reference, I can’t really touch the tip of my thumb to my pinky on either hand, which I know a lot of people are able to do, so that’s my current level of hand flexibility, I guess? I suppose my main question is if anyone knows what my issue is and whether there are any ways to make my hands more flexible or to work around the issue so I can learn ASL properly? I can deal with the pain if I have to, but there are a lot of fine details on the signs, it feels like, and I don’t want to accidentally insult someone because my hands aren’t cooperating! Thank you!

Answer 1

American Sign Language requires the user to develop muscles that have, until that point, been under-developed. So, do not be discouraged if those hands won't do what you want them to do. Like anything else, it takes practice to, not only create the signs but, move from one sign to another.

Another point you need to understand is that ASL has 52 individual hand shapes, with names. Using the right hand shape is essential to creating the sign correctly. As a matter of fact, each sign has five individual parameters that are involved in making each sign (movement, location, hand shape, palm orientation and non-manuals). You need a qualified user to help you identify these parameters and use them accurately. If one of those parameters is wrong, the sign could be confused with another sign to the person receiving the message.

My advice is to pick a tutor or a Deaf friend to aid you in your efforts to learn the language. Doing so on your own will likely result in production errors and miscommunications.

Answer 2

As far as flexibility goes, do you have a history with either carpal tunnel or arthritis? If so, you definitely don't want to push your hands past their pain point. Accuracy in signing is important, but not worth hurting yourself over. There are many ways to make your signs more relaxed so that they come close enough to the correct handshapes to be understood, even if they don't match quite perfectly. It would be similar to having slurred speech or a speech impediment, but having unclear words is still better than no words.

If you don't have a medical issue, and your hands simply aren't flexible, it might be worth doing some hand exercises to strengthen their muscles and flexibility. A (very light tension) grip strengthener such as this one might help:

https://www.amazon.com/GRIP-MASTER-Gripmaster-Hand-Exerciser/dp/B0006GBDZY/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=gripmaster&qid=1553989655&s=sporting-goods&sr=1-2

Alternating squeezing all fingers at once and then releasing, and then doing the same with each finger on its own, for 1 minute, then taking a 1 minute break, then repeating the process. Doing that for 10 minutes a day in each hand will strengthen their muscles gradually over the next few weeks, and you should find your ability to close your fingers becoming easier.

For stretching your fingers, I would find a strong rubber band and do similar exercises by putting the band around all your fingertips (or just your thumb and one finger), and stretching them apart. Doing so would gradually increase your flexibility.

Just like any exercise, you don't want to overdo it, and if your hands go beyond simple "stress/soreness" while doing it, and start getting into "pain," you should stop immediately and reduce the tension or amount of exercise.

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As for online resources, you will find different things in each one, but the site that I usually recommend for lessons is Lifeprint.com, and the youtube channel of its teacher: Bill Vicars. The website includes culture lessons and examples of how things vary from person to person, which will help to understand why you've seen so many different things so far.

Feel free to provide more info or ask more questions if needed!