People tend to think that sign language is just a series of hand gestures, when in fact it is a rich and complex language like any other. This means that if you want to learn the language then you should expect to put as much time and effort into it as you would with any spoken language, yet expect the learning process to be slightly different. There are a few different ways you can learn this language, below we discuss the most common ones:

Classes/tutor: This is the best option, but also the most expensive, especially if you try and get a private tutor. Your best bet is to attend a local venue where they have classes, then you just pay a fee to be part of the class instead of shouldering all the cost yourself. You’ll find that most class tutors are hearing people who can talk you through the basics as you learn, but you can also sometimes have a deaf tutor.

Being part of a class means you can ask your tutor if you have a question or problem (something you can’t do with any other learning medium) and you get to interact with the rest of your classmates so you can practice signing with them, something that is crucial if you want to develop good signing skills.

DVDs: Learning from DVDs or online videos and software is also an option. The courses with DVDs or online video components to them usually have a bit of everything, they have text for most of the theory, then videos for examples of signs, then they have software to help you learn a group of signs too.

This is a reasonably good way to learn, but it is s a step down from an actual class because unless you get access to a student area where you can ask someone questions, then you are going to get stuck or learn bad habits.

Books:  You can learn lots of things from a book, but sign language is not one of them. There are books out there, and you could get them as an accompaniment to classes or your DVD course, but with something physical like signing, then it is hard to document that on paper. In a book then the signs would have to be explained in a series of photos or diagrams which are really hard to learn from, in a classroom environment or on a video then you can actually see someone perform the sign which is a lot easier to copy when you come to do it.

For more information on how to do sign language then visit HowtodoSignLanguage.org.