Learning Tips Articles

What is American Sign Language (ASL)?

What is American Sign Language (ASL)?

By Marta Belsky and Brenda Cartwright
Friday, February 18, 2022

American Sign Language (ASL) is a full, natural language that has developed through use. Read the article to learn more about ASLs complex and interesting characteristics and its relationship to Deaf culture.
Signs That Are Close... But Not the Same - Alphabet

Signs That Are Close... But Not the Same - Alphabet

By Brenda Cartwright
Tuesday, February 1, 2022

This article is part of our “Signs That Are Close... But Not the Same” series, which highlights signs that look similar, but have different meanings. The signs discussed in this article are all from the alphabet: (1) A vs. S vs. T, (2) A vs. E, (3) E vs. O vs. C, (4) P vs. K, (5) 1 vs. D vs. K, (6) G vs. H vs. Q vs. U vs. N, (7) N vs. M, (8) R vs. U, and (9) J vs. Z
Signs That Are Close... But Not the Same - Iconic Signs

Signs That Are Close... But Not the Same - Iconic Signs

By Brenda Cartwright
Wednesday, July 21, 2021

This article is part of our “Signs That Are Close... But Not the Same” series, which highlights signs that look similar, but have different meanings. The signs discussed in this article include (1) Type vs. Piano, (2) Pencil vs. Write, (3) Ice Cream vs. Microphone, (4) Telephone vs. Cell Phone, (5) Telephone vs. Call, and (6) Tree vs. Deaf Applause.
Signs That Are Close... But Not the Same - Set 13

Signs That Are Close... But Not the Same - Set 13

By Brenda Cartwright
Tuesday, December 1, 2020

This article is part of our “Signs That Are Close... But Not the Same” series, which highlights signs that look similar, but have different meanings. The signs discussed in this article include (1) Decide vs. Court, (2) Supervise vs. Take Care Of, (3) Shoes vs. Advertise, (4) Awkward vs. Walk Fast, and (5) Race vs. Game.
Tips for Parents: Sign Language Learning Tools You Can Use with Kids Home from School

Tips for Parents: Sign Language Learning Tools You Can Use with Kids Home from School

By Jillian Winn
Sunday, March 15, 2020

Where I live in Michigan, our Governor has declared all K-12 schools to close from March 16 to April 5. This causes all types of stresses for parents – work, childcare, meals, and financial stresses. Not to mention, feeling fully unprepared for making sure your child doesn’t academically fall behind during this extended time away from school...
How do you sign… toss?

How do you sign… toss?

By Jillian Winn and Brenda Cartwright
Monday, January 6, 2020

We get this question all the time, "How do you sign _____?" It is easily the most common question anyone asks. However, it can be a tough question to answer because there isn’t a direct translation for every English word. Figuring out the meaning and context of what someone is trying to communicate is the key to picking the right sign (or signs) to use. So if you provide context when asking the question "How do you sign…" you are much more likely to get an accurate answer. Remember, when in doubt, you should fingerspell the word. 
Signs That Are Close... But Not the Same - Set 12

Signs That Are Close... But Not the Same - Set 12

By Brenda Cartwright
Monday, October 21, 2019

This article is part of our “Signs That Are Close... But Not the Same” series, which highlights signs that look similar, but have different meanings. The signs discussed in this article include (1) THILLED vs. EXCITED, (2) PRINT vs. NEWSPAPER, (3) SOLD vs. SELLING, (4) SIGNATURE vs. CONTRACT, and (5) GOVERNMENT vs. FEDERAL.
Signs That Are Close... But Not the Same - Set 11

Signs That Are Close... But Not the Same - Set 11

By Brenda Cartwright
Thursday, August 1, 2019

This article is part of our “Signs That Are Close... But Not the Same” series, which highlights signs that look similar, but have different meanings. The signs discussed in this article include (1) SEVERAL vs. FEW, (2) USE vs. GET USED TO, (3) LONG AGO vs. USED TO, (4) INTRODUCE vs. INVITE, and (5) PROBLEM vs. DIFFICULT.
Signing Children’s Books: A Chocolate Moose for Dinner

Signing Children’s Books: A Chocolate Moose for Dinner

By John Miller
Tuesday, July 9, 2019

A Chocolate Moose for Dinner is an illustrated fantasy exploration book of the English language and how fun, yet confusing, it can be for a child (or foreign speaker) to navigate through as they learn the language. The book is discussed and paired with a pre-built Signing Savvy word list to help you get started with learning and signing the vocabulary in the book.