Our Family ASL class provides opportunities for families to have fun learning sign language together to improve their communication abilities. Family ASL classes will open the doors of communication with families and increase awareness and knowledge of ASL and Deaf Culture. The class includes instruction and hands on group activities.  This class is designed for families with children ages 5 to 17. If you have Deaf or Hard of Hearing family members, a family member with communication issues or you want to learn sign language together, this class is for you. All children must be accompanied by an adult. (a parent or guardian) The costs for these classes are $163 per adult and $80 per child. Thee classes are offered once or twice a year.

Baby ASL

Our Baby ASL classes provide opportunities for families with babies or toddlers who are Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing to have fun learning together. Lessons consists of simple signs used in everyday situations. These classes are generally one-time classes with the opportunity to have one-on-one tutoring. Contact us for more information.

Corporate & Business ASL

Classes are available and typically follow the current ASL curriculum. However, additional industry vocabulary may be included upon request as these classes are customizable based on the organization’s needs. Class costs vary depending on location, number of participants attending, instructors’ availability and other factors.

Contact us for more information.

Learning American Sign Language

Learning American Sign Language (ASL) takes time, patience, practice, and a sense of humor.

If you are a parent of a newly-identified child who is Deaf or Hard of Hearing, you can request ASL instruction from your child’s early intervention system. Early intervention systems are designed to help your child develop in all areas. These systems also are designed to provide services to families so that families can support their child.

Individual signs are relatively easy to learn. Like any spoken language, ASL is a language with its own unique rules of grammar and syntax. To learn enough signs for basic communication and to sign them comfortably, can take a year or more. Some people pick up signs more slowly than others, and if that is the case with you, don’t be discouraged. Everyone learns sign language at their own speed. Be patient and you will succeed in learning the language. The rewards will be well worth the effort!

You can start learning ASL by attending a sign language class offered by Columbus Speech and Hearing. You can expand your knowledge of ASL by practicing your signs with people who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing who also know ASL. Generally, people who know ASL are patient about showing new signers how to sign different things, the correct way to sign something, and usually, they will slow down their signing so that you can understand them, too. They are also willing to repeat words or statements if you do not understand them the first (or even the second) time.

ASL is a visual language. With signing, the brain processes linguistic information through the eyes and the use of facial expressions and body movements; all which play an important part in conveying information. It is possible to sign without using facial expressions or body movements, but doing so may give a mixed message, be confusing, or be misunderstood. It will also look odd or unnatural to native signers.

Sign language is not a universal language; each country has its own sign language, and regions have dialects, much like the many languages spoken all over the world. If you were to travel to another state and have an opportunity to sign with a person who knows ASL, you may notice that s/he will use some signs differently than you. These signs are known as “regional” signs, and you can think of them as the equivalent of an “accent.” It does not mean that people in your state are signing incorrectly. It is just a normal variation in ASL, and such regional signs add flavor to your understanding of ASL.

When you don’t know the sign for something, spell the word or words (called “fingerspelling”). When you discover there is no sign for a word, you should not invent or make up a new sign. To do so may violate the grammatical rules of ASL, or may be unintentionally offensive.

Speed is not crucial in sign language. It is more important to sign clearly, even if you have to do it at a slower pace. When people often ask you to repeat yourself, it is a signal that you should slow down and try to sign as clearly as possible. Do not feel embarrassed if you sign slowly. It is important to get your message across, to connect with another person, and to be understood. There are no shortcuts to effective communication.

Enjoy your ASL journey!

Sign Language for Parents

If you are the parent of a child who has just been identified as Deaf or Hard of Hearing, you probably have a lot of questions. What will my child’s life be like? How will this affect our family? How will we communicate?

The Deaf community is comprised of the adult children of parents like you; loving, concerned individuals who want the best for their child. While members of the Deaf community have varied backgrounds and experiences, they are drawn together by their use of American Sign Language (ASL), the value they place on visual communication, and their shared experiences. Some Deaf individuals have used sign language from birth, while others learned it as a child or even an adult.

As a young child, your child is at an optimum time to learn sign language. Research shows that with language and communication, earlier is better. There are many tools to help children and their families learn sign language.

You can request American Sign Language instruction from your child’s early intervention system. Early intervention systems are designed to help your child develop in all areas. These systems also are designed to provide services to families so that families can support their child. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, the federal law that governs early intervention, requires these systems to provide sign language services for families who choose sign language. The law intends for teachers of the Deaf to be included as service providers in early intervention services. If you wish for your child, family and even extended family members to learn sign language, you can request these services from your early intervention provider.

There may be Deaf community events in our community that you and your family can participate in. Many families appreciate the opportunity to meet Deaf adults, learn from their experiences, and practice signing. Many of the Deaf adults can help answer your questions and give you tips on how to make communication easier in your home.

Recently it has become popular to use American Sign Language with hearing babies. Researchers have found that it promotes earlier language development in these babies. Columbus Speech and Hearing offers sign classes for families with hearing children. In addition, many elementary schools now teach sign language, and many high schools offer ASL classes for foreign language credit. This move toward bilingualism benefits both Deaf and Hearing people.

Some parents have been told that if their child signs they will not learn to speak. Research shows that signing does not interfere with speech, and in fact, expressive language ability, including sign language ability, is a significant predictor of speech. Some parents of children with a cochlear implant have been told that they should not sign with their child. Again, there is nothing about signing that interferes with the use of a cochlear implant, and signing with a child who has a cochlear implant may help his/her speech ability. Some parents have been told that since their child has some hearing, s/he will not “need” sign language. Actually, there is no harm in signing with your child, and many individuals with residual hearing communicate both through sign language and through speech.

Columbus Speech and Hearing in addition to ASL classes, offers hearing, speech and communication services. We are dedicated to helping everyone, regardless of their age, to improve communication independence and their quality life. Learning to sign does take commitment, practice, and time. Many hearing parents do become proficient or fluent. Do not be afraid to start learning. Good communication, starting as early as possible, will enhance your relationship with your family and friends throughout your lives.