As we begin the start of the school year, I would like you to practice spelling the alphabet with your hands. This is called “fingerspelling”. Deaf children use fingerspelling to study their vocabulary words at school, spell proper nouns and their friends names. So, when you’re studying your vocabulary this year; listen, write and finger spell your words.
This video is about using fingerspelling to improve your spelling. Often, students memorize their weekly vocabulary lists by using auditory means such as phonics, or visual means such as writing the vocabulary word several times a week. If you practice fingerspelling the words everyday then you have another way for your brain to remember how to spell that word. 
Review how to fingerspell the alphabet on the video, then get to work on your vocabulary list for this week’s spelling test. More basic vocabulary videos can be practiced on my YouTube channel at AngiesASL [2].
Let me know if your grades improve!!! I bet they will….
Note: ASL is a multi-sensory form of communication that helps children acquire vocabulary more quickly and efficiently.
Angie Craft author and teacher brings over 26 years of experience in deaf education and is committed to serving the deaf community. Keenly aware of the isolation that deaf students often experience, Angie developed and wrote HandCraftEdASL to bridge the communication gap between deaf children who primarily use American Sign Language and their parents, peers or educators. www.handcraftedasl.com [3]
For more information: follow us on FaceBook @ HandCraftEdASL [4]
L. Marie/Flickr/CC
Read More ASL [5]
Helpful Articles
- ASK Angie ASL – Communication Plan [6]
- ASK Angie ASL + Tips: “Fingerspelling” [7]
- Ask Angie ASL – Independence [8]
- ASK Angie ASL – Reading Tips [9]
- Embracing Your Child’s Best Ways of Learning 12 Different Ways to Learn [10]
This post originally appeared on our September/October 2012 Magazine [11]