As a neurodivergent introvert I am picking up sign language much easier than spoken foreign languages that I've studied. I express myself best with movement and I'm lucky to have a partner that is learning ASL with me. Neither one of us are deaf or hard of hearing, but we enjoy it and we're happy to be a part of deaf culture.
this was so affirming as a semi verbal and hearing person ive been told that sign lanauge isnt for me and i shouldnt learn it. your videos are helping me overcome that.
That's like saying you shouldn't learn French because you're not French or German because you're not German. It's a language and you can, and should, learn it as it helps you better communicate with people.
This is critical. I am not deaf, but i am neurodivergent. It creates problems speaking sure, but the brunt of it is in the hearing for me. Its constant noise and i cant understand any of it. I’ve begun to sign recently and it is my life boat. I feel like the world opened up to me. When i had my first conversation in sign i realized that relationships and communication does not have to be a thing filled with pain, stress, and misunderstanding. Our languages and friendships are what make us human, and everyone deserves to have that. Thank you.
Neuro divergent? What is that, a way to make something that sucks sound positive. Your can call it a flowerpetal if makes your happy but it'll still be sh#t
@@kenfryer2090Neurodivergent is a sort of umbrella term for people whose brains work differently than is considered the norm. For instance, autistic people are neurodivergent, as are people with ADHD. People with dyslexia/dyscalculia or other learning disabilities are also neurodivergent. And so are people with OCD, tic syndromes, stuttering, various types of coordination disorders, personality disorders, and even epilepsy and some others too. While people with various types of neurodivergence can control learning coping skills or taking medication and working with health care professionals, as relevant to their particular type, no one with neurodivergence can control whether or not they are neurodivergent. It is not a choice, or a failing. It is a simple fact of life they were born with, like eye color. Being neurodivergent can certainly be unpleasant or overwhelming or difficult at times! But it is also a valid way for someone to exist, and there's many people who celebrate aspects of their neurodivergence. For instance, dyslexia made schooling very difficult for me (especially on timed tests), and ADHD makes it very difficult for me to focus and be organized, and autism means I become overwhelmed very easily and can struggle to understand or communicate with others. However, I still love reading and storytelling and writing maybe more than I would if it was easy, and because of my ADHD I often get distracted by really interesting things that I notice and get to share that with others, and my autism special interests (ultra hobbies, basically) bring me a lot of joy. A lot of terminology around neurodivergance can be pretty confusing and complicated, and I know sometimes people can feel like there's too many labels out there and people just want to use all these words to feel special, but a lot of this vocabulary can be substantially helpful for people who experience it, and even to communicate to people who don't! For instance, learning about the term "executive functioning", which is pretty complicated but essentially boils down to the foundational skills that govern a lot of your life (being able to choose what you focus on and what you block out, being able to switch to a new plan easily when the situation changes and problem solve, being able to regulate your emotions and impulse control, organization, being able to initiate a task easily, being able to plan and prioritize properly, being able to remember a lot of short term things that happened and hold long lists of details in your head without dropping any, being aware of how you're doing in the moment, to name a few) has helped me significantly. It's helped me identify areas where I struggle, and do research to better understand the mechanics of why and then come up with coping skills, instead of what happened when I didn't have that vocabulary, which was to just feel like a lazy terrible person who's bad at everything. It's not true, it's not a kind thing to say about myself or anyone else, and it's not even accurate. "Lazy" is an insult, "executive dyfunction" is actually actionable. Likewise, "neurodivergent" is a term that can actually help people. So please try to be kind and not cut others down who are already struggling, or at least just let them go their way without saying anything rude even if you think they're silly. I apologize if any of this came across as confrontational or rude, my intention was to educate and I hope I was able to make it across properly. Thank you very much if you read this, and I hope you have a lovely day! God bless you!
@FinnGerhardt-di7iw I'm so glad you got to have that experience! Communication is a gift, and I'm so glad you have a medium of communication that works so well for you. I'm neurodivergent too, and I always think it's so cool the ways people can find to make communication easier and to make life in general more accessible. I'm sorry the other person in this comment was rather rude about it, so I wanted to encourage you! Keep doing what works for you and makes you happy, and the things that help you have valuable connections in your life. I hope you have a lovely day, and God bless you! :)
@@kenfryer2090It cost $0 and 0 cents to be kind. Try seeking meaningful discussion to understand others instead of attacking. The negativity will only hurt you, as if the world is rubber and you're glue 😊. We can disagree with one another and still be kind-- especially when it costs nothing.
Thank you so much for this. I’m an Autistic college student and I originally started learning ASL partially because I was losing the ability to speak frequently in class and social settings. I felt extremely helpless and disconnected. Taking an ASL class helped me feel so hopeful. Being able to always engage in discussion without barriers was such a gift. Thank you so, so much for this video. You’re doing amazing work.
Thank you so much for this! Especially the note about facial expressions. Most of the time when people teach sign language, they really stress how important facial expressions are. Which makes sense, because a lot of people who are learning for the first time don't know that facial expressions are part of the language at all. But it can be really disheartening to me, as an autistic person who really struggles to control how my face looks. It made me worry that I wouldn't be able to learn at all. I will definitely take your advice to compensate with extra confirmation words.
Totally understand, I’m sorry some ppl make it seem like a deal breaking necessity. There is a big emphasis on facial expressions, but not enough discussion about how the language can be adapted to communicate clearly for people with mobility differences or those who struggle with expression. While not intentional, it’s hard for me to watch how this prevents people from learning such a useful tool. I hope this video helps plant a seed in educators minds about how clear communication can be adapted.💜
@@ChrissyMarshall_, you are an excellent teacher [TW: ableism] My mom and me are both hard of hearing and AuDHD (autistic and ADHD), and my mom has muscular dystrophy as well I started learning ASL for both of us, and posted on my school's ASL club page asking for advice on how to sign when your hands don't work because of muscle loss I explained my mom is anxious about signing because she can't physically make most of the hand shapes because of progressive muscle loss One of the school's deaf instructors replied, "Native singers hands get tired too, but they're not afraid to learn new things" I felt so defeated, by that and similar conversations. It's taken me years to feel safe trying to connect with the Deaf community again But I will still keep slowly learning ASL, and I will keep learning about Deaf history and culture ✊
I actually started learning sign language for my autistic son, and as I learned more about the language I learned about Deaf culture, and FELL IN LOVE with it! I’ve had a Deaf ASL instructor for several years now and attend and volunteer at local Deaf events ❤
This made me almost cry! I’m autistic and have always been interested in sign since I grew up near a Deaf school. I wasn’t able to take a course until college (and only managed to self teach a few signs) and walked into ASL 1 SO excited to learn sign. The teacher there made it very clear that ASL was not for anyone who wasn’t culturally Deaf, with constant focus on signing as fast as possible and in a super overwhelming format that was very focused on “you must be learning this to be an interpreter” as well as talking about how disabled is a bad word. I was so anxious and overwhelmed in the course that it made me miserable to think about it even though I LOVED the language. I stopped learning ASL because of how negative my experience was. You just showed up in my recommended today and this has me so emotional and excited to go back to learning ASL!!!!
I love this, thank you! It's especially validating for you to say ASL can be beneficial even outside communication with a Deaf person. I'm autistic, and I find the added layer of meaning found in signed communication fascinating. We are studying ASL in our home school, and we've definitely found great uses for signing just among us: when our mouth is full at meal times, across the room in a public space, in a loud public place, in church when we don't want to interrupt others but still allow our kids to communicate with us. Also... Letting us know they need to go to the bathroom without announcing it to the world 😉. I love your channel. Thank you for these videos! 💕
So glad that it resonated with you- it makes me so sad when people don’t feel welcomed to learn it. Everyone deserves to communicate in the way most comfortable for them! 💕🤟
You are an amazing teacher. I'm an old, Deafish, retired educator. I taught ASL and other subjects. Part of my career involved students with special needs. Modality is about how we receive and transmit information. I learned early on the importance to use more than one modality so as to include more students. You are on the right track. 😊
I wanted to drop a comment to express my complete agreement with your video's message. ASL is such a versatile and inclusive language, and your dedication to making it accessible, especially for our neurodivergent friends, is truly commendable. Your content resonates with the belief that ASL should be embraced by a wide audience, not just limited to the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. I'm genuinely inspired by your work in this area. I'd be thrilled to connect with you and discuss the potential for a video collaboration. Your expertise and perspective would be a valuable addition to the ASL community. Looking forward to the possibility of working together!
Thank you for this! My wife (an audiologist) is nearly fluent in sign and has been encouraging me to learn for a while. I (AuDHD neurodivergent) have been looking for ways to communicate subtly with her when I'm having issues. Thank you for providing both a means and valuable entry to learning more ASL!
As someone who just shuts down when overstimulated and has had frequent bouts of Disassociation that have lead to me being non verbal for a certain amount of time recently, this is super helpful! I'm definitely sending this to my bf and bestie, since those two are the ones who have to try to communicate with me while I can't. I also use communication cards since I'm still learning sign which is super helpful too!
This is so helpful! I am autistic and I’ve just started learning sign language because vocal communication and auditory processing has become so difficult for me. At the very least, I want to be able to communicate with my partner without having to speak all the time and this is such a great resource I’m totally going to send them!!!
ASL is my "turtle", slow steady self-improve, and that's enough to learn. I was very quiet growing up, parents HH, my fourth grade was a Deaf class, I was hyperacusis, avoided sound, extremely spatially sensitive, pressure paralysis, drop attacks, optical seizures, list-to-floor, but, I'm fine, and pass as "normal", but don't want to, prefer show myself, and ASL is a part of me, 23 months learn, after loud sounds part deaf me. Now, have Deaf coworkers, many Hearing there know some sign, it's so amazing to be part of that~
As a neurodivergent person who is speaking and hearing, these were still very helpful! I tried combining some and made note of them. For example: loud, need quiet. Need help. Need leave. I understand you need help/leave/quiet. I will try to remember these in case I need them in the future! Thank you!
Hi Chrissy! I am neurodivergent and studying to be an ASL/English Interpreter at the University of North Florida. I found this video to be incredibly helpful! Today, my interpreting class is partnering with the school's psychology class to work on educating us both on mental health and giving us situations DHH people might experience. But also, as a neurodivergent person, I found this video very informative in giving me specific signs for emotions I've experienced and didn't know the sign for (over-stimulated). I think this is a wonderful channel and I'm so happy I found it! Thank you for everything you do!
I'm hearing and not from the USA, but your channel just popped in to my feed. My jaw dropped. ASL poems? Short movies? Interviews with other deaf RUclipsrs? I don't believe in destiny, but now I do believe YT can read minds. I was pondering about SL a couple weeks ago but I never talked about it woth anybody and have not even Googled anything about it yet. YT still figured out I had an interest?! I can't wait to learn about your work, your culture and language.
I am Autistic, I go nonverbal sometimes, I also have very bad social anxiety, being able to sign helps me in moments where I cannot speak, I also have partial hearing loss in one ear, so sometimes if its a loud and environment and you are on that side, I cannot hear you, so It does benefit people that aren't deaf or HoH, love it, thank you
As a deaf autistic with hearing aids whose learning ASL, overstimulated, loud, quiet, and mute was the signs I needed to learn because I don’t always use my iPad to talk, and I do prefer my hands. I have a love hate relationship with the hearing world, and this has helped me learn when I hate it and overstimulated.
Thank you so much for being welcoming and inclusive of neurodivergent people and other people who may not be deaf, hard of hearing, deafblind, or have auditory processing issues, but definitely benefit from using sign language for accessible communication. One thing I want to let you know about your description blurb for this video: it may be better to say "picture communication symbols" instead of PECS. PECS is a proprietary system that involves a specific behaviorist training system that some people who are learning to use PECS find quite aversive. But anyone can use a variety of picture symbols to communicate, without having to go through that system.
It’s so reassuring to know that I can still learn ASL if I struggle with facial expressions! I can usually understand other people’s facial expressions okay with context, but I have trouble making the right face myself. It’s hard to conjure up a specific face, especially when it’s social and not a gut reaction. But I can absolutely just double check that I’m being understood correctly! Thank you so much for noting that, and for making this video in general! I’m going to show this to my semi-verbal friend!
I'm grateful for your videos and this topic in particular. I am hearing and work with adults with neurodiversities as a drama/theatre director (we have a BIG show coming up this week) and as a fitness instructor. I 'fell' into working with this community about 13 years ago, and LOVE it. I'm learning ASL and find it very helpful with the communities that I am serving. Many are not Deaf (a few are), but use sign language as a support for communication. I'm using your videos as a way to practice my receptive skills. I still have to slow it down to playback at a speed I can understand better, but getting there! I would say I understood 40% of this one on the first try at full speed (no captions) and will review slower now, for my own learning. Thanks for all you do!
As someone who is autistic I can definitely say that I loved this video! I communicate verbally, but I generally don’t have the energy to speak when I’m overstimulated and shut down. If only someone around me could understand sign language though so that me signing would actually help me communicate 😅 Thanks for making it!
You are so beautiful. I love how smooth and expressive your sign is! I found this really helpful. I learned asl 1 and 2 in high school but I’m sorta rusty lol. I am someone who gets overstimulated super easily and needs earplugs and not talking a lot of the time. As is my sister. I will definitely be teaching her these, thank you! 🩵
Thank you so much for saying it's okay if you struggle with facial expressions! All lessons emphasize how important facial expressions are in sign language (and they are, it's like tone) and it was really discouraging to realize I was never going to be a 'native-level' signer, just like I can never really feel like a native-level speaker of anything because I don't understand enough(tone-wise). Making expressions is still a lot of effort, so when I'm tired I already use 'support' signs that you're not supposed to use outside of learning--like the question mark. I feel better now about continuing to use those even when I consider myself done learning ASL.
It's so hard telling people I trust in social situations that things are too much and I already know some sign from when I took it in high school but this DEFINITELY gives me more tools to work with and communicate better. Love what you do 😁
❤❤❤❤❤ YAAAAAYYY!!! Thank you Chrissy as I tend to spend moments or even hours not talking at places like work due to my autism…^____^ I figured ASL signs would help me communicate much better with using my hands❤❤❤❤ Please keep up the Awesome videos…❤❤❤
I am an Autistic Hearing Australian and sometimes I find it really hard to speak. I have been learning AUSLAN and it comes in handy when I have trouble speaking. I like learning AUSLAN.
I miss talking to my Deaf teachers😭 ive forgotten so much ASL because I don't use it😢 luckily I know just enough to piece a conversation together, lol. When in doubt, fingerspell it😂
If only other people saw it this way, i would love to learn some sign to help me and others communicate when I get overwhelmed, but my parents say they see no reason to learn it because they don't interact with many deaf people :( I wish my friends would also try it but idk, at least they'd probably be more open than my family.
Super helpful. Sign is so useful. Just about everyone has situations where they can’t hear. Fun fact: I recently moved back to Australia after living in the US for a long time, so I’m trying to now learn AUSLAN. It appears the signs for “what” and “where” are exactly reversed between the two languages.
As neurodivergent, semi-verbal person I hugely appreciate this video. Sadly, I can't actually sign most of these, due to a physical disability on my left arm. Which makes me wonder: How can people with physical disabilities affecting their arm/hand movement learn to communicate with sign language? How to approach this kind of issue?
Aside from physical disability, I'd think one handed signs would be critical given the number of daily situations in which the average person needs one hand for something. Most professional/situational sign "languages" I'm aware of, for environments where speech is impossible (diving), inadvisable (military, such as when preparing an ambush), or inaudible (noisy environments), seem to lean much further to the one-handed side than ASL.
What I have experienced with deaf people I have interacted with, they sign one handed. You can still understand it. If you don't understand, ask them to repeat. For you signing, if it NEEDS two hands, just fingerspell it. Most the signs can be done one handed. I sometimes lose the ability to move one of my arms and I had to go to class unable to use my left arm and was still understood.
I agree with you. I wished my mom looked further while I was growing up. The school I was put in did not allow ASL at all, if we ever used it in the school we got in trouble big time. I speak so well that many do not realize that I am deaf/hard of hearing.
I am taking ASL 2 B and need help with a project for school. I need to sign 1. I need to start my homework in 5 minutes 2. She has soccer practice in four hours. 3. Six months ago, I visited my grandma 4. For the past three days, it has been cold 5. I will graduate in two years. ' thank you in advance
I really need to see what “quiet penguin” looks like now. I’m concerned I’ll think I’m saying quiet but I’m really saying “oh boy, it sure is penguin around here” 😅
This is so helpful and you are so good, thank you 🥹 Im a hearing person I’m learning ASL specifically because myself and people I love sometimes struggle with (or even prefer not to) verbally communicate. ASL is a helpful tool and a beautiful language.
This is great. Can you do a driving passenger to driver common signs like, turn here, go back , slow down and learn to drive that sort of thing? Trying to read peoples lips in the rear view mirror is challenging. Thank you for your videos.
thank you so much! also. i struggle much with facial expressions because i usually always only have one expression at all times unless i am REALLY feeling an emotion strongly. Are there any other resources for this to help me practice or learn more about facial exp/grammar? I have been practicing them in my mirror as i sign lol
What kind of advice do you have for people who are neurodivergent and have trouble making faces? I know thats crucial in asl but its something i struggle with. Thank you for this video!
I notice some of these (like "help" and "go") are different from how the lady at Learn How to Sign taught it. Does it make a big difference? I just don't want to make any mistakes. 😅
Honestly, even if you aren't neurodivergent or HoH, sign language is still available to learn. Why? Because it's a language, and languages shouldn't have gatekeeping :D Can you imagine if we gatekept French or some other random language from people that weren't French XD?
One thing I've learned is sentence structure is different in sign language than in spoken language. Would "Need leave. Overstimulated." be a correct phrase?
I think it's really nice! It's an example of accommodating minorities in a culture, in this case like hearing-mute people. I haven't looked too deep into what signs there are yet but I hope there are more like that, obscure or not.
I found you originally many years from a very uplifting video that I can't seem to find anymore, I want to say it was around the holidays for some reason but you spoke some really profound and insightful and just HIT me real hard at the time. I wish I remembered more about it to describe it better. I wanted to thank you for that. Anyway; I've been trying to slowly learn ASL (I'm struggling but I've never had any sort of language come easily to me :( haven't given up yet though! ) and I see a lot of people have very exaggerated facial expressions when they sign. I really hope my question isn't disrespectful in any way, I absolutely do not mean for it to be at all!- but when the language is 'spoken' through the hands, why does that manifest?
@@MellieLuisi2505Some more examples of neurodivergent that can sometimes make spoken language difficult in certain situations: - PTSD, other trauma-related disorders - Social anxiety - Selective mutism (also called situational mutism. The person is not *choosing* not to be able to speak. Their brain is not letting them speak at that time.) Some people who are not Deaf but would definitely benefit by using sign language may be afraid that they're not allowed to sign, because an assumption that sign language is only for deaf people. But accessibility is important for everybody! I'm glad that Chrissy, who is deaf, put out this message. ♥️
![Dos and Don'ts of Interacting with the Deaf Community [CC]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/pDA_EXFTpxo/mqdefault.jpg)
As a neurodivergent introvert I am picking up sign language much easier than spoken foreign languages that I've studied. I express myself best with movement and I'm lucky to have a partner that is learning ASL with me. Neither one of us are deaf or hard of hearing, but we enjoy it and we're happy to be a part of deaf culture.
this was so affirming as a semi verbal and hearing person ive been told that sign lanauge isnt for me and i shouldnt learn it. your videos are helping me overcome that.
So glad I can help, you’re valid lovely💜🤟
Sign is for everyone as long as they respect it 💚
Wait…what? If anyone is telling you that any education is not for you, please walk away from that person.
That's like saying you shouldn't learn French because you're not French or German because you're not German. It's a language and you can, and should, learn it as it helps you better communicate with people.
This is critical. I am not deaf, but i am neurodivergent. It creates problems speaking sure, but the brunt of it is in the hearing for me. Its constant noise and i cant understand any of it. I’ve begun to sign recently and it is my life boat. I feel like the world opened up to me. When i had my first conversation in sign i realized that relationships and communication does not have to be a thing filled with pain, stress, and misunderstanding. Our languages and friendships are what make us human, and everyone deserves to have that. Thank you.
Neuro divergent? What is that, a way to make something that sucks sound positive. Your can call it a flowerpetal if makes your happy but it'll still be sh#t
@@kenfryer2090Neurodivergent is a sort of umbrella term for people whose brains work differently than is considered the norm. For instance, autistic people are neurodivergent, as are people with ADHD. People with dyslexia/dyscalculia or other learning disabilities are also neurodivergent. And so are people with OCD, tic syndromes, stuttering, various types of coordination disorders, personality disorders, and even epilepsy and some others too.
While people with various types of neurodivergence can control learning coping skills or taking medication and working with health care professionals, as relevant to their particular type, no one with neurodivergence can control whether or not they are neurodivergent. It is not a choice, or a failing. It is a simple fact of life they were born with, like eye color.
Being neurodivergent can certainly be unpleasant or overwhelming or difficult at times! But it is also a valid way for someone to exist, and there's many people who celebrate aspects of their neurodivergence. For instance, dyslexia made schooling very difficult for me (especially on timed tests), and ADHD makes it very difficult for me to focus and be organized, and autism means I become overwhelmed very easily and can struggle to understand or communicate with others. However, I still love reading and storytelling and writing maybe more than I would if it was easy, and because of my ADHD I often get distracted by really interesting things that I notice and get to share that with others, and my autism special interests (ultra hobbies, basically) bring me a lot of joy.
A lot of terminology around neurodivergance can be pretty confusing and complicated, and I know sometimes people can feel like there's too many labels out there and people just want to use all these words to feel special, but a lot of this vocabulary can be substantially helpful for people who experience it, and even to communicate to people who don't! For instance, learning about the term "executive functioning", which is pretty complicated but essentially boils down to the foundational skills that govern a lot of your life (being able to choose what you focus on and what you block out, being able to switch to a new plan easily when the situation changes and problem solve, being able to regulate your emotions and impulse control, organization, being able to initiate a task easily, being able to plan and prioritize properly, being able to remember a lot of short term things that happened and hold long lists of details in your head without dropping any, being aware of how you're doing in the moment, to name a few) has helped me significantly. It's helped me identify areas where I struggle, and do research to better understand the mechanics of why and then come up with coping skills, instead of what happened when I didn't have that vocabulary, which was to just feel like a lazy terrible person who's bad at everything. It's not true, it's not a kind thing to say about myself or anyone else, and it's not even accurate. "Lazy" is an insult, "executive dyfunction" is actually actionable. Likewise, "neurodivergent" is a term that can actually help people. So please try to be kind and not cut others down who are already struggling, or at least just let them go their way without saying anything rude even if you think they're silly. I apologize if any of this came across as confrontational or rude, my intention was to educate and I hope I was able to make it across properly. Thank you very much if you read this, and I hope you have a lovely day! God bless you!
@FinnGerhardt-di7iw I'm so glad you got to have that experience! Communication is a gift, and I'm so glad you have a medium of communication that works so well for you. I'm neurodivergent too, and I always think it's so cool the ways people can find to make communication easier and to make life in general more accessible. I'm sorry the other person in this comment was rather rude about it, so I wanted to encourage you! Keep doing what works for you and makes you happy, and the things that help you have valuable connections in your life. I hope you have a lovely day, and God bless you! :)
@@kenfryer2090It cost $0 and 0 cents to be kind. Try seeking meaningful discussion to understand others instead of attacking. The negativity will only hurt you, as if the world is rubber and you're glue 😊. We can disagree with one another and still be kind-- especially when it costs nothing.
Thank you so much for this. I’m an Autistic college student and I originally started learning ASL partially because I was losing the ability to speak frequently in class and social settings. I felt extremely helpless and disconnected. Taking an ASL class helped me feel so hopeful. Being able to always engage in discussion without barriers was such a gift. Thank you so, so much for this video. You’re doing amazing work.
Thank you so much for this! Especially the note about facial expressions. Most of the time when people teach sign language, they really stress how important facial expressions are. Which makes sense, because a lot of people who are learning for the first time don't know that facial expressions are part of the language at all.
But it can be really disheartening to me, as an autistic person who really struggles to control how my face looks. It made me worry that I wouldn't be able to learn at all. I will definitely take your advice to compensate with extra confirmation words.
Totally understand, I’m sorry some ppl make it seem like a deal breaking necessity. There is a big emphasis on facial expressions, but not enough discussion about how the language can be adapted to communicate clearly for people with mobility differences or those who struggle with expression. While not intentional, it’s hard for me to watch how this prevents people from learning such a useful tool. I hope this video helps plant a seed in educators minds about how clear communication can be adapted.💜
@@ChrissyMarshall_, you are an excellent teacher
[TW: ableism]
My mom and me are both hard of hearing and AuDHD (autistic and ADHD), and my mom has muscular dystrophy as well
I started learning ASL for both of us, and posted on my school's ASL club page asking for advice on how to sign when your hands don't work because of muscle loss
I explained my mom is anxious about signing because she can't physically make most of the hand shapes because of progressive muscle loss
One of the school's deaf instructors replied, "Native singers hands get tired too, but they're not afraid to learn new things"
I felt so defeated, by that and similar conversations. It's taken me years to feel safe trying to connect with the Deaf community again
But I will still keep slowly learning ASL, and I will keep learning about Deaf history and culture ✊
I actually started learning sign language for my autistic son, and as I learned more about the language I learned about Deaf culture, and FELL IN LOVE with it! I’ve had a Deaf ASL instructor for several years now and attend and volunteer at local Deaf events ❤
I love that! 🤟💜
The fact that every sign is demonstrated from two different angles is so cool and helpful. I don't think I've seen anyone else ever do that.
Just in case it's not annoying enough from the front see from the side too to be totally annoyed
Learn How to Sign does it ❤
@@kenfryer2090What?
@@kenfryer2090 ????
This made me almost cry! I’m autistic and have always been interested in sign since I grew up near a Deaf school. I wasn’t able to take a course until college (and only managed to self teach a few signs) and walked into ASL 1 SO excited to learn sign. The teacher there made it very clear that ASL was not for anyone who wasn’t culturally Deaf, with constant focus on signing as fast as possible and in a super overwhelming format that was very focused on “you must be learning this to be an interpreter” as well as talking about how disabled is a bad word. I was so anxious and overwhelmed in the course that it made me miserable to think about it even though I LOVED the language. I stopped learning ASL because of how negative my experience was. You just showed up in my recommended today and this has me so emotional and excited to go back to learning ASL!!!!
❤
I hope you have a better experience learning ASL this time around 😊
im deaf, autistic, and also homeschooled! when my mom isn't teaching me, she's busy taking ASL courses so she can communicate with me :)
I love this, thank you! It's especially validating for you to say ASL can be beneficial even outside communication with a Deaf person. I'm autistic, and I find the added layer of meaning found in signed communication fascinating. We are studying ASL in our home school, and we've definitely found great uses for signing just among us: when our mouth is full at meal times, across the room in a public space, in a loud public place, in church when we don't want to interrupt others but still allow our kids to communicate with us. Also... Letting us know they need to go to the bathroom without announcing it to the world 😉. I love your channel. Thank you for these videos! 💕
So glad that it resonated with you- it makes me so sad when people don’t feel welcomed to learn it. Everyone deserves to communicate in the way most comfortable for them! 💕🤟
You are an amazing teacher. I'm an old, Deafish, retired educator. I taught ASL and other subjects. Part of my career involved students with special needs. Modality is about how we receive and transmit information. I learned early on the importance to use more than one modality so as to include more students. You are on the right track. 😊
Thank you!
I wanted to drop a comment to express my complete agreement with your video's message. ASL is such a versatile and inclusive language, and your dedication to making it accessible, especially for our neurodivergent friends, is truly commendable.
Your content resonates with the belief that ASL should be embraced by a wide audience, not just limited to the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. I'm genuinely inspired by your work in this area.
I'd be thrilled to connect with you and discuss the potential for a video collaboration. Your expertise and perspective would be a valuable addition to the ASL community. Looking forward to the possibility of working together!
@Chrissy , It would mean the world to me to be able to connect with you !
Thank you for this! My wife (an audiologist) is nearly fluent in sign and has been encouraging me to learn for a while. I (AuDHD neurodivergent) have been looking for ways to communicate subtly with her when I'm having issues. Thank you for providing both a means and valuable entry to learning more ASL!
As someone who just shuts down when overstimulated and has had frequent bouts of Disassociation that have lead to me being non verbal for a certain amount of time recently, this is super helpful! I'm definitely sending this to my bf and bestie, since those two are the ones who have to try to communicate with me while I can't. I also use communication cards since I'm still learning sign which is super helpful too!
This is so helpful! I am autistic and I’ve just started learning sign language because vocal communication and auditory processing has become so difficult for me. At the very least, I want to be able to communicate with my partner without having to speak all the time and this is such a great resource I’m totally going to send them!!!
ASL is my "turtle", slow steady self-improve, and that's enough to learn. I was very quiet growing up, parents HH, my fourth grade was a Deaf class, I was hyperacusis, avoided sound, extremely spatially sensitive, pressure paralysis, drop attacks, optical seizures, list-to-floor, but, I'm fine, and pass as "normal", but don't want to, prefer show myself, and ASL is a part of me, 23 months learn, after loud sounds part deaf me. Now, have Deaf coworkers, many Hearing there know some sign, it's so amazing to be part of that~
As a neurodivergent person who is speaking and hearing, these were still very helpful! I tried combining some and made note of them. For example: loud, need quiet. Need help. Need leave. I understand you need help/leave/quiet. I will try to remember these in case I need them in the future! Thank you!
Hi Chrissy!
I am neurodivergent and studying to be an ASL/English Interpreter at the University of North Florida. I found this video to be incredibly helpful! Today, my interpreting class is partnering with the school's psychology class to work on educating us both on mental health and giving us situations DHH people might experience. But also, as a neurodivergent person, I found this video very informative in giving me specific signs for emotions I've experienced and didn't know the sign for (over-stimulated). I think this is a wonderful channel and I'm so happy I found it! Thank you for everything you do!
I love the sound of deaf people speaking (no really this isn’t to tease anyone I just like it)
like sign asmr
I'm hearing and not from the USA, but your channel just popped in to my feed.
My jaw dropped. ASL poems? Short movies? Interviews with other deaf RUclipsrs?
I don't believe in destiny, but now I do believe YT can read minds. I was pondering about SL a couple weeks ago but I never talked about it woth anybody and have not even Googled anything about it yet. YT still figured out I had an interest?!
I can't wait to learn about your work, your culture and language.
I never thought a silent video would be this entertaining and educational to watch, I want to learn sign language now, thank you :)
I am Autistic, I go nonverbal sometimes, I also have very bad social anxiety, being able to sign helps me in moments where I cannot speak, I also have partial hearing loss in one ear, so sometimes if its a loud and environment and you are on that side, I cannot hear you, so It does benefit people that aren't deaf or HoH, love it, thank you
As a deaf autistic with hearing aids whose learning ASL, overstimulated, loud, quiet, and mute was the signs I needed to learn because I don’t always use my iPad to talk, and I do prefer my hands. I have a love hate relationship with the hearing world, and this has helped me learn when I hate it and overstimulated.
Thank you so much for being welcoming and inclusive of neurodivergent people and other people who may not be deaf, hard of hearing, deafblind, or have auditory processing issues, but definitely benefit from using sign language for accessible communication.
One thing I want to let you know about your description blurb for this video: it may be better to say "picture communication symbols" instead of PECS.
PECS is a proprietary system that involves a specific behaviorist training system that some people who are learning to use PECS find quite aversive.
But anyone can use a variety of picture symbols to communicate, without having to go through that system.
It’s so reassuring to know that I can still learn ASL if I struggle with facial expressions! I can usually understand other people’s facial expressions okay with context, but I have trouble making the right face myself. It’s hard to conjure up a specific face, especially when it’s social and not a gut reaction. But I can absolutely just double check that I’m being understood correctly!
Thank you so much for noting that, and for making this video in general! I’m going to show this to my semi-verbal friend!
overstimulated is a good one!
This video is very helpful. I've always had this feeling that I should learn ASL and this is encouraging
I'm grateful for your videos and this topic in particular. I am hearing and work with adults with neurodiversities as a drama/theatre director (we have a BIG show coming up this week) and as a fitness instructor. I 'fell' into working with this community about 13 years ago, and LOVE it. I'm learning ASL and find it very helpful with the communities that I am serving. Many are not Deaf (a few are), but use sign language as a support for communication. I'm using your videos as a way to practice my receptive skills. I still have to slow it down to playback at a speed I can understand better, but getting there! I would say I understood 40% of this one on the first try at full speed (no captions) and will review slower now, for my own learning. Thanks for all you do!
This is really cool Chrissy. Thank you.
Thank You! So good. Appreciate You & Your help!
Your content continues to be superb Chrissie. You are valued and you are loved xxx
I love this and you! Thank you for sharing your journey with us! That must've been really hard!
I don't know any sign language, but I like watching this.
As someone who is autistic I can definitely say that I loved this video! I communicate verbally, but I generally don’t have the energy to speak when I’m overstimulated and shut down. If only someone around me could understand sign language though so that me signing would actually help me communicate 😅
Thanks for making it!
You are so beautiful. I love how smooth and expressive your sign is! I found this really helpful. I learned asl 1 and 2 in high school but I’m sorta rusty lol. I am someone who gets overstimulated super easily and needs earplugs and not talking a lot of the time. As is my sister. I will definitely be teaching her these, thank you! 🩵
Thank you! I love how you finger spell as well, more reinforcement helps. You're amazing ❤
Thank you so much for saying it's okay if you struggle with facial expressions! All lessons emphasize how important facial expressions are in sign language (and they are, it's like tone) and it was really discouraging to realize I was never going to be a 'native-level' signer, just like I can never really feel like a native-level speaker of anything because I don't understand enough(tone-wise).
Making expressions is still a lot of effort, so when I'm tired I already use 'support' signs that you're not supposed to use outside of learning--like the question mark. I feel better now about continuing to use those even when I consider myself done learning ASL.
I love that you demonstrate the sign from a 3/4 angle as well thank you. These are exactly the signs i need. Hope to build a bigger vocabulary ❤
Thank you for sharing,
And yep beautiful as always
It's so hard telling people I trust in social situations that things are too much and I already know some sign from when I took it in high school but this DEFINITELY gives me more tools to work with and communicate better. Love what you do 😁
This is excellent. As someone who can struggle with social anxiety, this could actually be helpful.
Woah it look a amazing Great job and keeping it up work hard! God blessed you 🙏
thank you! this is so great. I am autistic and did an intro course in sign, but was definitely missing some of the more important signs for me
This was awesome, thank you!! 😄
❤❤❤❤❤ YAAAAAYYY!!! Thank you Chrissy as I tend to spend moments or even hours not talking at places like work due to my autism…^____^ I figured ASL signs would help me communicate much better with using my hands❤❤❤❤ Please keep up the Awesome videos…❤❤❤
Thank you Chrissy. I'm gonna work on these.
Thank you! Learned some super helpful signs!
I am an Autistic Hearing Australian and sometimes I find it really hard to speak. I have been learning AUSLAN and it comes in handy when I have trouble speaking. I like learning AUSLAN.
I don't understand anything but I like to watch your films ❤
Very helpful. Thank you!
This was great... I don't practice enough. lol I love your channel.
I miss talking to my Deaf teachers😭 ive forgotten so much ASL because I don't use it😢 luckily I know just enough to piece a conversation together, lol. When in doubt, fingerspell it😂
Thanks, very useful. 👏👏👏
Now i need to know what being deaf would be like for someone with no hands.
THANK YOU SO MUCH!
If only other people saw it this way, i would love to learn some sign to help me and others communicate when I get overwhelmed, but my parents say they see no reason to learn it because they don't interact with many deaf people :( I wish my friends would also try it but idk, at least they'd probably be more open than my family.
Super helpful. Sign is so useful. Just about everyone has situations where they can’t hear.
Fun fact: I recently moved back to Australia after living in the US for a long time, so I’m trying to now learn AUSLAN. It appears the signs for “what” and “where” are exactly reversed between the two languages.
You rock! ❤
Thank you! ❤
As neurodivergent, semi-verbal person I hugely appreciate this video. Sadly, I can't actually sign most of these, due to a physical disability on my left arm.
Which makes me wonder: How can people with physical disabilities affecting their arm/hand movement learn to communicate with sign language? How to approach this kind of issue?
Many signs can be adapted one handed, if you can find a local ASL instructor they can show you how 💜
Aside from physical disability, I'd think one handed signs would be critical given the number of daily situations in which the average person needs one hand for something.
Most professional/situational sign "languages" I'm aware of, for environments where speech is impossible (diving), inadvisable (military, such as when preparing an ambush), or inaudible (noisy environments), seem to lean much further to the one-handed side than ASL.
What I have experienced with deaf people I have interacted with, they sign one handed. You can still understand it. If you don't understand, ask them to repeat. For you signing, if it NEEDS two hands, just fingerspell it. Most the signs can be done one handed. I sometimes lose the ability to move one of my arms and I had to go to class unable to use my left arm and was still understood.
I agree with you. I wished my mom looked further while I was growing up. The school I was put in did not allow ASL at all, if we ever used it in the school we got in trouble big time. I speak so well that many do not realize that I am deaf/hard of hearing.
Thank you 💜
Thank you. 🙂
thank you so much for this - im autistic and sometimes talking and noise is too much. this is super helpful!
perhaps if i could remember some of this i wouldn't Leave/Go all the time😃
I am taking ASL 2 B and need help with a project for school. I need to sign 1. I need to start my homework in 5 minutes 2. She has soccer practice in four hours. 3. Six months ago, I visited my grandma 4. For the past three days, it has been cold 5. I will graduate in two years. '
thank you in advance
I really need to see what “quiet penguin” looks like now. I’m concerned I’ll think I’m saying quiet but I’m really saying “oh boy, it sure is penguin around here” 😅
This is so helpful and you are so good, thank you 🥹
Im a hearing person I’m learning ASL specifically because myself and people I love sometimes struggle with (or even prefer not to) verbally communicate. ASL is a helpful tool and a beautiful language.
So glad this video can help encourage your ASL journey💜
Thanks.
❤️❤️❤️
This is great. Can you do a driving passenger to driver common signs like, turn here, go back , slow down and learn to drive that sort of thing? Trying to read peoples lips in the rear view mirror is challenging. Thank you for your videos.
Yes I have that also deaf
This would have been so helpful when I was much younger (not that it's not helpful now).
You're a very beautiful person
My Autistic children learned to speak,when we used sign with words
❤❤❤
If better do get friend help just turn on for cc only for understanding thank
thank you so much! also. i struggle much with facial expressions because i usually always only have one expression at all times unless i am REALLY feeling an emotion strongly. Are there any other resources for this to help me practice or learn more about facial exp/grammar? I have been practicing them in my mirror as i sign lol
❤
What kind of advice do you have for people who are neurodivergent and have trouble making faces? I know thats crucial in asl but its something i struggle with. Thank you for this video!
Defo helps thank q
Closed captions are awesome, my receptive comprehension is still super poor.
I notice some of these (like "help" and "go") are different from how the lady at Learn How to Sign taught it. Does it make a big difference? I just don't want to make any mistakes. 😅
Honestly, even if you aren't neurodivergent or HoH, sign language is still available to learn. Why? Because it's a language, and languages shouldn't have gatekeeping :D
Can you imagine if we gatekept French or some other random language from people that weren't French XD?
💐😍
One thing I've learned is sentence structure is different in sign language than in spoken language. Would "Need leave. Overstimulated." be a correct phrase?
if you don't mind, its a lot easier for me to learn asl if you speak while signing pse. if you do mind, lmk why so I can learn. Love, Sage
Is it just me, or is it kind of funny that there are signs for quiet & loud? At least a little ironic, maybe?
I think it's really nice! It's an example of accommodating minorities in a culture, in this case like hearing-mute people. I haven't looked too deep into what signs there are yet but I hope there are more like that, obscure or not.
Hi
Can you please tell me can you hear now
😶😶😶😶😣😮😮😮😮
Lol
hello, I want to be friends with you and the most beautiful look good 👍❤️🌹💥🗽🇱🇷💫
I found you originally many years from a very uplifting video that I can't seem to find anymore, I want to say it was around the holidays for some reason but you spoke some really profound and insightful and just HIT me real hard at the time. I wish I remembered more about it to describe it better. I wanted to thank you for that. Anyway; I've been trying to slowly learn ASL (I'm struggling but I've never had any sort of language come easily to me :( haven't given up yet though! ) and I see a lot of people have very exaggerated facial expressions when they sign. I really hope my question isn't disrespectful in any way, I absolutely do not mean for it to be at all!- but when the language is 'spoken' through the hands, why does that manifest?
What means "neurodivergent"?
Autism, ADHD and dyslexia are 3 examples of neurodivergent.
@@MellieLuisi2505Some more examples of neurodivergent that can sometimes make spoken language difficult in certain situations:
- PTSD, other trauma-related disorders
- Social anxiety
- Selective mutism (also called situational mutism. The person is not *choosing* not to be able to speak. Their brain is not letting them speak at that time.)
Some people who are not Deaf but would definitely benefit by using sign language may be afraid that they're not allowed to sign, because an assumption that sign language is only for deaf people. But accessibility is important for everybody! I'm glad that Chrissy, who is deaf, put out this message. ♥️