Deaf Awareness Month: 5 tips to help you learn SASL

September is National Deaf Awareness Month. This is when Deaf culture, sign language, and the global Deaf community are celebrated. Considering it has been three years since South African Sign Language (SASL) was made an official language, this is the best time to start learning.

There are various methods and reasons to start learning SASL. However, an important note is that SASL is its own dialect of sign language. It is not simply a translated version of International Sign Language. Thus, the choice of learning materials and approaches is important.

Here are a few ways to learn SASL.

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1. Learn finger spelling, then stop relying on it

The first step is to learn the alphabet. Fingerspelling is a very useful tool for beginners, as it helps you learn how to spell names, places, and unfamiliar words. It is best for the theoretical stage of learning and the novice stage, where one is learning the motor skills for signing.

Fingerspelling is not a substitute for learning SASL vocabulary and sentence structure. You can access the full SASL alphabet sheet on the National Institute for the Deaf website for free.

2. SASL-specific beginner courses

Once you’ve gotten the hang of finger spelling, you can move on to beginner courses. There are various courses catered to your every need regarding learning SASL. It’s important to start with courses that teach basic vocabulary and explain how SASL is used.

With the DEAFintions SASL essentials course, one can learn the foundations necessary to be fluent in the language. This course is online and self-paced. It provides an introduction to SASL, deaf culture, and fingerspelling.

The course is priced at R250 for months of access and can be found on DEAFinitions.co.za.

For a more budget-friendly entry point, the National Institute for the Deaf Resource Hub provides free SASL-related material.

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3. Take live classes for feedback

Once comfortable with the fundamentals of SASL, you can move on to a more immersive and interactive stage. Through a live course, you can get feedback. This is when your hand shape, facial grammar, signing space, movement, and timing can be corrected and adjusted in real time.

These courses are available on the Deafinitions website, including its Blended SASL Interactive Course. Stellenbosch University also offers a beginner 1A level South African Sign Language course that provides 10 face-to-face classes. The total cost is currently R7,200.

4. Keep a video dictionary

Keeping a dictionary is a useful tool for checking a sign, comparing a variant, and revising vocabulary. The LearnSASL and NID SASL dictionaries are strong tools as the platform uses high-quality videos. The site explains it uses signs approved by the National Language Board for South African Sign Language of the Pan South African Language Board.

5. Build a deaf community

By engaging in an immersive approach to learning South African Sign Language, it offers the opportunity to learn with communication as a focus rather than simply collecting signs.

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