Learn American Sign Language

learning | ▲▲▲ difficulty | ⏳ 60 hours

Step-by-step guide

OK, let’s get started.

Step 1

Decide on a medium that works best for you. This may entail taking a formal class at your local community college, taking private lessons with an expert, taking online courses, or downloading an app. 

Here are a couple popular resources:

• Take Lessons offers personalized ASL lessons with expert teachers locally or online. 

• ASL Connect offers free online interactive lessons.

• Sign Language 101 offers free instructive videos, or you can sign up and pay for courses.

• The ASL App offers over 2,000 signs and phrases, with in-app purchase options.

Step 2

Practice what you learn throughout the week. It’s usually best to practice with someone who already knows sign language. If you don’t know anyone that knows ASL, ask a friend to learn it with you and the two of you can practice together.

Step 3

On average, it takes about 60-90 hours to learn the basics of sign language. If you only commit two hours per week, it will take ~6 months to be able to communicate.

The more time you commit, the faster you will learn — still, be careful not to rush the learning process either, as the brain requires ample time and repetition before it can store a new skill, particularly language, into long-term memory.

Relevant links:

• What is ASL? via the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)

• Intro to ASL grammar rules via Take Lessons