On April 15th, we celebrate National American Sign Language Day. This annual celebration day is meant to bring awareness to the importance of American Sign Language (ASL) as a mainstream language. Of course, this is a key initiative at Signing Time as well. Acknowledging ASL as a mainstream language is an important step in building more inclusion into our society. Our ASL shows and resources are meant to not only help children who have difficulty with verbal communication, but also to help all children become comfortable with ASL. Kids retain so much, and our goal is that they can carry this language skill into adulthood. Can you imagine a world where most people are comfortable with and capable of signing? This is why we celebrate National ASL Day.
National ASL Day is set on the anniversary of the founding of the American School for the Deaf in 1817. This was the first school for the deaf that remained successful in the United States. We’re so thankful for places like this where progress can be made and celebrated, and we are happy to celebrate National ASL Day alongside this community.
So how can you celebrate National ASL Day?
Learn and share
Well, it’s the perfect time to learn some new ASL words and phrases, and even to share them with friends and family. Our free Signing Time Dictionary is a great resource to help you learn ASL signs and phrases. The Dictionary has tons of words to learn and an easy search function to look for specific words. But you could also check out the Phrases section for several common phrases you can learn with your kids.
Get creative
Kids love to color and cut and glue. So why not help them make some cards to celebrate National ASL Day? They can give cards to family, friends, teachers, or anyone they know. We adults could do this too in our own way. For example, it’s fun to decipher phrases given in ASL letters. So maybe download one of these graphics (you can find several if you scroll down on our Facebook page). Then you could hand it out or text it to friends on April 15th. Think about a way you could get creative and help raise awareness in a way that works for you.
Share ASL videos on social media
There are an abundance of these online, but of course we’re partial to My Signing Time. We have a large selection of free videos you could share, depending on what you prefer or what your friends are interested in. And there’s always the ever-popular Silly Pizza Song, which is so fun AND helps us learn so many signs!
Share your signing story
If you use ASL regularly in your home, consider sharing your story. Or maybe you have learned ASL for a friend, and perhaps you could share that story. These personal accounts help us all to see the need for ASL to be treated as a mainstream language.
These ways to celebrate National ASL Day are all ways to connect with other people. Who can you connect with to help raise awareness for this important initiative?
Other resources
You can find more information and resources for National ASL Day through the ASL Day website, the American Society for Deaf Children, and National Today’s summary.
So what will you do to celebrate National ASL Day with us?