What do you think?
Rate this book
American Sign Language Made Easy for Beginners: A Visual Guide with ASL Signs, Lessons, and Quizzes
Learn American Sign Language the easy way!
Become a lifelong learner of American Sign Language (ASL) with this guide for true beginners. It breaks down ASL fundamentals and gives you step-by-step instructions for signing more than 400 vocabulary words, organized by practical topics like greetings, hobbies, times, places, and more.
●The building blocks of ASL—Lay the foundation for ASL learning as you explore the five parameters of signing: hand shape, location, movement, palm orientation, and non-manual markers.
●Clear guidance for novices—Learn how to sign each vocabulary word with the help of detailed written directions and large, full-colour photos, so you know you’re doing it right even if it’s your first sign ever.
●Lessons and quizzes—Put your new skills to the test with themed lessons designed for real-world conversations, and brief quizzes at the end of each section.
Make learning ASL fun and easy with this top choice in American Sign Language books for beginners.
Become a lifelong learner of American Sign Language (ASL) with this guide for true beginners. It breaks down ASL fundamentals and gives you step-by-step instructions for signing more than 400 vocabulary words, organized by practical topics like greetings, hobbies, times, places, and more.
●The building blocks of ASL—Lay the foundation for ASL learning as you explore the five parameters of signing: hand shape, location, movement, palm orientation, and non-manual markers.
●Clear guidance for novices—Learn how to sign each vocabulary word with the help of detailed written directions and large, full-colour photos, so you know you’re doing it right even if it’s your first sign ever.
●Lessons and quizzes—Put your new skills to the test with themed lessons designed for real-world conversations, and brief quizzes at the end of each section.
Make learning ASL fun and easy with this top choice in American Sign Language books for beginners.
- GenresNonfiction
528 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 19, 2022
115 people are currently reading
24 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
July 22, 2022
This handbook lays out the basics of American Sign Language (ASL) in ten chapters, in which they explain with both full-colour photographs of a signing person and illustrations, everything a beginner needs to learn, from the alphabet (finger-spelling) to everyday greetings, thoughts and feelings, household chores, school activities, travel, health, food and drink, colours, events, how to tell time and place, and so on. It's very thorough with the basics, just like a handbook for a spoken language would be.
You could take this handbook with you on travel, too. Or even just when you're out shopping or a walk or sightseeing! You never know when you'll encounter an ASL speaker, as they are everywhere. I've met Deaf people on the public transport having an animated conversation all in ASL, and it felt like eavesdropping at times, but also fun and heartwarming to see the language used in real time. I had a very, very basic foundation in Sign Language, and this has helped me learn some more in an easy and entertaining way.
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
You could take this handbook with you on travel, too. Or even just when you're out shopping or a walk or sightseeing! You never know when you'll encounter an ASL speaker, as they are everywhere. I've met Deaf people on the public transport having an animated conversation all in ASL, and it felt like eavesdropping at times, but also fun and heartwarming to see the language used in real time. I had a very, very basic foundation in Sign Language, and this has helped me learn some more in an easy and entertaining way.
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
July 27, 2022
Originally posted on my blog: Nonstop Reader.
American Sign Language Made Easy for Beginners is a well written and illustrated learning manual for ASL by Travis Belmontes-Merrell. Due out 2nd Aug 2022 from Rockridge Press, it's 276 pages and available in paperback and ebook formats. For Kindle Unlimited subscribers; this title is currently available in the KU subscription to borrow and download for free. It's also worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.
The book introduces signs gradually starting with the basics (ABCs, numbers, some syntax, how to learn ASL). Later chapters cover greetings, feelings, daily routines, time & place, food & drink, activities & events, travel, health safety & colors. The book also includes a nice bibliography, resources (with active hyperlinks), and some cool learning activities; quizzes and answer keys. The photo illustrations are clear and easy to follow. Each picture is captioned in easy to understand unambiguous language for making the signs. The model, Jocelyn Only, is experienced and has experience as an ASL model from other books.
This is an accessible fun book for learning ASL. It would also make a superlative library book (school, classroom, public) or extracurricular activity (scouting, etc).
Five stars.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
American Sign Language Made Easy for Beginners is a well written and illustrated learning manual for ASL by Travis Belmontes-Merrell. Due out 2nd Aug 2022 from Rockridge Press, it's 276 pages and available in paperback and ebook formats. For Kindle Unlimited subscribers; this title is currently available in the KU subscription to borrow and download for free. It's also worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.
The book introduces signs gradually starting with the basics (ABCs, numbers, some syntax, how to learn ASL). Later chapters cover greetings, feelings, daily routines, time & place, food & drink, activities & events, travel, health safety & colors. The book also includes a nice bibliography, resources (with active hyperlinks), and some cool learning activities; quizzes and answer keys. The photo illustrations are clear and easy to follow. Each picture is captioned in easy to understand unambiguous language for making the signs. The model, Jocelyn Only, is experienced and has experience as an ASL model from other books.
This is an accessible fun book for learning ASL. It would also make a superlative library book (school, classroom, public) or extracurricular activity (scouting, etc).
Five stars.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
July 27, 2022
Learning A New Language is ALWAYS Beneficial!
I have always wanted to learn to Sign. I decided to take an Intro to ASL class at the local community college with my High School daughter years ago and then recently repeated it and went on to take an Intermediate ASL class. I would like to take an advanced course or even just use it and learn more.
I feel it is very well done. Easier than my textbook ever was! The illustrations and descriptions on how to sign are very clear. Not everyone has time to take an ASL class in person but having looked at many other books this book definitely stood out!
As with any language “Use it or Lose it” is a real thing. You have to get over yourself and your inhibitions and just sign. I personally get flustered a lot and do tend to revert back to using my phone to type out what I want to say to a friend who is deaf.
I highly recommend finding someone to “practice” with. Even if it’s on Zoom or FaceTime! If you have kids learn together! I also enjoy learning to sign songs. Go to YouTube and type in ASL “insert song title” and you can find pretty much anything!
If you haven’t watched the movie CODA … go watch it!!! It will make you want to learn!!! So many great movies and books to watch and read!
Again, my overall review of this book is 5 STARS!!!! Thank you Travis for writing a book that makes it easy to take up ASL! There are many great resources at the back of the book definitely take advantage of them!
I received a complimentary ARC of this book from NetGalley on behalf of the Publisher and was under no obligation to post a favorable review.
I have always wanted to learn to Sign. I decided to take an Intro to ASL class at the local community college with my High School daughter years ago and then recently repeated it and went on to take an Intermediate ASL class. I would like to take an advanced course or even just use it and learn more.
I feel it is very well done. Easier than my textbook ever was! The illustrations and descriptions on how to sign are very clear. Not everyone has time to take an ASL class in person but having looked at many other books this book definitely stood out!
As with any language “Use it or Lose it” is a real thing. You have to get over yourself and your inhibitions and just sign. I personally get flustered a lot and do tend to revert back to using my phone to type out what I want to say to a friend who is deaf.
I highly recommend finding someone to “practice” with. Even if it’s on Zoom or FaceTime! If you have kids learn together! I also enjoy learning to sign songs. Go to YouTube and type in ASL “insert song title” and you can find pretty much anything!
If you haven’t watched the movie CODA … go watch it!!! It will make you want to learn!!! So many great movies and books to watch and read!
Again, my overall review of this book is 5 STARS!!!! Thank you Travis for writing a book that makes it easy to take up ASL! There are many great resources at the back of the book definitely take advantage of them!
I received a complimentary ARC of this book from NetGalley on behalf of the Publisher and was under no obligation to post a favorable review.
July 26, 2022
American Sign Language Made Easy for Beginners A Visual Guide with ASL Signs, Lessons, and Quizzes by Travis Belmontes-Merrell
I wish my high school would have offered ASL as a language option. This is such a great book and resource. The author writes clearly and concisely with easy-to-follow instructions. I am excited to find a Deaf community in my area and connect and practice.
I enjoyed reading the history of ASL, the variations in the language, different dialects and usages, and the changing signs due to words being changed or added (i.e., inclusion). Interesting that there is no sign for the words and, is, etc. Fingerspelling is used for names, titles, and places.
I did have to do the alphabet via video to supplement as it was hard to see some of the hand shapes in the book.
I would definitely recommend this book. It's a great resource and an easy guide to use to learn ASL.
#AmericanSignLanguageMadeEasyforBeginnersCallistoInterests #NetGalley
I wish my high school would have offered ASL as a language option. This is such a great book and resource. The author writes clearly and concisely with easy-to-follow instructions. I am excited to find a Deaf community in my area and connect and practice.
I enjoyed reading the history of ASL, the variations in the language, different dialects and usages, and the changing signs due to words being changed or added (i.e., inclusion). Interesting that there is no sign for the words and, is, etc. Fingerspelling is used for names, titles, and places.
I did have to do the alphabet via video to supplement as it was hard to see some of the hand shapes in the book.
I would definitely recommend this book. It's a great resource and an easy guide to use to learn ASL.
#AmericanSignLanguageMadeEasyforBeginnersCallistoInterests #NetGalley
September 7, 2022
Great illustrations and cleaver chapter development makes this a fun and easy book to use. With over 400 signs covered it is very comprehensive. I really liked how the book grouped topics together.
●The building blocks of ASL—Lay the foundation for ASL learning as you explore the five parameters of signing: hand shape, location, movement, palm orientation, and non-manual markers.
●Clear guidance for novices—Learn how to sign each vocabulary word with the help of detailed written directions and large, full-colour photos, so you know you’re doing it right even if it’s your first sign ever.
●Lessons and quizzes—Put your new skills to the test with themed lessons designed for real-world conversations, and brief quizzes at the end of each section.
Many people are interest
●The building blocks of ASL—Lay the foundation for ASL learning as you explore the five parameters of signing: hand shape, location, movement, palm orientation, and non-manual markers.
●Clear guidance for novices—Learn how to sign each vocabulary word with the help of detailed written directions and large, full-colour photos, so you know you’re doing it right even if it’s your first sign ever.
●Lessons and quizzes—Put your new skills to the test with themed lessons designed for real-world conversations, and brief quizzes at the end of each section.
Many people are interest
September 20, 2022
An incredible book for getting started with ASL. It was easy to understand and the pictures make it easy to learn. I can’t wait to work on this and learn at least passable ASL.
December 29, 2022
This one was a good beginners guide for ASL. Though nothing can compare to using ASL with another ASL user to learn the language. But this book serves as a place to get started.
July 20, 2024
This book has most of the basics that are taught typically in the beginning of a Sign Language class organized with lessons at the end and a great index. It's easy to blow through this book, but it has over 400 signs you can master. You may wonder why you need colors, days of the week, numbers, and random foods, but it helps to learn these signs because 1. they come up in basic conversation often and 2. learning them shows you how some of the signs work (for example, most color signs and days of the week are initialized). OK, to be honest, I am NOT an expert AT ALL. But I really do like this book compared to other ASL beginner's books I've seen.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews