Fingerspelling:

Learning to fingerspell is a lot like learning to type.

First you should start with small combinations of letters like "cat" then work your way up to longer words.  Spell the word over and over to yourself while pronouncing it normally.  For example, the "c" in "cat" should be pronounced like the letter "k."

Remember, don't say individual letters!  Say whole words.  Avoid spelling the abc's in order.  "a,b,c,..."  Instead, practice using names of family members and nearby cities.

If you need to study for an other class, why not spell your way through the text?

A word of caution--don't practice spelling license plates!  Many students like to spell license plates while driving.  But this is a bad habit because it causes you to think letter by letter instead of whole words.  It is much better to spell road signs like "exit" and "yield."  Again, you need to say the complete word, "yield," not just "y" then "i" then "e"...

Some people enjoy using a mirror to practice.  Mirrors are okay but not near as effective as a camcoder and VCR.  If you have access to a camcoder, you can videotape yourself fingerspelling various words.

Here is an approach:  write a long list of words that are important to you.  Then sit down in front of a camcoder and spell the words one at a time to the camcoder leaving a short break between words.  Then put the video and your list away.  After a few days, get out the video, a blank sheet of paper, and a pen or pencil.  Pop the video into a VCR and test yourself.  Write down the fingerspelled words.  Then get out your original list and compare to see how well you did.  Keep making videos and testing yourself until you reach the level of skill you desire.

Of course the best way to practice is with a (Deaf)  partner, (if you can find one).  Grab a friend and the phone book and head for a park or a restaurant.  The phone book is an excellent resource for practicing fingerspelling because it has lists of cities. (Look under the zip code section)  Then after you have mastered all the cities, you have a few thousand names you can work on.  Or you can look under the government section and spell various agencies throughout the city and county.  Then if you need even more  practice, you can turn to the yellow page index and spell the various headings in the yellow pages.

An other idea is to play board games.  Many popular board games can be modified to include fingerspelling.

For example, you could play "battleship" using fingerspelling and numbers.

One of my favorite activities is what I call the "Hellen Keller speller."  You work with a partner.  You closes your eyes.  The other person spells a word into your hand and you say or sign the word back to him or her.  Then you switch roles.  This is a lot of fun.  It even works if the power is out!

One more idea that will work for those of you who use the internet:  You can set up your chat room to use this type of font.  Then all you have to do is sign on to any live chat room and watch the fingerspelling.    Use your search program to find the font on the net then download it into your computer then use your preferences option to select a fingerspelling font.  There is also a great site or two out there on the web that will spell words to you and you have to type in the right answer.  A few minutes a day doing that and before you know it you will be pretty good!

Good luck and happy spelling!

LEVELS OF SKILL PROFICIENCY FOR FINGERSPELLING AND SIGNED NUMBERS

*  Knows proper placement of hand
*  Understands concept of simultaneous attention to lip & hand movements
*  Can recognize each letter of the alphabet when signed slowly
*  Can fingerspell each letter of the alphabet slowly
*  Can recognize variation 1 of numbers 0 - 31
*  Can sign variation 1 of numbers 0 - 31
*  Knows how to form double letters
*  Knows different forms of individual letters, specifically E, M,N,G,T,B,Z
*  Can recognize letters fingerspelled quickly and in random order
*  Can recognize variations in numbers 0 - 31
*  Knows how to play the game "Buzz"
*  Can recognize numbers 0 - 31 signed quickly in random order
*  Understands the concept of phonetic fingerspelling
*  Can phonetically fingerspell own name
*  Can phonetically rehearse the ABC's
*  Knows how to sign billion, trillion, & variations of 100 & 1000
*  Can recognize letters in a two handed speed drill (simultaneous presentation)
*  Can recognize numbers in a two handed speed drill
*  Can sign numbers 0 - 1,000,000
*  Can recognize 3 letter words
*  Can relay 3 letter words
*  Can play Bingo in ASL with little difficulty
*  Can phonetically fingerspell 3 letter words
*  Can recognize 4 and 5 letter words
*  Can phonetically fingerspell 4 and  5 letter words
*  Knows how to sign and recognize a decimal point
*  Knows how to recognize and sign fractions
*  Knows how to count dollars up to 9
*  Knows how to sign cardinal and ordinal numbers
*  Knows how to sign phone numbers, addresses, and extremely long numbers
*  Knows how to keep score
*  Can recognize long words spelled at a moderate pace
*  Can recognize regionally common words fingerspelled very quickly
*  Can recognize long words fingerspelled quickly

NAMES

Ann
Bob
Cal
Dan
Eli
Gil
Hal
Ira
Jed
Ken
Lee
Meg
Ned
Ona
Pat
Rex
Sam
Tim
Ugo
Val
Wil
Yao
Zeb
Alan
Bret
Chad
Dale
Eric
Fred
Gale
Hugh
Ivan
Jack
Kent
Lori
Mary
Neil
Orin
Paul
Reed
Stan
Todd
Ursa
Vito
Ward
Yori
Zora
 

Alvin
Bryce
Candy
Daryl
Ellen
Freda
Garth
Harry
Irvin
Jerry
Karen
Laura
Merle
Nicky
Oprah
Penny
Quint
Rusty
Sandy
Tessa
Vince
Wanda
Yanni
Zelda
Audrey
Barney
Carmen
Darrin
Edward
Farrah
Garret
Harold
Isabel
Jessie
Karlie
Luthor
Martin
Nathan
Oswald
Parson
Quincy
Ramsey
Sophia
Terrie
Ursela
Vickie
Willie
Yvette
 

Anthony
Brandon
Candice
Darlene
Elenore
Felicia
Gabriel
Herbert
Isabela
Jasmine
Kenneth
Leonard
Michael
Norbert
Othello
Preston
Quentin
Roxanne
Suzanne
Timothy
Vincent
William
Xiaver
Yolanda
Algernon
Benjamin
Courtney
Danielle
Emmerson
Florence
Gilligan
Humphrey
Ignatius
Jennifer
Kathleen
Lawrence
Michelle
Nicholas
Orseline
Penelope
Rachelle
Samantha
Theodora
Victoria
Winifred
Yanamari
_____
 

CITIES &
STATES

Atlanta,
Georgia

Austin,
Texas

Baltimore,
Maryland

Baton Rouge,
Louisiana

Birmingham,
Alabama

Boston,
Massachusetts

Buffalo,
New York

Calgary,
Alberta

Charleston,
South Carolina

Charlotte,
North Carolina

Chicago,
Illinois

Cincinnati,
Ohio

Cleveland,
Ohio

Columbus,
Ohio

Dallas,
Texas

Denver,
Colorado

Detroit,
Michigan

Edmonton,
Alberta

Fort Worth,
Texas

Hartford,
Connecticut

Honolulu,
Hawaii

Houston,
Texas

Indianapolis,
Indiana

Jacksonville,
Florida

Kansas City,
Missouri

Las Vegas,
Nevada

Los Angeles,
California

Louisville,
Kentucky

Memphis,
Tennessee

Mexico City,
Mexico

Miami,
Florida

Milwaukee,
Wisconsin
 

Minneapolis,
Minnesota

Montreal,
Quebec

Nashville,
Tennessee

New Orleans,
Louisiana

New York,
New York

Norfolk,
Virginia

Oakland,
California

Oklahoma City,
Oklahoma

Orlando,
Florida

Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania

Phoenix,
Arizona

Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania

Portland,
Oregon

Providence,
Rhode Island

Raleigh,
North Carolina

Richmond,
Virginia

Rochester,
New York

Sacramento,
California

Salem,
North Carolina

Salt Lake City,
Utah

San Antonio,
Texas

San Diego,
California

San Francisco,
California

San Jose,
California

Seattle,
Washington

Spokane,
Washington

St. Paul,
Minnesota

St. Louis,
Missouri

St. Petersburg,
Florida

Tampa,
Florida

Toronto,
Ontario

Tucson,
Arizona

Tulsa,
Oklahoma
 

STATES
California
Connecticut
Louisiana
Massachusetts
Minnesota
North Carolina
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
Tennessee
Alabama
Arizona
Colorado
Florida
Georgia
Hawaii
Illinois
Indiana
Kentucky
Maryland
Michigan
Washington
Missouri
Nevada
New York
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Texas
Utah
Virginia
Wisconsin
 

Months

Oct.
Aug.
Nov.
April
Feb.
May
Dec.
Jan.
March
June
Sept.
July

MOVIES
Air Force One
Aladdin
Apollo 13
Back to the Future
Batman
Batman Forever
Batman Returns
Beverly Hills Cop
Close Encounters
"Crocodile" Dundee
Dances With Wolves
E.T.
Forrest Gump
Ghost
Ghostbusters
Gone With the Wind
Home Alone
Independence Day
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
  Jaws
Jurassic Park
Liar Liar
Men in Black
Mission Impossible
Mrs. Doubtfire
Pretty Woman
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Rain Man
Return of the Jedi
Robin Hood
Snow White
Star Wars
The Empire Strikes Back
The Firm
The Fugitive
The Lion King
Jurassic Park
The Sound of Music
The Sting
Three Men and a Baby
Titanic
Tootsie
Top Gun
Toy Story
Twister

STORIES
The Three Little Pigs
Little Red Riding Hood
Hansel And Gretel
Goldilocks And The Three Bears
Jack And The Beanstock

WORDS
AIR
ASPIRIN
ATTIC
BACK
BAG
BANK
BILLS
 (as in debts)
CABIN
CENTS
CERAMIC
CLAY
DESK
EEK
 ("I see a mouse!")
FOG
FRY
GAS
GLUE
GRAND
(grand-children)
GUIDE
("TV Guide")
ICE
IOWA
NAIL
OFF
OIL
OR
(as in this "or" that)
PARK
PLASTIC
POACH
POOL
PORCH
(by your front door)
PROM
(as in the dance)
RASH
RICE
ROOF
RUG
SINK
STEREO
STIFF
TELLER
THAI
(food)
TOY
VAN
X-RAY
YARD
ZOO

OCCUPATIONS
teacher
nurse
executive
analyst
truck driver
social worker
lawyer
financial manager
computer engineer
accountant
physician
marketing-
manager
physical
therapist
product designer
paralegal

1. 3+2+7+5=__
2. 5+5+9+-=__
3. 4+3+8+7=__
4. 2+4+6+9=__
5. 6+3+2+4=__
6. 7+3+8+2=__
7. 8+9+4+1=__
8. 10+3+1+5=__
9. 9+2+-+4=__
10. 6+5+3+6=__
1. 7-2-3-1=__
2. 8-5-0-2=__
3. 10-3-4-3=__
4. 9-4-4-0=__
5. 6-1-0-2=__
6. 9-3-5-1=__
7. 8-1-2-3=__
8. 7-3-1-5=__
9. 10-8-1-0=__
10. 10-3-4-3=__
1. 10÷2=__
2. 8÷4=__
3. 9÷3=__
4. 6÷2=__
5. 7÷7=__
6.10÷3=__
7. 8÷2=__
8. 7÷1=__
9. 10÷5=__
10. 4÷2=__
1. 2x2x3x1=__
2. 8x5x0x2=__
3. 3x3x3x3=__
4. 9x1x4x2=__
5. 6x1x6x2=__
6. 5x2x-x-=__
7. 8x1x3x4=__
8. 7x3x1x5=__
9. 4x8x1x3=__
10. 2x3x4x-=__
 
 

Contents
 

Part 1:  Names

Part 2:  Cities

Part 3:  States

Part 4:  Months of the year

Part 5:  Movies

Part 6:  Stories

Part 7:  Loan Signs

Part 8:  Abbreviations

Part 9:  Word practice

Part 10:  Word seek activity sheets

Part 11:  Scrambled word activity sheets

Part 12:  Muscle memory sheets

Part 13:  Numbers practice

Part 14:  Reading practice

Part 15:  About the author

Names:  Three Letters
Ann
Bob
Cal
Dan
Eli
Gil
Hal
Ira
Jed
Ken
Lee
Meg

Ned
Ona
Pat
Rex
Sam
Tim
Ugo
Val
Wil
Yao
Zeb

Names:  Four letters
Alan
Bret
Chad
Dale
Eric
Fred
Gale
Hugh
Ivan
Jack
Kent
Lori

Mary
Neil
Orin
Paul
Reed
Stan
Todd
Ursa
Vito
Ward
Yori
Zora

Names: Five Letters
Alvin
Bryce
Candy
Daryl
Ellen
Freda
Garth
Harry
Irvin
Jerry
Karen
Laura

Merle
Nicky
Oprah
Penny
Quint
Rusty
Sandy
Tessa
Vince
Wanda
Yanni
Zelda

Names:  Six Letters
Audrey
Barney
Carmen
Darrin
Edward
Farrah
Garret
Harold
Isabel
Jessie
Karlie
Luthor

Martin
Nathan
Oswald
Parson
Quincy
Ramsey
Sophia
Terrie
Ursela
Vickie
Willie
Yvette

Names:  Seven Letters

Anthony
Brandon
Candice
Darlene
Elenore
Felicia
Gabriel
Herbert
Isabela
Jasmine
Kenneth
Leonard

Michael
Norbert
Othello
Preston
Quentin
Roxanne
Suzanne
Timothy
Vincent
William
Xiaver
Yolanda

Names:  Eight Letters
Algernon
Benjamin
Courtney
Danielle
Emmerson
Florence
Gilligan
Humphrey
Ignatius
Jennifer
Kathleen
Lawrence
Michelle
Nicholas
Orseline
Penelope
Rachelle
Samantha
Theodora
Victoria
Winifred
Yanamari

Cities and States:
Atlanta, Georgia
Austin, Texas
Baltimore, Maryland
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Birmingham, Alabama
Boston, Massachusetts
Buffalo, New York
Calgary, Alberta
Charleston, South Carolina
Charlotte, North Carolina
Chicago, Illinois
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cleveland, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio
Dallas, Texas
Denver, Colorado
Detroit, Michigan
Edmonton, Alberta
Fort Worth, Texas
Hartford, Connecticut
Honolulu, Hawaii
Houston, Texas
Indianapolis, Indiana
Jacksonville, Florida
Kansas City, Missouri
Las Vegas, Nevada
Los Angeles, California
Louisville, Kentucky
Memphis, Tennessee
Mexico City, Mexico
Miami, Florida
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Montreal, Quebec
Nashville, Tennessee
New Orleans, Louisiana
New York, New York
Norfolk, Virginia
Oakland, California
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Orlando, Florida
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Phoenix, Arizona
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Portland, Oregon
Providence, Rhode Island
Raleigh, North Carolina
Richmond, Virginia
Rochester, New York
Sacramento, California
Salem, North Carolina
Salt Lake City, Utah
San Antonio, Texas
San Diego, California
San Francisco, California
San Jose, California
Seattle, Washington
Spokane, Washington
St. Paul, Minnesota
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Petersburg, Florida
Tampa, Florida
Toronto, Ontario
Tucson, Arizona
Tulsa, Oklahoma

States:
Alabama
Arizona
California
Connecticut
Colorado
Florida
Georgia
Hawaii
Illinois
Indiana
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
North Carolina
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
Tennessee
Washington
Missouri
Nevada
New York
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Texas
Utah
Virginia
Wisconsin

Old Movies
Air Force One
Aladdin
Apollo 13
Back to the Future
Batman
Batman Forever
Batman Returns
Beverly Hills Cop
Close Encounters
"Crocodile" Dundee
Dances With Wolves
E.T.
Fatal Attraction
Forrest Gump
Ghost
Ghostbusters
Gone With the Wind
Home Alone
Independence Day
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Jaws
Jurassic Park
Liar Liar
Men in Black
Mission Impossible
Mrs. Doubtfire
Pretty Woman
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Rain Man
Return of the Jedi
Robin Hood
Snow White
Star Wars
The Empire Strikes Back
The Firm
The Fugitive
The Lion King
Jurassic Park
The Sound of Music
The Sting
Three Men and a Baby
Titanic
Tootsie
Top Gun
Toy Story
Twister

Stories:
The Three Little Pigs

Little Red Riding Hood
______________________________________________________________________
Hansel And Gretel
______________________________________________________________________
Goldilocks And The Three Bears
______________________________________________________________________
Jack And The Beanstock

Lexicalized Fingerspelling:
Note:  Some fingerspelled words have taken on special movements and/or dropped certain letters.  These words are referred to as "loan signs."

#ALL  (uses a sweeping motion)
#BACK  (area, direction or status)
#BUS  (what you ride on)
#BUSY  (person or phone)
#CAR  (the "R" ends up pointing more forward than up)
#CLUB  (often drops the letter "U")
#DO  (done with the palms up, "on its back")
#DOG  (looks like you are snapping your fingers)
#EARLY  (moves in a circle--up, right, down, left)
#GO  (uses a flip/twist of the wrist, "wide-G" closes the index and thumb)
#HA  (done upside-down and repeated to mean, "ha, ha, ha" sarcastic)
#HS  (high school)
#IF  (done either forcefully, or with a fluttering motion of the middle and ring fingers)
#JOB  (twists and omits the "O"
#NO  (straightened index and middle fingers raised and lowered onto pad of thumb)
#NYOB  ("Not your business" -- also look for "NYB," moved forward slightly toward the other person)
#TB  (too bad, forward motion)
#TL  (that's life and/or tough luck)
#WHAT  (often omits the "H" and the "A," moves forward and down, ends palm up)
#WHEN  (often omits the "H" and the "N," starts palm up, "turns over" or just moves forward and down)
#WOW  (tips of "W" fingers briefly drop down to touch the tips of the pinkie and thumb before resuming the "W" shape again)
#YES  (starts palm down with bent wrist, moves to palm forward straight wrist, sometimes moves forward, often omits the "E")

AA (associate of arts degree)
AC (air conditioning)
APT (apartment)
AUD (auditorium)
AVE (avenue)
BA (bachelor of arts degree)
BBQ (bar-be-que)
BLVD (boulevard)
CC (close captioned, or cross country)
CO  (company)
CODA (child of deaf adult)
DEPT (department)
DS (drug store)
DPN (Deaf President Now)
Dr. (courtesy title)
HC (handicapped or homecoming)
HH (hard of hearing)
IBM  (International Business Machines)
ICU (Intensive Care Unit)
ID (identification)
LAB (laboratory)
LB (pounds)
MA (masters degree)
MIN (minute)
Mr. (Mister)
Mrs. (as in "Mrs." Jones)
MW  (microwave)
NG (no good)
NYOB ("Not your business")
(NAD) National Association of the Deaf
OIC (humorous form of "Oh-I-see")
OK (Okay)
OT  (over time)
OZ (ounces)
Ph.D. (doctor of philosophy degree)
PO  (post office)
REC (recreation)
REF (refrigerator)
RID (Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf)
RX (prescription)
SEC (sixty seconds in a minute)
TB (too bad)
TL  (that's life and/or tough luck)
TDD (Telecommunication Device for the Deaf)
TTY (Teletype)
TV
VCR
VEG (vegetables)
VIT (vitamin)

Commonly fingerspelled words:
[Yes, some of these words have signs]
AIR
ASPIRIN
ATTIC
BACK
BAG
BANK
BILLS (as in debts to pay)
CABIN
CENTS
CERAMIC
CLAY
DESK
EEK (as in "I see a mouse!")
FOG
FRY
GAS
GLUE
GRAND (as in grand-children)
GUIDE (as in "TV Guide")
ICE
IOWA
NAIL
OFF
OIL
OR (as in this "or" that)
PARK
PLASTIC
POACH (as in eggs)
POOL
PORCH (outside your front door)
PROM (as in the dance)
RASH
RICE
ROOF
RUG
SINK
STEREO
STIFF
TELLER (person who works at a bank)
THAI (as in food)
TOY
VAN
X-RAY
YARD
ZOO

Scrambled Word Activity

rachete
suren
texciveeu
talaysn
uctkr  vrride
lsiaoc  kweror
ewryla
iaflancin  nagmear
rmpeutco reeeinng
ottaannccu
iichyanps
tkmaniger  enamarg
hiscpaly  trapsithe
odpuctr  resigned
ralalapeg

teacher
nurse
executive
analyst
truck driver
social worker
lawyer
financial manager
computer engineer
accountant
physician
marketing manager
physical therapist
product designer
paralegal

Fingerspelling diagnostic test (easy to hard)

 1.  cat
 2.  and
 3.  deaf
 4.  girl
 5.  start
 6.  agree
 7.  access
 8.  versus
 9.  veteran
10.  Phoenix
11.  anecdote
12.  perspire
13.  surround
14.  neighbor
15.  vengeance
16.  basketball
17.  suspension
18.  immediately
19.  electrocute
20.  fingerprint
21.  commandment
22.  grandmother
23.  magnanimous
24.  controversy
25.  conversation
26.  trigonometry
27.  misunderstand
28.  questionnaire
29.  transportation
 
 
 

FINGERSPELLING  PROFICIENCY STAGES FOR HEARING ADULTS

*  Knows proper placement of hand
*  Can recognize each letter of the alphabet when signed slowly
*  Can fingerspell each letter of the alphabet slowly
*  Knows how to form double letters
*  Knows different forms of individual letters, specifically E, M,N,G,T,B,Z
*  Can recognize letters fingerspelled quickly and in random order
*  Understands the concept of appropriate lip-synching while fingerspelling
*  Can lip-synch while fingerspelling own name
*  Can lip-synch while fingerspelling two letter words
*  Can recognize two letter combinations in speed drills
*  Can recognize 3 letter words
*  Can lip-synch while fingerspelling 3 letter words
*  Can recognize 4 and 5 letter words
*  Can lip-synch while fingerspelling 4 and 5 letter words
*  Can recognize long words spelled at a moderate pace
*  Can recognize regionally common words fingerspelled very quickly
*  Can recognize long words fingerspelled quickly in context
____________________________________________
 

LEVEL 1
*  Knows proper placement of hand
*  Understands concept of simultaneous attention to lip & hand movements
*  Can recognize each letter of the alphabet when signed slowly
*  Can fingerspell each letter of the alphabet slowly
________________________
 

LEVEL 2

Quiz on material learned in Level one:

Suggestion: Play ABC Bingo.  Students  draw a grid of squares on their paper 5x5.  (Five squares wide, five squares down, for a total of 25 squares.)  Then they write the letters of the alphabet into the squares in random order (not a-b-c).  Now you are ready to play.  The teacher shows letters from the fingerspelled alphabet one at a time in random order.  The first two or three students to get bingo win a small prize (can of pop, candy bar,--whatever).  Continue the game until you get blackout.  (Everybody should get it at the same time.  I tell them that way if there are any letters left on their "card" those (letters) are the ones they need to work on.)

A B C D E F G H I J K L M
N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
 

*  Teach how to form double letters
*  Teach different forms of individual letters, specifically E, M,N,G,T,B,Z
*  Drill letters fingerspelled quickly and in random order
*  Demonstrate two letter words:
________________________
 

LEVEL 3

Quiz on material learned in Level two:
(Instructions: Have the students number one to 10, warn them that some of the words may be repeated.)
 
1.)  if
2.)  it
3.)  is
4.)  to
5.)  be
6.)  it
7.)  is
8.)  up
9.)  to
10.)  me

*  Teach the concept of proper lip-synching with your fingerspelling.  Many people do not move their lips while fingerspelling.  Some Deaf people appreciate the lipping of fingerspelled words because they have had training in lipreading and the extra information on the lips helps make the fingerspelled word easier to catch.  A few Deaf people have complained to me about what they  call "excessive" lipping of fingerspelled words, (whatever that is).  My motto:  "Lipping of fingerspelled words is to communincating with the Deaf as salt is to food--a little here and there can be helpful, but too much will make it distasteful."  Now the point is if you are going to express a fingerspelled word on the lips--make sure you are mouthing it way the word would sound if you spoke it normally.  For example if I were fingerspelling the word "Bill," I would NOT mouth each letter individually [bee-eye-el-el].  Instead I'd mouth it as if I were saying the whole word normally, (just without sound).

*  Have students fingerspell their names one at a time to the rest of the group.  (They are not to voice their own name--other students in class need to work.)

*  Teach how to sign billion, trillion, & variations of 100 & 1000
*  Demonstrate  two letter words using speed drills:  Write on the board the words "me" and "be."  Bring your hand up and quickly spell one of the two words.  Have a student either say or point to the word you spelled.  Then drill on those two words very quickly.  Then add a third word, drill some more.  Then a fourth word, etc.
*  Have the students practice two letter words while saying them appropriately:  ad, am, an, at, id, if, in, is, it, to, be, me, he, no, go, do, so, up, on ...
*  Demonstrate a list of 3 letter words slowly
*  Demonstrate 3 digit numbers slowly
________________________
 

LEVEL 4

Quiz on material learned in Level 3:
Test on three letter words:

1. tap
2. log
3. fun
4. sit
5. bet
6. nap
7. dog
8. bat
9. run
10. hot
 

*  Drill on 3 letter words phonetically.  Add a letter to the sound combinations below.  For example add a "b" to "ag" and end up with "bag."  Then add an "h" an "l" an "n" an "r" etc.  to spell hag, lag, nag, rag.  This helps the students to begin recognizing two letter combinations instead of letter by letter.  After they get the "ag" concept down, move onto other combinations.

     ag  an  at  et  it  ig  og  ut
----------------

*  Students relay 3 letter words.  Activity:  Have the students line up in a few columns, (either in their desks or while standing).  If you don't have at least 10 students you might want to use just one line and give them a set time limit to complete the activity (instead of competing against the other line, they are competing against the clock).  The people in each line are standing "one behind the other" and facing forward toward the front of the room. They cannot see the person behind them without turning around.  The second to the last person (Julie) in the back turns around to the last person (Kathy).  The last person or "anchor" (Kathy) spells a three letter word (from a list) to (Julie).  The second to the last person (Julie) turns forward again and uses her fingertips to lightly tap the shoulder of the student in front of her (Steve).  The third student (Steve), feels the tap and turns around to "read" the three-letter word.  He then turns forward to the fourth student (Mary) and taps her shoulder and so-forth until the word makes its way up the line to the person at the front who "runs" to the board and writes it down.  The moment that Julie (the second to the last person in line) finishes passing the original word, she immediately turns to Kathy (the anchor) and gets another word.  Julie does not wait for the first word to make it all the way up to the front of the line before she passes the next word to Steve.  If Julie has gotten the second word and is ready to pass it off to Steve, but Steve is still trying to pass the first word off to Mary (Mary is slow) Then Julie will need to wait a moment.  What seems to work well is for Julie to just put her hand on  the back of Steve's shoulder and leave it there so he will know he has a "message" waiting and turn around as soon as he passes his current word off.  Whichever team gets ten words to the blackboard the fastest wins.  (A variation of this game can be done where the students close their eyes and must feel the handshape of the letter!)

*  demonstrate 4 digit words.  I recommend you "embed" them into sentences.  For example, sign, "MY DAD NAME ____" and spell the word BOB (or some similarly short word).
________________________
 

LEVEL 5:
Quiz on material learned in Level 4

1. baby
2. date
3. home
4. hope
5. seat
6. love
7. look
8. kind
9. nice
10. boat
11. free
12. good
13. send
14. cake
15. most

*  Can recognize 4 and 5 letter words
*  Can appropriately lipsinch while fingerspelling 4 and  5 letter words
________________________
 

Level 6:
Quiz on material learned in Level 5

1. think
2. drink
3. steer
4. bring
5. spend
6. lover
7. leave
8. study
9. sport
10. group
11. learn
12. those
13. marry
14. their
________________________
 

Level 7:
Quiz on material learned in Level  6

*  Can recognize long words spelled at a moderate pace
*  Can recognize common names spelled quickly
________________________
 

Level 8:
Quiz on material learned in Level  7

William
Belinda
Brian
Cindy
Connie
Rod
Todd
Correy
Charity
Kristie
Dawn
Kelly
Mike
Mary
Fred
Steve
Jessica
Ellen
Michelle
Tina
 

*  Can recognize regionally common words fingerspelled very quickly
for example:  names of nearby cities
________________________
 

Level 9
Quiz on material learned in Level  8

Teacher should spell the names of various nearby cities.  I sometimes use the local phone directory because it generally has a list of cities in its reference section.
*  Can recognize long words fingerspelled quickly

Phonetic practice system:
CAB
DAB
GAB
LAB
NAB
TAB

ADD
BAD
DAD
FAD
HAD
LAD
MAD
PAD
TAD

BAG
HAG
LAG
NAG
RAG
SAG
TAG
WAG

GAL
PAL
SAL

BAM
CAM
DAM
HAM
LAM
NAM
PAM
RAM
SAM
YAM

BAN
CAN
DAN
FAN
MAN
PAN
RAN
TAN
VAN

CAP
GAP
LAP
MAP
NAP
PAP
RAP
SAP
TAP
YAP

BAR
CAR
FAR
JAR
MAR
PAR
TAR

BAT
CAT
FAT
HAT
MAT
NAT
PAT
RAT
SAT
VAT

LAW
PAW
RAW
SAW

BAY
DAY
HAY
LAY
MAY
PAY
RAY
SAY
WAY

EAT
PEA
SEA

BED
FED
LED
NED
RED
TED
WED

REF

BEG
LEG
PEG

ELF
DEL
GEL
MEL

BEN
DEN
HEN
MEN
PEN
TEN
YEN

PEP
REP
YEP

HER
PER

BET
GET
LET
MET
NET
PET
SET
VET
YET

FEW
JEW
PEW

HEY

BIB
DIB
FIB
NIB
RIB

HID
LID
RID
SID
VID

BIG
DIG
FIG
GIG
JIG
PIG
RIG
WIG

ILL
NIL

DIM
HIM
JIM
RIM
VIM

BIN
DIN
FIN
GIN
PIN
SIN
TIN
WIN
 

DIP
HIP
NIP
RIP
SIP
TIP

DIS
SIS

BIT
FIT
HIT
LIT
MIT
NIT
PIT
SIT
WIT

BOB
COB
LOB

DOC

ODD
HOD
POD
ROD
SOD

DOE
HOE
ROE
TOE
WOE

OFF

BOG
COG
DOG
FOG
HOG
JOG
LOG
NOG
SOG

OLD

MOM

SON
TON
WON

BOO
ZOO

BOP
COP
HOP
LOP
MOP
TOP

FOR
NOR

COT
DOT
GOT
HOT
JOT
LOT
NOT
POT
ROT
TOT

COW
HOW
NOW

TOW
SOW
ROW
BOW

BOX
FOX
LOX
POX
SOX

BOY
COY
ROY
SOY

BUB
DUB
HUB
PUB
RUB
SUB
TUB

BUD
CUD
DUD
MUD
PUD

DUE
HUE
RUE
SUE

BUG
DUG
HUG
JUG
LUG
MUG
PUG
RUG
TUG

HUH

BUM
GUM
HUM
RUM
SUM

BUN
FUN
NUN
RUN

CUP
PUP
SUP

CUR
FUR

BUS

BUT
CUT
GUT
HUT
MUT
NUT
RUT
TUT

BUY
bake
cake
fake
Jake
lake
make
rake
take
wake

bike
dike
hike
like
Mike
Nike
pike
yike!

Coke
joke
poke
toke
woke
 

bale
dale
Gale
Kale
male
tale

bile
file
mile
Nile
tile

dole
hole
mole
pole
role
sole
 
 
 
 
 

came
dame
fame
game
lame
name
same
tame

dime
lime
mime
time

dome
home
Nome
Rome

come
some

bane
cane
lane
mane
pane
sane
vane

dine
fine
line
mine
pine
sine
tine
vine
wine

bone
hone
lone
pone
tone

cape
gape
nape
tape

cope
dope
hope
mope
nope
Pope
rope

bare
care
dare
fare
hare
mare
pare
rare
ware

dire
fire
hire
mire
sire
tire
wire

bore
core
fore
gore
lore
more
pore
sore
tore
wore

bate
date
fate
gate
hate
late
mate
rate
 
 
 
 
 

cave
Dave
gave
nave
pave
save
wave

bead
lead
mead
read

deal
heal
meal
peal
real
seal

beak
leak
peak

bean
dean
lean
mean

heap
leap
reap

beat
feat
heat
meat
neat
peat
seat

fair
hair
lair
pair
 
 
 
 
 

beet
feet
meet

deed
heed
need
seed
weed

meek
peek
reek
seek

book
cook
hook
look
nook
rook
took

boom
doom
loom
room

boon
goon
loon
moon
noon
soon

ball
call
fall
gall
hall
mall
tall
wall
 

bill
dill
gill
hill
Jill
pill
will

feel
peel
reel

host
most
post

dive
five
hive
jive

give
live

dish
fish
wish

farm
harm
warm

barn
darn
warn

fort
Mort
port
sort
tort

dart
fart
mart
part
tart
 
 
 

face
lace
mace
pace
race

bade
fade
made
wade

dice
mice
nice

cage
gage
page
rage
sage
wage

damp
lamp
ramp
vamp

band
hand
land
sand

bent
dent
gent
lent
pent
rent
sent
tent
vent
went

dune
June
rune
tune

brace
grace
place
trace

black
crack
flack
quack
shack
snack
track

tract

blade
evade
grade
stade
trade

claim

brain
chain
drain
grain
plain
stain
train

blame
frame
shame

crane

blare
glare
flare
share
stare

plate
grate
crate

brave
clave
crave
shave
stave

clasp
grasp

class
glass
crass
grass
brass

blast

bleak
creak
freak
sneak

cream
gleam
steam
dream

clean
glean

wheat
bleat
cheat
treat

check
fleck

bleed
creed
freed
greed

brick
chick
flick
prick
stick
trick

blind
grind

brine
shine
thine
whine

sting
bring
cling
wring
fling
flint
print
quint

arise

bliss

grist
wrist

groan

crone
drone
phone
stone

amore
chore
store

arose
chose
close
prose
those
whose

dross
gloss
gross
floss

flown
brown
crown
drown
frown
shown
 
froze

stuck
truck
cluck
pluck

prune

trunk
plunk
clunk
flunk
drunk
chunk
thunk
stunk

brunt
grunt
shunt
stunt

This special fingerspelling section is being included so that you can practice your receptive skills. learning to fingerspell is a lot like learning to type.  First you should start with small combinations of letters like "cat" then work youR way up to longer words.  spell the word over and over to yourself while pronouncing it normally. For example, the "c" in "cat" should be pronounced like the letter "k."  remember, don't say individual letters!  Say whole words.  Avoid spelling the abc's in order.  "a,b,c,..."  Instead, practice using names of family members and nearby cities,  If you need to study for an other class, why not spell your way through the text?  A word of caution, don't practice spelling license plates!  Many students like to spell license plates while driving.  But this is a bad habit because it causes you to think letter by letter instead of whole words.  It is much better to spell road signs like "exit" and "yield."  Again, you need to say the complete word, "yield," not just "y" then "i" then "e"...  Some people enjoy using a mirror to practice.  Mirrors are okay but not near as effective as a camcoder and vcr.  If you have access to a camcoder, you can videotape yourself fingerspelling various words.  Here is a suggestion.  write a long list of words that are important to you.  then sit down in front of a camcoder and spell the words one at a time to the camcoder leaving a short break between words.  Then put the video and your list away.  after a few days, get out the video, a blank sheet of paper, and a pen or pencil.  Pop the video into a vcr and test yourself.  write down the fingerspelled words.  Then get out your original list and compare to see how well you did.  keep making videos and testing yourself until you reach the level of skill you desire.  Of course the best way to practice is with a partner, (if you can find one).  Grab a friend and the phone book and head for a park or a restaurant.  The phone book is an excellent resource for practicing fingerspelling because it has lists of cities. (look under the zip code section)  then after you have mastered all the cities, you have a few thousand names you can work on.  or you can look under the government section and spell various agencies throughout the city and county.  Then if you need even more  practice, you can turn to the yellow page index and spell the various headings in the yellow pages.  An other idea is to play board games.  many popular board games can be modified to include fingerspelling.  For example, you could play "battleship" using fingerspelling and numbers.  One of my favorite activities is what I call the "Hellen Keller Speller."  You work with a partner.  you closes your eyes.  The other person spells a word into your hand and you say or sign the word back to him or her.  Then you switch roles.  This is a lot of fun.  It even works if the power is out!  One more idea that will work for those of you who use the internet:  You can set up your chat room to use this type of font.  Then all you have to do is sign on to any live chat room and watch the fingerspelling.    use your search program to find the font on the net then download it into your computer then use your preferences option to select a fingerspelling font.  Good luck and happy signing!
 

1. 3+2+7+5=__
2. 5+5+9+-=__
3. 4+3+8+7=__
4. 2+4+6+9=__
5. 6+3+2+4=__
6. 7+3+8+2=__
7. 8+9+4+1=__
8. -+3+1+5=__
9. 9+2+-+4=__
10. 6+5+3+6=__
1. -÷2=__
2. 8÷4=__
3. 9÷3=__
4. 6÷2=__
5. 7÷7=__
6. -÷3=__
7. 8÷2=__
8. 7÷1=__
9. -÷5=__
10. 4÷2=__
1. 2x2x3x1=__
2. 8x5x0x2=__
3. 3x3x3x3=__
4. 9x1x4x2=__
5. 6x1x6x2=__
6. 5x2x-x-=__
7. 8x1x3x4=__
8. 7x3x1x5=__
9. 4x8x1x3=__
10. 2x3x4x-=__

1. 3+2+7+5=
2. 5+5+9+10=
3. 4+3+8+7=
4. 2+4+6+9=
5. 6+3+2+4=
6. 7+3+8+2=
7. 8+9+4+1=
8. 10+3+1+5=
9. 9+2+10+4=
10. 6+5+3+6=

1. 7-2-3-1=
2. 8-5-0-2=
3. 10-3-4-3=
4. 9-4-4-0=
5. 6-1-0-2=
6. 9-3-5-1=
7. 8-1-2-3=
8. 7-3-1-5=
9. 10-8-1-0=
10. 10-3-4-3=
1. 10÷2=
2. 8÷4=
3. 9÷3=
4. 6÷2=
5. 7÷7=
6.10÷3=
7. 8÷2=
8. 7÷1=
9. 10÷5=
10. 4÷2=

1. 2x2x3x1=
2. 8x5x0x2=
3. 3x3x3x3=
4. 9x1x4x2=
5. 6x1x6x2=
6. 5x2x10x10=
7. 8x1x3x4=
8. 7x3x1x5=
9. 4x8x1x3=
10. 2x3x4x10=
Fingerspelling Activity/Test

Have your partner or your students list the alphabet on a sheet of paper.  Then you spell the following words to them.  When you spell "ape," your partner adds "p" and "e" to the "a" that is already on her paper.
APE
BOY
CAT
DOG
EGG
FIT
GAP
HID
ILL
JOB
KEY
LOT
MAN
NOT
OLD
PIN
QUO
RUN
SIT
TAG
UGH
VAN
WON
X-RAY
ZOO
 

1. 3+2+7+5=
2. 5+5+9+10=
3. 4+3+8+7=
4. 2+4+6+9=
5. 6+3+2+4=
6. 7+3+8+2=
7. 8+9+4+1=
8. 10+3+1+5=
9. 9+2+10+4=
10. 6+5+3+6=

1. 7-2-3-1=
2. 8-5-0-2=
3. 10-3-4-3=
4. 9-4-4-0=
5. 6-1-0-2=
6. 9-3-5-1=
7. 8-1-2-3=
8. 7-3-1-5=
9. 10-8-1-0=
10. 10-3-4-3=
1. 10÷2=
2. 8÷4=
3. 9÷3=
4. 6÷2=
5. 7÷7=
6.10÷3=
7. 8÷2=
8. 7÷1=
9. 10÷5=
10. 4÷2=

1. 2x2x3x1=
2. 8x5x0x2=
3. 3x3x3x3=
4. 9x1x4x2=
5. 6x1x6x2=
6. 5x2x10x10=
7. 8x1x3x4=
8. 7x3x1x5=
9. 4x8x1x3=
10. 2x3x4x10=
Fingerspelling Activity/Test

Have your partner or your students list the alphabet on a sheet of paper.  Then you spell the following words to them.  When you spell "ape," your partner adds "p" and "e" to the "a" that is already on her paper.
APE
BOY
CAT
DOG
EGG
FIT
GAP
HID
ILL
JOB
KEY
LOT
MAN
NOT
OLD
PIN
QUO
RUN
SIT
TAG
UGH
VAN
WON
X-RAY
ZOO

Question:
Hello Dr. Vicars, I was wondering if I were to sign the alphabet backwards would it help me become a little quicker or would it mess up the way I try to sign by word not by letter? (crazy I know, but trying to think of the next letter on top of sign the letter is brain working 2 puzzles at once to me. lol )

Answer:
Without actual "research" my opinion here is simply opinion but since you asked...
If two people do ten learning activities related to fingerspelling and then person "A" proceeds to do an eleventh activity consisting of practicing signing the alphabet backwards -- while person "B" proceeds to browse random cat videos online -- it is my opinion that person "A" will have a slight advantage over person "B" in terms of spelling and recognizing individual letters of the manual alphabet. The real question here is, "Will the idea of doing something weird, fun, interesting -- such as spelling the alphabet backwards -- inspire you to do the "eleventh activity"?  Acquiring a language is less about "how" you acquire it than the fact that you actually engage in using it.