One English word. Three different concepts.

“DATE” can mean:
📅 a calendar date
❤️ going on a date
🌴 the fruit

A lot of you have shared that you want more opportunities to actually practice ASL with others.

So we’re starting In-App Live Practice Fridays!

I’ll be hosting three groups this Friday inside The ASL Shop App:

🔷 Beginner
🔷 Intermediate
🔷 Advanced

Come practice with me, meet other learners, ask questions, and use your ASL in a live, Deaf-led space.

What would you want to practice together? Drop your ideas below — I’d love to build future Fridays around what you want to learn. 🤟

Happy Fingerspelling Friday!

It’s back-to-school shopping time. This time of year always makes me feel nostalgic, remembering shopping with my mom and how particular I was about my school supplies.

Anyone else have that one brand they HAD to have?

How many were you able to catch the first time around? Drop your answers below!

Sharing another Fingerspelling Friday challenge with you all!

Hey everyone! I was able to get out and visit a good friend over the weekend. We spent the day hiking, catching up, and enjoying the outdoors. Thought it’d be fun to share a few hiking-related ASL signs with you all!

One of the foundations of dialectical communication is knowing how to express both agreement and disagreement. Here’s how to sign both in ASL.

Nervous about signing in front of people? That's exactly what our live classes are built for. Learn with our Deaf teachers who will happily cheer you on when you mess up. New cohorts start soon. Link below!

Transcript: Good news!
Our live classes are now posted on our website!
And the best part…
I’ve posted all of our class offerings from August through December!
That means you can plan ahead and see what classes we’ll be offering over the next few months.
For example, if you’re taking one class this month, you can see when the next level will be offered and plan your schedule.
Let me show you where to find everything!

Okay!
Go to our website and click on Live Classes.
You’ll see all of our class offerings.
If you want to see more, just click “Load More.”
There are a lot of classes, so don’t feel overwhelmed!
The good news is… we have filters!
You can filter by level, instructor, month, day, and time to make it much easier to find the class you’re looking for.
Let me show you!

Click on the filters.
For example, if I choose Intermediate, you’ll only see our Intermediate classes.
You can also filter by month.
Let’s say I choose August. Now you’ll only see the classes available in August.
Want to plan ahead?
Check out October… or November!
This makes it so much easier to plan your schedule and continue moving through the different levels.
As always, if you have any questions, feel free to DM me! I’m happy to help you find the class that’s the best fit for you.

Okay… one more thing!
If you’ve taken ASL classes before but aren’t sure which level is right for you…
You can schedule a live assessment with me!
The assessment is very casual.
We’ll have a quick conversation in ASL, and I’ll help determine which class is the best fit for you.
Just click Live Assessment, choose an available time slot, and book your appointment.
Hope to see you in class!

If you’re just getting started with ASL, these are four verbs you’ll see over and over again.

Hope this helps!

I’m sharing this here because we’ve posted it on LinkedIn, but I know this community has had a lot of conversations about the cost of learning ASL and making it more accessible.

One of the ways we’re trying to address that is by partnering with employers and organizations to offer The ASL Shop as an employee benefit. When companies cover the cost, employees (and often their families) can learn ASL without paying out of pocket. We also partner with several California Regional Centers that provide access for eligible families.

If you work somewhere that values accessibility, employee development, or disability inclusion, we’d be incredibly grateful if you’d introduce us to the right person or share our information internally. Internal advocates make a huge difference.

They can reach us at admin@theaslshop.com if they’d like to learn more.

Thanks for letting me share this here; I genuinely hope it helps make ASL more affordable and accessible for more people.

ID: Page 1 – Cover
The cover page features The ASL Shop logo at the top above the large title “August Class Schedule.” The word “August” is displayed in bold gold lettering, while “Class Schedule” appears in gray and black below it. The background is white with light gray decorative doodles scattered around the page. At the bottom, a hand-drawn arrow and the words “Swipe!!” encourage viewers to continue to the next slide.

Page 2 – Beginner Level
This flyer highlights Beginner Level Zoom Classes running August 3 through August 27. The design features a white background with soft green accents and decorative doodles. Two Beginner Level 1 class options are available: one taught by Hadel on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4:00–5:00 PM PST, and another taught by JLynn on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6:00–7:00 PM PST. Instructor headshots appear beside each schedule with their names displayed. At the bottom, viewers are invited to register at www.theaslshop.com, with a QR code provided for quick access. The page ends with the message “Learn ASL With Us!”

Page 3 – Intermediate Level
This flyer promotes Intermediate Level Zoom Classes running August 3 through August 27. The page uses a white background with mustard yellow accents and decorative star illustrations. Hadel teaches Intermediate Level 2 on Mondays and Wednesdays from 3:00–4:00 PM PST. Manik teaches Intermediate Level 3 on Mondays and Wednesdays from 4:00–5:00 PM PST, and also leads a Conversational class on Tuesdays from 3:00–4:00 PM PST. Instructor headshots accompany each class listing. At the bottom, the flyer includes www.theaslshop.com, a QR code for registration, and the phrase “Learn ASL With Us!”

Page 4 – Advanced Level
This flyer features Advanced Level Zoom Classes running August 3 through August 27. The design uses a white background with warm orange accents and decorative star graphics. Manik teaches an Advanced Conversational class on Thursdays from 3:00–4:00 PM PST. Her headshot appears beside the class schedule. At the bottom, viewers are invited to register at www.theaslshop.com, with a QR code for easy registration. The flyer concludes with the message “Learn ASL With Us!”

Several of you were curious about lexicalized fingerspelling, so I thought I’d share another mini lesson that explains one small part of it.

This video shows why signs like FLOUR, JURY, BURN, and OVEN don’t always look exactly like “textbook” fingerspelling. These changes aren’t random; they’re part of how the language naturally flows.

This is just one small piece of lexicalized fingerspelling, but I hope it helps answer some of the questions that came up.

As always, if anything is unclear or you’re curious about another topic, let me know. I love seeing your questions because they often inspire the next lesson!

One of the biggest differences in ASL is that your face is part of the grammar. For yes/no questions, you raise your eyebrows for the entire question, not just one word. That’s what tells the other person you’re asking a question.

Transcript in the comments for anyone interested.

Transcript: Now, it's time for...

A mini lesson

Today, I will teach you negations.

Before I go into detail,

I want you to keep in mind that ASL structure,

word order and grammar can fluctuate within sentences.

Typically, the negation is at the end.

I’ll give you an example!

“I do not have children.”

Remember, the negation will be at the end.

So, let me show you in ASL.

CHILDREN I HAVE, NONE

(Side note: Shake your head at the end to indicate negation.)

Did you see how I started with the topic, CHILDREN?

Then, the comment.

And ended with the negation.

Here's another example.

BARBIE MOVIE I WATCH, NOT-YET

(Side note: Shake your head at the end to indicate negation.)

Last one!

HOMEWORK (I) DON'T-UNDERSTAND

Did you see how I added non-manual markers during the negation?

I didn't sign "DON'T."

Watch this again!

HOMEWORK (I) DON'T-UNDERSTAND

(Side note: Shake your head at the end to indicate negation.)

Those are a few examples.

As a new signer who is learning,

it's important to develop a SOLID foundation.

Then later, you will know how to modify

the language's order structure and rules.

I hope this helps!

Transcript:

Today is Friday, Fingerspelling Friday!

I will spell 4 words related to making pizza!

You ready?

Regular Pace

Now, again but slower.

Slower Pace

Comment your answers below!

Thank you again for all the suggestions on what you would find most helpful here. Several of you mentioned grammar, syntax, and sentence structure, so I thought I’d share an older mini-lesson on negations.

Transcript in the comments for anyone interested.

Transcript: Hi everyone! I’m Stephanie.

I’ve been enjoying the conversations here and wanted to introduce myself.

I’m Deaf, earned my master’s degree in Sign Language Education from Gallaudet University, and have spent my career teaching ASL and Deaf culture. Over the years, I’ve worked with universities, organizations, schools, and communities across the country.

I founded The ASL Shop because I believe the best way to learn ASL is to use it. Too many people want to learn but don’t have enough opportunities to practice, build confidence, and connect with others. That’s why we built a Deaf-led learning community where people can learn, practice, and grow together.

Today, more than 175k learners are exploring ASL and Deaf culture through The ASL Shop.

As we’re getting settled here on Reddit, I’d love to hear from you.

What would be most helpful?

• ASL vocabulary?
 • Deaf culture?
 • Everyday conversations?
 • Common mistakes new signers make?
 • Questions about Deaf life?

Or something else entirely?

Looking forward to learning more about this community and connecting with you all. 

Transcript: What’s happening right now?
The Stanley Cup Playoffs start today!
I’ll show you some hockey-related signs!
HOCKEY
REFEREE
PLAYER
ICE-SKATE
GOALIE
ICE
PENALTY
WIN
LOSE (first variation)
LOSE (second variation)
FIGHT

VD: Sammy, a white woman, is standing outdoors in front of a hockey net set up in a driveway. Behind her is a garage door. She is wearing a green sweatshirt with bold text that reads “Minnesota WILD,” along with the team’s logo. Her hair is styled in a short, softly wavy bob. At the beginning of the reel, she is holding a hockey stick, and the rest of the reel continues without the hockey stick.

📌 Transcript:
RUN
This has many meanings in English.
As well as many different ASL signs.
Today, I'll teach you this!
RUN (jog)
I enjoy exercising,
however, I absolutely hate running.
RUN (escape)
The criminal is on the run! 
RUN (function)
Today, my car is running fine.
RUN (manage)
Do you see that woman?
She's now in charge of running the office!
RUN (fluid)
When I'm sick,
I get fed up with having a runny nose.
RUN (rip/tear)
My tights have a run in them!
See how many different signs there are for "run"?
Always look for the context!

📌 VD: Stephanie, a white woman, stands against a busy, blurred background where a kitchen countertop is visible on her right and two doors on her left. She is wearing a short-sleeve burnt red corduroy jumpsuit. Her hair is styled down with a middle part, and she accessorizes with a subtle bar necklace. The setting features a wooden floor with a rug on the right.