Sign language for the hearing impaired. How to learn sign language easily and quickly? Step by step description and recommendations

How to communicate with a person in the language of the deaf?

First, one of the major misconceptions about sign languages ​​is that they are dependent on or derived from spoken languages ​​(sound and written) and that these languages ​​were invented by hearers. This is wrong. Secondly, dactyling of letters is often taken for sign languages ​​- that is, when the letters are “depicted” by hands.

The difference between dactylology and sign language, which the deaf communicate with each other, is that dactylology is used mainly for pronouncing proper names, geographical names or specific terms, that is, each word is “showed” by hand spelling. At the same time, sign signs represent whole words, and in total there are more than 2000 gestures in the dictionary of the deaf and dumb. Show some of them will not be difficult.

You can study sign language in more detail from the well-known book by G. L. Zaitseva “Sign speech. Dactylology".

It is easier to get acquainted with the basics of dactylology - there is a well-established alphabet, and by spelling the word with gestures, you can communicate with a deaf person. There are 33 dactyl signs in Russian dactylology, each of which corresponds to the outline of the corresponding letter.

Russian dactyl alphabet from the site deafnet.ru:

Note that a deaf or hard of hearing person is likely to understand exactly what you want to say to him without sign language, because for the most part they are very good at reading lips.

In our classes, we devoted more and more time to the history of the creation of writing. But this time I wanted something different, more unusual and modern. So the idea came up to tell children about other languages. Already in the plans are:

Sign language;
- the language of spies;
- programming languages;
- Braille cipher.

Gestuno is the language of people with hearing impairments.

Deaf people communicate using gestures - quick hand movements accompanied by a lively facial expression. These gestures, like any other language, need to be learned. They quickly convey information to the interlocutor. Where hearing people need many words, for example: Shall we go across the bridge?, one gesture is enough for deaf people.
This possibility is also used where it is impossible to hear: under water by divers or in space by astronauts working outside the spacecraft.
International alphabet of gestures. Each language has its own system of naming letters or sounds.

The sign languages ​​of the deaf and dumb differ in different countries. There are TV programs in which the text is "translated" for the deaf. Then, in the corner of the screen, you can see the announcer, who silently gesticulates, i.e. speaks in sign language.
There are more than 13 million deaf and hard of hearing people in Russia. The birth of a child with hearing impairment in the family - ordeal both for parents and for the child himself, who needs special means learning and, most importantly, communication with peers and relatives. To joy Russian Society Deaf is actively working on this front. Thanks to the activities of its branches, people with hearing impairments unite and communicate with each other without feeling excluded from the social process.

There are also problems: lack of educational institutions, where people with hearing impairments are accepted for training, the lack of sign language interpreters and teaching aids, allowing to master the sign language.
Russian Sign Language is an independent language unit used for communication by people with hearing impairments.

Sign language does not consist only of a static figure shown by hands - it also contains a dynamic component (the hands move in a certain way and are in a certain position relative to the face) and a mimic component (the speaker's facial expression illustrates the gesture). Also, during a conversation in gestuno, it is customary to "pronounce" words with your lips.

In addition to this, when communicating with people with hearing impairments, you should be extremely attentive to your posture and involuntary hand gestures - they can be misinterpreted.
The basis of sign language is the dactyl (finger) alphabet. Each letter of the Russian language corresponds to a certain gesture (see picture).

Knowledge of this alphabet will help at first to overcome " the language barrier" between you and a person with a hearing impairment. But Dactyling (spelling) is rarely used by the deaf in everyday speech. Its main purpose is to pronounce proper names, as well as terms for which their own gesture has not yet been formed.

For most words in Russian Sign Language, there is a gesture that denotes the whole word. At the same time, I want to note that almost all gestures are intuitive and very logical. For example:

"Writing" - we kind of take a pen and write on the palm of our hand. "Count" - we begin to bend our fingers. "Grandfather" - very reminiscent of a beard, right? Sometimes in gestures for complex concepts, you simply marvel at how accurately the essence of the subject is noticed.

The structure of sign language is not complicated at all. The word order corresponds to the usual sentences of the Russian language. For prepositions and conjunctions of one letter, their dactyl gesture (a letter from the alphabet) is used. Verbs are not conjugated or declined. To indicate time, it is enough to give a marker word (Yesterday, Tomorrow, 2 days ago) or put the gesture "was" before the verb.

Like any other language, Russian sign language is very lively, changes all the time and varies greatly from region to region. Benefits and educational materials updated at a snail's pace. Therefore, the recent publication of a primer for children with hearing impairments has become a real event.

The basic gestures with which you can communicate with deaf people are quite elementary:

The main difficulty is not even in mastering gestures, but in learning to "read" them from the hands. Gestures are complex - they consist of several positions of the brush, following one after another. And out of habit it is difficult to separate the end of one gesture and the beginning of another. Therefore, learning gestuno takes no less time than learning any foreign language, and maybe more.

We often see people with hearing impairments in the subway and on the street, in cafes. These are cheerful, shining people, completely ordinary, just having other ways of communicating. Deafness does not prevent them from being happy - having friends, a favorite job and a family. They can even sing in tin and dance - yes, yes, people with hearing impairments still hear music,

As you know, the study of a language always begins with theory. Therefore, at the first stages of learning the language of the deaf and dumb, you will need to get self-tutors. With their help, you can learn the necessary theoretical foundations that are needed to speak the language at a basic, that is, elementary level. In the language of the deaf and dumb, the basics are the alphabet and the words themselves.

How can I learn to speak the deaf-mute language on my own?

If you want to learn how to use sign language, you need to have a minimum vocabulary. In the language of the deaf and dumb, almost any word can be expressed with a specific gesture. Learn the most common words people use in Everyday life and also learn to pronounce simple phrases.

Special online dictionaries are perfect for this purpose: the announcer shows a gesture corresponding to the word and the correct articulation. Similar dictionaries can be found on sites dedicated to learning sign language. But you can also use book format dictionaries. True, there you will see gestures only in pictures, and this is not such a visual way of learning words.

To speak the language of the deaf and dumb, you will also need to learn the dactyl alphabet. It consists of 33 gestures, each of which corresponds to a specific letter of the alphabet. In conversation, the dactyl alphabet is not often used, but you still need to know it: letter gestures are used when pronouncing new words for which there are no special gestures yet, as well as for proper names (first names, surnames, names settlements and so on.).

Once you have mastered the theoretical part, that is, learn the deaf-and-dumb alphabet and master the basic vocabulary, you will need to find a way to communicate with native speakers, with which you will train your conversational skills.

Where can you practice sign language?

It is important to understand that learning to speak the language of the deaf and dumb without practice is an impossible task. Only in the process of real communication can you master conversational skills at such a level that you can understand sign language well and be able to explain yourself in it.

So, where can you talk with native speakers of the deaf-mute language? First of all, these are all kinds of online resources: social media, thematic forums and specialized sites whose audience is hard of hearing or deaf people. Modern means connections will allow you to fully communicate with native speakers without leaving your home.

You can go for more complex, but at the same time more efficient way. Find out if there are special schools for the deaf in your city or any other community for the hard of hearing and deaf people. Of course, a hearing person will not be able to become a full member of such an organization. But this is possible if you learn the language of the deaf and dumb not for pleasure, but to communicate in it with someone close to you. You can also sign up to volunteer at a boarding school for deaf children. There you will be completely immersed in the language environment, as you will be able to really communicate closely with native sign language speakers. And at the same time do good deeds - as a rule, volunteers are always needed in such institutions.

New in 2015 - the release of a CD for teaching Russian Sign Language "Let's get acquainted!". These are specially designed videos for hearing people who want to learn about the culture and language of the deaf.

The course was developed by experts Center for the Education of the Deaf and Sign Language named after Zaitseva.

brief information about the deaf and hard of hearing.
- 100 most used gestures
- Video clips about the rules of communication with the deaf.
- Common phrases/dialogues used in communication.

The release of the disc became possible thanks to the VOG project “Let's Preserve and Learn the Diversity of Russian Sign Language”, partially financially supported by the Russkiy Mir Foundation.

Chapter IT IS IMPORTANT contains gestures:
I
YOU
DEAF
HEARING
TRANSFER
TO HELP
BE IN LOVE
YES
NO
CAN
IT IS FORBIDDEN
HELLO
GOODBYE
THANK YOU

Chapter QUESTIONS contains gestures:
WHO?
WHAT?
WHERE?
WHERE?
FOR WHAT?
WHY?
WHERE?
WHICH?
WHOSE?
HOW?
WHEN?

Chapter WHO WHAT contains gestures:
WOMAN
MAN
HUMAN
MOTHER
DAD
HUSBAND WIFE)
FRIEND
DOCTOR
CAT
DOG
ADDRESS
MOBILE PHONE)
INTERNET
CITY
BUS
CAR
METRO
TRAM
TROLLEYBUS
ROUTE
TAXI
AIRPLANE
TRAIN
AIRPORT
RAILWAY STATION
SHOP
MARKET
BANK
HOSPITAL
POLICE
SCHOOL
JOB

Chapter WHAT DO WE DO? contains gestures:
EAT
WAS
DID NOT HAVE
WILL
WILL NOT
UNDERSTAND
DO NOT UNDERSTAND
KNOW
DONT KNOW
SPEAK
WRITE
WANT
DO NOT WANT
REMEMBER
DO
REPLY
ASK

Chapter HOW - WHAT? contains gestures:
FINE
BADLY
FINE
HURT
SLOWLY
FAST
FEW
A LOT OF
COLD
HOT
DANGEROUS
BEAUTIFUL
DELICIOUS
SMART
KIND
CALM

Chapter WHEN? contains gestures:
TODAY
YESTERDAY
TOMORROW
MORNING
DAY
EVENING
NIGHT
A WEEK
MONTH
YEAR

Chapter DACTYLOLOGY contains designations of letters of the Russian alphabet.

Chapter NUMERALS contains numbers.

Chapter LET'S TALK
I love you.
What is your name?
How old are you?
Do you study or work?
Where do you work?
I need a job.
I live in Russia.
Give me your address.
Send me an e-mail.
I will send you an SMS.
Let's go for a walk.
It's dangerous to ride a bike here.
Do you have a car?
I have a driver's license.
Do you want tea or coffee?
Be careful, the milk is hot.
I have a deaf son.
this one good kindergarten for deaf children.
Do you have deaf teachers?
Parents of deaf children should know sign language.
My daughter is hard of hearing, she has a hearing aid, and she does not need a cochlear implant!
Good translators are needed everywhere.
I want to watch movies with subtitles.
There are many talented deaf artists and actors in Russia.
I need a translator.
Should you call a doctor?
Do you want to drink?
I like kids.
Let's go play.

Chapter IT IS NECESSARY contains phrases in sign language:
I am deaf.
I am deaf.
I can not hear.
I know some gestures.
Do you know sign language? – I don’t know gestures very well, but I know fingerprinting.
Can I help you?
Do you need an interpreter?
Where do you live?
Where are you from?
Where is the bus-stop?
Metro station is close.
I'm thirsty.
Where is the toilet?

This section provides rules for communicating with deaf people and simple dialogues in sign language.

RULES OF COMMUNICATION WITH THE DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING

Rules for communicating with people with hearing impairments:
- look into the face of the interlocutor, do not turn away during the conversation.
- do not raise your voice, but articulate clearly.
- use the services of a sign language interpreter.
- communicate information in writing by any means.

The main ways to attract the attention of the deaf and hard of hearing:
- a pat on the shoulder.
- hand waving.
- knock on the table.

The disc also contains the brochure "What you wanted to know about the deaf", issued by the Central Board of the All-Russian Society of the Deaf to International Day of the Deaf. It briefly outlines general information about deaf people and principles of communication with them. The brochure is written primarily in a question-and-answer format, so it is very easy to read.

• Silent language interpreters are state-certified professionals who have gone through years of training to become highly skilled sign language interpreters. In most countries, there are certain rules about who can be a sign language interpreter in the fields of law, medicine, education, sociology and psychology. The fact that you memorized the entire sign language dictionary does not give you the right to translate, for example, in such a situation, if you saw an accident on the road and a deaf-mute person wants to say something to the police. Every law enforcement officer knows that when a deaf person is involved in an incident, a professional and certified sign language interpreter must be called.
• Hearing people acquire knowledge of a language through a pair of eyes and a pair of ears with early age. Remember that many of your deaf and mute friends have never heard cues, which is a matter of course for a hearing person. Never assume that if a deaf-and-dumb person does not write as well, then this means that he or she is less intelligent than you. Know that when you communicate in sign language, you are also far from perfect.
• If you are studying a sign, do not assume that a deaf person should be ready to take a break from business and at any time begin to help you learn the language and hone your skills. If you want to meet a specific deaf person, be polite. Say hello if the situation allows it, but don't meddle in the person's personal circumstances.
• There are a huge number of sign communication systems, for example, Sign Supported Speech (SSS), Seeing Essential English (SEE) and Signing Exact English (SEE2). They were created by people outside the culture in which they are used, i.e. by hearing people for the deaf and dumb. These are not natural languages ​​for full and effective communication.
• Deaf-mutes value their personal space as much as hearing people. If you are teaching signing, please do not stare at deaf-mute families or groups of people in restaurants or other public places. Even if you look with admiration at the use of language, it is still very unnerving.
• Never make up your own signs. American Language of the Deaf and Dumb is a universally recognized language, not a game of facial expressions. If you don't know a symbol, spell it out and have the deaf person translate it for you. These gestures were invented by the deaf and dumb community, and it would be very strange if a hearing person starts creating gestures.
• No dictionary in any language is exhaustive. For example, one of the links gives you only one translation of the word "abbreviate", a sign for shortening. And this common sign has another translation - “thicken” (two hands folded in the form of the letter C at chest level are clenched into fists). Remember that many different characters can match one English word, and vice versa.