Why Learn Sign Language?
There are several
benefits in learning
sign language. I'm currently picking up
SEE2, which uses borrows signs from
ASL but conforms to
English in all other aspects.
1) You train your hand-eye coordination.
Communicating with Deaf people forces one to pick up
signs and
gestures on the fly, especially if you are surrounded by them. It makes one more
alert, and no doubt the area of the brain responsible for this will
develop further. This prevents one from getting dull-minded
prematurely.
2) You train your arm muscles.
One of my teachers attested that signing prevented the
flabby arm syndrome, in which arm muscles lose their tension and become
flaccid and lifeless.
It must be pointed out that one cannot expect to sign the whole day long; even the
Deaf get tired arms, and this is perfectly
normal. Do allow your arms and fingers some time to get accustomed to signing.
This is true for myself when I learn SEE2, even though I already know English well. I can really gush over the
perfect-ness of a sign language that distinguishes between "your" and "you're"; "than" and "then"; "there", "they're" and "their". All these words have different signs, but they sound alike in English. Many English-speaking
hearing people have
difficulty getting these words down on paper correctly in the appropriate
context, but the Deaf have no problem.
Naturally, language skills would also be
honed when one picks up a language which has a different
syntax than one's own mother tongue. It facilitates one in picking up other languages. It's similar to how learning Japanese is easier after learning Chinese. Learning to translate between sign and speech is always great fun, and as pointed out previously, will lead to a more
active mind.
4) It improves your body language skills.
Basically, when you sign, your body language has to
conform to what you're signing. One cannot nod one's head while signing "no": this leads to
confusion. When signing about being happy, one's countenance should show it. As SEE2 seldom includes question marks or exclamation marks, this had to be
incorporated into the way I expressed myself, such as frowning when asking a question, or looking extremely surprised. Regardless of whether question marks, etc. are used, Deaf people often use body language to
convey what they feel or think. This will be useful even when communicating with other hearing people, who will pick up on body language
subconsciously anyway.
5) You get to make more friends.
Naturally the first group of people you get to know much more
intimately are the Deaf people you come into contact with. It's interesting to note that they do not consider themselves
handicapped; indeed, they see themselves as another group of normal people who just happen to have another language. Much like the
Hispanics in
America, or
Japanese/
Koreans in
Singapore.
The other group of people would be your
classmates in your sign-language class. A great deal of
bonding happens when you're laughing over some mis-signed phrase, correcting one another's mistakes and musing over how sign language seems to so difficult to pick up. (It isn't; it just requires more
practice.)
The third group would be normal
hearies. When I reveal that I know sign language, many hearies perk up and start asking questions. Occasionally I have met people who also know how to sign. This is a great ice-breaker and a good
conversational topic.
There are probably more
benefits which I'll come across later, since I've only learnt how to sign for two
months. But this list is enough to
assure me that I've invested my time well.