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The signs
I / ME
- Handshape
- Point with your index finger.
- Place
- At your own chest.
- Movement
- Tap the point into your chest once.
Remember it: Me points home — at your own chest.
YOU
- Handshape
- Point with your index finger.
- Place
- Out toward the person you mean.
- Movement
- Point once, clearly.
Remember it: You points out — at them.
FRIEND
- Handshape
- Both index fingers, hooked.
- Place
- In front of your chest.
- Movement
- Hook your index fingers together one way, then swap and hook them the other way.
Remember it: Friend is two fingers hooked together — linked, both ways.
MOTHER
- Handshape
- Open hand, fingers spread a little.
- Place
- Thumb at your chin.
- Movement
- Tap your thumb on your chin twice.
Remember it: Mother taps the chin — the woman's place, low on the face.
FATHER
- Handshape
- Open hand, fingers spread a little.
- Place
- Thumb at your forehead.
- Movement
- Tap your thumb on your forehead twice.
Remember it: Father taps the forehead — the man's place, high on the face.
SISTER
- Handshape
- Start with your thumb at the side of your chin.
- Place
- Chin first, then both index fingers side by side.
- Movement
- Brush your thumb down your cheek, then put your two index fingers together side by side — the sign for SAME.
Remember it: Sister — a girl, the same as me.
BROTHER
- Handshape
- Start with your hand at your forehead, like the brim of a cap.
- Place
- Forehead first, then both index fingers side by side.
- Movement
- Touch your forehead, then put your two index fingers together side by side — SAME.
Remember it: Brother — a boy, the same as me.
FAMILY
- Handshape
- Both hands in F shapes — thumb and index finger touching in a circle, other fingers up.
- Place
- Fingertips touching in front of you.
- Movement
- Circle both hands out and around, away from each other, until the little fingers meet — drawing one big circle around everyone.
Remember it: Family draws one circle with room for everybody in it.
TEACHER
- Handshape
- Both hands in loose pinched shapes, beside your head.
- Place
- Beside your head first, then in front of your body.
- Movement
- Open and close your fingers twice as your hands move a little forward — taking ideas out of the head — then bring both hands down in front of you, palms facing each other.
Remember it: A teacher takes ideas out of the head and gives them away.
DEAF
- Handshape
- Point with your index finger.
- Place
- First at your ear, then at the corner of your mouth.
- Movement
- Touch your ear, then touch the corner of your mouth.
Remember it: Deaf goes ear to mouth — the two doors of language.
HEARING
- Handshape
- Point with your index finger.
- Place
- In front of your mouth.
- Movement
- Circle your finger forward, away from your mouth, like words rolling out.
Remember it: Hearing is words rolling out of the mouth.
Try It — sign it yourself
- Introduce your family in signs: MOTHER, FATHER, SISTER, BROTHER, FAMILY.
- Point and sign: ME, YOU, FRIEND — then all three in one breath.
- Sign DEAF and HEARING and think about the two doors they touch: ear and mouth.
Hands learn by doing. Slow and clear beats fast and sloppy — every time.
Vocabulary — words to keep
| Word | Spelling | What the sign does | A line to remember it by |
|---|---|---|---|
| I / ME | I / Me | Tap the point into your chest once. | Me points home — at your own chest. |
| YOU | You | Point once, clearly. | You points out — at them. |
| FRIEND | Friend | Hook your index fingers together one way, then swap and hook them the other way. | Friend is two fingers hooked together — linked, both ways. |
| MOTHER | Mother | Tap your thumb on your chin twice. | Mother taps the chin — the woman's place, low on the face. |
| FATHER | Father | Tap your thumb on your forehead twice. | Father taps the forehead — the man's place, high on the face. |
| SISTER | Sister | Brush your thumb down your cheek, then put your two index fingers together side by side — the sign for SAME. | Sister — a girl, the same as me. |
| BROTHER | Brother | Touch your forehead, then put your two index fingers together side by side — SAME. | Brother — a boy, the same as me. |
| FAMILY | Family | Circle both hands out and around, away from each other, until the little fingers meet — drawing one big circle around everyone. | Family draws one circle with room for everybody in it. |
| TEACHER | Teacher | Open and close your fingers twice as your hands move a little forward — taking ideas out of the head — then bring both hands down in front of you, palms facing each other. | A teacher takes ideas out of the head and gives them away. |
| DEAF | Deaf | Touch your ear, then touch the corner of your mouth. | Deaf goes ear to mouth — the two doors of language. |
| HEARING | Hearing | Circle your finger forward, away from your mouth, like words rolling out. | Hearing is words rolling out of the mouth. |