If mastering another language is one of your goals this coming New Year, you should definitely try learning American Sign Language (ASL).
Knowing how to sign is important in communicating with the Deaf community and others who are hard of hearing, and through apps, you can now review ASL anytime and anywhere.
With this, we have put together a list of the best iOS apps you can download to help you learn and practice how to sign:
1. Ligvano
Ligvano is an app made by deaf teachers that share a passion for teaching Sign Languages through daily 10-minute lessons designed to teach practical conversation skills, Healthy Hearing writes.
With the Lingvano sign mirror feature, users can use the vocabulary trainer to strengthen skills and cultivate long-term memory.
Additionally, there are exercises for practicing conversational dialogues, a searchable dictionary, quizzes, and reviewers for facial expressions.
However, similar to its other apps, which also provide British Sign Language and Austrian Sign Language, a premium subscription is necessary to access all learning content and features.
2. SignSchool
Numerous sign topics, multiple choice games, and a dictionary with various dialects are all available on SignSchool, which was developed by three friends, one of whom is deaf.
According to Healthline, the visual-only app also includes a "Sign of the Day" feature that makes it simple to pick up a new sign each day.
SignSchool is a resource that is ideal for intermediate signers, offering more than 4,000 signs and 200 subtopics.
3. Rocket ASL
Langoly names Rocket ASL as the best overall app for ASL learners as it has a well-structured course that covers every aspect of ASL, as well as suggestions for when to use them.
The ASL course that Rocket Languages has created will take users from beginner to intermediate through clear steps in learning ASL.
Videos of people signing are included in each lesson, along with thorough explanations of how to put signs together to form sentences.
Rocket also contains a ton of information on deaf culture, such as how to participate in conversations with signers and the value of signing spaces.
Read More: 7 Best Apps for People Who Are Deaf, Have Hearing Loss in 2022
4. The ASL App
Educators Technology reports that The ASL App uses video lessons to make learning conversational ASL simple and understandable.
The app provides learning resources for words and signs on a variety of subjects, including pop culture, social media, sports, education, family signs, and more.
The ASL App, a visual-only app with more than 2,500 ASL signs and phrases, was developed by Ink & Salt, a deaf-owned and deaf-run business.
5. InterSign ASL
According to Healthline, there are more than 90 lessons in the relatively new visual-only app InterSign ASL.
It features a dictionary, glossary, and games, and the creators intend to add sign-specific versions of those games.
In InterSign ASL, the signs are divided into steps so you don't have to learn everything at once, according to reviewers.
6. ASL Bloom
According to Langoly, Beginners are best served by ASL Bloom because it starts with the fundamentals and uses spaced repetition to aid in memory retention.
Additionally, ASL Bloom was created to make learning to sign easier for the relatives and friends of deaf children.
There are videos that demonstrate how to make signs precisely, practice tests, flashcards, and a sign bank that enables users to search for a particular sign.
Most importantly, ASL Bloom provides a deeper understanding by covering significant deaf cultural topics as well.
Related Article: Snapchat Creates 'ASL Alphabet Lens' To Help You Learn Sign Language
