ASL Immersion with DawnSignPress

I’ve been wondering to myself, “How can we learn more sign and use it in our every day life?” Just like other homeschool moms, I want to open opportunities for my kids, and I know a second language (or third, or more) helps open doors for them.

We have to start this early, and we already know lots of sign language resources, but thus far I have never found a resource that provides sign language immersion at home.

Until now. DawnSignPress makes that jump.

The following is a product review in which I received the product for free and have been compensated for my time. All opinions are my own and I was not required to write a positive review.

Who is DawnSignPress?

From the DawnSignPress website, they describe themselves and their mission:

DawnSignPress creates, develops, and publishes quality American Sign Language (ASL) and Deaf culture-related DVDs and books. Dedicated to the principle that Deaf people are the natural experts regarding their language and culture, DawnSignPress wholeheartedly supports the efforts of Deaf people to document ASL, Deaf culture, history, heritage, and literature.

Find out more about DawnSignPress through their Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube channels!

True ASL edutainment

Most ASL edutainment options are geared for hearing kids, and teach signs individually. The first thing that makes DawnSignPress different is the actors solely communicate in sign language. For the hearing viewers, there is a voice over rather than the actors speaking themselves. When we are more proficient, it’ll be fun to mute the movie and try to watch it with only sign!

Use of fluent sign language

One thing I didn’t know until more recently is that one sign can be used for many similar, but different English words. I’ve learned that body language is an important part of how sign is used on a daily basis, and DawnSignPress has true deaf actors, so they are speaking in their first language, making it easier to immerse yourself in the language and learn it for yourself.

In The Magic Mirror and Jack and the Beanstalk (the movies I reviewed), one sign flows to another seamlessly, both adding to the challenge of picking up what is being said, but giving true immersion so learning sign is more natural.

Learn American sign language for the beginner

If you have little to no experience with sign language, don’t be afraid of jumping in to this immersion method! DawnSignPress makes learning sign language natural and easy with some strategies in their movies:

• Common short phrases are used slowly and with emphasis
• Common words are repeated throughout a story, like “hot” and “food” in Goldilocks and the Three Bears
• The end of the movie reviews key words used within the movie, isolating the words and signs

ASL entertainment for deaf children

So far my whole review has been from our perspective: a hearing family. Beyond our own perspective, I know my deaf friends and neighbors will appreciate new resources for them that don’t have to be adapted for their viewing. Can you imagine what it’s like to have barely any movies or shows that are not in your first language?

When I showed Jack and the Beanstalk to my friend with a son who is hard of hearing, she said:

I love how clear and natural their signing is. In some ASL classes, I’ve sometimes had a hard time picking up what people are saying with their signs, but the actors’ signs are crisp and fluid.

5 Reasons to Purchase from DawnSignPress

1. Support the deaf community in retaining their rich culture through the DawnSignPress mission
2. Support the growth of ASL resources, created by those in the deaf community
3. Provide wide variety of edutainment resources for your children
4. Introduce ASL early – the best way to build the foundation to second language success in the future
5. Normalize the use of ASL for your family. Running into someone using sign will be exciting, not something odd.

Get one of their ASL movies for your home today!