Handspeak: An online ASL resource

Back in August I started learning American Sign Language in order to have more fluent conversations with one of my co-workers. Having someone to talk with five days a week really helps out when learning a new language, and in the same way, having a native signer to practice with helps with learning ASL. At the moment I know basic words and phrases, I can joke around a bit, and I’m fast enough with finger-spelling that spelling a new word does not interrupt the flow of the conversation (thought it may slow it down a bit).

In my day during my free time, whenever there’s something I would like to talk about to my co-worker, I first check out HandSpeak.com, an online ASL dictionary with resources for people who want to learn ASL. Read more

Chinese Skill- First Impression Review

pandaDuring my quest to learn a new language, I came across Duolingo. The nifty app+website does a great job of introducing learners t o a new language through practice and repetition. Though it is clear that Duo is not a comprehensive single source for learning a language, the amount of material it provides, as well as the quick and easy-to-browse interface make it a powerful tool in one’s language practice arsenal. That being said, I was a bit disappointed that there was no Chinese course yet, since I wanted to have a nice phone app that would allow me to practice my Chinese on-the-go. EDIT: Since first writing this post in my previous blog, Duolingo has come out with a Chinese course, which I haven’t tried yet. Read more