Sign language workshop Week-1

Sign language is one of the many languages used in the world. This language uses hand signs, as stated in its name, to communicate instead of using the mouth. It is very important because it helps those who are born with disabilities, such as being deaf, to communicate with each other. Anyone with functional hands can learn this language.

Today, I attended a sign language workshop to gain some extra soft skills. This event was hosted by Malaysia Sign Language and is a four-week program. There are three things we learned today: simple greeting gestures, the ABCs in sign language, and numbers in sign language.

The picture above shows the signs for each letter of the alphabet, making it easier to remember and practice. Learning the ABCs is crucial when starting to learn sign language, as they serve as the building blocks for forming words and sentences. I was amazed at how expressive these gestures are; each letter has its own sign, which is quite different from what we would use without knowing sign language. By learning this, we can construct words in English or Malay, such as "apa," "bila," "how," and "why." Not only that, we can also spell our names using sign language. With this foundation, we could begin to understand sign language better, especially since the tutor used it throughout the entire session.

In the second part of the workshop, we learned how to express numbers in sign language. This section was equally fascinating, as numbers are essential for everyday communication. The tutor demonstrated each number from 1 to 10 using distinct hand signs. It was interesting to see how each number has its own unique sign, making them easy to remember. For instance, the sign for "1" is a simple raised index finger, while "2" involves raising the index and middle fingers. This skill allows us to express quantities and plays a vital role in conversations, such as asking for prices or giving phone numbers. After learning the ABCs and numbers, we formed pairs to practice. I found this very exciting and fun, as I could express myself using sign language that I had just learned.

With enough practice of the ABCs and numbers, the tutor taught us some basic greeting gestures, like "Hello," "Assalamualaikum," and "How are you?" It was heartwarming to see how even the simplest gestures could convey warmth and friendliness. At the end of the session, we had a brief recap of everything we had learned. I left the workshop feeling inspired and eager to practice what I had learned. It was rewarding to realize that by investing time in learning sign language, I could make a difference in my interactions with those in the deaf community.

After the first lesson, I felt like I was starting to get the hang of sign language. I’m looking forward to the next few weeks and can’t wait to dive deeper into more advanced concepts. This workshop not only aims to build soft skills but also bridges communication gaps, fostering inclusivity and understanding.