Free Sign Language Printables and Resources (2023)

By Sarah Shelton on December 14, 2021

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Sign Language is a very useful skill to teach your children. It is something I even started incorporating into our home by teaching all of our children baby sign language. If you are wanting to help your kids learn sign language, or if you are just wanting to learn it yourself, you must check out all these free sign language printables and resources. Using printable sign language words can be good visuals for those learning ASL.

American Sign Language (ASL) as a Foreign Language

Of all the foreign languages that we can expose ourselves to and learn in our homeschool, American Sign Language or ASL has been one of my favorites. Even just learning a few key phrases and signs can be very helpful in the real world. My son used some of these resources when he was in our high school and has been able to use many of the signs he learned as he works as a cashier at our local grocery store.

Benefits of Learning Sign Language

Learning sign language is not only a benefit to students. Imagine the gift they can give those who rely on ASL for communication. Can you begin to think what life would be like if you were surrounded, every day, by people who could not communicate well with you? How would it make you feel? How frustrating would it be?

By acquiring a knowledge of ASL and being able to communicate using it, your students can give a great gift to those who depend on it. They can communicate with deaf people in the language they are most comfortable with. They can cross the bridge of silence that tries to cut them off from the rest of society and show them by their actions that they care about them and they have value.

Facts About Sign Language (ASL)

There are some important facts about sign language that you might like to familiarize yourself with before you get started. For example:

• • Did you know that different countries and different languages have different sign languages as well? ASL is not a universal language used by everyone in the deaf community. For example, American Sign Language is used by English language speakers in the United States, but Australian Sign Language, British Sign Language, French Sign Language, Japanese Sign Language, and many others are used around the world.
  • Did you know that the facial expressions and body language you use while signing as well as where your hands are positioned in relation to your body all have an impact on sign language? Sign languages are visual languages, so everything you communicate visually is part of what you are saying.
  • Did you know that the only completed translation of the Bible into a signed language is in American Sign Language – and that it wasn’t available until 2020? That means every other person who is deaf in the world is still waiting for the Bible in the language he or she truly understands and relates to. Only a small number of people who are deaf can read lips, and it takes a tremendous amount of work and concentration to do so. Signed Scriptures are desperately needed all over the world.
  • Did you know that to sign people’s names in ASL, you don’t just spell the names. Each person has a unique name sign that is used, and the sign is traditionally given to them by the Deaf community, not the hearing community. In this way, the names of people who are deaf are even more personal than names used by the hearing community. You might know a lot of people with the same first name as you, but your sign name will be unique to you.
  • Did you know that just like you don’t speak all sentences at the same pace, you don’t sign everything at a steady pace either? Some signs are fast while others are slow.
  • Did you know that the ASL sign for “I love you” combines the sign for the letters, “I” and “L”? Extend the little finger (the letter “I”) and your index finger and thumb (the letter “L) while keeping your ring finger and middle finger down.

American Sign Language (or ASL) Websites:

Life Printhas a completely free ASL resource called American Sign Language University. There are so many free sign language lessons. You can learn 100 basic signs, finger spelling,and complete sign language lessons.

There are printable sign language words as well as video lessons. They have an awesome self study schedule that my son used to teach himself with the videos.

ASL Rochellehas lots of freeASL courses and printable workbooks. There is an ASL Starter Kit, Learn ASL in 31 days, 5 Day ASL Grammar Challenge, ASL Foundations, and a Grammar Sentence Workbook.

Look We’re Learning has 11 different free sign language lessons and videos, with free ASL printables to go along with them.

Signing Savvy is an ASL website that can help you learn sign language. You can watch videos,build your own word lists and share them with others, create virtual flashcards and quizzes, download printable sign language, and words build sign phrases and more!

Hand Speak is another ASL website that has an ASL dictionary, ASL for kids, a children’s ASL dictionary, finger spelling tutorials, an ASL word of the day video and so much more. It’s great for learning vocabulary in sign language.

Free Sign Language Printables and Resources

Free ASL Alphabet Printable Pack – Learning the alphabet in sign language is the first step to communicating via ASL. This free pack shows the alphabet using pictures and printable sign language words.

ASL Preschool Printables from Preschool Momhas free sign language alphabet printableworksheets for every letter of the alphabet in upper and lowercase.

Sign Language Alphabet Flash Cards – Flash cards for ASL are a great way to test out learned skills when practicing sign language.

40 Early Signs Descriptions and Locations – This post is super helpful with ideas for teaching specific ASL words to your beginning signers.

American Sign Language Alphabet Printables – Have fun decoding secret messages using these sign language worksheets and printable sign language words.

Printable Sign Language Words

ABC Teach has tons of free ASL printable flash cards and posters, as well as ASL printables in these categories:

• ASL Color Photos – Help your kids learn colors in sign language with these ASL color photos
  
• ASL Emergency Words/Health – Teach your kids important words in ASL that are good for emergencies and other health situations.
  
• ASL Manual Alphabet Photos – Use these great visuals for learning the alphabet in ASL.
  
• ASL Numbers – Kids can quickly learn numbers in sign language with these number pictures.
• ASL School Words – School words are good to know in sign language!
  
• ASL Vehicles – Learn how to use sign language for different types of vehicles.
  
• ASL Verbs – Tons of great visual pictures for learning verbs in sign language.
• ASL WH Questions – Learn how to ask who, what, where using ASL.

Free American Sign Language Alphabet Pack PDF

If you’re interested in teaching your children ASL, this Free American Sign Language Alphabet Pack PDF is an awesome resource. This ASL resource contains a printable page for each letter of the alphabet and includes formatted flash cards. Consider using a laminator to keep them kid-friendly, and reusable!