Why My Dad Learned Sign Language -

The purpose of the #whyIsign campaign is to encourage hearing parents of deaf children everywhere to share their experiences, their stories of why they learned to sign with their deaf child to inspire and encourage other hearing parents to learn sign language too to communicate with their deaf child.
My family and I shared our #whyIsign stories back in 2016 when the campaign first started. September is Deaf Awareness Month, so for Deaf Awareness Month last month, I wanted to film a new #whyIsign video with my parents sharing why we sign and sharing their perspectives on learning sign language to communicate with me.
We hope, through doing videos together, to inspire and encourage more hearing parents to learn sign language to communicate with their deaf baby, their deaf child. I wanted to show them that learning sign language is not that hard and that even if they don’t have time to take sign language classes, they can still learn sign language and have a good relationship with their deaf child. My dad had only taken one night class when I was like 2 or 3 years old and that’s it. His signing vocabulary grew over years and he’s still adding signs to his vocabulary. :) You can learn too. Remember, it doesn’t have to be perfect, the goal is simply to communicate. 😌
P.S. A couple of years ago, I interviewed my parents on what it was like raising a deaf child if you’re interested in watching the interview too, here is the link :)
• Raising a Deaf Child -...
Thanks again for watching! :)
Why I Sign #whyIsign @whyIsign
Instagram: @signedwithheart

[@virginiabaillif6907]

I remembered when my mom didn't find deaf school until I was 12 years old.😢 But I still love my mom and forgive her because she didn't know where is deaf school for me. We're mexican. Her good friends found Texas School for the Deaf in Austin, Texas when I was 12 years old and start 1 grade in Dear School. My mom, two sisters and one brother are hear and don't sign language. Sad! Now I'm 73 years old and my beautiful and lovely daughter Terri know how sign language. I'm very proud of her. Ashley, you are so beautiful and so lucky to have a wonderful Daddy. I'm very proud both of you!! I love you, Ashley!! God bless both of you!! 🙏❤🙏

[@carlosescobar9010]

Was a Home Depot the other day, when the item i was looking for was not on shelves. When one of their employees guestured if i needed help by signing paper and pencil. Was able to sign to him the little I learned from watching your video. After he helped me get my item, he asked where I learned to sign, so I showed him your channel on youtube.

[@perho]

Wow. Hearing families not learning sign language even when one member can't hear/speak had never, ever crossed my mind! Now that I know it happens, I'm so grateful your family made an effort to learn (and continue learning) it! I love your videos with your dad. Thank you both for being amazing!

[@KoriJaiden]

It’s so common.

[@alton791]

Even if it’s signed exact English or some common words or phrases or some “home signs” would be a help.

[@RonHutchCraft2]

love love love these videos, they are a necessity for me at the end of the day! Ashley you are so great!

[@miriadlove6152]

totally agree, Ashley is so encouraging!

[@signedwithheart]

Aw! I'm so glad!! Thank you ☺️

[@zoebeauteful344]

Your phrase "To Sign is to Love" got me right in the ❤

[@arirodriguez7406]

I love your quote Ashley, “To sign is to love”.

[@amywestbeld9968]

I am so glad my Mom taught me sign language since she used to teach at the school for the deaf and my Dad knows sign language too.

[@heatherhartman3129]

That’s great that you have that passion to encourage hearing parents to learn sign language. Obviously they should! I’m glad you’re doing that!

[@kellycronk1596]

Great seeing your Father again

[@yaronsteinbuch3956]

These videos are so great. This whole family is just wonderful.

[@jomccune]

Wow, it's so touching the amount of love. You and your family are inspirational.

[@cherylsyoutubies]

There's the man we love. And I'm sure we'll love your Mom too. You know why we love him so much Ashley? Because he loves you so much.

[@trackclubbabe]

this is soooo sweet!

[@rareinkorea]

I love how much your dad loves you and how much he boldly proclaims his love for you! Such a sweet gift to have a reflection of our Heavenly Father in a good dad ❤️. I know your dad is walking with Christ now and I’m so sorry for your loss - but praise be it is just temporary and someday there will be zero communication barriers between the two of you! What an amazing job he did pursuing after your heart during his time here on earth.

[@alton791]

I know a woman whose grandson is elementary school age (~7 I think) who hasn’t started talking yet. Yet, he can understand what’s being said to him. She’s been helping the parents getting him to be seen by different providers to see if there’s a physical cause. They’ve all been learning ASL also as a way for him to communicate.

[@68pointbreak]

So love your relationship with you and your father

[@Myrtle2911]

Your dad is so cute and smiley! I love his enthusiasm for learning.

[@faithnicole2161]

I love your channel but watching you and gou father is so awesome. The love he has for you, I can feel from.this side of the screen ♡ I just lost hearing in my right ear only back in June and my father has hearing aids due to old age. I can't see anyone in my family learning sign to make my life easier, but I also don't see them as you see yours. So I just love these videos and am so thankful you are here on ylutine, showing your life and teaching me (and othwrs) how to sign. I've been hearing my whole life (36yrs old) and end of June 2020 I lost hearing in my right ear. So this is new to me. Im learning sign as I always loved the language, and knew some of the alphabet, but after losing hal my hearing I really started to learn asl and I thank you again for your channel ♡

[@alejandramonique353]

Wow. I can't imagine being a mom and not taking the time and effort to learn sign for my baby. Thanks for the continuous content you put out to both raise awareness and help us learn.

[@yubbadubbadubba]

Love seeing the relationship between the two of you. And would love to learn sign language (complex as my local language doesn't have a particular standardised form or one that is most commonly used).

[@katherinemurphy2762]

I'm happy to see that you are much more comfortable, Ashley, doing these types of videos, and sharing the spotlight with your dad. Keep up the good work! Looking forward to "meeting" your mom!

[@SkySpiral8]

I love this, to learn to sign is definitely LOVE!

[@kellzh1407]

He’s the best

[@jasoncain22]

this is so great. thanks for posting.

[@rangervet7980]

I wish to learn but since I have no one to practice with daily it is forgotten quick. Love the videos

[@trackclubbabe]

Best dad & parents ever to learn sign & be so involved!!!

[@nenisuryani4817]

Your family is so beautiful

[@LoritaJohnson]

Love this! ❤️🤟🏽❤️

[@1locomotiveman]

105 likes! Not one dislike! Good job! 👍🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 🤟🏻❤️

[@amrita4982]

Aww..My sister was also born deaf and my dad loved her a lot. We lost him recently. 💔

[@signedwithheart]

Aw, I'm so sorry, praying for you and your family. I'm glad to know your sister is so loved too.

[@tomershpilka4601]

Thank you for uploading. Loved the video and the T-shirt

[@stephanieoregan]

I love these videos!! More please Ashley and Dad! Can't wait to meet Mom ❤ I learned how to sign some words by watching your videos and I was able to communicate with a deli worker at our local grocery store. The look on her face when I started signing was awesome. I understood her. She understood me. It's not difficult to learn and I think sign language should be taught in all schools.

[@richtaub]

Another superb and fantastic video. Loved it. I loved that you and your dad went into a little more detail besides just telling "why". The passion by you can be seen in these videos and that always inspires me to watch them more then once to pick up the little nuances that I may not have seen the first time to work on improving myself. Looking forward to part 2 w/your mom, and maybe you can make a part 3 to recruit you sisters and brother-in-law. ;) Thats again for another great video Regards Rich

[@ErnieV76]

What a great video. I have always loved languages and I have recently started a path to learning Italian and picking up pace in my learning American Sign Language. This video really encourages me and I'm glad I never gave up even after all these years. I will sign fluently one day. Can't wait for the next video!

[@tabilawsonmba434]

I love your videos and your thoughtfulness. If you have the opportunity, I would appreciate a video that teaches how to sign things about cars and mechanics. I have a deaf co-worker, and would love to be able to sign with him about work.

[@JosephPuplava]

I have to give your parents a lot of credits to be so determined and willing to learn sign language to communicate with you. You are very fortunate. I come from a 10-kid family and have 39 nephews and nieces. None of them learn sign language. Imagine what my life is like without any bond with my family for not trying to communicate with me and my language barrier. You should be very thankful to your parents. I am very happy for you.

[@Grabbearjet]

I like watching your dad sign because I'm still learning and his signs are slower and more deliberate. It helps me distinguish between signs.

[@gregolfin3636]

You have a lovely relationship with your family . And because, with the help of your videos, I have been able to learn so much in three weeks. And I am also teaching my mom as well. Thank you so much. Greg

[@rosemolina1140]

Hi Ashley and dad 👋🏽 I’m 55 years old and I love sign language!! I started to learn sign language in July of this year, 2020. I’m being serious about it so when I searched for sites that can help, your website came up. So even though I don’t understand you guys a lot I love your rapport and as I’m learning I always come back to you. Thank you so much, keep up the great work!!

[@signedwithheart]

Hi!! Thanks so much for your kind words!! 💛 Were you not able to turn on the closed captions on this video??

[@GiuPagliarde]

I love these videos!

[@melissa2964]

I Love that i found this!! I have always had a love for this language. I have always wanted to learn. I try to self teach but that is really difficult but I know a bit. One thing i have learned... there is such a difference in learning a sign and being able to read it. I so much have a desire to be fluent!! I have somewhat taught my grandkids some and my daughter is teaching her children even though we are trying to learn ourselves. So, my plan with your videos are to watch them first and read to make sure i know what is being said (which is always sooo good) then watch them without reading it to see what signs I pick up on then read again and then watch without reading, until I can watch them without reading them at all. Anyway, I said all of this to say Thank You!!! I love watching you and your family!! Ya'll are amazing and I will keep ya'll in prayer with the work that you are doing!! I appreciate ya'll!!! Once again, Thank You!!!

[@mattsmith894]

This is so sweet. Thank you for sharing.

[@starpatterson4887]

Well Ashley and other deaf and HOH people inspires me to learn sign language everyday day. It’s my passionate to learn more sign and go to college to be an interpreter! And it’s a beautiful language to💕

[@IIIIIIIBenIIIIIII]

Thank you.

[@falynn3879]

Hey there Love your videos :) When u have time u can do a video series for those of us who are more advanced . I would appreciate learning how to do some advanced signing

[@lesliemiller5790]

awesome video. I would like to learn to sign, even though I don't have anyone that is deaf in my circle. I love people and hope I can make a difference in the world

[@theotherwalt]

Watching these videos help, I am able to watch the signing and understand what is being communicated. Sometimes I have to rewind five seconds, (press the left arrow key) to see it again, but I am understanding more and more so these videos help. I try it without the CC to see how much I can understand.

[@PicklesFiona]

I wish I could like this twice!❤️

[@carlasuannepoohlockett3259]

Hi guys from Oklahoma!

[@mercygrace.]

#Twins 👫

[@lifewithkeisha1641]

💜💜💜💜🥰🥰🥰

[@azure0069]

its so cute how your dad and you are communicating i learned asl but my parents doesn’t understand me

[@snooz5019]

I’m not crying, you’re crying!

[@jaxonrood7533]

I would learn to sign just to be able to talk with her .

[@eleanorshellstrop39]

Thank you for the closed captions! I try interpreting practice with your videos but it’s difficult with open captions

[@jacksparrow9044]

Hello everyone

[@adritabasu8790]

Hi Ashley, I really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really love you, your dad, and this channel, the way you teach sign, the way you speak, the way your dad loves you and, I really wish, I mean, I sooooooooooooooooooo wish that I could meet you in real life.....❤️❤️ I feel really bad and I'll always be angry on myself and sad if this hurts you, but, please please please please please please please don't think of it as an insult or, just don't feel bad reading this and if you do, I will always be angry on myself... _How does it feel to be deaf?_ Please don't take it as an insult or anything bad, just please don't, I'll be really sad if I knew that it made you feel bad. Really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really sorry in advance if you felt bad.. Verryyyyyyyyyy sorry ☹️☹️ Lots and lots and lots and infinite number of lots of love to you and your dad and your mum ❤️❤️ Love from India 💗💗 P.S. Sorry for my bad English..

[@signedwithheart]

You're so sweet, thank you! I'm so glad you enjoy our videos! ☺️ And don't worry, it's fine... being deaf, for me, is hard, being in a hearing family but I'm very thankful that my parents learned sign language to communicate with me, and God helps me through too. 😌 He's good and faithful! -- Thanks again for watching and for your kind words!

[@kayleneknight306]

Your parent lucky have you.

[@gmatt107]

When you clap does that mean it's the end of the sentence? Or is it just cuz u wanna clap?

[@yeshualionofjudah7107]

I can’t turn on closed captions on my iPad

[@signedwithheart]

I just checked right now and I see the CC button at the bottom of the video (in the settings)... do you not see the CC button?? I'm using Safari (kzbin.info)

[@yeshualionofjudah7107]

Signed With Heart no, and I’ve tried everything on this iPad. I’ve even watched some cat videos in Japanese where they say to turn on the cc button. I just don’t think that option is on every iPad or tablet.

[@yeshualionofjudah7107]

Christy Q thanks it worked. How can I ever thank you. Are you available for tea? :)

[@zoebeauteful344]

I would like to know how your Dad felt not knowing as much sign as you at different points in your life?

[@doubleubee7523]

cool

[@josephineladika5462]

DoubleU Bee change

[@doubleubee7523]

@@josephineladika5462 Change what?

[@RubenRodriguez-cv6fi]

Hey, Ashley let you know interesting to talk with me and or not that is alright. I know you are very busy on time of your boss focus on working always. Who know me ok thank you

[@treborzelaz4657]

i like u guys bt u r too fast for me , i want to learn sign