Signing Made Easy (A Complete Program for Learning Sign Language. Includes Sentence Drills and Exercises for Increased Comprehension and Signing Skill) [Paperback]

Rod R. Butterworth (Author), Mickey Flodin (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0399514902 | ISBN-13: 978-0399514906 | Publication Date: February 20, 1989 | Edition: 1

The authors of the critically acclaimed Perigee Visual Dictionary of Signing have created a text-and-workbook-in-one, teaching how to use signing as a language. Signing Made Easy offers the first thorough, step-by-step approach to learning sign language, complete with drills and practice exercises.

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Perigee Books; 1 edition (February 20, 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0399514902
• ISBN-13: 978-0399514906
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (32 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #34,885 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #32 in Books > Education & Reference > Foreign Languages > Instruction > Sign Language

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

47 of 47 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Book For Instruction!, July 16, 2000

By 

Steve Glasgow-Educator and Minister to the De... (Fayetteville, Tennessee USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Signing Made Easy (A Complete Program for Learning Sign Language. Includes Sentence Drills and Exercises for Increased Comprehension and Signing Skill) (Paperback)

I have used and taught sign language for almost 10 years now. One of the main problems I used to have with books for instruction was the lack (or shortage) of exercises for "receiving" (or reading) sign language. This book is an excellent source of "receiving exercises" for new students of sign language to get used to interpreting signs from other people BEFORE actually being placed in that situation with real people. I have found that this greatly reduces the stress of initial experiences with receiving sign language from others. This is especially important since receiving is HALF of any type of communication.Of course, this book is also an excellent instructional resource for learning how to sign to other people effectively. Therefore, I highly recommend this book whether it is used in a class or by an individual! In fact, I am getting ready to begin teaching another beginner's sign language class and this is the book my students will be using!

42 of 43 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not American Sign Language, August 31, 2003

By 

Tom "Tom" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Signing Made Easy (A Complete Program for Learning Sign Language. Includes Sentence Drills and Exercises for Increased Comprehension and Signing Skill) (Paperback)

If you're looking to learn the natural language of the culturally Deaf population in America, this book is definitely a waste of your time and money. If, however, what you want is to communicate with deaf elementary school children who use Signed English, this is a good option. Many do not understand that American Sign Language is a FOREIGN language and NOT English words in sign. ASL is as different from English as Russian or Japanese. But most do not know this prior to searching out a sign language reference book.

This book is filled with good illustrations of English signs, formulated into English sentences. An example would be: "I need to go to the store, because I'm all out of milk." That's English and this book shows you the sign for every word...in that order. However, if you were to sign true ASL, it would be glossed as: STORE-NEED-GO-I-WHY?-MILK-ALL GONE. So just be warned that, if you get this book, you will not be learning the actual *language* of signs.

That being said, this book has potential and the author, Flodin, has written several other books that are highly recommended. But as far as signing books go, this one doesn't rise to the occasion. That's just this deafie's opinion. :o)

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not ASL!!!, April 11, 2001

By 

S. M. Ruble "gidget273" (Richmond, VA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Signing Made Easy (A Complete Program for Learning Sign Language. Includes Sentence Drills and Exercises for Increased Comprehension and Signing Skill) (Paperback)

As a brand new student of ASL who hopes to become an interpreter I was looking for a book that tought ASL in ASL sentence structure - this book does not! It is clearly signed English, so if that is what you are looking for, this book seems quite good. Otherwise, don't buy it!!