1. Click the + button in the bottom right corner
2. Search for or click on a country where a specific sign language is used
3. Fill in the details about that country’s native sign language
4. Add a visual - upload an image, video, or link that shows unique traits of that sign language
5. Submit your post to share with the class

Goal: Learn about the diversity of sign languages worldwide and discover how different cultures express themselves through visual communication.

Spanish Sign Language is a sign language used mainly by deaf people in Spain and the people who live with them. Although there are not many reliable statistics, it is estimated that there are over 100,000 speakers, 20-30% of whom use it as a second language.

American Sign Language (ASL) is the main sign language used by Deaf people in the US and parts of Canada. It is not just English with hand signs; it has its own grammar and vocabulary. ASL started from French Sign Language mixed with some local signs.

Before ASL, Native American tribes had their own sign languages too, like Plains Indian Sign Language, which helped different tribes communicate without speaking.

There are lots of different sign languages around the world and they are all unique. For example, British Sign Language (BSL) is completely different from ASL. Learning about this shows how rich and diverse Deaf cultures are everywhere.

• Name: Slovak Sign Language (Slovenský posunkový jazyk, SPJ)

• Country: Slovakia

• Users: Around 15,000–20,000 people use it (mostly Deaf and hard-of-hearing communities, plus interpreters and families).

• Recognition: Officially recognized as the natural language of the Slovak Deaf community since 1995, with more rights guaranteed by later legislation.

One-handed system:

Unlike some two-handed manual alphabets, the Chinese system uses a single hand to form letters. 

Based on Pinyin:

The alphabet is derived from the sounds of the Pinyin romanization system for Mandarin Chinese. 

Influence of Chinese culture and language:

The signs in Chinese Sign Language often reflect written Chinese characters and cultural aspects, similar to how the fingerspelling system reflects the Pinyin spelling system. 

Sign language is the main way deaf and hard-of-hearing people communicate in Jordan. The country uses Jordanian Sign Language (JSL), which is adapted to Arabic and local culture.

Organizations like the Jordanian Deaf Association work to raise awareness, provide training, and encourage society to learn sign language. Learning it helps:

• Communicate with deaf people.

• Support social inclusion and education.

• Reduce isolation and improve job opportunities.

DGS has a manual alphabet (A–Z with handshapes) that people use to spell names or new words. Each letter is represented by a handshape and movement.

Reem Ahmed

In Canada, two main sign languages are commonly used: American Sign Language (ASL) and Langue des signes québécoise (LSQ). ASL is widely used by Deaf communities in English-speaking parts of the country, while LSQ is mainly used in Quebec and some areas of Ontario where French is spoken. Both ASL and LSQ are fully developed languages with their own grammar, vocabulary, and cultural significance, and they are not simply signed versions of English or French. In 2019, Canada passed the Accessible Canada Act, which officially recognizes ASL, LSQ, and Indigenous sign languages as primary languages of communication for Deaf people. This recognition highlights the importance of sign languages in promoting accessibility, inclusion, and equal rights for the Deaf community across the country.