The Complete Idiot's Guide To Conversational Sign Language Illustrated (Complete Idiot's Guide to)

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful book filled with so much information!!!!
Review: After reading and learning the information in this book, there will not be no idiot's. It is vital for us all to learn more about the Deaf Community and learn basic signs. This book is a great place to start! Carol is the greatest!

Rating:
Summary: More than what meets the eye
Review: As a professor and instructor of ASL and Deaf Culture for over 35 years, this outstanding book mirrors so much of my lecture materials -- and a whole lot more. It has things in it that never crossed my mind to explain to my students. Indeed, it's not by oversight on my part but by intellectual stimulation that Carole and Dawn opted for. I finally found a fabulous textbook for my classes.

There are so many insipid ASL books in the market that either stimulate or encourage anyone to learn because they lacked instructiveness or assimilability. This Idiot won't make a moron out of any willing reader who wants to learn ASL and Deaf culture. Carole and Dawn clearly leads the way to learn and understand how ASL and Deaf culture work. This Idiot even has that wonderful teacher-student aura as one reads and tries to sign. The flow of thought and meaning is so even and clear.

Thanks, Carole and Dawn!

Congratulations!!

Curtis Robbins, Ph.D.

Rating:
Summary: a deaf business person in a hearing world
Review: I liked the casual nature of introducing sign language to people that have deaf people in their acquaintance.

Sign Language is presented in a context of conversation rather than a dictionary.

My staff, all hearing persons, responded very favorably to being able to say things in sign language that pleased both me and them.

This is a fresh approach to an age-old subject.

There are a million miles to go to be fully functional in any new language. Sign language is a new language. The more you use it, the easier it is to retain it.

My simple belief is that all people have areas of inadequacy. Those with a physical disability may only have one. People need to be looked at and hired for what they can do, not for their inadequacies and limitations.

Off my soapbox, this is a good book.




Rating:
Summary: An ideal personal instruction manual
Review: The collaborative work of Carole Lazorisak (Deaf Certified Interpreter and Professional American Sign Language Teacher) and freelance sign language interpreter Dawn Donohue, The Complete Idiot's Guide To Conversational Sign Language Illustrated is the most "user friendly" instructional reference for learning American Sign Language and Signed English, as well as the basics of finger spelling and common signs used in a variety of situations ranging from simple greetings, to asking for directions, to dire emergencies. Enhanced with hundreds of photos and illustrations, the step-by-step explanations and instructions will enable the reader to make small talk through finger spelled words and key conversational signs. An ideal personal instruction manual, the accompanying DVD provides full-hand motion of every sign and phrase included in the book.


Rating:
Summary: A user friendly guide to Sign Language and Deaf Culture
Review: The Complete Idiots Guide to Conversational Sign Language is both educational and entertaining. Someone not familiar with sign language can produce signs by following the clear pictures in the book that describe the signs.

The cultural information is enlightening and fun to read. Personal accounts of the day-to-day experience of being Deaf are both touching and illuminating.

Ms. Janice Rimler's introduction is a perfect beginning to this book.

This is truly a great book for anyone who wants to learn more about Deafness, language and Deaf Culture. Or for anyone who wants to become a better communicator.



Rating:
Summary: Makes signing conversations simple...
Review: This book was a constant reference for me at my job, where we have a deaf colleague. It gives all the signs you need to converse with someone on a basic level - and, on every topic. Interestingly, I have never even seen another sign book covering important life topics that we all experience, such as funerals. The author photos and movement arrows are clear to see - and more importantly, easy to understand. This book is for anyone wanting to have simple conversations with deaf people, anytime or anywhere.


Rating:
Summary: Now I don't feel like a complete idiot !!!!
Review: This highly-produced book (using photographs of real people - unlike other books which have cartoon/drawn people) and DVD (again, using real people) showed me how to move my hands and face/body accurately. Yes, now I can feel more confident having conversations with deaf people without feeling at a loss for making small talk (those sections of the book and DVD were truly excellent). All the useful signs are in here, the sign conversations/phrases were practical, the stories were fascinating and amusing, and the deaf mother-hearing daughter team is adorable. I love it!


THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!