How to Sign “Teacher” in Sign Language

This sign uses the “person” structure. You first sign “teach” then “person.”

Signing “Teacher”

  1. Hand shape: Start with both hands in an “O” handshape. The second part of the sign hands both hands in a “closed 5” handshape.
  2. Hand location: In front of your body, hands raised to about chest level. The second part of the sign brings the hands lower, closer to the torso.
  3. Movement: Start with the “O”s raised, then, as you bring your hands to about torso level, switch to the “closed 5” handshape.
  4. Facial expression: Keep a neutral facial expression and focus on the clarity of the sign.

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Note

We sure hope you are learning sign language from a Deaf teacher! It’s a really critical issue in modern day sign language education that hearing folks try to teach sign language. It’s like learning French from an American, you don’t get the true depth of the culture and language. Also, in a world where Deaf folks have high rates of unemployment and struggle to get access into the workforce, these opportunities must be protected. Our teacher, Ben, is Deaf, comes from a Deaf family, and teachers ASL at UCLA!

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