Why I Don't Fingerspell When Teaching ASL

Vlog | Destiny Yarbro | June 17, 2026 | 5 min watch

Video Transcript

0:00 Intro

Hi! Many Deaf here in the USA have asked me, why don't you fingerspell? Why do I teach only visually, visual signs and not fingerspell? Because here in the USA it is very common to fingerspell, right? So why do I kind of avoid that? Today I want to explain a few of my reasons why.

0:22 Reason #1

I typically don’t fingerspell much. I just don't do it much. Why? Most of my socializing is international Deaf, chatting with Deaf worldwide, so fingerspelling English words doesn’t help much. They won't understand much so fingerspelling is pretty worthless.

Signing visually much more effective for mutual understanding and we can communicate. Many countries use ASL, not many fingerspell everything. So again, communication is my goal and it helps if the two of use are signing not fingerspelling.

1:07 Reason #2

Typically ASL students struggle to disconnect mentally from English. They are typically over-reliant on English and fingerspelling English words for everything instead of learning how to gesture and think visually.

In my opinion, we help ASL students when we first help them disconnect from English and connect to a visual signs. Once they've picked this up, then they can slowly transition back to fingerspelling English.

This allows for a more balanced merging of the two and helps them become more fluent, more confident in their ability to understand the visual language they're seeing. That's what I've recognized, but that's just my opinion.

1:57 Reason #3

Most of my students are not here in the United States. Most of my students are Deaf around the world who want to learn ASL. So again, I start with visual gestures and not English fingerspelling which is extremely challenging and can be picked up later.

But we start with what? Gestures! So that understanding can happen, so they can pick up more with time, right?

And, I've noticed most ASL creators, most ASL learning videos really rely on fingerspelling or spoken English, so I thought, how do I differentiate myself? Well, I sign visually.

So many ASL creators already fingerspell a LOT. And if ASL students want to learn that way, they can, they can watch those videos. That's totally fine! My approach is just different, it's visual.

2:47 Reason #4

I've noticed that many ASL students are already overwhelmed at the very beginning because they don't understand much fingerspelling and they think "I just can't learn ASL then! It's impossible! I can't, I'm lacking, I'll won't be able to learn ASL."

And I just want to say, "Oh wait, wait! You're okay, just start with visual signs that make sense then you'll meet and socialize with Deaf and pick up fingerspelling. You will pick it up for sure! Don't worry!"

So if someone feels overwhelmed with trying to understand fingerspelling, they need to know that's just fine because ASL isn't fingerspelling. Yes, ASL has fingerspelling, it's an element of ASL but fingerspelling is not all that ASL is. It's just not.

So it's okay to start with the visual signs and with time transfer over to more fingerspelling.

3:34 Reason #5

I already mentioned this earlier, but there are many ASL creators out there and many Deaf creators out there who fingerspell a lot in their videos. So if someone wants to learn ASL through fingerspelling, they can with them! Go right ahead, there are many of these, and that's totally fine to learn their way: fingerspelling first then learn other elements after that. That's totally fine and I cheer them on!

On that note, I recommend this creator who is a top fingerspelling linguist - that's her approach.

Conclusion

So, if someone prefers fingerspelling-first approach, that's fine! If someone prefers a visual gestural-first approach, that's fine! Mine so happens to be visual-first.

For Deaf around the world wanting to learn ASL, a visual-first approach will likely help. If someone is really struggling with mentally disconnecting from English, it might help to put fingerspelling on hold until later when they can pick it up more smoothly. If someone is feeling completely overwhelmed by fingerspelling or if they have dyslexia so fingerspelling is hard to decipher, it's probably better for them to understand visually first.

So I think my videos can help these people, this niche. And really, this is an amazing time when there are so many different creators online. It makes for an outstanding experience for ASL students to learn in a variety of ways, to see what approach is the best fit for how their brain works.

So, ready to see how I teach ASL visually? Check out my new YouTube channel here that I set up not too long ago. And check out InterSign University where you can take an ASL class or other sign languages like Japanese, Australian, Russian, Korean Sign Language, etc. Link below!

So, are you ready to see how I teach ASL visually? Check out my new YouTube channel here that I set up not too long ago. 

And check out InterSign University where you can take an ASL class or other sign languages like Japanese, Australian, Russian, Korean Sign Language, etc. Link below!

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