Points to Remember for Clear and Expressive Signing

One point that the authors discussed in this book was that even though Exact English and ASL are two different Sign Languages, some things from ASL should be integrated into Exact English. “we believe ASL principles should be incorporated into English signs for more effective simultaneous communication”.

Also, not only should signers focus on their hand gestures, but their facial expressions can help them communicate what they are trying to say. “Use facial expression and mime to help get the message across. You will find ASL a treasure trove of graphic and expressive signs”.

Another key point is that having proper body, eye, and hand orientation, and the movement of your hands should be in the direction of where you would whoever you are signing with to look. “Body, eye, and hand orientation help! When signing LOOK, the motion should move toward where you want the person to look: at the sky, the floor, out the window, etc. If you are signing a dialogue between two characters, turning slightly to the left when one is speaking, and slightly to the right when the other responds, helps to indicate who is speaking. Looking up or down can indicate relative height.