Find Your Sign Language Tutor Online
Sign languages are full, natural languages with their own grammar, syntax, and culture — distinct in each country. Whether you want to connect with the Deaf community, communicate with a family member, or pursue interpreter training, find a specialist teacher for your language and goal.
Why Sign Language Requires a Live Teacher
Sign language is visual and spatial. Video content can show you signs — but it cannot see your handshapes, finger orientation, or movement path, and it cannot correct them. Facial grammar (which carries negation, question type, topic, and more) is invisible to a passive video. A live tutor watching your production in real time catches the errors that self-study misses entirely.
Sign Languages Available on Unox
American Sign Language
The most-studied sign language globally. Distinct from British Sign Language despite English being the spoken language of both countries.
British Sign Language
Officially recognised as a language in the UK (2022). Related to Auslan and New Zealand Sign Language — the three form the BANZSL family.
Australian Sign Language
Part of the BANZSL family. Two-handed alphabet (shared with BSL). Some regional variation between Melbourne and Sydney.
Langue des Signes Française
Historically significant — LSF influenced the creation of ASL when Laurent Clerc brought it to the US in 1817.
Deutsche Gebärdensprache
Officially recognised in Germany (2002). Distinct from Österreichische Gebärdensprache (ÖGS) used in Austria.
International Sign
Used at international Deaf events and by multilingual Deaf signers. Not a full natural language, but useful for cross-border communication.
Deaf vs Hearing Teacher: What Each Brings
Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing Teacher
- ✓Native signer — produces the language exactly as the Deaf community uses it
- ✓Community insider — teaches you cultural norms, Deaf etiquette, and community history
- ✓Authentic visual model — you see the full spatial grammar as it really looks
- ✓Best for: anyone wanting to connect with the Deaf community, interpreter track learners
Lessons are conducted entirely in sign language, which accelerates immersion but requires readiness for a fully visual experience.
Hearing Teacher (Fluent)
- ✓Can code-switch to spoken/written explanations for complex grammar points
- ✓Often has a formal teaching qualification (ASLPI, TSLI, or similar)
- ✓Useful for beginners who need a bridge between spoken and visual language
- ✓Best for: absolute beginners, academic contexts, exam preparation
A highly fluent hearing teacher who is deeply embedded in the Deaf community can be just as effective as a Deaf teacher. Check their fluency credentials.
How to Choose the Right Sign Language Teacher
Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Community Connection
Sign languages are not just hand gestures — they are living Deaf community languages with culture, history, and social norms. A teacher embedded in the Deaf community teaches you the real language, not a simplified classroom approximation.
Facial Grammar Emphasis
Non-manual markers (facial expressions, mouth morphemes, eyebrow position, head tilt) are grammatical in sign language — they carry question type, negation, topic marking, and more. A teacher who explicitly coaches facial grammar is essential.
Signed vs SimCom Approach
SimCom (Simultaneous Communication) — signing while speaking — is controversial in the Deaf community and produces degraded sign language. Confirm your teacher signs in ASL (or the relevant language) purely, without speaking simultaneously during sign instruction.
Dialect Awareness
ASL has regional variation (Black ASL, regional lexical choices) and age-related variation. BSL varies between London, Scotland, and Northern England. A teacher who acknowledges this prepares you for real community interaction.
Interpreter Track Preparation
If you aim to become a sign language interpreter, your teacher should have experience working with interpreter trainees or interpreters themselves. The vocabulary range, ethical grounding, and code-of-conduct knowledge required is distinct from general fluency.
Meet Our Sign Language Teachers
ASL — Deaf native signer, community immersion, Deaf culture
BSL — CODA (Child of Deaf Adults), heritage fluency
Auslan — hearing tutor, NAATI accredited, Deaf community interpreter
ASL Proficiency Levels
50–100 core signs. Fingerspelling basic words. Greetings, numbers 1–100, basic personal information.
200–300 signs. Simple sentences with basic spatial grammar. Can introduce yourself and answer simple questions.
400–500 signs. Classifiers introduced. Can hold brief conversations about daily routine, family, and interests.
700+ signs. Comfortable with facial grammar for questions and negation. Can discuss work, hobbies, and current events.
1,000+ signs. Spatial grammar for complex verbs of motion and location. Follows Deaf community conversations with repetition.
Near-native production. Understands regional dialect, narrative structure, classifier constructions, and Deaf cultural references.
Simple, Transparent Pricing
- ✓50-minute video session
- ✓Any teacher
- ✓Language and goal assessment
- ✓No commitment
- ✓50 or 80 min video lessons
- ✓Handshape error correction
- ✓Facial grammar coaching
- ✓Reschedule up to 12h before
- ✓4+ lessons per week
- ✓Dedicated teacher
- ✓Community immersion pathway
- ✓Interpreter track curriculum
Frequently Asked Questions
Can hearing people learn sign language?
Yes — and many hearing people become highly fluent ASL or BSL users. Interpreters, CODAs (Children of Deaf Adults), educators, social workers, and parents of Deaf children all learn sign language as hearing people. The Deaf community generally welcomes hearing learners who approach the language with respect and genuine cultural interest.
Which sign language should I learn first?
Start with the sign language of the Deaf community closest to you geographically and culturally. In the US, that is ASL. In the UK, BSL. In Australia, Auslan. If you have a Deaf family member or friend whose language is specific — learn theirs. Sign languages are not interchangeable; ASL and BSL are mutually unintelligible despite both countries speaking English.
Can you really learn sign language online over video?
Yes — and in some ways online is ideal. Sign language is a visual language; video lessons preserve all of it. A live tutor can see your handshapes, finger orientation, movement, and facial grammar in real time and correct errors immediately. This is precisely what makes a live tutor more effective than recorded video alone.
What is Deaf culture and why does it matter for learners?
Deaf culture is a rich, global culture built around shared language, community values, history, and art. It includes Deaf humour, storytelling traditions, a strong sense of community identity, and specific etiquette norms (like how to get a Deaf person's attention or how to handle introductions). Learning sign language without Deaf cultural knowledge is like learning French without knowing anything about France — grammatically possible, but socially incomplete.
How long does it take to fingerspell fluently?
Most learners can produce the fingerspelling alphabet legibly after 1–2 weeks of daily practice. Reading others' fast fingerspelling fluently typically takes 2–4 months of regular conversation practice. The gap between producing and receiving fingerspelling is normal and closes with exposure.
Find your sign language teacher today
ASL, BSL, Auslan, LSF, DGS. Deaf and hearing teachers. Trial from $1.