Does Duolingo Have Sign Language? ( 6+ Alternatives to Learn Sign Language)
Sign language is very important for you to learn if you are getting in contact with people who are not able to speak or listen properly. If you also want to get in contact with such persons, you may want to learn the language. Duolingo is one of the platforms on which you can learn a lot of different languages like French, Spanish, etc. But does Duolingo have sign language, is a big question. Thus you must read till the end so that you get a better understanding of if there is ASL on Duolingo and what are the alternatives you learn it.
Quick Takeaways
1. Signschool
- Duolingo is a platform that does not have sign language.
- The main reason for not having this language is the closure of the voluntary program.
- Following are the alternatives to learn the ASL language-
2. Hands-on ASL
3. StartASL
4. ASL Dictionary
5. Lingvano
6. Marlee Signs
7. InterSign ASL
8. Rocket Sign Language
However, you must read till the end so that you get a better understanding of whether there is sign language on Duolingo or not.
What is American sign language?
American sign language (ASL) is a language that has the same properties as the spoken language. It is basically used by people who are deaf or hard of hearing. This language is basically expressed by the movements of hands and faces. If you live in America and are in touch with deaf people then you must learn this language. It means that there are a number of phonemic components like movement of the face and hands. However, an important point that you must remember is that ASL language is different from other sign languages like British Sign Language (BSL) and French Sign Language (LSF).
Does Duolingo have sign language?
Duolingo is a platform that is popular for learning a new language. There are a lot of languages that you can learn from the base language you have chosen. Unfortunately, it does not have American sign language just like Slovak language. It not only lacks ASL but also lacks LSF and other sign languages. Of course, it is one of the biggest drawbacks as having the language can help a lot of people.
Why there is no ASL on Duolingo?
The most common reason why some languages like Tagalog are not on the platform is that it is not in much demand. However, in the case of ASL, it is not the reason. This is because when you are learning sign language, you must know what the signs are. It means that you will need to see a lot of images so that you remember the signs properly.
Yes, there are flashcards in which you will also see a lot of images but they are not enough to remember the language properly. Thus, to bring this type of language, Duolingo will have to work really hard with its software.
Can Duolingo bring ASL in future?
When you are using Duolingo, there is a feature known as Incubator. It is a tool in which the users and the shareholders are able to check which language you can expect in the next few years. If we talk about the incubator, there is no such information provided by the team. However, it does mean that you will not be able to learn the American Sign Language (ASL). Further, we will help you to find out what are the alternatives where you can learn this language.
What are the alternatives to learning the ASL language?
Following are the alternatives to learn ASL language-
1. Signschool
One of the popular platforms where you can learn is the signschool. If love the gamified system of Duolingo, you may also love Signschool. It is the platform that is again based on the gamified system. You will see a lot of games that will help you to learn the language. It also has a random sign generator that will help you to know if you understand the signs or not. You may also have to deal with a lot of tests that will help you to know what different signs mean.
2. Hands-on ASL
Hands-on ASL is the platform that is used to teach you specifically the ASL language. This platform uses the 3D model to make you understand the language easily. As it only teaches the ASL language, it is easy for you to understand the languages. If you are a beginner and do not know the basic signs, then you must give this a chance to this platform.
It will help you to gain knowledge of the basic alphabet and the basic numbers (0-9). Although it can be tough to learn the language, it will be a great resource to start from.
3. StartASL
Again as the name suggests it will help you to focus on the ASL language. This platform offers you a variety of courses on the platform which will help you to learn the language. There are over 40 free lessons that you can take up on the platform. Further, there is also a workbook that will help you to keep a check on your journey of learning.
Of course, you will not only get limited to the basic level and want to choose the advanced level language. This platform also offers you language learning for three different levels for which you will have to pay. These three levels are classified as Bronze, Silver, and Gold. The price of each of the levels is different $9.95, $19.95, and $49.95 respectively.
4. ASL Dictionary
It is the platform in which you will be getting a lot of videos and visuals that will help you learn the language. There are over 5000 videos in addition to a lot of tests, exercises, etc. It is the platform that will allow you to act the words you have seen before. It will help you to keep track of the words that will help you to remember the signs you have gone through already.
Further, it also gives you the option of downloading the videos so that you can use them when you do not have internet accessibility. Also, there are a lot of positive reviews of this platform which include how easy it is to navigate on this platform. This app will cost you $7.99 to use it.
5. Lingvano
Lingvano is my second favourite software for learning ASL after Rocket Sign Language. It is again like Duolingo which gamified the learning process, making it exciting and addictive. It helps the platform to move through lessons and build sentences. The platform has a lot of practice exercises, and the ability to use your camera to check your signing accuracy.
Lingvano also has interactive elements in both ASL and BSL (British Sign Language). The main disappointment of this platform is the payment structure of the platform. You may find the price of the lessons too high which can be hard for you if you are on a tight budget. Fortunately, there is the possibility to test a class for free.
6. Marlee Signs
Want to learn the ASL language far more than the alphabet and numbers, Marlee Signs is the platform for you. If you are a person who wants to learn the words and phrases which are commonly used in daily day-to-day life activities. Of course, it is not a very comprehensive platform, but definitely will help you in daily life.
Thus, if you live in an area which has more deaf people, you can always think of using this platform. It is a user-friendly platform which has various videos in which there will be simple and easy instructions to follow. However, there are only some of the videos which are free. For the rest of the videos, you will have to pay.
7. InterSign ASL
InterSign ASL is a newly launched platform on which you will only get to see different visuals that will help you learn the language. There are more than 90 lessons in which you will get games and glossaries. Learning of the signs is broken into steps and thus you can learn the language by following each of the steps. You will not need to learn everything at once you can go slowly.
There are a few ads that will come while completing the lessons. Also, some of the videos may also have a low quality that may make it difficult to see the signs properly. Although the app is free, there are some of the videos for which you will need to pay.
8. Rocket Sign Language
Rocket Sign Language is a platform that is available on both online web and mobile apps. It is a great Duolingo ASL option for student who wants to learn the sign language. This platform is for you if you want to start from the beginning and get the advanced level. On this platform, you will get the choice of not following the structure and taking up the lessons of your own choice. Further, there are three different lessons on the platform and the price of taking them will vary with the levels taken. Once you pay for the levels, you will be getting only 2 months to ask for the refund money.
Conclusion
Duolingo is a popular language learning platform that has a lot of different languages. It is one such platform where you may not find some tough languages like ASL or sign language. However, if you are meeting a person who is deaf or can’t speak then you must know such language. Thus some of the alternatives that you can use to learn the language are Signschool, ASL Dictionary, Rocket Sign Language, etc.
