Introduce Yourself in American Sign Language (ASL)
Learn and practice basic ASL signs to introduce yourself: fingerspell your name, sign age and hobbies, and perform a short, friendly self-introduction.
Step-by-step guide to Introduce Yourself in American Sign Language (ASL)
Learn to sign the alphabet | Magic Hands | CBeebies
Step 1
Place a mirror on a table and put your paper and pencil next to it.
Step 2
Write your full name your age and two hobbies on the paper.
Step 3
Watch a short kid-friendly ASL alphabet video to learn the letter handshapes.
Step 4
Practice fingerspelling your name slowly in the mirror one letter at a time until your handshapes match the video.
Step 5
Watch a short video that shows how to sign "age" and the number sign for your age.
Step 6
Practice signing your age in the mirror until it feels natural and clear.
Step 7
Watch short videos that show the signs for the two hobbies you chose.
Step 8
Practice each hobby sign in the mirror until your hands look like the videos.
Step 9
Say out loud the order you will use for your intro: greeting fingerspell name sign age sign hobbies.
Step 10
Practice your full friendly ASL introduction slowly in the mirror three times with smiling facial expressions.
Step 11
Share your finished creation on DIY.org.
Final steps
You're almost there! Complete all the steps, bring your creation to life, post it, and conquer the challenge!
Help!?
What can I use instead of a mirror or a pencil if I don't have them?
If you don't have a mirror, use a phone or tablet front-facing camera propped on the table and if you don't have a pencil, use a dry-erase marker or crayons next to your paper so you can follow Step 1 and Step 2 while practicing in Step 4.
My fingerspelling doesn't look like the video — how do I fix it?
If your handshapes in Step 4 don't match the ASL alphabet video, pause and replay the specific letter, practice that letter slowly in the mirror while comparing each finger placement to the video, and try repeating it several times before moving on.
How can I adapt this activity for different ages?
For younger children, simplify Steps 2–6 by writing only a first name and one hobby and having an adult model the signs during mirror practice, while older kids can expand by adding sentence-level signs, more hobbies, or recording a longer introduction to share on DIY.org.
How can we make the introduction more creative or personal before sharing it?
To enhance the project, create a decorated name poster showing each fingerspelled letter from Step 4, practice with small props for your hobbies during Step 7, and record the three full introductions (Step 9) to compare and choose the best one for DIY.org.
Watch videos on how to Introduce Yourself in American Sign Language (ASL)
How to Sign Greetings in British Sign Language (BSL)
4 Videos
How to Sign Greetings in British Sign Language (BSL)
Back To School Sign Language Vocabulary: GREETINGS!
Back to School Sign Language Vocabulary: LET’S GO PLAY!
Back to School Sign Language Vocabulary: WHO ARE YOU?
Facts about American Sign Language for kids
🤟 American Sign Language (ASL) is a natural language with its own grammar — it's not just signed English.
👥 ASL is used by an estimated 250,000–500,000 people in the United States and parts of Canada.
🔤 ASL uses a 26-letter fingerspelling alphabet to spell names and words one letter at a time.
🎬 Marlee Matlin, an Oscar-winning actress, is a well-known ASL user who helped raise visibility for Deaf performers.
🧠 When introducing yourself in ASL you can combine fingerspelling (your name), a number for your age, and simple signs for hobbies to make a short sentence.
How do I teach my child to introduce themselves in American Sign Language (ASL)?
What materials do I need to practice an ASL self-introduction with my child?
What ages is learning a short ASL self-introduction suitable for?
What are the benefits, safety tips, and variations for ASL self-introductions?
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