asl colors

This video lesson is designed for children 3-6 years old. In this video, we will learn to sign colors using American Sign Language (ASL). ASL is primarily used for communication by physically challenged children.

Learning colors is a vital part of a child’s development. It helps them to learn and express themselves with their friends and family. This video guides the child to say different colors like Red, Green, Yellow, Blue, Pink, Black, Brown, White, Grey, Gold, and Silver in American Sign Language.

What is the American Sign Language?

Sign language communicates visually through hand signals, gestures, facial expressions, and body language. American Sign Language (ASL) is a sign language with the same linguistic properties as spoken languages but with a different English language. ASL is primarily used to communicate with children who are deaf or hard of hearing. 

However, any child can learn ASL. A child who can communicate in both sign and spoken language has a bilingual advantage. It is a powerful tool to help children learn the language, vocabulary, core educational concepts, and more. ASL and spoken English both offer verbal, visual, and physical learning methods that encourage learning. In a nutshell, it helps to meet the diverse needs in the classroom.

Benefits of Learning American Sign Language:

  1. When children find it difficult to communicate, it helps to reduce their tempers.
  2. It promotes early language development. 
  3. It stimulates brain development and enhances memory as they learn and remembers a lot of new words. 
  4. It helps in building vocabulary.
  5. It develops fine and gross motor skills
  6. It develops confidence and self-esteem.  

How to Sign Colors in ASL?

Before starting with particular colors, the word ‘colors’ in ASL is signed by taking your fingers to your chin and wiggling while facing the palm towards you. Follow the below instructions to sign specific colors in ASL (American sign language).

  1. Red – To sign the red color in ASL, make a fist, and open the index finger by pointing upwards. Bring the finger in front of the chin and slide it down.
  2. Orange – To sign the orange color in ASL, make a fist and hold it to the chin. Now slightly open the fingers and make a fist again.
  3. Green – To sign the green color in ASL, make a G hand shape. Shake your hand back and forth
  4. Yellow – To sign yellow color in ASL, make a Y alphabet with your dominant hand and move it back and forth 
  5. Blue – To sign blue color in ASL, make a B hand shape. Shake your hand back and forth 
  6. Purple – To sign the purple color in ASL, make a P hand shape. Twist it back and forth
  7. Pink – To sign pink color in ASL, make a P hand shape and hold it to the chin. Slide the middle finger downwards.
  8. Black – To sign black color in ASL, slide the index finger across the hair
  9. Brown – To sign brown color in ASL, slide the B handshape downward from the side of your cheek
  10. White – To sign white color in ASL, face your palm toward your chest with your thumb extended, then pull the hand away while closing the fingers
  11. Gray – To sign grey color in ASL, open fingers of both the hand and place it facing the chest. Move both hands back and forth in opposite directions
  12. Gold – To sign gold color in ASL, point your index finger at your ear, then move away from it. Form the Y handshape and move downward while twisting it back and forth
  13. Silver – To sign silver color in ASL, point your index finger at your ear, then move away from it. Form a fist and move downward while twisting it back and forth

Tips to Remember:

  • It is always advisable to learn and practice the alphabet in ASL before trying to sign colors
  • Colors are one of the basic signs to learn as a beginner. Thus, you can sign them with your dominant hand (either left-handed or right-handed).

Let the child repeat this exercise along with the video and sign the letters using different hand movements. To make the activity more fun, invite your child to ask them to sign letters in their name using ASL.


Related ASL Video Resources

  1. Numbers 1-20
  2. Alphabets
  3. Days of the week

To watch more language resources, click here.

Video created by: Pocatello Valley Montessori (Idaho)


 


Tags

  • American Sign Language
  • English
  • Language
  • primary