Signs for Intelligence, Fingerspelling 1 & 2: A Review

Interpreter’s Resource Shelf (appeared in RID VIEWS December, 2007, reprinted with permission)
Kathy MacMillan, NIC, M.L.S.

• Fingerspelling 1 Student Video. DVD. Signs for Intelligence, 2005. ISBN 0-9770974-0-4.
• Fingerspelling 2 Student Video. DVD. Signs for Intelligence, 2005. ISBN 0-9770974-2-0. $27.03 each. www.signsforintelligence.com

Created and hosted by Deaf teacher Missy Keast, these excellent DVDs offer far more than the standard fingerspelling video. Instead of just lists of fingerspelled words (though these are included too), Keast arranges her material by subject (medical terms, academic terms, outer space, acronyms, etc.) and gives important background information and concepts in each area. Most useful to interpreters is the short story or trivia segment in each themed section, which presents fingerspelled words in context. This kind of practice material is rare, and provides much better practice for the real world of interpreting than words out of context. The information included here is useful to interpreters on many levels; not only is it great receptive skills development, but the background information will help interpreters develop a better understanding of the topics they are interpreting. For example, the segment on SSI explains who is qualified for SSI and what is required to apply. Designed as part of a curriculum, the DVDs can be used progressively, with periodic test segments reinforcing learning along the way, or “a la carte”, by selecting the thematic segments that meet one’s needs. Keast’s tips and targeted materials make these DVDs a great resource for any interpreter who wants to improve receptive and expressive fingerspelling skills.

This column appears monthly in VIEWS. Please direct questions, comments, or suggestions for resources to highlight in future issues to Kathy MacMillan at info@kathymacmillan.com.