Grasp the rich culture and language of the Deaf community To see people use American Sign Language (ASL) to share ideas is remarkable and fascinating to watch. Now, you have a chance to enter the wonderful world of sign language. American Sign Language For Dummies offers you an easy-to-access introduction so you can get your hands wet with ASL, whether you're new to the language or looking for a great refresher. Used predominantly in the United States, ASL provides the Deaf community with the ability to acquire and develop language and communication skills by utilizing facial expressions and body movements to convey and process linguistic information. With American Sign Language For Dummies, the complex visual-spatial and linguistic principles that form the basis for ASL are broken down, making this a great resource for friends, colleagues, students, education personnel, and parents of Deaf children. Grasp the various ways ASL is communicated Get up to speed on the latest technological advancements assisting the Deaf Understand how cultural background and regionalism can affect communication Follow the instructions in the book to access bonus videos online and practice signing along with an instructor If you want to get acquainted with Deaf culture and understand what it's like to be part of a special community with a unique shared and celebrated history and language, American Sign Language For Dummies gets you up to speed on ASL fast.

American Sign Language (ASL) is something we've all seen Deaf people use in restaurants, hospitals, airports, and throughout the marketplace. The communication is fascinating to watch; to see people sharing ideas by using handshapes and body language is remarkable in a world so defined by sound. Signing For Dummies gives you a general understanding of the properties of Sign, as well as an understanding of Deaf culture. Designed to act as an introduction or a refresher, the book focuses solely on ASL. Although certainly not the only form of Sign Language, ASL is the most popular in the Deaf community within the United States. Categorized by subject, this illustrated guide covers grammar and sentence structure, along with the tools to get you going in basic conversation by knowing how to Introduce and greet people Ask questions and make small talk Order food and chat with salespeople Handle medical emergencies Talk on the phone Get around town for fun or business Although "speaking" American Sign Language (ASL) is mostly a matter of using your fingers, hands, and arms, facial expression and body language are important and sometimes crucial for understanding Signs and their meaning. Signing For Dummies gets the whole body into the action as the fun-to-read resource explores Signs that look like what they mean Expression of emotions and feelings Signing sports and weather Compass points conversations: Getting or giving directions Descriptions of where it hurts Deaf community customs, norms, and culture Each chapter throughout the book invites you to practice specific Signs in a "Fun & Games" section. Translation guides complement the video CD-ROM, which features demonstrations by ASL Signers and actual conversations in progress – all designed to have you moving your hands, body, and face to convey meaning that reaches way beyond linguistic barriers.

Have you thought about signing with your baby or toddler? Parents and caregivers are discovering the benefits of using American Sign Language (ASL) to communicate with children long before they can speak. Some studies show that signing babies talk sooner, have larger vocabularies, and have fewer tantrums! Baby Signing For Dummies gives you the skills to connect in a meaningful way with your hearing baby or toddler. Packed with more than 150 illustrated signs, this friendly, easy-to-follow guide shows you how to use simple hand gestures and baby-specific signing techniques to start interacting with your baby. Every sign is accompanied by step-by-step directions and an illustration—from meeting and greeting, people, and mealtime signs to clothes, animals, outdoor signs, and, of course, bath time and bedtime. You’ll discover how to: Introduce signs to your baby Incorporate signing into daily life Make everyday events easier with signs Overcome stumbling blocks Decrease fussing and crying through signing Help your baby sign combinations of words Keep your baby safe with signing Get the whole family involved Find outside help (Web sites, videos, and signing schools and courses) Complete with illustrations of the entire ASL alphabet, signing dos and don’ts, and ten songs to sign along with, Baby Signing For Dummies is the key to enhancing communication with your child and increasing his/her intelligence in a simple, fun, and rewarding way!

Learn British Sign Language quickly and easily with this essential guide and CD-Rom This lively guide introduces the key hand shapes and gestures you need to communicate in British Sign Language. The illustrations depict both the actions and facial expressions used to sign accurately, while the companion CD-Rom features real-life BSL conversations in action to further your understanding. With these practical tools, you’ll become an expert signer in no time! British Sign Language For Dummies includes: Starting to sign – learn about Deaf communication and practise simple signs to get you going Learning everyday BSL – develop the grammar and vocabulary skills that are the building blocks to using British Sign Language Getting out and about – sign with confidence in a wide range of real-life situations, from travelling to dating Looking into Deaf life – learn about the history of the Deaf Community and how they’ve adapted their technology and lifestyles to suit their needs For corrections to this book, please click here: http://www.wiley.com/legacy/wileyblackwell/BSLcorrectionslip.pdf Note: CD files are available to download when buying the eBook version

A complete and friendly guide to technical writing! Let’s face it, a lot of technical documentation reads as if it had been translated into English from Venutian by a native speaker of gibberish. Which is annoying for you and expensive for the manufacturer who pays with alienated customers and soaring technical support costs. That’s why good technical writers are in such big demand worldwide. Now, Technical Writing For Dummies arms you with the skills you need to cash in on that demand. Whether you’re contemplating a career as a technical writer, or you just got tapped for a technical writing project, this friendly guide is your ticket to getting your tech writing skills up to snuff. It shows you step-by-step how to: Research and organize information for your documents Plan your project in a technical brief Fine-tune and polish your writing Work collaboratively with your reviewers Create great user manuals, awesome abstracts, and more Write first-rate electronic documentation Write computer- and Web-based training courses Discover how to write energized technical documents that have the impact you want on your readers. Wordsmith Sheryl Lindsell-Roberts covers all the bases, including: All about the red-hot market for technical writing and how to get work as a technical writer The ABCs of creating a strong technical document, including preparing a production schedule, brainstorming, outlining, drafting, editing, rewriting, testing, presentation, and more Types of technical documents, including user manuals, abstracts, spec sheets, evaluation forms and questionnaires, executive summaries, and presentations Writing for the Internet—covers doing research online, creating multimedia documents, developing computer-based training and Web-based training, and writing online help Combining examples, practical advice, and priceless insider tips on how to write whiz-bang technical documents, Technical Writing For Dummies is an indispensable resource for newcomers to technical writing and pros looking for new ideas to advance their careers.

Everything aspiring authors need to write, publish, and sell a children's book Everyone loves a children's book—and many dream about writing one. But is it actually possible for an unpublished writer—armed with a good story idea and a love of kids—to write, sell, publish, and promote a book? Yes, it is! Clearly and concisely written with straightforward advice and a plethora of specific up-to-date recommendations, Writing Children's Books For Dummies provides step-by-step information on everything aspiring children's book authors need to know—from researching the current marketplace to developing story ideas, strengthening writing skills, dealing with editors, and submitting proposals and manuscripts to agents and publishers. Updated and improved writing exercises All new content on social media and establishing an online presence as an author Fresh, updated content on publishing via hard copy and all the e- platforms From setting down that first word on paper to doing a successful publicity tour, Writing Children's Books For Dummies gives you the confidence and the insiders' know-how to write and sell the story you've always wanted to write.

Your hands-on, friendly guide to writing young adult fiction With young adult book sales rising, and bestselling authors like J.K. Rowling and Stephenie Meyer exploding onto the scene, aspiring YA writers are more numerous than ever. Are you interested in writing a young adult novel, but aren't sure how to fit the style that appeals to young readers? Writing Young Adult Fiction For Dummies gives you tricks of the trade and proven tips on all the steps to write a YA book, from developing an idea to publication. Unique writing exercises to help you find your own authentic teen voice Tips to avoid when submitting manuscripts How to break into the flourishing young adult market With the help of this step-by-step guide, you'll have all the skills to write an inspiring and marketable young adult novel.

Get insider tips on navigating the recruitment process Find the right school, the right program, the right coach, and the most money You're prepared for challenges on the athletic field. But are you prepared for the challenges of winning an athletic scholarship? Let this friendly guide be your coach. It explains what kind of scholarships are out there, how to promote yourself and deal with recruiters, and how to survive possible snags after you've won your scholarship. Discover how to * Get yourself noticed and recruited * Make the most of college visits * Negotiate a contract and make a commitment * Understand redshirting * Know when and how to transfer schools

Need to know how to build and test models based on data? Intermediate Statistics For Dummies gives you the knowledge to estimate, investigate, correlate, and congregate certain variables based on the information at hand. The techniques you’ll learn in this book are the same techniques used by professionals in medical and scientific fields. Picking up right where Statistics For Dummies left off, this straightforward, easy-to-follow book guides you beyond Central Limit Theorem and hypothesis tests and immerses you in flavors of regression, ANOVA, and nonparametric procedures. Unlike regular statistics books, this guide provides full explanations of intermediate statistical ideas; computer input dissection; an extensive number of examples, tips, strategies, and warnings; and clear, concise step-by-step procedures—all in a language you can understand. You’ll soon discover how to: Analyze data and base models off of your data Make predictions using regression Compare many means with ANOVA Test models using Chi-square Dealing with abnormal data In addition, this book includes a list of wrong statistical conclusions and common questions that professors ask using computer output. This book also adopts a nonlinear approach, making it possible to skip to the information you need without having to read previous chapters. With Intermediate Statistics For Dummies, you’ll have all the tools you need to make important decisions in all types of professional areas—from biology and engineering to business and politics!