Hands & Words Learning

Looking for early literacy and math resources created with American Sign Language (ASL) in mind? You’re in the right place! Explore ASL-supported activities for early number recognition, letter recognition, counting, fingerspelling, sight words, and more. These resources are designed to support visual learning while helping students build strong foundational skills through hands-on, engaging practice. ASL Learning resources designed to make early literacy and math concepts accessible, visual, and engaging for young learners. This store focuses on American Sign Language (ASL) integrated activities that support PreK–1 students in building foundational skills through hands-on practice, visual supports, and differentiated learning materials. Resources are created to be simple for teachers to use, engaging for students, and adaptable for classroom, small group, or independent work settings. My background in education supports the design process, but the focus here is always on creating practical, classroom-ready materials that work in real learning environments.

My teaching style is visual, kinesthetic, structured, and language-accessible. I design instruction with the belief that all learners—especially Deaf and hard of hearing students—benefit from clear modeling, consistent routines, and meaningful repetition. I prioritize breaking skills into manageable steps and supporting understanding through visual scaffolds, hands-on learning opportunities, predictable formats, and intentional practice. This combination of visual and kinesthetic strategies helps reduce language barriers while strengthening comprehension, independence, and engagement in early literacy skills such as sight words, phonics, and reading fluency. Across all my work, I focus on making literacy instruction accessible, engaging, and supportive for diverse learners at different stages of language and reading development.

My most meaningful recognition comes from student growth—especially when learners begin connecting print to meaning and gain confidence as independent readers. Shining moments include watching students decode their first words, recognize sight words with ease, or demonstrate understanding through reading after consistent support. One especially meaningful experience has been seeing my own child pick up language and literacy concepts quickly, reinforcing for me how powerful visual, structured, and accessible instruction can be for all learners. These milestones—especially for Deaf, hard of hearing, and early literacy learners—are what continue to inspire my work.

I hold a Master’s degree in Deaf Education and Elementary Education (K–5), with specialized training in early literacy instruction, language acquisition, and evidence-based teaching strategies for Deaf and hard of hearing students as well as early elementary learners. My academic background includes a strong focus on foundational reading skills such as sight word recognition, phonics instruction, and structured literacy approaches. This training continues to guide my work in creating accessible, visual, and scaffolded literacy resources that support diverse classrooms and ASL-friendly learning environments. While my formal training is rooted in K–5 education and early literacy development, I currently also work with ASL learners at the college level and provide tutoring support for Deaf and hard of hearing students. This range of experience allows me to support language and literacy development across different ages and learning environments. Across all settings, my focus remains the same: helping learners build strong foundational reading skills through clear, structured, and accessible instruction.

I am a Deaf educator who was raised in a hearing household where literacy played a central role in communication, learning, and independence. Growing up, I was exposed to a range of communication approaches, including aural-verbal and total communication, which shaped my understanding of how language access impacts literacy development. These experiences taught me that no single approach works for every learner—and that when a strategy is not effective, it is not a failure, but an opportunity to adjust, reflect, and find a better path forward to support student success. This perspective, combined with my professional background in Deaf Education and Elementary Education, has influenced my belief in the importance of accessible, visual, and structured literacy instruction—especially for Deaf, hard of hearing, and early language learners. Through my work with ASL learners, Deaf education tutoring, and early literacy development, I have seen how powerful clear and consistent instruction can be in supporting both language acquisition and reading comprehension. Through Hands & Words Learning, I create resources designed to support teachers with ASL-friendly strategies, visual supports, sight word practice, phonics instruction, and early reading skills that make literacy more accessible for all learners.