American Sign Language classes · Los Angeles · Since 2006
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Why American Sign Language?
Four reasons to take American Sign Language classes
Connect With the Deaf Community
Over 500,000 Americans use ASL as their primary language. Learning ASL is the single most meaningful way to build genuine relationships across the Deaf-hearing divide.
Pursue a High-Demand Interpreting Career
ASL interpreters are in chronic shortage across healthcare, legal, and education sectors. Certified interpreters command strong salaries with flexible schedules.
Communicate When Speech Can't
ASL is invaluable in noisy environments, underwater, through glass, and at a distance. Parents also use it with pre-verbal infants to reduce frustration and build early communication.
Learn a Fully Visual Language
ASL has its own grammar, syntax, and poetry — it's not signed English. Learning it rewires how you think about communication, space, and expression in profound ways.
Since 2006
American Sign Language in Los Angeles
American Sign Language is a complete, natural language with its own grammar, syntax, and idioms — it is not a signed version of English. ASL uses handshapes, facial expressions, body movement, and spatial relationships to convey meaning, and its grammatical structure is closer to Japanese than to English in some respects. Around 500,000 people in the United States use ASL as their primary language, and millions more use it as a second language for work, family communication, or community involvement. It is the third or fourth most-studied language at American universities, depending on the year. ASL is also distinct from British Sign Language, French Sign Language, and other national sign languages — they are not mutually intelligible.
Los Angeles has a large and active Deaf community with deep roots. The Greater Los Angeles Agency on Deafness (GLAD) has been operating since 1969. Gallaudet University’s west coast hub is here. Deaf events, meetups, and social gatherings happen regularly across the city — from Deaf coffee chats in Silver Lake to community nights in the Valley. The entertainment industry has also driven demand for ASL in LA: interpreters work at concerts, live events, and on film sets, and the visibility of Deaf actors and performers has grown significantly in recent years. Many Angelenos learn ASL to communicate with Deaf family members, to work in education or healthcare, to pursue interpreting careers, or simply because they’re drawn to a language that operates in an entirely different modality than anything they’ve experienced before.
Strommen has offered ASL instruction in Los Angeles since 2014, connecting students with Deaf and native-signing tutors who teach the language as it’s actually used in the Deaf community. ASL is a visual-spatial language, so our lessons are heavily interactive — you learn by signing, not by reading about signing. Our tutors emphasize facial grammar (which carries grammatical meaning in ASL, not just emotion), classifiers, spatial referencing, and the conversational norms of Deaf culture. Whether you’re a parent of a deaf child, a healthcare worker who wants to communicate directly with Deaf patients, someone pursuing interpreter certification, or just genuinely interested in learning a new language, we tailor lessons to your goals and your pace. Private sessions, flexible scheduling, real ASL from real signers.
No public American Sign Language group classes right now — but we can set up a semi-private class for your family, friends, or company with as few as two people. Get in touch.
American Sign Language class FAQ
What is the best way to learn American Sign Language?
Learning from a Deaf or native-signing tutor is the gold standard. ASL is a visual language, and you need real-time feedback on your handshapes, facial expressions, and use of signing space — things no app or book can evaluate. Beyond lessons, immersing yourself in the Deaf community is critical. Attend Deaf events, watch ASL content creators on social media, and practice with other signers. Many students make the mistake of learning ASL vocabulary without learning ASL grammar, which results in signed English rather than actual ASL. A qualified tutor will teach you to think in ASL, not just translate from English word by word.
How long does it take to learn American Sign Language?
For basic conversational ability — introducing yourself, asking and answering common questions, following simple stories — most students get there within 3 to 6 months of consistent practice. Reaching intermediate fluency, where you can have natural back-and-forth conversations on a range of topics, typically takes 1 to 2 years. Professional-level fluency, the kind needed for interpreting work, requires 3 to 5 years of intensive study and community immersion. ASL grammar is genuinely different from English, and developing receptive skills (understanding someone signing to you at full speed) often takes longer than expressive skills.
Is American Sign Language hard for English speakers?
ASL challenges English speakers in ways they don't expect. The grammar is not English — word order is different, facial expressions are grammatical (a raised eyebrow can mark a yes/no question), and spatial relationships carry meaning. You're also learning to process language visually rather than auditorily, which is a fundamental shift. On the other hand, ASL doesn't have conjugation tables, gendered nouns, or spelling rules to memorize. Many students find the early stages intuitive and fun. The difficulty tends to increase at the intermediate level, when you move beyond vocabulary and into complex grammar, classifiers, and narrative techniques. Consistent exposure to native signers is what gets you through that plateau.
Can I take ASL classes online?
Yes, and video-based lessons are a natural fit for ASL since the language is entirely visual. Our ASL tutors teach via video call, where both you and the tutor can see each other's signing clearly. Screen size matters — we recommend using a laptop or tablet rather than a phone so you have a full view of the signing space. Online ASL lessons are effective for all levels, from complete beginners to advanced students preparing for interpreter certification. We also offer in-person sessions in the LA area for students who prefer that, but the majority of our ASL students study online without any issues.
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Since 2006 · Los Angeles
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