In the world of accessible skiing, sign language is so so important!  This may come as a shock to many, but let me explain why.  Nearly 20% of the world suffers from hearing loss.  Sign language is a great way to be able to communicate with those with hearing loss. Sign language can make skiing so much more accessible to those in the deaf community.  It can also make their day to be able to have a social interaction with a new person.  Today we are going to go over some important sign language signs in the world of skiing.

Ski: To sign the word ski, curve both index fingers in an upward facing direction, and glide hands in a downward direction (to symbolize skiing downhill!) 

Stop: To sign the word stop extend your left palm up and bring your right hand on top of your left palm at a right angle

Go: To sign the word go, throw your index fingers forward

Right (directional): To sign the word right, make the “R” hand and point it right

Left (directional): To sign the word left, make the “L” and point it left

Snow: To sign to word snow, flutter your fingers down (to represent snow)

These are just some basic phrases, specifically for skiing, but there are so many more that can be used to teach someone with hearing loss how to ski!  Sign language is crucial in the world of ski accessibility.