Learn to Fingerspell
Practice fingerspelling words daily until it becomes instinctual.
Take fingerspelling quizzes online to practice recognizing words.
o http://asl.ms/
o This website allows you to adjust the speed that the letters are signed. Start slow and begin building confidence and improving your sign recognition.
o If the longer words are difficult for you to identify, try sounding out the letters as they are signed. This will be more practical in real conversation, but use whatever technique is most helpful to you.
o Take a look at the Deaf setting to get an appreciation for the language