Learn American Sign Language from an Exceptional, Experienced and Terrific Teacher

I was a student in Dr. Jonah Eleweke's American Sign Language Level 1 class at PCC in the summer 2024 term. I had long been intrigued by ASL, but was hesitant to jump into something so new and different for which I had no pressing need. I am glad I finally enrolled; Dr. Eleweke was the perfect teacher for me. I have seldom had an instructor - in any subject - who was as joyfully enthusiastic and engaging. I looked forward to, and attended, every class during the semester, and in retrospect am astonished at how much I learned. Dr. Eleweke carefully structured each class, introducing and reinforcing each new word or expression, patiently and happily answering every question posed, and giving each student individual attention and encouragement in the "practice sessions" that followed. The "no speaking aloud" format was a great pedagogical "forcing function", and the video recordings he made available after each class were invaluable in reviewing and clarifying the material during the ensuing week. As a result, I am now able to make basic conversation with confidence and have a new appreciate for the ASL language and culture. I was pleased to see that Dr. Eleweke is teaching a Level 2 class in the fall term; I did not hesitate to enroll.

My place of work offers ASL classes for staff who want to better engage with visitors (I work at a museum), and I have had the pleasure of taking weekly classes with Jonah on-and-off for almost a year now. He is an excellent teacher! He is patient, thoughtful, and engaging. I am so impressed by how much I (and my colleagues) have learned! I also appreciate that Jonah understands things come up and students might not always be able to make class or practice as much as they would like. I needed to pause my own studies when work got busy, and when I was finally able to return, Jonah welcomed me back warmly. He was happy to review things and let me catch up at my own pace. I really appreciated this perspective, which encouraged me to continue. I was feeling very rusty, but Jonah put me at ease. If you are looking to start ASL for the first time, I highly recommend Jonah!

Jonah is a phenomenal ASL teacher, who creates such a welcoming learning environment. He is always prepared for lessons and patient when teaching new signs; Dr. Eleweke goes above and beyond to make sure you are understanding and retaining the language and culture. He is so eager to teach, which makes me even more eager to learn. I could not recommend this instructor enough, as his passion for his students is evident (not to mention he has a great sense of humor during lessons, which will always keep you engaged)! If you want to take ASL Lessons that you can really look forward to, I would absolutely suggest Jonah.

Jonah is the best ASL teacher I’ve ever had! He reviews things we worked on previously, gives helpful tips, and is genuinely a kind person! Jonah always makes me feel welcome and is always so helpful when I make mistakes. His tips and tricks help me to better remember and retrieve words in my vocabulary. Jonah is the one to go with!

It’s easy to learn ASL because Jonah is a great teacher. He’s patient, funny, and ALWAYS encourages questions/learning. There is no shame in asking him something you don’t understand. And he always knows exactly what you mean when you have a question about grammar/usage/signing motions (in my experience). Learning with Jonah has made me realize I want to practice ASL for the rest of my life, and that I am capable of it!!!