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Fingerspelling of license plates:

There are those "experts" who will criticize the fingerspelling of license plates by telling you that spelling license plates causes you to focus on letter by letter spelling (at the supposed expense of full-word spelling). At one point in my career I probably even held or promoted such a stance. My current thinking however gravitates to "does this activity cause me to engage?"

A good question to ask such an expert: "Would a person spelling 30 billboards and 30 license plates likely end up a better signer than someone only spelling 30 billboards?"

To me the more fascinating question (for second language learners) is, "Can you get to the point where you are able to spell license plates without first mapping them to English in your brain?

Here is a practice activity: 
While above all, maintaining your safety and the safety of others around you:
Look at the license plate and fingerspell the license plate "without" mapping it to English. (Don't say the letters and numbers in English in your mind.) Go straight from what your eyes see to creating the equivalent on your hand.
 

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Notes: 
* Additionally, fingerspelling license plates is a good way to get "numbers" in your signing diet. (Which is good for you -- sort of like "fiber.")
 

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