How to sign “Staff” in ASL
The BSL sign for “Staff” isn't in our dictionary yet — it will be fingerspelled in BSL mode, never replaced with this ASL sign.
Step by step
- Shape your dominant hand into an S handshape, thumb pressed across the curled fingers.
- Touch the side of the S hand to one side of your chest, fingertips facing inward.
- As you move across your chest, let the S handshape open into an F handshape.
- Land the F hand on the other side of your chest with a second firm touch.
- Do not drag the hand across — make two separate contacts, one on each side.
- Keep your face neutral; most signers start on the non-dominant side of the chest.
Practice tip
Same two-touch chest pattern as MEMBER and COMMITTEE — the S-to-F handshape change is what makes it STAFF.
Fingerspell “Staff”
Letter by letter — a handy backup if you forget the sign above. This is not the sign itself.
Text-based guide researched from established ASL references (Lifeprint, university and public-health materials) and rewritten in original words. Signer-created photos and videos are a planned future upgrade.