Every so often I need to brush up on my sign language. Even though I have taken courses in sign language, it is like any other language, you have to use it to stay fluent.
Recently I have started to use sign language with a child I work with on the Autism Spectrum. After being evaluated at Yale, they suggested I use sign language while reading books to him. So far I am not sure if it is a distraction or help to his following the story but I will keep you posted.
I wanted to share a website dedicated to teaching signs, through its video dictionary, that I found very helpful:
“Signing Savvy” has large,clear videos of signs and an easy search option. It’s comprehensive dictionary gives you several options to be more specific. For example when I searched for “go,” they gave two options for “go” as in “go away” or “go somewhere.” If you sign up and give them some basic information like your name and address, you are privy to more options like the sign description.
Let me know if any of you SLP’s are using sign language effectively with children on the autism spectrum, especially higher functioning kids. How is it going and how are you using signs? What other sites do you find helpful?
Research shows the value of reading to your baby from day one. Infants are taking in language from books and hearing the rhythm of language as they do from conversation, activating brain cells that lead to eventual understanding and using words learned.
As your child enters the second half of his first year, he is on the move and listening to books of interest. Chose books that are appropriate for his age. Certainly try anything that will hold his interest. Some children will listen to a bit of a story but usually at this age they need catchy rhythm, repetition of words and phrases, simple rhyming lines about babies’ favorite subjects: love, hugs, body parts, toys, daily routines, animals and of course themselves. Clear simple colorful pictures hold their interest and relate to the words being digested.
When I was visiting Caroline, I fell in love with two of her favorite books that
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When I was at the International Toy Fair in New York City in February, I stopped in at Dolphin Books and was introduced to their new book on baby signs, A First Guide to Baby Signing. I was impressed because it was authored by a professional who actually works with sign language, Katie Mayne, a teacher of the deaf.
Parents are increasingly interested in teaching sign language to their babies. Sign language provides babies with a way to communicate with hand movements long before their vocal mechanism is ready to say words. Allowing babies and toddlers to express their needs and wants earlier, relieves frustration and hopefully reduces temper outbursts.
The author’s expertise accounts for the simple but accurate information and inclusion of important tips such as making sure family members and care givers can recognize and use signs too since the purpose is to provide a means for your child to communicate. Her tip to keep background noise to a minimum correlates with research that says babies learn language better in a quiet environment, since they have a harder time distinguishing foreground and background sounds.
The yummy colors and kid-friendly graphics surround captivating pictures of babies and moms signing 44 basic words divided into ten categories from “starter signs” relating to your child’s basic needs of hunger and thirst, to “indoor”, “outdoor” and “evening” signs. The step-by-step photographs make learning easy and fun.
This is a good, basic manual for starting the signing process with your child. Try it.
I love to check out what is new in the world of babies, parenting and language. Today in my Google Alerts, I was directed to an article called “Later Potty Training Spells Trouble for Children, Parents and Environment” which is promoting and new program designed to potty train your child between the ages of 12 -24 months. This new program is by the well-known developmental psychologists Dr. Acredolo and Dr. Goodwyn who earlier put a national spotlight on the benefits of teaching your baby sign language.The premise of this program is that it is better to potty train your child before he sets in to the “terrible twos” and resists your attempts. Also, according to this article, Dr. Goodwyn said, “After age 2, children develop the ability to experience shame and embarrassment about bodily functions which can lead to additional problems, such as low self-esteem and stool-withholding, a tendency that can result in chronic constipation.” An added value is the benefit to our environment if we can decrease the amount of disposable diapers used and accumulated in our landfills.Since the program is recommended for children 12-24 months when expressive language can be limited, it is combined with sign language to ease communication with your child. So check it out, Potty Training (Baby Signs) and let me know how it goes. I always say the two biggest challenges for me in raising my three boys were toilet training and teaching them to drive!
Okay, I was sharing some highs and lows of my trip through the Javits Center at the International Toy Fair:
High: Step 2 makes wonderful kitchen sets that children enjoy with their realistic features, and lots of opportunities for creativity and role-playing. Put on your chef’s hat and you have a choice of a “Custom Kitchen” with all the features of home, or a larger “Lifestyle Deluxe Kitchen” that includes 38 accessory pieces and plenty of storage when you are whipping up that yummy dinner. The “Life Style Walk in Kitchen” accommodates more children and would hold the interest of older preschoolers with a stool to pull up to the counter, the attached dining area, a microwave and a grill!
One of their new products is a 50’s diner with one side a short order cook area complete with the basket of french fries to dip in the oil, while the other side has a pretend jute box and two seats so the cook can pass your order through to your table! Kids are really going to enjoy this two sided play area and parents are going to be taken back to the 50’s.
Low: I saw too many American Girl wanna-bes with a surly edge and their “life story” books that were less than interesting.
High: I was introduced to line of toys based on a new children’s show on PBS called “WordWorld.” I was less impressed with the bucket toy sets for a barn and house because I didn’t think they had enough interesting pieces for extended pretend play, but the TV show, partly funded by the U.S. Department of Education, is definitely worth watching. The darling figures of a dog, ant, pig and frog have bodies made up of the letters that spell their animal. They have to solve life’s problems by building words that then “morph” into the object. Many emergent literacy skills are taught in a lively format as the dog has to make a cake in time for the party but only has “ake” to work with. He tries several different beginning sounds until the”c” completes “cake” and a cake appears. The pace is nice for a preschooler and I highly recommend you check out your local listings and watch WordWorld on with your child.
Low: I saw too many one-time, one-use toys where the child was to build a model or puzzle, and “educational materials” were included to read about what they made. Whether it was a puzzle that gets glued to cardboard after it is made or planets in the solar system, let’s give the kids something to have extended play. How about creating toys around that theme that become interactive with the child so learning can occur through experience, not reading a note-card on each item?
High: The “Amazing Baby Series” by Silver Dolphin has introduced an excellent book on baby sign language: Amazing Baby A First Guide to Baby Signing. The author, Katie Mayne, is a teacher of the deaf and founder of Tiny Talk UK. She has included all the essential information for teaching your baby to sign–when to start, how to do it and where to begin. The large simple photographs show both parent and child signing which adds to the wonder and fun. As a speech-language pathologist, I particularly appreciate the author’s categories of signs beginning with a few simple but essential signs like “more” and progressing to further categories of signs. This is obviously written by a therapist who know and works with moms and babies. I think I will end on a “high” today!
More tomorrow.
Today when I was talking to a group of new moms at Greenwich Hospital, the topic of baby sign language came up–what did I think about it? Usually when I speak to a group, several moms are interested in teaching their babies to sign. Research has shown that teaching your baby to sign at an early age does not delay language development but rather enhances your child’s language aquisition. As a matter of fact, researchers at the University of California linked infant signs to a boost in IQ scores. They compared a group of 2nd graders who had learned sign language as babies with those who had not and discovered a 12 point gap in IQ scores between the two groups. As special educators, we have been successfully using sign language for a long time to bridge the gap between the time a child wants to express himself and the time he can actually say words. Since manual dexterity precedes oral motor capabilities, a child can express himself first through gestures, thereby reducing frustration. I always encourage parents and offer some tips.
- Make sure your spouse and other caregivers who spend the most time with your child are all on board and know the signs you are teaching your child. One of the purposes of teaching baby sign language is so in the interum, when your child isn’t using a lot of words, they can still communicate their wants and needs and be less frustrated while communicating. If the caregiver or grandparent doesn’t understand the sign for “more” or “drink” that a child is using, then sign language is not fulfilling its purpose.
- Every child has words that will be more meaningful for them to learn the sign for. One little boy might love airplanes and would be gratified to be able to sign “airplane” every time one went overhead. Another child might love balls and feel confident when she can sign “ball”and have one appear. Choose a small number of signs to teach at first that are meaningful to your child. You can start whenever you want, signing as you say the word, but understand that most children don’t have the motor coordination to imitate the signs until they are about 9 months.
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If you are interested in teaching your baby to use sign language, you don’t need to purchase a lot of books and expensive programs. Helpful information is on the internet. www.signingtime.com is a good site with an interesting story. The mother was a professional musician when she discovered that her daughter was deaf. Out of her experience, she produced videos for hearing children to learn to use sign language. The videos include “My First Signs”, “Playtime Signs” and “Everyday Signs”. I have found that children enjoy watching these when they are older but they are also an excellent way for moms to learn signs too! www.signwithme.com is a helpful place to see the signs acted out on video. You can choose the signs that you want to begin to teach your baby and look them up there. www.signingbaby.com may also be a helpful resource. In addition , Baby Signs, How to Talk to Your Baby Before Your Baby Can Talk, by Linda Acredolo, PhD and Susan Goodwyn, PhD. gives methods and explains the benefits of teaching your baby to sign.
