Smart Baby Sign Language

How to Sign BOOGERS and POOP in ASL

2009-02-24T05:53:00.000-05:00

Come on! I'm not the only one who is curious about this. I've seen the way moms laugh and dads chuckle when I teach them the sign for POOP. So I know, you've thought about this to. And if you haven't, now you're curious.

How to sign POOP:
Make the "thumbs up" sign with you right hand. Grasp the thumb of the right hand with the left hand and close your fist around it. Pull your thumb down and out of your fist. Want to see a video? Visit ASLPro and look up POOPER SCOOPER in the main dictionary.

How to sign BOOGERS:
Use the 4 handshape to show a runny nose, then touch your face to show where it is on the face. No video for this one, but thanks to Signing Time Moderator Jenml for the information.

What other "gross" signs do you want to learn?

Sign Language iPhone App from Signing Time

2009-02-23T21:30:00.003-05:00

I have been overtly drooling over all my friends' and coworker's iPhones. Imagine what I could do with one of those...Twitter all day, keep up-to-date with the latest on Facebook, and learn sign language.

Yes, sign language. Signing Time just introduced an iPhone Application that uses flashcards and video clips to teach American Sign Language. The signs taught are from the videos My First Signs and Playtime Signs.

I can't try this product out (unless someone wants to give me an iPhone to review. Hint. Hint.) If you purchase it, let the rest of us know what you think.

Raising a Signing Baby: 22 Months - Four Letter Words

2009-02-03T21:33:00.004-05:00

At 22 months, Munchkin was talking in 1-6 word combinations, but not everything was easy to understand. I still needed clarification on "fork" and "fox." They both sounded incredibly like a 4-letter-word! When I wasn't sure what she was saying, I asked her to clarify her word with signs. Or, if she was simply pointing and grunting, I would ask her to "Use your words or your signs/hands."

Munchkin was also signing in multi-word combinations and mixing signs and words together to communicate. She continued to learn new signs all the time. A couple days after learning the sign, SUNSET, I heard her call out "Sunset!" Of course, I ran to enjoy the experience with her.

Teaching the Alphabet and Spelling in Sign Language

2009-01-24T16:38:00.002-05:00

I began teaching my daughter the alphabet when she was around one year old. I purchased sponge bath letters for her to play with (chew on). I also posted the letters with pictures on the wall. We would walk down the long line of letters and say/sign the letter and say/sign the illustration. A - apple, B - ball, etc. In retrospect, I would have taught her the letter sounds rather than the names to begin with, but...that's another post.

Bath time has always been a big signing/alphabet time for us. Recently, I was inspired to start writing letters/words on my daughters belly while she is in the tub. She is a little over two and a half. She loves it and tells me what to write. Sometimes I fingerspell it and then write it, and vice versa. She'll try writing letters on her belly, too. It's great, because even if the letter isn't perfect and is squiggly and messy, we'll never know, because you can't see it! So, she can practice the motion and develop more control without any "help" from me. "Hmmm...that's a T? Why don't you draw a straight stick then a horizontal stick, like this?" See, it's much more fun this way.

The other day, I was sweeping the floor outside the bathroom door when I heard her spelling. I peaked in and she was drawing letters on her belly while saying the letters. And the letters were perfect...I think.

Study Looking for Baby Signers 8-18 Months Old

2009-01-05T20:33:00.003-05:00

If you are interested in helping out in a study on language acquisition in signing babies, please read the request from researcher Greta Mueller. I completed the questionnaire yesterday. It was long, but very simple. You simply marked a box if your child understands a word or speaks a word. It is a long list of words, though, so give yourself a little time to complete it. At the end of the words, it asks a few questions, like how did you learn to sign, how often do you sign with your child, and if you watch DVDs like Baby Einstein or Brainy Baby. The only personal information requested is a pseudonym for your child and his/her birth date. If you want the results emailed to you, you will need to provide an email address. That's it.

Email from Greta Mueller:

Dear mothers,

as dedicated mothers who care about the wellbeing of their children, I would like to ask you to participate in my survey. My name is Greta Mueller and I study psychology at the University of Trier in Germany. I study language development and early communication skills in children. For this reason I am looking for mothers of 8-18 months old children from USA and Canada who are practicing baby signing and willing to complete an online questionnaire about this topic. It takes about 25-40 minutes to complete the questionnaire. I ensure that I will keep your answers in confidence. Your data serves scientific purposes only and will not be misused.

http://ofb.msd-media.de/language_development/?password=mybaby

For any further information please feel free to contact me.
language.research.mueller@googlemail.com

Thank you very much, Greta

Language Acquisition in Signing and Non-Signing Children

2008-12-20T22:43:00.003-05:00

I found this chart on the Baby Sign Shine blog. It compares the language acquisition of signing and non-signing babies and toddlers. My daughter signed her first word at 7.5 months. She was saying her first word by 9 months. She signed her first two-word sentence at 13 months and used at least 250 signs by 18 months. At 2.5 she knows all her letters, and some of their sounds.

Language Acquisition of Hearing Children from Baby Sign Shine

Age	Non-ASL Child	ASL Child
6-8 months	-	Signs first word
9 months	Understands simple words (mom & dad)	Signs up to 75 signs
10 months	Says first word	Understands signed phrases
12 months	One or more real words spoken	Real words spoken Signs 2-3 word phrases Can sit & watch a picture book signed
18 months	Understands simple phrases Says 20-50 words Uses 2 word phrases	Says 30-70 words Uses 2-5 word phrases Looks at picture book with Mom
24 months	Says at least 150 words Can sit & listen to a picture book	Says at least 150 words Can understand everything that is said
3-5 years	Can understand everything that is said Says 1000-2000 words Knows 10 Letters	Says 1000-2000 Words Reads a picture book with a little help Knows all the Letters

ASL Signs for Baby and Toddler at Christmas

2008-12-13T23:16:00.004-05:00

There's just something fun about holiday baby signs. The pudgy hands signing about Christmas and lights and Santa. I love it. When my daughter was 1 1/2, Santa Claus visited her daycare. I popped in to see her meet him, and I'm glad I did. She studied him for a minute and then signed "FIREFIGHTER." Her favorite book at the time was, "Who Said Red." One of the pages shows a red fire engine with Santa hanging off the back.

Here is a video with Rachel Coleman of Signing Time showing you a few holiday signs: HAPPY HOLIDAY, MERRY CHRISTMAS, CHRISTMAS TREE, SANTA CLAUS, HAPPY HANUKKAH, HAPPY NEW YEAR. Enjoy!

You might also want to look up: LIGHT, DECORATE, DEER, PRESENT, GIFT, JESUS, and ELF.

Baby Sign Language Journey: 8 months old

2008-12-07T21:28:00.006-05:00

More Sand Please

Ok, I don't really know that my daughter was signing MORE in this picture. But, she could have been. Munchkin signed MORE for the first time when she was 7.5 months old. I started signing with her when she started eating solid foods at 5.5 months. At 7 months, she hadn't signed yet, and I was feeling a little less enthusiastic, but I was still determinedly signing away.

Munchkin must have been waiting for an audience. I was feeding her lunch at my parents' home during Christmas. The cousins were there; my friends were there. And right in front of everyone, she signed MORE!

It was great to have everyone there for her first sign, but it was even better to have several independent verifications that she actually had signed. Several people yelled out at the same time, "She signed MORE!" I guess that was her Christmas present to me.

From that moment on, I was completely hooked on sign language. I had started out with the intent to teach her a few basics, but when she started communicating through sign, I couldn't stop. I wanted to know all she could possibly tell me.

Signing Time Coupon Codes

2008-11-28T23:01:00.002-05:00

Signing Time is having a Thanksgiving Sale. Use the codes below to get your discount. Or follow this link.

Friday, November 28 - 50% off orders over $75 - coupon code 50friday
Saturday, November 29 - $15 off orders over $50 - coupon code 15saturday
Sunday, November 30 - Free shipping on orders over $50 - freesunday
Monday, December 1 - 25% off all gift sets - 25monday
Beginning Thursday until Monday - FREE ifrogz® iPod® 3G Nano AudioWrapz™ case ($17.99 value) with any order over $25

Sign Language Fun While Shopping

2008-11-24T22:13:00.003-05:00

I was trying to leave the mall today, when my daughter spotted a big red sign. She yelled, "Stop!" and froze in her tracks. I tried to get her to move. She said and signed, "Stop! Red stop!" I quickly caught on, pointed to a green object closer to the door and signed and said, "Green, go!" We stopped and started our way into a few dead ends with no green in sight, but with a little backtracking and quick thinking on my part, we eventually made it to the door, past the green shrubs, through the parking lot to our red car where we "stopped."

Exercise While Learning Baby Signs

2008-11-09T08:03:00.003-05:00

A Houston company is teach Stroller Fit and Baby Signs in the same class. I think this is a great idea. The parent gets to exercise...The baby gets exposed to different things than she would in class. I would love this kind of class. What about you?

Will Baby Sign Delay Speech Development?

2008-11-08T15:17:00.002-05:00

One reason some people hesitate to teach their children sign language is because they are afraid they might delay their speech. While there is still a little debate on this topic, the research and personal experience indicates otherwise.

In 1999, Dr. Kimberlee Whaley published the results of her study of hearing infants communicating with sign language in an Ohio State laboratory daycare. The caregivers were taught American Sign Language (ASL) and then began using it in their interactions with the children. The teacher's spoke and signed words throughout the day. They would sign EAT when asking the children, "Do you want to eat?" They taught toddlers to sign STOP instead of pushing or hitting other children.

The study found that learning baby sign did not slow the children's speech. Often, the children's first words would be words they already signed. They did notice that girls tended to sign more than boys.

The daycare providers and parents found the early communication with sign language extremely helpful. The children at the school learned 25 to 30 signs by the time they were two or three.

I have stumbled across a few parents online who wish they hadn't taught their children sign language because they believed it was delaying speech. But, on the individual level it's hard to know when you child is going to begin speaking. The average time frame for speech is so large. Some kids are talking before they are one. Others wait until they are two or even three. So if your child isn't talking at 15 months, is it because there is a speech problem? Because he is one of the children that don't begin talking until they are two? Or because you have been signing with him?

It's probably not the sign language, since it is used by speech pathologists to help children who are struggling with speech. Kathy Moores, the creator of mocobabies sign language stickers and flashcards, writes about her daughter's speech delay in her blog, Hip Baby Signing Blog. She believes signing with her daughter from infancy has increased their communication and given her daughter a means to express herself while they work to correct her speech.

mocobabies images

Personally, I don't feel it delayed my daughter's speech. The only problem I had was when we talked on the phone. Sometimes, she would sign instead of speak. But that wasn't an issue, I just translated for her. And she was able to communicate far more than she would have without signs.

Toddler Signs Jack-O-Lantern in ASL/Baby Sign

2008-11-01T19:42:00.003-04:00

This is my daughter signing JACK-O-LANTERN on Halloween. I think it must be a silly Jack-O-Lantern.

ASL Signs for Baby and Toddlers at Halloween

2008-10-30T12:33:00.003-04:00

Halloween's here, so you've probably realized you need to learn a few knew signs. Sure, you could just sign PUMPKIN (snap your middle finger on the top of your left fist, like thumping a melon), but it's more fun to sign JACK-O-LANTERN. And cuter, too. Just watch this video from Rachel at Signing Time. There aren't any cute songs, but there are plenty of signs to get you through Halloween and Trick-or-Treating: HALLOWEEN, PUMPKIN, JACK-O-LANTERN, GHOST, BLACK CAT, WITCH, and CANDY

What I Miss from the Early Days of Baby Signing

2008-10-27T21:45:00.004-04:00

My daughter is 2 1/2 and quickly losing the baby chub and turning into a long-legged girl. Sometimes I still see the baby in her, but not often enough when I'm feeling nostalgic. Like right now.

When we began teaching our daughter sign language, we signed on her body like Signing Smart for Babies and Toddlers recommends. She caught on quickly, and soon she was signing on our faces as well as her own. I loved her soft, pudgy fingers brushing across my cheek to sign CAT. I marveled when she taught a little friend to sign CAT using the same strategy.

Now her fingers are longer. Still soft, but no longer pudgy. And she doesn't sign on our faces anymore.

********************
Update. - After I wrote this post, my daughter signed FARM on my husband's face. Of course, I didn't get to feel her soft fingers, but it was a nice moment to watch.

Winner of the $99 Baby Signing Time Gift Set is Heather!

2008-10-22T21:30:00.002-04:00

Thank you to everyone who participated in the Baby Signing Time Gift Set Giveaway. I wanted all of you to win and I was really pulling for hollydlr who entered obsessively (exactly what I like in a baby signing fan). Congratulations to Heather @ DIY Life. You are the winner of the BST Gift Set with Baby Signing Time volumes 1-4 and all the BST music CDs. Send me your mailing info at hollytriedit at gmail.com

Worship Songs in American Sign Language (ASL) on GodTube

2008-10-13T21:13:00.003-04:00

Who knew there was a site called GodTube? There is and on it, you'll find videos from a church with ASL translations of their worship music. If you're interested in learning more religious songs in ASL, this is one way to do it. And, these videos don't make me giggle like the "Jesus Loves Me" song I posted earlier.

Will My Child Forget Baby Signs if I Don't Review Them

2008-10-10T22:12:00.002-04:00

Holly Tried It reader Kristine (and hopefully now a Smart Baby Sign Language reader) asked:

Are the signs we have taught our daughter going to be something she forgets if we don't go back and keep doing the same signs over and over again?

It's easy to forget that sign language is a real language, just like English or Spanish. When talking to your baby and toddler, you don't worry about repeating all the words you've said to your child. You just talk with them, emphasize important words in conversations, and practice words you think they'll be able to pronounce soon. But yet, your child will say a word three months after you last said it.

In my experience, the same is true for American Sign Language. I taught my daughter the sign for PUZZLE, but she never used it herself...until she saw a puzzle a month or two later. My guess is that your child will retain many of the signs, even without constant review.

The bigger problem will be your own retention of the signs. I have to work hard to keep ahead of my daughter in sign language. I can learn it quickly, but I have to review it to keep it.

I would love to hear other opinions and experiences.

Baby Signing Time Contest Ends Monday, Oct 13

2008-10-10T21:59:00.004-04:00

Thank you to everyone who has entered the Baby Signing Time $99 Gift Set. You still have a few days to enter. I will be choosing the winner on Tuesday, Oct. 14. The contest ends Monday, Oct. 13. I will be randomly drawing the winner. You can increase your chances by entering several different ways.

Post the Smart Baby Sign Language Blog on your Blog Roll and then comment on this post with your blog address.
Twitter the address for Smart Baby Sign Language to your friends and add HollyTriedIt to the people you are "following."
Comment on this post with a story about your signing child, or the reason you want to sign with your child.
Comment on this post with a question you have about sign language.
Join the Facebook group by clicking on the Facebook tab at the top of the page.

I hope you win!

Jesus Loves Me in Sign Language Ends in Discussion about Omnipresence

2008-10-08T20:25:00.004-04:00

My daughter loves to sing and sign "Jesus Loves Me." At bedtime, we start by singing and signing it loudly and then gradually sing in a whisper. The last time we "sing" it, we use sign language only. Sometimes she loves the last verse. Sometimes she hates it. "No, Mommy, no!" Sometimes she giggles and covers her head and peaks out at me from time to time. I wonder what's going through that little head. I know I am the only person who signs more than one word to her without speaking at the same time. But, that's a discussion for another day.

Tonight, when I was signing, she said, "Jesus not here. Jesus not in my house."

I explained, "Jesus is everywhere."

She said, "Jesus like TV..." she mumbled some of this but I got the gist.

I explained, "Jesus is not a TV person. He's not a person like you and me. He's different, and he's special and he's everywhere."

Did she get any of that? I don't know, but knowing my daughter, probably. Would we have had this conversation tonight if we weren't signing? Probably not. She would have been too busy belting out the lyrics to ask any questions.

Now I need to learn some more religious signs.

Oh, and here is a YouTube video of girl signing Jesus Loves Me. It's not high quality, but it'll do. It might even make you giggle. When I find a better one, I'll post it.

Sign Language and Children with Down Syndrome

2008-10-03T20:38:00.002-04:00

I have watched a lot of Signing Time in the past two years. On most of the videos they have a child or two with Down Syndrome showing the signs. Obviously, it was helpful to the child and their families, but I was always curious about it. What were the difficulties that American Sign Language (ASL) helped these children overcome? I stumbled upon this post by a parent of two boys with Down Syndrome. She explains receptive and expressive speech and the reasons her sons struggle with expressive language. She also gives suggestions for improved communication.

She doesn't address this, but I've read about children with Down Syndrome learning to read at a very young age through the use of sign language. The applications of sign language continue to amaze me.

Baby Sign Language Clarifies Meaning of Words That Sound the Same

2008-09-29T20:55:00.003-04:00

The English language is difficult. Many words sound the same, but mean different things. For example, "The farm was used to produce produce." For more examples in English and Tagalog, visit Filipino Deaf.

American Sign Language (ASL) has signs that are the same, but mean different things: FLAVOR and FAVORITE, ALL DONE and FINISHED.

Since language is so nuanced, I've found using two languages to be helpful since the 2nd language can clarify the first. For example, my two-year-old daughter said something funny. I said to her, "You won!" without signing.

She laughed, pointed at me and said, "You two!"

After I stopped laughing, I explained myself, reinforcing the concepts with ASL.

Rude Comments About ASL and Baby Signs

2008-09-27T22:28:00.005-04:00

Smart Baby Sign Language reader, Monica, asked:

How do you handle people who are negative about signing with your child? I have gotten a rude comment implying that I was looking for attention or sympathy by treating my child as disabled. I was floored.

Wow! I'm a little amazed, too. I had one or two people in my life who were a little concerned that signing with my daughter would delay her speech. But they were never rude or pushy about it. My daughter doesn't understand that when she talks with people on the phone, they can't see her. She often signs and talks while on the phone, which forces me to "translate" to the other person. At times like this I have gotten little comments, like "That's because you teach her sign language." But seriously, that's the worst.

I'm sorry people have been rude to you. I tried to come up with a rude phrase you could sign to the person. The best I could come up with was FOOL. It kind of looks like flicking snot out of your nose at the person. Look it up on www.aslpro.com. IGNORANT is just not as fun to sign.

Now that I've let my vindictive side shine through (or is that more passive-aggressive?), I have a few real-life scenarios that may help you out, depending upon how well you know Ms. Rudeness:

Explain that you want your child to be bilingual and American Sign Language is the fourth most used language in the United States (NICD).
Mention that babies who sign often develop a larger vocabulary and longer sentence length (Baby Signs).
Invite the individual over to your house and let them see first hand how cool baby sign is. Then ask them to babysit!
Tell Ms. Rudeness a cute story about how baby sign has improved your interaction with your child.
Say, "I'm sorry you feel that way," and leave it at that.
No matter what you say to Ms. Rudeness, vent about it to your baby sign language loving friends (online or off).

Hmm...after reading that list again, I think I might need to go look up some more choice words in baby sign language (ASL).

When are babies able to use Baby Sign Language? Is it normal to start signing and then stop?

2008-09-22T22:06:00.004-04:00

Smart Baby Sign Language reader Makaela asked the following question:

I've been signing to my LO for the past 5 months - I think that she understands when I sign eat, milk, bathtime. When are they able to sign back? I thought that she was signing eat a few months back, but stopped. Is that normal?

I've heard of babies signing their first sign as young as four month old. But don't be discouraged! That's not the norm. Between 5 and 12 months is more average, and many groups consider between 8 and 12 months to be normal. (Don't take that to mean signing later is abnormal!)

Signing Time: Children can begin signing back at 5 or 6 months.
Signing Smart: The average child who uses Signing Smart has 5 signs by 8 months old.
My Smart Hands: Babies generally start signing back between 8 and 12 months.
Baby Signs: "The answer varies enormously from baby to baby depending on a child's interest in communicating (some babies prefer climbing bookshelves to reading books), development of related skills (e.g., memory, imitation, attention), and the frequency with which parents model the signs. The most typical age range for first signs is between 10 and 14 months."

When your child begins signing back in American Sign Language or baby sign language is going to be affected by many different factors. How often you sign, your comfort level with signing, how fun and interesting signing is to your baby, how interested your baby is in the signs you choose to teach her, how many people sign with her, how long you've been signing, etc.

I started signing with my daughter when she was 5 months old. She signed back for the first time at 7.5 months old. She wanted my attention when I was distracted by lots of relatives. Wow! Did she get attention. But like Makaela's daughter, she didn't sign again for about a month. She learned to walk instead. But then she steadily picked up more and more signs and used them more often throughout the day.

She has periodically reduced the amount she signs. When she started speaking more, she decreased her signing. But I continued signing, and soon she was signing even more words to me. It almost seems that when a more challenging tasks comes along, the sign language is put on hold or reduced while the next task is mastered. (Just my thoughts.)

Now that my daughter is two, she sometimes tells me to stop signing (especially if I'm not talking). But then, a week or two later, she discovered the benefits of signing while we're playing hide-and-seek from Dad.

Just keep on signing and she will, too.

Toddler Thanks God in Baby Sign Language

2008-09-22T21:54:00.003-04:00

Before supper, my daughter usually thanks God for her meal. We pray in sign language and in English because when we started teaching her to pray, she was more proficient in ASL than in speaking. She prays for the normal things, thanks for a fun day, thank you for Mom and Dad, thanks for my hot dogs, etc. Tonight, I gave my daughter a cup with a tiny bit of rice milk in it. I wanted her to finish it before I gave her anything else to drink.

Her prayer went something like this, "Thank you, God, for food. Thank you for the little bit of milk." In ASL, "THANK YOU GOD. FOOD. LITTLE MILK." And when she signed LITTLE, it was very little.

I love how ASL expresses somethings so visually and in a way, more accurately, than English.

My Child Has Difficulty with Handshapes of Sign Language

2008-09-18T06:32:00.002-04:00

Kristine, a Smart Baby Sign Language reader, asked:

My son does not seem to be able to use his fingers very dextrously yet. He is 14 months but I hear about these babies signing at 7 or 8 months. He has a hard time with any signs that involve more than a pointing finger, an open hand, or a fist. So my question is, is that normal, and how can I help him refine his fingers? He can't differentiate between many signs because of this limitation...

Don't worry if your child can't make the exact handshape yet. He is still young and doesn't have the physical dexterity. As your baby grows his sign movements and handshapes will become more precise. For now, when your child signs PLAY, it may look like two twisting fists instead of of twisting Ys. Eventually, your child will be able to extend his thumbs and then the pinky fingers to make the Y handshape.

My daughter began to become very interested in putting her fingers in the right position around the time she turned two. She'll pry her fingers into place with her other hand. It's funny when they pop right back to where they were originally. But she's improving and she's really enjoying it. When she masters a handshape or another letter of the manual alphabet, she gets excited and cheers for her accomplishment.

When I started baby sign language with her, I had no idea how many opportunities it would give her to develop perserverence and experience a sense of accomplishment. I hope she is also learning to avoid her mother's perfectionist tendencies. Her dad and I help her make the sign, but we laugh with her about her fingers' inability to cooperate. Now, when she struggles, she'll say, "Tricky!" and laugh or ask for my help. And isn't that how we should handle our attempts to master new things?

Teaching Blind Babies to Communicate with Sign Language or Baby Signs

2008-09-13T16:46:00.002-04:00

Ivan Bobnar, a blind baby, signs for his BIB.

While I was looking for information on how sign language improves finger dexterity, I discovered this article. The article, Teaching Your Blind Baby Sign Language! is written by parents who taught their blind child to sign. These parents wanted to offer their child the benefits of sign language that seeing babies received. They found additional benefits for blind children. According to Amber Bobnar, for the visually impaired baby, the benefits are even greater:

Blind children often have problems identifying body parts. Since signs are dependent on the body, they can increase body awareness.
Similarly, signs can help blind children understand that gestures and movements, otherwise known as body language, can be a form of communication. This can make it easier to teach a blind child that other people can see them.
Many blind children also have speech delays. Teaching them signs early on can help prevent any speech delays.
Another problem signs can help you avoid are fine motor delays. Signs can improve finger dexterity.

How to Post a Tweet to Twitter

2008-09-13T08:31:00.002-04:00

Now, I know this is not sign language related, but I have been asked how to post a tweet to Twitter for the Free Baby Signing Time DVD contest. It's simple.

Go to www.twitter.com.
Set up an account.
Search for HollyTriedIt.
Click the Follow button.
Go to the Home screen. Type a short message about the contest and include the address for Smart Baby Sign Language.

Hope this helps!

How Many Baby Signs Should I Start with when Teaching My Infant Sign Language?

2008-09-12T06:27:00.003-04:00

While the number of signs you use when you begin teaching your infant sign language, ASL, or baby sign doesn't seem that important, it is. According to Signing Smart with Infants and Toddlers by Anthony and Lindert, the ideal number of signs to begin with is 6-12. When you use less then six, it takes longer for the child to understand that the movement means something and that it is a form of communication. Seeing a variety of signs throughout the day in a variety of contexts helps them understand and begin to sign sooner.

Interestingly, Anthony and Lindert have found that if you use more than 12 signs in the beginning, infants don't sign back as soon. According to Signing Smart,

Using too many signs initially will actually slow your child's signing back in that, instead of signing supplementing and highlighting English, it becomes a new code system to decipher in addition to English.

Once your infant shows that he understands what the signs mean, or begins to sign back, add more signs to your vocabulary.

Win a Baby Signing Time Volumes 1 - 4 Gift Set

2008-09-11T06:50:00.001-04:00

Signing Time is sending me a Baby Signing Time Gift Set valued at $99. Unfortunately, it's not for me. It's for you, or some other lucky Smart Baby Sign Language reader. It will include the Baby Signing Time Videos 1-4 and the accompanying CDs.

The contest winner will be drawn from a hat, because I will want to give everyone the gift set. You can enter multiple times to increase your chances of winning. To earn one entry do one of the following. You can earn up to five entries - one for each item on this list:

Post the Smart Baby Sign Language Blog on your Blog Roll and then comment on this post with your blog address.
Twitter the address for Smart Baby Sign Language to your friends and add HollyTriedIt to the people you are "following."
Comment on this post with a story about your signing child, or the reason you want to sign with your child.
Comment on this post with a question you have about sign language.
Join the Facebook group by clicking on the Facebook tab at the top of the page.

Remember, more entries equals more chances to win.

Toddler Teaches Dolls to Communicate in Sign Language

2008-09-10T22:26:00.004-04:00

The other night, my 2-year-old daughter couldn't fall asleep, so she started playing with her doll. When I peaked in at her, she was teaching her doll sign language.

The next day my husband was pretending her stuffed frog was reading a book and signing to her. I asked her if Froggie could talk. She thought that was silly. Of course they can't talk! I asked her if he could use sign language. She said, "Yes." And then she taught him a few signs: MOM, DAD, MORE, POTTY. Then she taught him to use the potty. More about that another day.

Signing Time Blogging Competition - Win Baby Signing Time Set

2008-09-08T21:14:00.002-04:00

Signing Time is having a competition for a Baby Signing Time set worth $99. Find the rules and enter here. I already have.

Elementary School Teaches Sign Language to All Students

2008-09-08T12:33:00.002-04:00

Lakeland, Florida's Winston Elementary School is teaching sign language to all of their students. The project was initiated by the school's reading coach, Susan Meynell. The teachers and students are taught one new thing a day by Meynell. The younger students focus on fingerspelling to improve their spelling and reading skills. This works. My two-year-old is learning fingerspelling and it helps her focus on the sounds in the word, which in turn helps her with reading. The older students are also working to increase their vocabulary.

Winston school is struggling with several areas of language testing, so they are counting on this program to move the school and students forward. Since sign language incorporates multiple learning styles (visual and kinesthetic), it helps students learn and retain information. I'm excited to see how their scores improve.

Use YouTube for Free Baby Sign Language Videos

2008-09-07T13:57:00.003-04:00

Before you decide to purchase a sign language video, see if you can watch a clip on YouTube. Then look for the following things:

Do you enjoy it? After all, you'll be watching it alot with your child. If the music or host or style annoys you, find something else.
How often is the sign repeated? The more the sign is modeled, the more quickly your child will be able to pick up its meaning.
Does your child enjoy it? Some children are frightened of puppets, others enjoy them. Does your child like to move and dance? Look for DVDs with catchy music. My daughter would dance for 20 minutes at a time while learning sign language from a DVD.

Here are some Baby Sign Programs on YouTube:
Baby Signing Time and Signing Time - Great music and high-quality production
My Smart Hands
My Baby Can Talk
WeeHands
Kindermusik

I'm sure there are more. Let me know which ones I'm missing and I'll post them.

Baby Signs Creator Linda Acredolo Interviewed by NAEYC

2008-09-05T23:29:00.003-04:00

Linda Acredolo and her partner, Susan Goodwyn, were two of the first people to research the impacts of signing with babies. They also created one of the first baby signing programs, Baby Signs.

The National Associaton for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) interviewed Linda for their radio program. Linda discusses the benefits of sign language beyond reduced frustration, and also explains why signing is so beneficial. She also addresses the concern some have raised about "flawed research."

This is a great interview that summarizes the basics of how she became interested in baby sign language, her views on teaching American Sign Language (ASL) versus made-up or home sign, and the reasons why babies who sign have improved verbal abilities.

July 2008

“Improving your Baby’s Communication Skills,” with Linda Acredolo, Ph.D.

Dr. Linda Acredolo is Professor Emeritus of Psychology at the University of California at Davis and an internationally recognized scholar in the field of child development with a special focus on the effects of encouraging hearing babies to use signs to communicate before they can speak. With Dr. Susan Goodwyn she co-authored the best-selling book for parents entitled BABY SIGNS: How to Talk With Your Baby Before Your Baby Can Talk.

Baby Signing Time! Volumes 3 & 4 Previews Available

2008-09-05T23:02:00.005-04:00

I love Signing Time DVDs. My 13-month-old daughter was thrilled by these videos when I discovered them. She still requests Baby Signing Time songs several times a week, even though we have Series 1 and Series 2 DVDs.

Baby Signing Time Volumes 3 & 4 will be coming out soon. Watch these previews and enjoy!

Volume 3: A New Day

Volume 4: Let's Be Friends

When to Start Signing with Your Baby

2008-09-04T23:16:00.002-04:00

When is the best time to start signing with your baby? The day they are born? When they can wave goodbye? There are many suggestions. I personally believe it depends upon the parent, not the child. The earlier you start signing, the longer you will have to sign before your child signs back. That's fine, if you can stick with it. Starting to sign earlier will give you and your child time to become familiar with and used to many more signs before he/she starts signing back. But, if you wait until they are showing physical capability of signing back, you will have a much shorter "frustration period" before they sign back (the frustration is the parents' not the baby's).

Andrea Ploehn, founder of Signing 4 Baby, also believes that the time to start is based on the parents, not the baby.

I started signing with my daughter when she was 5.5 months old. She signed back at 7.5 months. That was 2 months of having faith that she would sign eventually. Still, if we have another child, I plan to start signing right away.

What did you do? Or what do you plan to do?

Quick Baby Sign Language Reference Chart

2008-09-04T22:19:00.002-04:00

Here's a quick and free way to start teaching your baby sign language. Print out several copies of this reference chart. Post one on the fridge and one above the changing table. Put two inside page protectors (for 3-ring-binders) and place one in your diaper bag and use one as a placemat and "book" for your child. You, your child, and other family members will have the signs memorized in no time.

What Do I Need to Start Teaching Sign Language to My Baby?

2008-09-04T21:29:00.003-04:00

You really don't need anything other than a sign language dictionary to start teaching your child American Sign Language vocabulary. And I'm using the term "dictionary" very loosely. Your dictionary could be an ASL storybook checked out from the public library, or an online video dictionary, or it could simply be a friend.

I've made access to several of the best online dictionaries easily accessible from this blog. Just click the ASL Dictionary tab at the top of the page. Type in the word you are looking for, and the site searches about five online American Sign Language Dictionaries and returns the results. This really simplifies things when you are looking for obscure words, like ARMIDILLO.

That's it. You don't need anything else. Of course, there are lots of extras that make learning to sign easier for you and your child. Flash cards, Signing Time DVDs, sign language story books, and a baby sign language dictionary to help you easily identify the easier signs (when I first started I would look up words like BLENDER and find out that it was a complex combination of signs. It was too much for me to remember at the beginning.)

Video of Baby Signing Progress

2008-09-03T22:22:00.002-04:00

This is a video of my daughter from several months ago.

How to Find a Sign Language Group

2008-09-02T20:48:00.003-04:00

When you first start teaching your child sign language, it can be a little overwhelming. You need to learn the signs, figure out how to teach your infant effectively, and remember to use the signs throughout the day. And if you don't know anyone else who is signing with their child, it can feel a little lonely.

If you can, find a sign language group to join. You find a support group that will enthusiastically support your choice and will help you learn more signs. And their is a good chance your child will start signing when he sees that other kids sign.

I started my own sign language group, but it ended up being a lot of work to teach other's to sign on top of teaching myself and my family members. It was fun, and if you have the time I recommend it. It gives you control of the format and the lessons taught. But, there are easier ways.

Free or Low-Cost Groups
Meetup - www.meetup.com allows you to search for groups with like interests by ZIP code. I felt comfortable meeting people this way (even though it was through the Internet) because the meeting location was at a public place. I didn't have to go to somebody's home that I didn't know, and I didn't have to reveal my address and personal information. Try searching for ASL, Signing with Baby, American Sign Language , British Sign Language, or Deaf and Hard of Hearing.

Public Libraries - Check your local library to see if they offer baby signing. It's similar to story time for older children.

Baby Signing Classes
There has been an explosion in the number of baby signing classes and programs available in recent years. Visit the website of the program of your choice and find a class in your area. I didn't attend a class, but here are a few companies to look into:
Signing Smart
Baby Signs
Kindermusik
My Smart Hands
Weehands

There are many other programs out there. I'll discuss them in more detail in another post.

How Do I Use Sign Language with a Toddler?

2008-09-01T17:16:00.001-04:00

While learning how to teach a baby sign language was challenging, there were plenty of resources. But as my daughter grew and expanded her American Sign Language (ASL) vocabulary there were fewer and fewer sources to help me teach her more. As her spoken vocabulary expanded, was it worth it the time and effort to continue teaching her more sign language? I didn't know how ASL sentences were formed or how to move her from vocabulary to actual language. ASL requires finger spelling. Was she too young to learn spelling?

I will share the information I discovered in future posts.

Why I Decided to Sign with My Baby

2008-09-01T17:00:00.001-04:00

I decided to sign with my future child before baby sign was popular. I was babysitting my friend, who happened to be an occupational therapist. Because of her profession, she daughter her daughter a few signs, like MORE, EAT, and THANK YOU. Babysitting was a breeze because I knew what her daughter wanted, even though I hadn't spent a lot of time with her.

Babysitting was fun. It wasn't a constant guessing game filled with tears when I guessed wrong. The experience made such an impact on me that even though I didn't have my daughter for several years, I still learned sign language and taught it to her.

It is one of the best "extra" things I've done for our family.