BabyWhispererForums.com
ACTIVITY => Activity Time & Toddler Activity => Topic started by: RachelC on February 21, 2010, 03:19:33 am
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Carry on ;D
For reference...
http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=113471.0
http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=56399.0
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Marking my spot!
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X for me too!
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Hi ladies,
Just marking my spot too, but also just wondering out of interest whether you keep signing for words when your lo has learnt how to say them consistently? Most of the words that Ben knows are ones which we started off teaching him with the sign. He likes signing and it is really useful for understanding him when so many of his words sound similar, but I am wondering whether I need to teach him the signs for words that he has already picked up? He is learning a couple of words most days so I am wondering how to keep up!! Also, many words he will use consistently, like 'book' but willl rarely sign it, so should I keep signing when I say it?
Thanks xx
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Hey Ladies
I think one of my little ones has been signing 'more' he does it more like a clap but he definatley does it when I ask him if he wants more . . . . .how exciting! x
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I was wondering why you should only start with a couple of signs and wait until they recognize them before adding more. It's probably easier for the LOs but don't we talk as well with a bunch of words and they eventually pick it up? Would it just take too long if you start using several signs right from the beginning?
I am asking because I am having such a hard time to sign milk, more and eat. I try to do it as often as I remember, but I think I would get better into the 'groove' if I would add other signs like airplane, dog, bath, change, etc. because I would get more used to the idea of signing while talking. And with milk, more and eat it always seems that my hands are busy already so other signs would be easier to do for now.
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Hi :)
I was wondering why you should only start with a couple of signs and wait until they recognize them before adding more. It's probably easier for the LOs but don't we talk as well with a bunch of words and they eventually pick it up? Would it just take too long if you start using several signs right from the beginning?
I think the general consensus is to just sign as many as you know and to do it consistently as you can. It took ages for DS to sign anything back to us - but within a week he was signing several different things - so it was good that I had 'taught' him quite a few as once he started he was ready for lots all in one go :)!
Hey Ladies
I think one of my little ones has been signing 'more' he does it more like a clap but he definatley does it when I ask him if he wants more . . . . .how exciting! x
Ahh, lovely :)!! My ds has been signing for a couple of months now and *still* claps for 'more', and says it at the same time. I read somewhere that it is like when they first start talking and everything sort of sounds similar - that when they first sign their hands aren't quite co-ordinated enough to do all the signs exactly right so they get a bit 'blurred'.
xx
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Hey Ladies!
I just started consistently signing to my DD this week. I was doing it without a book for a little while, so I had the sign for All done/Finished wrong but we are on track now that I got a book. We are starting with the signs for "Milk" "Eat" "More" "Finished" "Mommy" "Daddy" and "Cat" (she is obsessed with the kitty and already makes a specific sound when she sees her).
I have been super impressed with her interest with what I am doing with my hands. She watches my hand every time I sign, and I can see her thinking about it! I am very glad that there is a discussion about this on here!
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Ok, that reminds me... I have been doing "all done" wrong. Somehow it had kind of morphed into a different sign from the book we have. But I have been doing it this way for like weeks... should I change? Is that going to be confusing to DS? He doesn't do it back yet, but I know that doesn't mean that he hasn't picked it up.
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Ok, so my LO is only 7.5 months, so isn't signing yet, BUT...I can see her thinking about it every time I make a sign associated with something she likes or knows how to do. I may not be the best real-life authority, but I can pass on some of my reading.
It's normal for some kids to make up their own signs, especially if their dexterity doesn't allow them to make the sign you're trying to teach. For example, we also did infant potty training. We're partially successful...we catch most poops, but not too many pees (reasonable, since she pees a LOT). We don't have a successful sign or cue for pee that I can detect. We DO have a poo sign, that she uses because she can't do the real sign (which is a fist with the thumb sticking out between the index and middle finger). What she started doing was the "raspberry" sound and then immediately pooping. When her poops were wetter, they sounded just like the sound she's making. Now they're more solid and don't make noise, but if she makes that raspberry sound we'd better get her to the potty, quick!!
If you have a sign between the two of you that's "wrong", but it's not offensive and can't be confused for something else, I'd go ahead and use it.
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DS finally started signing back a couple of weeks ago. Up until then he would pay attention to us signing, but I think he hands were too occupied with other things to use them to sign. He started with bath, realized we understood, and started using a few others. In the last couple of days he has started following me around doing the "more" sign to let me know he is hungry. ;D
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Ooh glad I've found you all, am so excited to start signing with my little boy! He's 3 months and I've been signing 'milk' for ages and just started 'nappy' too. Have been signing it to him but also when I'm changing him I get his hands and do the (BSL) sign with him which he thinks is really funny! Looking forward to taking him to babysign classes in a month or two :)
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Just wondering when is the right time to start signing, even if it is to just introduce the signs. And do people have a recommend a book/dvd l could get in the UK. My LO is nearly 4 months.
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Just wondering when is the right time to start signing, even if it is to just introduce the signs. And do people have a recommend a book/dvd l could get in the UK. My LO is nearly 4 months.
I think you can start as early as you like - Dh and I were saying yesterday that we will start signing earlier with our next lo!
http://www.amazon.co.uk/First-Signs-Baby-Signing-BSL/dp/1904550045
These books are great - there is a series of them, and I know other Mums on here use them too. Some of the signs are slightly different from 'Baby signing' signs that are used in the uk - but most are just the same, and as long as you are consistent with which signs you use with your lo it doesn't really matter!
We went to 'tiny talk' classes, which we both really enjoyed - http://www.tinytalk.co.uk/baby-signing-find.htm. A fun class, and helped me learn and remember the signs
xx
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Thanks Claire. That's great. When did you start with your first just out of interest. Think I'll definitely buy something and start the process. Or at least learn the signs myself!!
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We didn't start til 9 or 10 months - we went along to a class, and Ben was the last one to sign anything out of the kids his age :P, but that was because *I* found it really hard to motivate myself to actually sign to him when I doubted he would actually pick any of them up....not doubting in him, but just hadn't really had much experience of seeing signing 'work' so didn't have very high expectations of how good it would be!! But once he started signing at 12 months I was SOO excited that we have learnt lots and lots of signs, and DS signs loads in the day now, and it really makes such a difference to his temperament - much less shouting and screaching because is able to communicate most things easily by signing :).
xx
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How has the signing words worked with conventional grown up gestures? Did you filter out the signing and replaced it or did it carry on. Has anyone developed their own language between them and their child and has it worked out well?
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Just wondering when is the right time to start signing, even if it is to just introduce the signs. And do people have a recommend a book/dvd l could get in the UK. My LO is nearly 4 months.
I took DS to Sing & Sign classes from 6m old. He didn't start signing until he was a year old ish (just before or just after!) and said his first real word that the same time - Hear and signed *hear*. We continuued with S&S until he about 19m old. Lots of the babes signed much sooner than DS and some around the same time as he did. If you go to their website, there are DVDs you can get which the LOs love - DS still asks to watch them!
The advice we had was to start with a few simple regular signs. What is he most likely to want to communicate - that he wants milk, more, eat, drink etc - or things that he sees or things that he wants to do. We focused on 5 signs for several weeks and then added a few more. But it was only ever a sign per sentence, so "would you like more milk?" was the milk sign.
DS speaks very well. He is 2 this week. He signs. If he wants more, he signs and says more. If he sees a bird, he'll sign bird as he says it. Some of the signs have come after he's learn to say the word, many signs came long before.
DS is spirited. He is a keen communicator, impatient and isn't one for looking at Mama's face or eyes much - he's got things to explore and to see. For us, his ability to sign has been a fantastic help and never a hindrance. He was able to communicate to me and me to him, each understanding oneanother long before he could say many of the words.
I find it particularly helpful even now - when he's across the room playing in a busy group, he can see me and sign (& viceversa - I can forewarn him it's time to go soon etc) and when he's having a meltdown / tantrum / ill, when he's too upset or crying to much too much to speak or be clear he will sign clearly what is wrong (more, angry, pain, broken, eat etc). He and his friends sometimes sign to eachother too - really cute!
I love signing!!
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DS is spirited. He is a keen communicator, impatient and isn't one for looking at Mama's face or eyes much - he's got things to explore and to see. For us, his ability to sign has been a fantastic help and never a hindrance. He was able to communicate to me and me to him, each understanding oneanother long before he could say many of the words.
Thanks for this. My LO is spirited too so this is really interesting to know. I'm really keen to get started. Think I'm impatient and spirited too. Am going to see if there's Sing and Sign in Manchester.
Thanks
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Ladies, just a little up date on the boys signing! I can hardly believe how well they have taken to it, they only did 'Milk' for months and then all of a sudden they can do loads. R can now do 13 different signs and M can do 6, it's amazing. I'm sure M can do loads more but R is the little entertainer and so I think he thrives on the claps and excitement when he does it where as M looks at me with a face that says 'Bore off Mummy, I'm way too busy!'
The most exciting of all the signs was when R signed 'Mummy' yesterday! I had gone out of the room and was just opening the door to come back in and DH said 'whose that comming through the door' and he signed 'Mummy' I nearly cried I was sooooooo excited!
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I had gone out of the room and was just opening the door to come back in and DH said 'whose that comming through the door' and he signed 'Mummy' I nearly cried I was sooooooo excited!
Gorgeous :) :) :)!!!
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Ah, I wish my LO would be signing too. Now I understand how moms have troubles keeping up signing if nothing comes back. Also, my DH is at home all the time and doesn't sign very much, so that might be the problem. We haven't even really seen any recognition of the signs yet. I am way too inpatient... ;)
But he started to imitate waving goodbye, so I guess that is a sign. I always wave goodbye to everything before going to bed at night, and I can see his little hand doing the same motion at the side of his body, it's so cute. :D
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hey wonderful signing mommies,
Do you know what developmental milestone coincides with signing? Meaning do they need to know how to clap, wave..etc?
I've been signing since she was 6 months. She's really not engaged in my hands. Everytime I sign eat, she diverts her eyes. I have to bend my head and get her attention and sign again. Or more? Yeah she just ignores me lol. I know she KNOWS I'm signing to her but she doesn't want to watch my hands bc.....she finds it boring?? hmm
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IM really disheartened by the whole signing thing, I have been signing since Caleb was 6 months old, so for 9 months and still no signs back. its really frustrating because he whines all the time and i try so hard to get him to sign what he wants, i even say "can you please try and tell Mummy want you want/need/like using words/hands etc?" but nothing. i sign "more, eat, drink, sleep, potty, thankyou, come here and nappy" and nothing, ive been doing "more, eat and drink and nappy" since 6 months and added the rest over time. i used to sign "Mummy and Daddy" but gave up on that. I feel like a real idiot now.
Its so hard when i say/sign to him "do you want something to drink (sign here)" and i get no reply, he doesnt even nod or shake his head so its a complete guessing game and i have to hand the drink or food or toy etc to him to see if he wants it to which he usually promptly pushes it away.
SHouldnt i have had some results after this long and at this age???
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My baby signs book says some start as early as 10 months, and some not until much later. I've been waiting for mine to sign reliably as well, but she's 9 months and still doesn't wave bye-bye or anything. So I'm still waiting. If she starts waving at people to communicate bye-bye, but doesn't start signing to communicate other things, then I'll definitely get frustrated!!! But I think I just have to wait for her, however long that takes. Even if she doesn't pick it up until 6 months, that's still better than another year's whining and guessing until she can talk!
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Jo..have you tried signing videos? Like Baby Einstein? Not sure if that would help..
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{{{hugs}}} Jo. All kids are different and pick things up at different paces. Have you tried helping him sign? Take his hands in yours and form the sign? Perhaps he is just not sure how to make his hands to that?
Is he reaching all his other milestones? You say he doesn't even reply at all.....
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i know he understands me because when i give instructions he does them, like "put the ball in here" etc he does it or "wave bye bye" he does that but otherwise its just whining all the time, he doesnt reply by shaking or nodding his head to any of my questions and he gts so frustrated. i have tried showing him by using his hands but he just pulls them away when i try. it feels like if we could only communicate better he wouldnt be so frustrated and whining all the time but its just not happening and its not like im not trying.
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Jo, we started signing fairly early as well, and didn't start to get any signs back until our LO was about 15 months. I'm pretty sure Mashi's LO didn't start to sign until around 14 or 15 months either. I have read that some LOs don't start to sign until they are about 18 months. :-\ I am now very glad I stuck with it though. Help, hurt and all done have been very valuable to us.
I used about the same number of signs you started with, then started to add more (not sure when, around a year old maybe?). It did get very discouraging not receiving any response. I tried shaping his hands as well, but it just made him more frustrated and he would pull away. Eventually he started with some. A couple he started to say the word, then would start to sign it. (Like Daddy. He never has signed Mommy.) ::) After awhile more started to come. If I remember correctly, you have a cat. That sign was a HUGE hit with our DS. He would run over to the cat, pet her, and then sign it. Other big ones are hat and bike.
I also found that for our DS a couple of signing videos helped. I'm not sure what you have available there, but our guy really likes the Signing Times and Baby Signs ones. Usually I try to show him one video a day, and he gets sooo excited. HTH! :-*
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Thanks Rileysmum, will look into some videos, yes we have a cat, two actually, he goes to them constantly! so will start with that one too :)
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When do babies tend to sign back to you? I've been signing to my 9.5 month DD since day 1 and today I noticed that perhaps all this clapping she is doing is her signing "more, more". When can I expect to see more signs from her? I have noticed recently that when I sign, "eat" she does put the food in her mouth rather than throwing it on the floor to the dog...sometimes....is this promising or just wishful thinking?!
Also, my friend's son is 2 and although he can speak he refuses to say "thank you", he ONLY signs it...is this a normal occurance, that children will use the sign over spoken language?
Sarah
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Nathan has only recently started to sign back to me, but I know it can take even longer. We have been signing "all done" and "food" to him since 6 months, and "more" for a few months now. He has only just recently started signing "all done", and it is not the exact same sign I have been teaching him but it is obviously what he means.
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How old is Nathan? I've been trying to find out how old some of the other children mentioned in this series were when hey started but I only seem to find how old they were when the parents started signing to them and not how old the children were.
Maybe closer to 1?
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Every child is different. My dd1 signed back to us around 8 months, dd2 was later. Just keep it fun and casual.
My kids are both shy and for a long time would not say thank you, but were willing to sign it. Is this the only word the he refuses to say? Probably just playing around with it.
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Nathan is just past 1 year; he is almost 13.5 months old. He started signing 'all done' to us a few weeks ago, when he was about 12.5 months old.
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Sign Language seems to be very popular and my LO is OBSESSED with it and some DVD's we have that teach it. She loves to sign. I'll catch her playing and she'll be signing the most random things while she's playing of even on car trips.
Has anyone used the "Signing Time" DVD's that are put out by Rachel Coleman? Just wondering if others have what they have thought and if they know how closely it resembles ASL.
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I've opened a can of worms...baby knows the sign for potty, which I love, but now she's signing potty all the time, and I take her, and sometimes she has to go, sometimes she doesn't, sometimes I think she's just saying "there's the potty" as we pass by the bathroom. So do I jump on it and take her every single time? It's making me nuts. Any ideas?
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I would take her everytime. She will (hopefully) eventually learn that it's kinda boring always sitting on the potty, but at least you are not breaking the enthusiasm about going on it. And you probably want her to go more often than less. I think it is one of those ticks we just have to live with for a while. :D
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We have been signing with DD for a few months now (she is 9.5 mths) but we havent seen her sign back yet.,.. she definetly knows milk and gets excited about it!
Happy to see this thread and would love to follow along!
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Linds,
I know each LO is different but I believe is was 11 months when my Lo started signing back and milk was the first sign and I think all done was the next. Now she loves it.
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Nathan is now enthusiastically signing 'food', 'more', and 'drink' at appropriate times. Yay!
Today we were out shopping and he signed for a drink, so I ran off and bought an apple juice right away just to reinforce the signing. I have to start carrying a sippy cup around with me... $2.25 a drink is going to add up fast!
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It's so much fun when you start to get signs back. Yay for you!
nauvoo06, we have been using the Signing Time and Baby Signing Time DVDs. We have just been borrowing them from the library. DS LOVES them. I was really worried about letting DS see too much TV, so I got him some signing videos. He was pretty excited about them, but when I started to show him the Signing Time ones, he decided he wouldn't watch anything else. In the last couple of weeks I have put the kids channel on to try and distract him for a few minutes while I get something done, and once he realizes it isn't Signing Time, he isn't interested. :P The videos use only ASL, as she has a daughter who is deaf. On the information part of the DVD, she does warn that there is a bit of regional variation in ASL, so some of the signs might look a bit different. The first ones aren't quite as good quality as the later ones, but DS likes them all.
HTH! :)
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OMG, my LO learned the sign for doggie, and she picked out all the doggies in her Baby Animals book tonight when we were reading!!!!!! She's only just a year...
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ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! i cant believe it, ive waited for this day for a whole year!!! Caleb signed Potty to me today!!!! and later we were watching TV and i asked him "whats the sign for potty?" and he did it!!! then i asked him whats the sign for eating? and he pointed to his mouth (which is close enough!!!!) i cant beleive it!! if anything the sign for potty is the one ive done the least!!
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That's fantastic ladies!!!!! Jo, you must be so ecstatic!! :-*
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Mine has used her entire hand in front of her mouth, fingers splayed open, for eating. Good enough for me. That's how she puts everything in her mouth anyway. She's sort of a walking, pie-in-the-face kind of gal!
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Yay Jo, that is so exciting! ;D
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Nathan has been signing "all done' for a few months now, and his new sign is 'more'. Finally! He associates it with food, but that is ok because that is when I use it for him the most. Now that he knows it, we can apply it to other things. Yay!
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so now the question is... how do i get him to use these signs for when he ACTUALLY wants a drink or food etc??
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Is it too late to join in at 13MO? We use sign for potty but not much else. Dumb question do you just use BSL or ASL dependent on where you live or are there baby signs?
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I use Auslan but it doesnt matter, as long as you understand what they are saying. for example the sign for Nappy is by the nappy but he does it above his head, doesnt matter cos i know what he means :)
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Thanks.
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Rileysmum,
I think we have a common interest among our LO's. Mine is obsessed with the baby signing time DVD's and we also rent them from the library. I've found that it has increased her ability to sign by 10 fold. So much for my teachings. :) She always wants to watch them and has to be limited, and like your LO won't watch anything else. She also says the word when she signs. Also, the more she watches them the more she picks up and loves to sign what she has learned. It is soooo much easier to communicate with her now. My favorite is when she cries she'll stop right in the middle of crying and sign and say "cry" and then pick up crying again. Too funny. I love that she identifies with the emotion though.
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Is it too late to join in at 13MO? We use sign for potty but not much else. Dumb question do you just use BSL or ASL dependent on where you live or are there baby signs?
Have you ever watched the programme Something Special on cbeebies? It's SO good - Ben is always coming out with new signs now - even things like "vet" and "king and queen" :o :D!!
We also found these books really useful - I get them out from the library - http://www.amazon.co.uk/My-First-Signs-Baby-Signing/dp/1904550045 There are a few in the series. Like Jo said, it doesn't really matter what signs you use as long as you both understand them and use them consistently. Today I even made up a sign - for porcupine :P - as Ben is crazy about them!!
x
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My lo is almost 14 months old and has been signing several words for 2 months now and learns new signs pretty quickly but he doesn't verbally say any words but dada and sometimes mama. Is it normal for little ones his age just sign a word and not even try to say it? I just thought I would hear another word by now. :(
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I will look into cbeebies thanks.
Well I started with a few signs today and DS signed potty while he was eating his dinner after he did a (TMI warning) toot. I couldn't bel;ieve it. I put him on so quickly and he went. It was fab. Previously he has clapped his hands like we do when he goes but because he does this at other times too it can get confusing. I will stick with it and try to get some books.
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My favorite is when she cries she'll stop right in the middle of crying and sign and say "cry" and then pick up crying again. Too funny. I love that she identifies with the emotion though.
That is so cute! ;D
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Hi everyone.. I'm actually just starting to learn about the baby sign language now in the hopes to introduce it to my l/o soon... (even though I know they say it's best to start around 6 mths+, for my own practice, I might start doing some basic signs soon just to get in the habit) We've printed some charts with the basics - ex: "more", "milk", "potty" ect. ect. and keep the charts on the fridge... it's a good reminder for DH and I. Looking forward to following the thread. :)
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I wouldn't say it's "best" to start at 6 months... it's probably "best" to start at birth ;) The sooner you get in the habit, the sooner it will be so super natural to you to be doing the signs and the faster your lo will pick up on them.
Yes, it's normal for kids not to say the words and just sign them. Make sure you are also saying the words along with the sign. Sign language has not proved to inhibit the verbal language, but if you are concerned about development, please talk to your doctor. Don't stop the sign language... best thing to do if there is a speech delay is to continue with the signing!
Jane - I know the ASL sign for summer, not the BSL one though :-\
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:) Thanks Rachel ... like anything, I guess the sooner you start, the sooner it does become second nature. It will be fun to add signing into our day.
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Thanks for the info, I am definitely not going to stop with the sign language. He loves the Baby Signing Time DVDs...I just noticed a lot of the babies kinda mouthed the words as they were signing and my little one doesn't do that. Also, Dh has been worried that I have given him a alternative to talking, his worry was starting to make me concerned. I don't have much experience with signing with babies or know anyone else who does. I didn't know what the "norm" was.
I love knowing what my lo wants. Although he mostly wants crackers. Lol. I don't think I would know that without him learning that sign.
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Hi, I found a great article about baby signing, hope it add value to the thread X
Baby signing
How it works
Getting what she wants
A closer bond
Developing language skills
How to do it
Some signs to try
Want to know more?
Send to a friend
Printable version
Baby signing
www.babycentre.co.uk/baby/development/stimulatingdevelopment/babysigning/
How it works
It's not surprising babies can learn how to sign. Both their understanding of language and their motor skills develop much faster than their ability to speak. And they love to mimic: most babies, for example, discover how to wave and point long before they can say 'bye bye' or 'look at that!'
The idea of taking this one step further and teaching babies a vocabulary of signs was inspired by Dr Joseph Garcia, an American child development expert. Having discovered how easily hearing babies of deaf parents learned sign language, he also noticed that these babies appeared less demanding than non-signing babies because they could express their thoughts and needs more easily. So why shouldn't hearing parents of hearing babies enjoy the benefits of signing, too? After all, thought Dr Garcia, if a baby can sign for what she wants instead of screaming, everyone -- mum, dad and baby -- will be happier. While baby signing doesn't promise to cut out tears or tantrums, babies as young as six months old have been taught to "sign" successfully. Baby signing is now very popular in the UK and several organisations run baby- signing classes all over the country.
Getting what she wants
Although you need lots of patience, teaching your baby to sign isn't hard. And even just a few easy signs -- like 'drink' (thumb to mouth, tilting up) -- can make all the difference, as one mum, Emma Finlay-Smith from Sussex, discovered: 'The first sign we tried, when Isabella was about 11 months old, was the sign for 'drink'. At first I thought she wasn't paying any attention. But about a week or so after we started, she was sitting playing with her toys when she looked up and signed to me. I thought she was waving hello, then my husband spotted that she was signing 'drink'. It was like when she took her first step -- she was delighted and so were we! As she learnt more words, her frustration levels dropped dramatically.'
A closer bond
Mum Sharon Mason, from Devon, feels signing gives her an extra special bond with her son Morgan, now 16 months: 'Morgan has a vocabulary of about 30 words now and he's starting to string signs together. He comes and tells me if our dog is asleep (first fingers and forefingers of both hands pointing downwards) or if he can hear an aeroplane (swooping his hand). It's wonderful knowing what's going on inside his head. I also love being able to talk to him even when he's on the other side of the room. At playgroup the other day I noticed he was looking a bit panicky -- I couldn't reach him easily so I signed 'I love you' (hugging myself, looking at him), instead.'
Developing language skills
Parents may worry that teaching their baby to sign will slow down their normal speech development. In fact, according to recent research, the opposite is true: signing may actually improve language and vocabulary. Signing, as Dr Garcia points out, is about enhancing, not replacing language. It has to be used alongside normal speech so your baby can make the locallink between the gesture and the word. And because you need to make sure your baby is looking at you, she's also concentrating hard on what you are saying, as well as what you are doing. When your baby can sign back, communication becomes two-way. If, for example, she tells you she can hear a plane you can respond: 'You heard an aeroplane? Yes, I can see it. Look, it's over there. Isn't it loud?' In this way, you probably spend more time talking to your child, which is one of the best ways of helping her speech develop.
How to do it
• As with any new skill, it's important to go at your baby's pace and keep it fun. The best time to start is when your baby begins to develop a real desire to communicate. This is usually around nine or 10 months -- you'll notice your baby is more sociable, starts to babble and uses noises and facial expressions to get your attention.
• Start with a sign for something she is interested in. Lots of babies quickly pick up the sign for 'more' in relation to food!
• Every time you use the word, show your baby the sign, too. Always use the same sign, use lots of repetition, and emphasise the key word along with the sign, so your baby can clearly see and hear the connection: 'Do you want some more? You'd like some more would you? Ok, let's get you some more!'. Don't forget to say the word as well as showing the sign at the same time.
• Your baby may try the sign herself after a few days or it may take several weeks -- be patient! Make it as fun as you can, babies are much more likely to learn from something they enjoy doing.
• If you want to go to baby-signing classes, there are some companies listed at the end of this article. You could also buy a book, DVD or video to help you -- many of the companies offering classes produce them and you can obtain details from their websites.
Some signs to try
In his teaching pack, Dr Garcia suggests signs based on the American and British Sign Language but there's no reason why you can't make up your own signs. Any gesture that obviously mimics the meaning of the word works well, for example:
• 'food' -- put your finger tips to your lips
• 'all gone' -- move your hand, palm up, backwards and forwards
• 'scared' -- tap your chest again and again
• 'hot' -- put your hand out and withdraw it quickly
• 'where?' -- shrug your shoulders, with your palms held out
• 'rabbit' -- wrinkling up your nose or hold up two fingers
• 'car' -- steer an imaginary wheel
• 'book' -- holding hands flat with palms up
( picture on link )
Lachlan (10 months) signing "more"
( picture on link )
Lachlan (10 months) signing "eat"
Want to know more?
• www.sign2me.com is Dr Joseph Garcia's website.
• www.babysigners.co.uk is the first group to use Dr Garcia's methods in the UK.
• www.signingbabes.co.uk is primarily for parents and carers using signs with babies. They are enthusiastic advocates of the system, and were one of the first to run baby signing classes in the UK, particularly in and around the South West.
• The British Sign Language website, www.britishsignlanguage.com uses moving pictures to show the basic signs for British Sign Language.
• www.deafsign.com is a useful site of British Sign Language educational resources, including posters, flashcards and books.
• Babysign.co.uk offers an online course teaching you all you need to sign with your baby.
• Tiny Talk runs baby signing classes across the UK.
• Sing and Sign classes are run across the South East and in major cities across the UK -- new classes are currently being launched in other areas.
• Other companies run baby signing classes in different parts of the UK, but don't yet have a national presence. Try doing a search on Google UK for baby signing classes.
• Baby Signs -- How to talk with your baby before your baby can talk by Linda Acredolo and Susan Goodwyn (Vermillion, £12.99) is also available from bookshops.
• My First Signs is a book aimed at toddlers which teaches them to sign and has been recommended by the National Deaf Children's Society. It is published by Child's Play at www.childs-play.com.
:) HTH
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Also, Dh has been worried that I have given him a alternative to talking, his worry was starting to make me concerned.
This is something I am struggling with at the moment. My DS is 24 months old now and still isn't talking - he is just meeting the guideline of 6 words by 18 months. And thats only really been in the last month or so - so he is a good 6 months behind in his speech. Everything I had read before we started signing with him said that not only does signing not prevent or inhibit language but it helps to develop it as children who have learned the concept of communicating to get what they want are more inclined to try to speak. So I had no hesitation in signing.
But, it is very uncommon where we now live (Germany) for kids to sign. In the appx 30-40 kids at the different playgroups we go to, DS is the only one who uses sign language (as opposed to when we lived in England and half of the playgroups WERE sign language for babies!) and the general attitude of the mothers who I have spoken to about it is that it has obviously affected my LO's language negatively and some of them (about half I would say) don't "get" it no matter how much I explain and they think that my DS is deaf or that he is learning this because he will never talk. So baby sign language is just not understood here very well (maybe in some larger more diverse cities perhaps?)
And the thing is, it is something DH is now really questioning - did we make a mistake? DS is not only not learning to speak but when he wants things he does not make an attempt to make a sound for a new word, he makes up his own signs or gestures for things. He relies on the closest word he can think of in sign language to be his sign for a new word -- ie/ any word that starts with a /b/ he will sign either biscuit or bunny and just hope it's the same. I am sure there are underlying issues in him that is causing this and it's not due to the sign language but at the same time, I can't decide which would be better....
So I am glad that I did sign language with him - when he was 18 months he had a signing vocabulary of about 50-60 words which is more than the average child who does not have a speech delay can verbalise. So it has been very helpful, and still is helpful while he can't talk. But as I said, there is always the nagging doubt in the back of my mind. It's now to the point where DH does not like to tell others (friends and family) or have DS sign in front of people because we get nagged about how obviously it has hindered his speech. :(
So I am not trying in any way to discourage you from signing, not at all. Most BWers have had a different experience to me. But because you voiced that concern, just wanted to share my experience - it's always a nagging thought in my mind.
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I definitely think there is always an exception but my LO fit right in with the helping to develop language. We started signing early on but it wasn't until around 15 month until she really picked up on it and has about 30-40 words that she sings often. It has helped with her vocab tremendously and in the last 2 months she has started to talk a lot. She can say almost every word she signs or she at least attempts to say it and of course unless you were involved in it you probably wouldn't understand what she was saying. However, it has helped us tons with communication in that she tells us what she wants and she usually signs it at the same time. She is very very interested in the signing part and I often find her playing on her own signing bubbles (her favorite) or some other word and I can only imagine what is going thru her head. Too cute.
So I say go for it and of course work with him as well.
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Yippppeeee. My DD has finally started signing back! I was getting so frustrated because I would do a few since birth. She is 1 week shy of a 1yr and she started signing back "More" 2 weeks ago. Since then, everyday she does a new one. Now she does, "Bath, drink, eat, milk, sleep, more, all done" I'll need to get a book to learn some more for her. Sometimes she does get a bit confused and does "more" out of the blue and I'm like " more what??" so I'm not 100% sure she really knows what she is signing. It's funny, now that my husband sees me signing to her he has started but he uses the Welsh words and she still signs them to him!
Just wanted to pass on the that they do eventually start signing back if you just keep trying. It's worth it!
Sarah
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I'm so excited to start this with DS! He's 3 mo on Sunday, but I guess it's never too soon!
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Mashi---what if your LO is just behind on speech? If you hadn't taught him sign, you'd all be REALLY frustrated. I doubt he's using SL as a crutch, unless he has a physiological issue that prevents him speaking. Kids want so much to be like us that I believe they really want to talk. Their frustration comes when they can't talk yet but they need to communicate. Is there any kind of diagnostic that can be done to determine LO's ability to speak?
My DD is very vocal--lots of baba's, Dada's, Mama's. She made up her own verbal cue for kitty, because she can't do the sign yet. She pants for doggie, but hasn't learned any of the food/drink signs yet. However, she made up her own sign for bath, and it turns out to be the ASL sign.
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Mashi---what if your LO is just behind on speech? If you hadn't taught him sign, you'd all be REALLY frustrated. I doubt he's using SL as a crutch, unless he has a physiological issue that prevents him speaking. Kids want so much to be like us that I believe they really want to talk. Their frustration comes when they can't talk yet but they need to communicate. Is there any kind of diagnostic that can be done to determine LO's ability to speak?
That is what I was trying to say - not sure if I managed to get my point out. Using sign language has been great because he is not speaking, but no one can prove to us that it is not a contributing factor in him not speaking. Yes, if we had not taught him to sign and he was not talking at all we would be more frustrated than we are now, but if we had not taught him to sign perhaps he would have started speaking earlier and we'd be less frustrated - there is no way to know. It makes it especially hard to defend our choice to sign when it is something that is SO rare where I live that it is automatically chalked up to being the reason why he is not speaking, so it is hard not to let it work its way into our minds.
I am not trying to say in any way that signing is bad and suggest that others should not do it (though DH and I have agreed that if we were to have another LO we would have to make a very serious decision on whether to use sign language again) but because someone above had mentioned the wondering, I felt I had to share the struggles we are having and how even our paed believes the signing is a huge factor in my LO's delayed speech.
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Am getting excited about DS starting to sign more. He consistantly does Potty and where and understands lots more and we only started a month or so ago. I am at work in the day too so he isn't getting as much exposure as I would like but We will keep at it. I keep wondering if it is too late to be worth it but it seems it may be a while before he speaks much so i think it will be.
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It's never too late! ;D
Mashi (and others who may have a concern), I know you have probably read it all, but signing does not hinder speech.... FAQ #4
http://www.mysmarthands.com/Site/Baby_Sign_Language_FAQs.html DD1 was speaking very early (with signing) while DD2 (with signing) was delayed and needed speech therapy.
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I am getting a little frustrated with trying to get my little girl to sign. We have been working exclusively on "More" and "All Done" for almost 4 months now, and using other signs in conversation, but not really working on them. She was getting pretty good at it for about a week, and now she refuses to sign either. Now whenever I ask her if she is All Done eating (showing her the sign) she claps her hands. Also, sometimes if I ask her if she wants more she will sign "all done" and then cry when I take her out of her chair or start cleaning up the food.
Is she just confused? I have tried other signs, and during her really good week she tried signing several of them (cat, airplane, music) and now she looks away as soon as I show her a sign. All the trouble started right after her 12 month vaccinations, and that scares me a little (the whole vacs = autism thing).
Any suggestions on getting her to start signing again? Should I just give it up?
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Keep things casual, no pressure on her to produce the signs. All done and more are somewhat similar signs to produce and she may be confusing them. When she signs all done, ask her if she is really all done, or did she mean more (and vice versa).
This is meant to be fun, so if you are getting frustrated, you may want to take a break. :-*
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I am getting a little frustrated with trying to get my little girl to sign. We have been working exclusively on "More" and "All Done" for almost 4 months now, and using other signs in conversation, but not really working on them. She was getting pretty good at it for about a week, and now she refuses to sign either. Now whenever I ask her if she is All Done eating (showing her the sign) she claps her hands. Also, sometimes if I ask her if she wants more she will sign "all done" and then cry when I take her out of her chair or start cleaning up the food.
Is she just confused? I have tried other signs, and during her really good week she tried signing several of them (cat, airplane, music) and now she looks away as soon as I show her a sign. All the trouble started right after her 12 month vaccinations, and that scares me a little (the whole vacs = autism thing).
Any suggestions on getting her to start signing again? Should I just give it up?
Like Rachel said, just relax and she will sign when she's ready :). It's like talking/crawling/eating with a fork - they all get there in their own time, and it's just about giving them a fun, relaxed environment to help them learn. My DS was one of the last children to sign in our baby-signing class, and I just kept plugging on with it for months....until one day he said "Eat" and signed "eat" at the same time! He'd never said *or* signed it before! Then after that he realised that signing = power :P ;D, and within a couple of weeks was signing loads of stuff. But it's not something that should be worried about - some children just take their time learning particular skills. Also, DS knows lots of signs now - but still does not do some of them 'correctly', but sort of does his own 'shorthand' - so he claps for 'more' rather than patting one had behind the other. Apparently this is really common too, so perhaps watch out for your lo doing this.
I would just keep signing to her, but perhaps watch her other cues as well (so about getting out of the highchair etc) until she is more settled in which signs mean which words. Really just keep it light-hearted and fun, and don't make too much of a big deal about it with her. It's like talking - they learn by copying/having play conversations/singing fun songs/hearing stories etc - so just see signing as a similar things. maybe sign some of the animals when singing 'Old Macdonald' etc!
xx
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Just today DS kept signing potty while saying more and I think he was getting confused. He has done potty for a while but just getting the hang of more. He was doing 'tired' yesterday in the restuarant - kept going around all the tables and telling everyone and looked rather perplexed when no one was 'listening'. He has had an explosion of words and signs this week so I am hoping it keeps up. Is there any benefit in trying to work on the more sign when he can say it very clearly though, I keep wondering?
He was signing potty for ages on the train on the way home so I hightailed it home and he pooped as soon as his butt hit the seat so it was helpful because otherwise I wouldn't have rushed. He has said 'pot' a few times too now so i think it is helping him with his words rather than hindering.
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I like being able to communicate with my kids across a room (crowded, or not worth shouting), so if that's a reason to continue to work on a sign, then go for it. ;D
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True, thanks
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I think she had a light bulb moment this past weekend! She is consistently signing more and airplane, and signed Daddy for the first time while we were reading through a signing time book. All done still gets turned into clapping, but its ok because I know she is getting it!
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I haven't followed this thread for some time now... but I thought I'd jump back in. My DS is now 19mos and has nearly 150 signs I'd say... and understands even more of them. BUT he seems to be lacking in verbal communication. I'm convinced he's just taking his time talking and that the signing isn't what's delaying him... but I sometimes wonder.
He can hear perfectly well, and actually communicates well too. He chatters lots, but his words are so far from being intelligible to most. I mean, I can understand him... "ma" means "up", "Gaga" means "Daddy", Animal sounds are the animal, and the list goes on. But no one else knows what he's saying. Also, he says "gaga"for about 5 different things and "bada" means another 10 (at least), and if it weren't for the signs, even I wouldn't be able to tell the difference!
So... is the signing making him lazy? Or... shall I just be super grateful that we did sign in the first place, cause he's able to communicate so effectively until his speech does catch up with his peers?
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We have recently started signing so I thought I would jump on here too. We mainly do bath, potty, pee, poo, eat, more, dirty, milk, good, all done, yes and no. Some more consistently than others as I find it difficult to sign when I have food etc. in my hands. He doesn't do any signs back yet but I am sure he understands bath and potty as we do them lots and he gets excited about baths and claps when I sign potty. I think he claps because I clap him when he does something on his potty. I could be wrong though..
I don't know much about your queries Leath but I don't know many 19mo that say too many words that can be easily understood by people other than their parents. I never understand what LOs say around 2yo and it amazes me that their parents do sometimes. How is he doing now? I see your message was a while ago. 150 signs that is amazing! Did you start with all these at once or add more and more as you went along?
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Wow. I posted this so long ago... I didn't know if anyone was following this thread any more.
Cadie's mom-
we started with the same signs you're starting with and then added as we went along. Once DS showed an intrest in something, I would look up the sign for it... he caught on to those ones MUCH quicker than the ones I thought he should know;)
DS#1 is fianally adding spoken words to his vocab daily. He's even starting to pronounce the old ones more clearly and correctly!
Signing is really worth it. Glad we started when we did... could never have known he'd be so far behind his peers.
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Signing is really worth it. Glad we started when we did... could never have known he'd be so far behind his peers.
Exactly! Start early... it does not hinder speech and if a speech delay is in there, you have another way of communicating! Glad to hear you are started to get more and more spoken language as well ;D
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How old were your LOs when you started signing and how long did it take for them to start signing back?
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We started around 7 months with Paige and she was signing back quickly. We signed with Jalyn sooner, since we had Paige around to help remind us ;) but she didn't sign back as quickly. There is a WIDE range of how long it takes to get those signs back.
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Thanks I shall just keep at it then
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DS was about 5 months when we started, but then started to sign back at about 8m with "more". By 10 months he seemed to catch on that most things had a sign and he started to look for one.
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We have been sigining on and off since my LO was 6 months or so and didnt see a ton of response from her until the last week and its like she just relized that she could communicate with signs and she is goign crazy!! More is her most used sign followed by eat!! Sometimes she gets so excited that she gets her signs all confused and just starts signing everything she knows! I didnt know she was interested, but all of a sudden within 2 days she was signing more, eat, milk, all done, and no.... now I need to brush up on my signs to start introducing new ones!
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lyeats440- very exciting isn't it? Stick with it, your little one with look for more and more signs all the time now!
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We have been sigining on and off since my LO was 6 months or so and didnt see a ton of response from her until the last week and its like she just relized that she could communicate with signs and she is goign crazy!! More is her most used sign followed by eat!! Sometimes she gets so excited that she gets her signs all confused and just starts signing everything she knows! I didnt know she was interested, but all of a sudden within 2 days she was signing more, eat, milk, all done, and no.... now I need to brush up on my signs to start introducing new ones!
;D it's great isn't it! Well done for persevering xx
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DS did his first sign around 6 months and now he is 20 months and knows over 50 signs .... his speech is so much further on that lots of friends his age, and I think it is only because I know what the "noises" mean as he signs to back them up if they are unclear! For the words that are clear he doesn't sign so I have no concerns about signing detracting from speech :) Can't stress my love for signing enough!!!! I just now wish I had started with Makaton as a friend's LO has special needs and will probably use Makaton!
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She used more for something other than food today, which is giving me confidence that she isnt just copying me, she might actually understand. I was playing "this little piggy" on her toes and she loves it.. when I finished she signed more for me to do it again!
Im very excited!!!
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It is exciting isn't it. I can't wait for DS to start signing back.
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It is fantastic! DS said his first word and first sign together - hear. He speech is excellent and he started with sentences etc really early (was rejected from a language study group because he was too advanced / they didn't believe me :-[ :(). I don't know if that is down to signing alone.
I am sure that his ability to communicate at a young age (through sign mainly, then speech) has really helped him. From his first signs, he was so happy that he could communicate back to me. Like little conversations that he could start - he'd hear a bird and would sign to me as if to say "there's a bird singing; do you hear it?".
Invaluable tool. I'm thinking of training up in it once he starts nursery.
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I've been trying and trying to figure out what LO means when she folds her arms across her body and rocks back and forth. Today, we realized she's saying "baby". It really is the official ASL sign for baby...but WE didn't teach it to her. She's 14 months, and she has been really interested in a picture album that shows her as a little baby with everyone holding her. She's looked at it every day for the last 2 weeks. The only thing I can think of is that she saw pictures of her as a little baby, decided that cradling should be the sign, and ran with it. Today she saw a baby in a restaurant and started signing and signing...I finally figured that out, and she was like, "REALLY! About time, mom, I've been telling you this forever!"
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Ah that's so cute muddyfeet. Lots of signs are actually pretty instinctive. When I was studying BSL we used to tell stories to the rest of the class and had to just guess at the signs we didn't know. The instructor would correct us at the end but it was amazing how many we got right just by using our common sense.
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Hey ladies..I haven't been on this thread in months. I started signing with my lo at 6 months...I lost momentum but stuck with "more". Everyday. I got really frustrated the other day, and I was giving her oranges. I was like, "Mama? MORE??" and I signed feverishly. She started clapping and I got so excited. I tried it again. She did it again. And she's done it a few times since then.
It took many many months. I'm back into signing like crazy. I'm really excited..I hope she signs a few more things..I get so excited hearing your stories and would love to share in the magic of signing.
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That's great Sarah. We are still signing various words on a regular basis but not getting anything back just yet. But Cadan does get very excited when I sign "bath" so I think he understands (or it could just be hearing the word of course). He loves his baths.
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Cadie's Mum; you're sounding a tiny bit discouraged so I'm here to whooop your arse! ;)
I signed with DS everyday from 6months on. Everyday - basic signs and building gradually to animals etc. Other babes signed earlier than he did and I felt a bit miffed, but kept at it. He was a year old before he signed :)
He said his first word and first sign together. And then he suddenly signed loads - dog mainly. It was things he wanted to share with me (like something he'd seen) rather than eat, drink, more etc. And when more sign did come, it was patting the back of his hand rather than his fist... but eat and drink and potty - nope. Even now, he won't tell me he's hungry!
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Consider my arse whooped! :) Thanks Charlotte.
I'm not discouraged really. Just impatient I guess.
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I was so down about signing. I kept hearing and reading that most babies sign by 10-11 months.
Even though she's still signing "more", she's still not doing it without my prompting most times.
It'll come :)
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DD is doing so great at signing these days! Many times it is with prompting, especially with more and different foods she wants.....sometimes I think she is just signing whatever I say. One thing is starting to worry me a little though. She has stopped talking verbally.
She still babbles, but won't say daddy or mommy anymore and wont make the sounds for kitty and puppy anymore because she knows the signs for them. Well, she doesn't do the sign for mommy either :( Whenever we ask her to say daddy or momma she signs daddy. Or when we ask her what a puppy or kitty says she signs those. The only "word" she says is uh-oh when she drops something.
I am worried that teaching her the signs is keeping her from wanting to learn to say the words. Did anyone's LO decide to stop talking when they figured out that signs meant something?
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Not mine, but it does seem like there's a tie-in there with yours. How old is your LO?
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She is 15 months next week, and just doesn't seem to see the point of talking verbally. She will try to say things she doesn't know the sign for, but if she learns the sign she doesn't try to say it at all. Not quite sure what to think or do.
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Honestly I would just keeping signing AND saying the word. She will get there. :-*
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Reporting a priceless one from the LO today. She saw boiling water on the stove, and combined the signs for hot and water...she signed the water sign and blew on it as if it were hot!
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That's brilliant Muddy feet!
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Second one of the day (after my first post)...she was in the bath, and signed hot. But she'd been in there 20 minutes. DH checked the water and it was too cold...he added hot water and she was very happy about it! Amazing how she has figured out how to use what she has to convey her needs.
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I am sure Cadan was trying to sign potty today! We started putting him on the potty after meals 6 weeks ago and I always do the potty sign when we say the word. On 2 separate occasions today I thought he was trying to copy me and do the sign. The hand shapes weren't quite there but this is our first sign so it's very exciting for us. He even finished his BT BF and looked like he did the potty sign with no prompting. We always do potty next in the BT routine so I'm sure that's what he was saying. Oh I hope I'm not imagining things.
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Ali- very cool. He could very well be making the association. His signs will start to explode over the next few months.
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We were out. She signed potty. I didn't respond quickly enough for her, so she grabbed the potty seat and marched to the door that said "restroom". Scares me a bit, this one does...
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That's great muddy feet.
I can't wait for the signs explosion!
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That's so funny. Way to go.
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Muddyfeet, I just literally LOL'd at your post! I could totally see my DD doing exactly that if I didn't respond to her sign fast enough.
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Hello,
I'm just joining in. I started signing "milk" with my DS when he was about 4 months and have added a few more basics in the past month. He is only 5 months, so not signing back for a while yet.
Thanks for the links, tips and stories!
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At my sister in law's yesterday K kept signing more but his looks more like he punches the other hand so the brother in law was alarmed when he asked for more drink and then did the sign like he threatening me if he didn't get his drink.
K also signs hot when things are cold.
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Lol. My DS still signs more with one hand vigorously stabbing the other palm with his fingertips. He started at 8 mos and he's nearly 2... he's only just now concentrating on doing it properly.
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Hey all - I just discovered this thread!
we've been signing since 6 months. DS is no 13 months and is yet to sign back but understands the signs i use constantly - drink, more, eat, bath, book, cat, dog, nappy, boob. That's about all we have right now, there are a few others that don't get used that much. He also seems to understand some words, for example, if I say 'is it time for booby?' without using the sign he gets very excited and starts to whine if I take too long.
we have one book - Baby Signs by Linda Acredeolo and Susan Goodwyn. It has some signs in the back but for the most part I am just making up the signs as I go along. There is probably some book/link suggestions somewhere here already but if you could re post or direct me to them i would be much appreciative
x
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We love the "Baby signing time" videos here. Also, we have a book of baby sign, with 250 words, as well as I reference the website ASL browser. Don't know what EU has to offer... Signs are different in the UK, so the videos and websites I use would be of no help to you! sorry.
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I find this website useful. Did you want BSL Chicane?
http://www.itvbabysign.com/video-sign-guide
DS doesn't actually do any signs consistently but yesterday I was sure he was trying to copy my bath sign only using one hand. And he did a "ba" sound alongside it. And when I do more he often claps and makes the "mma" sound as if he is starting to say the word more. I feel it won't be long before he can do a sign or two.
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Thanks Gals
Ali - that site is ace. i think its all I will need. I've been making up most things and was running out of ideas!
cheers
xo
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I like to use the BSL as it will be handy if he ever wants to communicate with others who do baby sign that have used it.
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We use BSL maining but sometimes I just make it up If I forget.
K has started signing a few more words this last week or two. He now does thank you, sorry and tissue without me having to prompt him. He uses the same action for food and drink and it is a mix of the two. His more is getting slightly less violent!
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LO has learned to sign and say "please" and now uses it to her advantage. She asks for things, says "please" and it's so dang cute you can't help but give her what she wants!!!
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Ah I know I can't resist a sign request. DS has even started making bup his own signs. He bobs his head side to side for music and does some weird swan like thing with his hand the meaning of which I am still trying to workout!
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Brilliant link, Ali!
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Hi Ladies
Does anyone know a sign for 'Later'?
X
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hey bugeeee
the only thing I found online was this http://www.lifeprint.com/asl101/pages-signs/l/later.htm
I'm looking for a sign for prune...DS has one prune after dinner every day and I just cant think of a sign to do for it! Any suggestions?
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also found this http://www.britishsignlanguage.com/words/list.php?id=8
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Thanks Chicane, that's perfect! As for Prune....hmmm I'm stumped :/
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Hi ladies! I went to my first baby sign class on Wed, and am so excited about it! I'm not sure of the approach I should take....should I introduce just a couple of signs at a time (this is totally foreign to him. He looks at me like 'what is she doing?'. It's cute!) Or just sign away like nothing's new?
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Well, we just sign away, I figure if I am consistent then he will pick things up as we go. I guess we started with more, drink, boob, sleep, bath, book...I've recently added socks, shoes, cuddles, biscuit...I reckon just go for it, the ones you use the most are the ones they will pick up faster...
any way mamato levi when you go to that class can you ask about prune? lol
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We were told to start with 5 and then add new ones as they learnt but never going for more than 5 at a time.......I didn't do this and signed as much as I could, mainly so as I learnt them to be honest. We started at 8 month and they didn't sign back until they were 11months but by the time they were 16 months they could do 70+ signs .......without a doubt the best thing I have done with them!
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and I did the opposite ;D I signed just a couple..more, eat, all done..the classic starter ones ;D
I started at 6 months and she didn't sign until 14-15 months. She's picking new ones each day (albeit butterfly isn't as precisely done hehe! actually nothing is too precise except bird, dog..simple ones :) )
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Thanks ladies!
any way mamato levi when you go to that class can you ask about prune? lol
LOL! Will do :)
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Is anything they do at this age precise Sarah? Not with my DS.
He has just started signing bath and sorry. Sorry is so cute, he does something naughty (like push his cousin) and I only say "Khalam" and he signs sorry real quick then carries on as if nothing happened. It is too cute to be mad. Signing eat and drink very similarly but hasn't worked out how to say what he wants yet so we have to go through a whole charade of looking in the cupboard/fridge until he sees something random (like an onion) that he decides he wants. I must teach him more food!
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I was just going to post about food...where can I find more signs for different foods? Even basic ones like bread, egg, pasta etc. i would love to tell isaac what he is having for dinner etc...any clues on that one?
Anyone have issues with yes and no? Isaac seems to always shake his head no even when he means yes! its kind of cute. Just wondering around what age he might get it...how old is Khalam?
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Ha,ha my two are 19 months and say 'No' to everything!
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it's true, KM ;) She started signing bath too..it took me a few days to figure this one out. She only does it one hand ..and she kind of just rubs her tummy. ::)
Chicane, I find youtube has some good demonstrations. One in particular, happy signs? or happy hands..I think. It's a lady with long brown hair who signs ...I found strawberry. I haven't searched for bread and egg but I'll head over there and take a look.
ETA: it's smart hands ;D
Bread: bread - ASL sign for bread
Egg: egg - ASL sign for egg
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Ace! Perfect. Thanks!
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Jiinx - that first video is my boss ;)
Here is her whole dictionary
http://www.babysignlanguagedictionary-mysmarthands.com/Baby_Sign_Language_Dictionary_-_My_Smart_Hands.html
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your boss?
she's fantastic. I love watching her you tubes..the second one is her daughter. Her daughter's in both and she does all of them. It's cute...she signs and then her daughter repeats it at her mother's prompt.
..she's your boss for what, if you don't mind me asking? ;D
..small world
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Khalam is 17mo. Just to check - can people not see my ticker? I probably linked it wrongly!
K only learnt yes well after no/head shake and he likes to say no alot.
Chicane are you teaching BSL or ASL or is there some eoro version? Or are you just mixing?
For bath K kind of just shakes both hands at his shoulders. It took me a while to realise what he was doing but he says "bar" (bath) at the same time and points if we are near/in the bathroom.
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Sarah - yup, my boss ;D I am a certified My Smart Hands instructor... have you seen her son's signing video?
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lol..of course you would know it's her daughter then. I haven't seen her son do it! I took a peek around her youtube site but couldn't see it.
Rachel, that's amazing :) I bought the sign2me package. I got so excited signing at 6 months. I sometimes wonder if my daughter is a little delayed (I mean this in a gentle and kind way...I love her to bits!) as she signed so so late. Joseph mentioned that signing usually takes off between 8-9 months or 10 months. I'm over the moon that Z is signing now..but she's still no where like her daughter was at 1 year.
Thanks Rachel, for sharing the dictionary...it's fantastic.
Rachel ..there isn't any reason for why signs that I've been doing for a very long time (such as eat, book, thirsty) isn't picked up, but newer signs are?
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Khalam's Mama - yep can see your ticker but you know...I'm blind and deaf and old and tired! We are using a mix. I started with some Australian Signs from a book my sister gave me. Then, back in Spain, I just started to make some up that suited us. Now I've thrown in a few BSL and some ASL for the food links that Jiinx just posted up. I should probably stick to one system but I have trouble getting/finding resources where we are (not only in Spain but we are on a very tiny island) So, like many things - not just this - I've had to figure out ways around it.
Rachel - seeing as you are trained and all do you think its a problem that I've mixed up the systems?
Also Jiinx - DS isn't signing anything back at all he's 14 months. But he understands the signs I make to him. In one of my books it said that some kids don't pick up the hand movements. Maybe the signs you've been using a long time you started before she had enough control of her hands to make the sign and so she knows them but the newer signs are more interesting because she can make the movements? Make any sense? I would love for him to start signing back but I am also grateful that he at least understands a lot so we are communicating on some level anyway...
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I totally hear ya, Chicane! I was thinking along the same lines as well..maybe she's just "used" to the signs OR maybe I "feed" her and quench her thirst before she has a chance to sign for it ? lol..doubt it but maybe one day she'll do it ;D
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I thought that too...I am always offering water and I don't think he ever gets too hungry cause I'm always offering food (well, you know, each meal and a couple of snacks between) so he's never really had to try. This morning I had a little chat with him about how he can start using the signs, you know, whenever he's ready (he nodded his head!)
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I used to guide their hands in to the sign whilst saying the word and that seemed to help with the ones we got stuck on......main one being Mummy!!!
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We have been doing signing for months now and just ove rthe last month DS has started to do something back. He claps for "more" (we pat the back of the opposite hand) and waves both hands for bath (we move both hand palms to chest up and down). So he is trying but not quite getting the signs as we do them yet. I thought he did potty a couple of times but hasn't done it since. He still doesn't shake his head no.
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Will be back to answer the questions, but here is Laura's 2nd baby signing at 12 months (the best is when he signs 'cold')
cute signing baby #2!...baby sign language (Hartford, Fireese's baby brother)
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hehe he's precious. I love it :) Amazing how some kids pick up way way faster than others.
Thanks for the tip on helping guide their hands. I'll persist in doing that...her more is still clapping.
Congrats CM :) Sounds like he's picking it up :)
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lol..of course you would know it's her daughter then. I haven't seen her son do it! I took a peek around her youtube site but couldn't see it.
Joseph mentioned that signing usually takes off between 8-9 months or 10 months. I'm over the moon that Z is signing now..but she's still no where like her daughter was at 1 year.
Rachel ..there isn't any reason for why signs that I've been doing for a very long time (such as eat, book, thirsty) isn't picked up, but newer signs are?
Got to finally meet her and both the kids in October. They are all as wonderful as they seem on YouTube ;)
Every kid picks up signing at a different rate, just like all other things developmental. The new signs aren't the same old same old. Keep doing them, all the time. Some day when he wants a book, he may just sign it to you.
Rachel - seeing as you are trained and all do you think its a problem that I've mixed up the systems?
If you are not going for ASL fluency, I don't think it's a problem. As long as you are consistent with the sign for eat (be it ASL, BSL, created) it's ok.
As far as the signs being correct, in their minds they are doing the correct sign. Just keep showing the correct sign and over time they will correct it too. Do not start imitating their sign, it will confuse them. You can certainly guide their hands to help as well.
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Congrats CM Sounds like he's picking it up
I hope so. Ali BTW.
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We had friends over today and K was showing his sign and they were excited to start trying with their 8MO. I loved the video. I migt film K doing some signs so we can remember how cute it is when he is older.
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Hi girls! Excited about doing this with DS - but have a big problem remembering to do it myself! Any tips??
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Hi Kim!!
I thought the EXACT same thing when I started reading signing books (lol..my lo was so young..a few weeks old). I tried memorizing the signs, but I couldn't "get" it and kept forgetting. Fast forward to when I did start..I started with three..more, all done (which I dropped later and replaced with finished), and milk. Three signs! I could handle that :)
Now she's getting older and i'm adding more to her vocab..and I know this sounds silly, but signing actually is pretty much signs that you would use anyways! The signs just make sense, ykwim? Airplane...finished...book (two hands together closed and then open like a book!)...cat and dog are not so so obvious but bird is. I'm rambling but with repetition and using as many opportunities as you can it'll be like second nature :)
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Thanks Sarah! I'm trying to properly do milk (bottle) & food (we're BLW) - but I never remember to do the signs before/during!!
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maybe print out some flash cards and have them in the kitchen?
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hm! That's an idea!!
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i'v started to guide DS hands. He's 14 months and still no sign of signs (pardon the pun!) I know he understands them though. I've also started to ask him to do the sign...Today I also showed him the videos on youtube of other children signing...not sure if that helps but he likes to look at pictures of other kids anyway...
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Can I have some advice on introducing signs to a 2 year old... she doesnt speak properly and has very very limited words and cant even communicate to us (DD1's speak didnt make alot of sense to others when she was growing up BUT we could understand her)
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Louisa - same way you introduce signing to little ones, you can introduce to big ones. Start with as many signs as you are ready to and do them ALL.THE.TIME. Start with things that interest her and her basic needs (eat, water, diaper change, sleep, baby, car, cat, dog, mommy, daddy). Remember to ALWAYS say the word when you sign it so your signing does not replace the verbal. I know you are UK, but there is a fantastic ASL dictionary here:
http://www.babysignlanguagedictionary-mysmarthands.com/Baby_Sign_Language_Dictionary_-_My_Smart_Hands.html
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Kim - I printed out a chart with common signs and keep it on the fridge. It helps to remind me to do them throughout the day...and I've found once you get going it becomes natural.
DS just started doing "milk" recently and "more", although "more" is moreso clapping, so sometimes he does mean "more" other times he's just excited and claps! :)
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Kim - I printed out a chart with common signs and keep it on the fridge. It helps to remind me to do them throughout the day...and I've found once you get going it becomes natural.
Thank you so much! I think I will do this (thank you to Sarah, too!)!!
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K has started saying thanks ("ang") with the sign without prompting which is nice as I know he understandsthe context. I am considering what new signs to bring in...
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we got our first sign!!! Yay after about 6 months of signing the other day I said to him. Do you want a drink and he gave me his yes nod and I said, well, you know what, can you show me the sign for it....and he did! and has done since!
yay!
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oh that's wonderful, danni!!! It's such a good feeling :) :) He'll be building his vocab in no time now!
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Yay great news Chicane, he'll be doing more before you know it!
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Kim - you're very welcome :D
Yay Chicane, that's so exciting!!
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Hi everyone...
Going to jump on here since we do a bunch of signing over here but I'm interested to hear what others are doing as well.
:D
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I'm loving the smart hands dictionary..I've been going through one letter a day with Z..more for me to integrate more signing into her day. She's really building her vocab, and "more" is by far her favourite still. She still won't tell me she wants to eat or drink (quite possibly bc my daughter is never hungry!! *sigh*)
Rachel - do their actual words take a break while they increase their signing? I think my daughter prefers to sign..but still babbles a conversation and says "hol dis" etc..but she hasn't really started any new words.
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Not necessarily... but every kid is different. It wouldn't surprise me if it could happen... look at what happens when a kid learns to roll/stand/crawl and sleep goes out the window for a bit. I wouldn't be concerned at all, as long as the spoken word is still said every time, she's getting the exposure to the verbal language and that is what is so important now.
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hi,
the idea of sighning with a baby is new to me and sounds fasinating. i can't belive that preaty soon if i try this i will be able to comunicate with DD.
i have a few quistions please:
1. so this sign language that we use it is proper signs used by hard of hearing people, right?
2. in this case i should use hebrew signs wich i'm guesing evry language has differnt signs, right?
3. lo is 5 month, is this an apropriate time to start?
thank you
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Welcome to the world of signing!
To answer your questions..
1) It depends on your feeling on things. From my professional standpoint, yes, you use actual sign language (although others use "baby sign" which can be made up signs for babies and not necessarily used by deaf and hard of hearing).
2) You can use whatever sign language you want... if you are familiar with Hebrew sign language, go for it! There are tons of websites out here, here are a few to help you get started:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israeli_Sign_Language
http://deafness.about.com/od/internationalsignlanguage/tp/israelisignlanguage.htm
http://www.ehow.com/how_7366338_gesture-hebrew-alphabet.html
http://www.harriscomm.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=18791
3) Any time is a good time!
;D
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heeey Rachel? can I ask you a question...
Maybe I should PM, but maybe some other moms are interested.
I'm curious about learning to be an instructor. Just wondering if it's something I could do on the side? Is it time consuming? Sh
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Sarah - PM me with questions :-*
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Congrats on the signing chicane. I found K really picked up quickly when I started repeating myself a few times like "show me what you want" and when he points to it I say "do you want a drink?" and sign it and then I say "show me drink" and sign a few times until he attempts it and then I help his hand shape if it isn't quite right and say "well done, you want a drink" signing it again and then let him have it. He gets really rpoiud of himself. I wouldn't do it if he gets frustrated at all though. We learnt about 5 signs in 2 days like this.
We started closer to one than 5months reut, but wish I had started earlier, sure he would have picked it up before if I had.
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We're just back from my mom's house and Austin has quite a few new signs! Jacket, thank you, nodding his head for yes, and a couple more I can't remember at the moment. My brother is deaf so we grew up signing and my mom switches back into even more quickly than I do so he picked up a lot being with her! :D
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I taught K biscuit today. He is a bit sloppy with it but it is such fun to see him use new signs.
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hey all
we are doing well, we now have added baby, tree and car. He still will only do the signs when I ask him to do them...but he is understanding almost all the ones i do for him...its totally ace!
xo
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Yay great news, Keep at it ladies! x
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We're doing well, too. It's amazing how quickly he picks them up! He'll do a sign that I feel like I've done only a couple of times! :D I do still have to prompt him sometimes, but not as often.
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Cadan still doesn't do many signs, just two really bath and more. Normally in the mornings I take his nappy off and we sit on the pot then get in the bath but occasionally on lazy days we just change the nappy and go down for breakfast. The last few times I have changed his nappy first think he has done the sign for bath as if saying "bath now mummy".
His more is still a kind of clap rather than the proper sign but I'm sure it'll get more precise eventually.
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Hi, thought I would join in with this thread too. I've been signing to DS for quite some time (when I remember to, that is) and he can do "hat" and "milk", but only when I prompt him/show him. I'm not sure he understands what it is he is doing though. I have been showing him "eat", "water", "more", "all done", "dog" and "bird" but I don't see him paying any attention. Do I just keep showing him those few signs until he gets them and can show me without prompting, or do I introduce more signs? I'm not sure if he is that interested in signing to be honest, but is it like that until they 'get it'?
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Just keep on signing :) It is totally up to you if you want to add more signs. Starting with a few signs is for YOU, not the lo - they can handle seeing more at once, it's trying to remember to do them frequently that's the hard part ;)
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I'm not sure if he is that interested in signing to be honest, but is it like that until they 'get it'?
At the beginning I found I had to do a sign a bazillion times for him to get it and seem interested. But now he'll see a sign once and all of a sudden do it a couple of days later! My mom signed banana with him once over Christmas and now he will put something in his hands down so he can sign and say 'nana' at the same time!! ;)
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My lo took a really really long to sign. One day I did a new sign "baby" and she started signing from then on. She adds new signs every week. Just keep at it..promise it'll click!
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This morning when we went down into the kitchen to make breakfast I put DS down on the floor to start preparing his cereal and completely unprompted he did the food/eat sign! I responded with the same sign asking if he wanted something to eat and he did it again and got really excited that I knew what he was talking about. He then did the sign again when he finished his cereal and I said all gone. It was as if he was asking for more to eat. I asked him with the sign if he wanted more to eat and signed eat again. It is so exciting after me doing it for 7mo or so he is finally doing it back.
He now does eat, bath and more. I love it.
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yay!!! that's fantastic Ali!!
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And Cadan suddenly did the hot sign too when I was keeping him away from the oven saying it was hot. I told DH and he was like "yeah he did that at the weekend and I forgot to tell you"!!!
The eat sign was used several times today as well.
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Woo hoo! We are all steaming ahead. DS has finally started to sign unprompted! He's been doing heaps of them without me asking him to. Monkey, more, biscuit, hug, music...its so cool!
To those who are doubting or feeling frustrated - just keep at it, add new signs all the time, just do them as much as you can...they get there in the end and its so cool!
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does any one know what sign I could use for sultana/raisin?
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Just jumping in, I haven't read all the posts here, but I have been signing "milk," "diaper," and "all done" to my 4 month old for a while now, and with increasing consistency, and just started signing "more." I know it's still way too soon to see her signing, but when should I see her understanding signs? Is there anything I should be doing other than just consistently signing?
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There is a wide range of when kids will sign back, just like every thing else developmental. Just keep signing and saying the word, not much more you can do. :)
Looking into raisin for you.
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thanks Rachel!
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DS did thanks you today when his older cousin (who also does signing) gave him a balloon. He said "ta" and almost smacked himself in the mouth then pulled his hand away. He did it again later when I told him to thank his aunt for having us. So he understands it is associated with the word thanks. So cute. He is on fire lately!
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This describes raisin better than I can write it out! Basically the letter R tapping your hand. I'd say for an infant maybe just use your index finger since they won't be able to cross their finger but that's just me. ;)
http://www.signwithme.com/video_display.asp?ID=196
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Haven't looked at either, but here is a fellow sign instructor's answer
We do the same as grapes, except instead of tapping on the back of your hand with your fingertips, you use your "R" handshape. Kind of like this: http://www.signingsavvy.com/sign/raisin, but I don't flip the "R" over like he does--I just tap it from wrist to fingers
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thanks guys more great resources...do you think we should make a sticky for all the sign sites we've got?
DS is flying! He asked for more milk yesterday and keeps asking for biscuits (almost wish I hadn't taught him that one!)
He now is reading his books and doing some signs to the pictures - such as flower, car, monkey, a baby taking a bath and a baby eating a biscuit (no surprise there)
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Ali - thanks for the reminding me to teach my daughter 'thank you'. I've been so busy with the please and sorry (which is a bit tricky bc one is closed fist and the other is open hand) that I forgot thank you!
yay for your son, Danni :) Sounds brilliant.
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K is signing biscuit all the time lately. At playgroup yesterday he saw the biscuit tin and just did it and then he does signs 1 because he knows if he gets one I will say only 1. He does it the wrong way around though (palm forward instead of to him) and he leaves his thumb sticking out so it looks like the loser sign lol.
I am interested that even though he knows please and thank you are the same sign in bsl, he still says thanks verbally when he signs when asked to say please. He also signs when asked in english or swahili which amazes me they can get it so young.
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The whole thing is amazing. DS is going off! Just in one week he has added so many signs. He now does papa and toast and I've started showing him parts of the body and face. I showed him eyes once and he is pointing at pictures in his books then at his own eye! Way cool!
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keep it up ladies :-*
funny story - I was giving her spoonfuls of almond butter (yeah I know, but she doesn't eat much) and I took out the peanut butter and put it on the side. I asked her if she wanted more almond butter and she shook her head no and then did the sign for bear (kraft peanut butter has a bear on it) and then did the sign for more. So cute :)
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Hah, to all the folks who told me signing would stunt her language skills...whatever! She's 18 months and is putting 3 word sentences together, and telling people about her day and what's new in her world. She says, "Daddy broke. Mamma Fix." (that was about the bathroom remodel...DH did demolition, I install the new stuff). Also, "Mamma sit bum. Growl sit bum. Evvie sit bum." That's mama sits on her bum, teddy bear sits on his bum, Evvie sits on her bum. And a whole bunch of other stuff she says all day every day.
So here's to you and your speech delays due to signing....pffffft!
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amazing!
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Sounds like all is steaming a head here ladies - well done! Like Muddyfeet I've heard from everyone that I'm hindering their language development .. . . . . .what a crock! My two can say loads more than their peers and their comprehension is amazing and I put this down 100% to signing so keep at it girlies!
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That is good speaking Muddyfeet. K has said a few 3 word sentances but does not use them regularly. He has probably close to 100 words at 19MO though so the sign certainally hasn't stunted his language. Biscuit still has to be the favourite sign with us at the moment. K also points to the parts of the face and body but I hadn't thought about that as signs previously.
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any one got a sign for avocado?
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Asking about it :-*
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Avacado:
Holding both your hands in the "a" hand shapes, slice along your fist where your fingers meet your palm, with the thumb of your other "a" hand.
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We've got
poo!
lion! (with appropriate sound effects)
tiger!
all in one day!
woo hoo!
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Cadan did a straining face today and my sister asked him if he was doing a poo and he did the potty sign! He did it a few times after when I asked him if he needed the potty so he definitely knows what it is. All I need now if for him to start doing it before the event.
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I spoke to a speech therapist yesterday at our local play group and asked about signing. She said it only delays speech if you stop talking and sign instead but shouldn't if you are still talking to baby as much as if you weren't signing. That's good news.
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hey guys :)
Anyone know the sign for "dirty" or "vacuum cleaner" :)
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Hey Sarah
The Americans do dirty with palm facing down under chin and wiggling fingers. The brits do it by rubbing flat palms together. We do a scrunched up nose and a shake of the head. check out these links
http://www.signingsavvy.com/sign/dirty
http://www.itvbabysign.com/video-sign-guide
Don't know about vacuum cleaner...we dont have carpet so don't have one...you could hold your hand in a c shape and push (like you were pushing the vacuum cleaner?)
I am looking for something for pasta...anyone got anything?
x
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Here is pasta Chicane.
http://www.bda.org.uk/Pasta-i-251.html
Sorry couldn't find vacuum. But I agree it would make sense to just mine using one.
My BSL teacher (only level 1 - I'm rubbish) used to rub the back of his other hand for dirty. I think there are regional variations just to complicate things.
Cadan is now consistently doing more, potty, thankyou, bath and eat (his favourite). I never seems to stop doing eat. I'm sure sometimes he uses it as a delaying tactic when I say we have to go to bed. Makes me feel like he is always hungry poor boy.
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thanks Ali,
Isaac keeps confusing thank you with blowing kisses...very cute.
He's got so many new signs coming everyday I can't keep up. Going to write a list in my diary of what he's got so far.
Is anyone finding that it gets hard to decipher some of the signs LO does...ie. some of the signs are quite similar and Isaac doesn't yet have the hand control for them all...so for example sometimes I can't tell if he is doing more or fork...kwim?
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We don't really have that many signs for them to be getting confused yet. Just what I listed above that Cadan does plus drink and sleep I think. And I introduced egg today. I also do pee pee and poop but not that much.
Funny about the blowing kisses. Cadan looks like he smacks himself in the mouth rather than pulling his hand away! And he says "ta" with it so I know what the sign means anyway.
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Thanks Danni, Ali :)
I do the backwards C and just move it back and forth ;D Great minds ;)
Thanks for the dirty! oo and thanks for pasta!
My lo can't do most signs properly. Butterfly she almost does like a bear but she moves her fingers up and down so I know she means that. She does shoes like more and she does more clapping ::) At least we know what they mean ;D Sometimes she makes a sign that I don't even know what she's trying to say. eeps.
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Yay, finally! About 3 weeks ago I showed DS the sign for "cracker" and he did it straight back to me (only he does it by pointing and tapping his wrist with his index finger). Since then he has been consistently signing it when I ask him if he wants a cracker. He now signs "milk" when I say milk, and "hat" if I say it too. And he gives me a high five when I ask for it. So it's all coming along, although I do a bunch of signs consistently but he doesn't do them yet. I guess when he is ready he will, but I feel so much more motivated now ;D
Thanks, ladies. Every time someone updates this thread I am so eager to read who LOs are progressing - really encouraging!
Lien :-*
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Hey Lien! That's great news....how cool is it? I found that once he got those first few signs it really took off. Now i notice when I show him a new thing in a book he really concentrates on the sign I an doing and tries to do it almost straight away. He doesn't remember them straight away, of course, but it doesn't take long.
I will often modify a sign to make it easier for him. So, for example the sign for toast was a bit hard si i changed it to sliding a my right palm across my left...make sense?
We are doing a mix of American, British and Australian signs and a few i've made up!
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Hi ladies! I'm hoping to join you! We starting signing about a month ago. I like to pretend he does the sign for more, but really I think he just likes to put his hands together whe. He's eating lol! How long did it take before your lo's started signing back?
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We started signing at 6mo and it was around a year I think that we got "more" back. (Cadan also does more as a clap Sarah).
It has only been the last month or so that the other signs have come in. I think it depends on when you start (if they are very young it seems to take longer for them to sign back..?) and how consistent you are. So they are more likely to sign back sooner if they see the sign several times a day rather than once every now and then yk?
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We started around 9 months and only got out first sign back at around 14 months...but what I found is that he was understanding the signs I was doing to him well before he started to sign back. Then one day I asked if he wanted a drink and he nodded yes and I said 'Well, can you do the sign for me?' and he did it! I also occasionally help his hands into the different shapes, that seems to get the sign to stick quicker. Consistency (seems like a buzz word round these parts!) is key, it takes a while for you to become proficient at remembering to do the signs, and you'll have some points where you will think its never going to happen but it will, there is no doubt about that.
And when it does its amazing, we rarely have any communication problems like some of my friends with their kids. And I truly believe that DS experiences far less frustration then other kids cause he can tell me what he wants. I also find that i talk normally to DS, I tell him what's going on in quite a lot of detail and now we are at the point where I can hand him a tissue and ask him to wipe his nose and he does it all on his own (he's 16 months now) or ask him to put something on the table and he will. I am not sure if the signing has anything to do with that but it must help with overall comprehension...
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does anyone have anything i could do for mandarin? DS is loving them at the moment and keeps asking but its been difficult to know what he wants...I could just use orange but that could get confusing
x
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you could ask him to sign it and see what he does? DS has made a few of his own signs (like "music", turning his hand, like he does when he turns the music volume up!!!) - or sign "baby" "orange"?
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great idea...going to try it.
thanks!
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Love the baby orange idea.
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Chicane-We just signed orange, but then, mandarins are pretty much all we gave him in that category, so it wasn't confusing. If you do regular oranges too, the I love the baby orange idea!
Amy-I started signing to DS at 6 months and at 13 months he finally signed back....We did the standard eating signs (milk, all done, more etc) but once I knew he understood them (even though he didn't sign back...like he would come crawling over when I signed milk, or open his mouth when I signed more) I started adding more signs. I found the first sign he signed back was something really important to him, which happened to be "outside". For my DD we started with the same 3 eating signs, but the first thing she signed back was kitty. Either way, once they got going it snowballed and they were both signing a dozen words within another month. Good luck! Nothing is better than finally being able to communicate!
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Thanks everyone! So glad to hear it has been such a positive experience for everyone! I love the baby orange idea! So yesterday T really started doing the more sign for real. He did everyone he wanted more food or I said more. There was no mistaking it. We try all done, but he is trying to say it instead of sign- which is fine with me. He only makes d sounds so he says ah da. Very similar to dada and baba(bye-bye). I would think he would get all the food signs first because that is when I sign the most. We have great eye contact and he is watching my every move. The rest of the day he is moving too fast to catch his eye lol! So excited to be communicating! I've tried the milk sign, but he already has his own signal for bfing- he whines until I pick him up then he turns horizontal and gets into position lol! It is clear as day :P
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i started a sign for BFing too but DS had his own ideas...he now sticks his tongue in and out when its bf time...so i started doing it too!
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that is too funny. I always just sign milk for bf.
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I just pat my chest for BF and Cadan does it too when I pick him up.
Cadan has also started doing the sleep sign when I tell him it is sleepy time.
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K started signing potty from 10months think we prob started around 6mo. It was about 13 months before he had several signs.
Hoover in my sign book is a fist like holding a small hand held hoover and moving forwards and back. pasta is like both hands in the v shape and lifting up like dishing up spaghetti with 2 forks. We also do dirty right palm rubbing back of left hand. That is K's most recent sign. I am running out of new sign ideas cos K is saying so much now. When do you stop? I guess for harder words. We also use the same sign for all types of orange fruit. We don't really do the big ones though - too hard to peel.
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My sister did signing with both her girls and they just phased it out themselves when they knew enough words. So I guess just keep going and K will stop doing them when he's ready. Interestingly, the signs would come back if my niece was tired or sometimes just out of the blue, and when her sister was born and ready to start signing she remembered them all and helped teach her little sister! So cute.
If your LO modifies a sign (eg. biscuit is palm on elbow but DS does palm on wrist) do you guys continue with the original sign or adopt your LOs modified sign?
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I just continue with what I was doing. So the original sign. She doesn't do cracker (knocking on elbow) but instead does some sort of knocking on her arm. She also does soooo many signs a little off but I just continue to do it the way I learned it as I'd get so confused with all the variations.
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Do the original sign. They think they are doing the sign correctly, the way you do it. If you change it to be the way he is doing it, it will confuse them.
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I found that DS did some signs "wrongly" but as his dexterity improved he got them right .... I suppose it's the same as the advice not to copy how your LO is saying a word (eg if they say "bo bo" instead of "bottle", they think they are saying "bottle" so get confused if you then call it a "bo bo") ...
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Ditto, we always continue to sign the "correct" way. Just like a mispronounced word, I'd repeat back: "Oh, you want a cracker?" signing it correctly.
We continued to sign with DS a long time and added more signs even as he was building a verbal vocabulary. Once he started to constantly say a word we just sort of lost the sign, though they also came back for him (sometimes easier than us) when we started signing with #2. He is excited about teaching our new baby signs. :D
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DS is 2 and still signs words that we don't understand when he says them .... I am always amazed at how many he remembers (he knows at least 50!) even though we don't actively use them. Looking forward to seeing how he and LO2 sign together - maybe a secret language for them???
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It's only a secret if you don't know the signs too, so better brush up, lol ;D
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I think that's sooo sweet - when an older sibling teaches their younger sibling? that's precious.
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I can't believe I am so proud EVERY time DS does a sign - I guess because he has only just started signing I just find it amazing ;D
In the weekend I was getting ready for us to go out and I walked into the room wearing my hat. He looked up at me and signed "hat". I had his hat in my hand so I put that on him - of course he took it off again since he doesn't like wearing it inside ::).
We went to the supermarket and when I got to the checkout DS was getting a bit agitated in the trolley so I took him out and was carrying him in one arm while I put the groceries on the counter. When I put a packet of his crackers on the counter he let go of me and signed "cracker" and said "ca ca". I was so very proud of him indeed!
I praise him a lot when he signs - actually we praise him a lot in general regardless of what he does :P (I know, first time parents who are extremely gushy). DS doesn't actually sign a heck of a lot; he isn't into eating or drinking anything (including his milk) so he has never asked for anything except crackers, and milk a few times. When he drinks milk he will sign as he is drinking it. I sign "fruit" to him but he doesn't do that yet. He loves turning lights on/off and his sign is to point at the light although I show him the proper sign. He loves birds and points at them too even though I have been signing "bird" for ages to him. He also loves dogs but has never shown an interest in signing the word. When he sees birds or dogs he is just mesmerized and doesn't look at me so doesn't see the signs. Anyway, I'll keep persevering and see what happens.
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Lien - you will find that randomly one day he will sign "dog" and other things - he is taking them in. I had given up signing dog as he wasn't interested, just pointed, but a couple of months later he randomly signed it when seeing a dog! It was so exciting!!
DS's first real sign was "light" - he is now over 2 and I still get excited when he signs!!
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Me too, my two are nearing two and one of them talks ALOT but I still love every single sign they do. We were in the doc's waiting room today and one of them was next to a fake plant and he was touching the leaves and signing Pretty Tree, Like Leaves even though he could say it out loud, he was saying it in private for me- too cute!
definatley second that sometimes you think they will never get a sign and then one day they just do it, this happen loads with one of the boys.
My two also sign to each other loads, me and DH obviously understand it but no one else does haha!
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I will sign more with no 2 so I hadn't thought about K signing to him too. That will be cute. Will def keep it up then.
I also keep the original sign if K gets it wrong. Sometimes I guide his hands into the right sign and he quickly corrects it from then on. As someone says he thinks he is getting it right so to change confuses him and if I don't correct he may not realise he is doing it wrong.
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Cadan always get the potty sign wrong but when I try to guide his hands he just laughs at me. LOL.
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anyone know a good sign for lovey?
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hmmm...what about something similar to hug? Or rubbing your arm? Kind of like as if you were patting an animal?
We have had amazing progress. Yesterday i went in to get Isaac after his nap and he told me that he had a poo and needed to change his nappy! And this morning at morning tea time, I hadn't even made a move to fix him his snack, he asked for strawberry yoghurt, totally unprompted!
cool!
Can anyone think of something I could use for muesli bar?
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how do you all differentiate between the various grandparents?
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how do you all differentiate between the various grandparents?
My teacher said use sign after grandparent that's relevant (eg if one reads books to you LO add book sign ... or use 1st letter of their name using sign alphabet ....
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I never thanked you, Danni, for your suggestion :) I'll try something like that..maybe patting my arm...hmm
hven't done signs for grandparents yet!
We've got two word signs - more milk, swimming diapers...it's so lovely :)
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Thanks Lucy, and no problem Sarah...last night DH and I counted the signs Isaac has...we now have a grand total of 37 signs! Amazing! The other day he also said the word more out loud!
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Cadan is now making up his own signs. He mimes dipping food when he wants us to dip a biscuit in tea or pitta in houmous or toast in boiled egg. So cute.
He does seem to get a little confused sometimes though and his signs for drink and banana (which we do like peeling a banana skin) look very similar. Plus he seems to do it for food in general sometimes and says the word juice when he does it for drink or eat. He has stopped doing the eat sign lately. I will have to be more consistent to help him with the difference I think.
Everyone thought he was so clever at playgroup yesterday when he was signing thank you for some food another mum gave him.
DH is always asking me what the sign for things are as he is really getting into teaching Cadan new signs when he is spending time with him. It's lovely.
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K does that too. He is speaking so well now though I can't keep up with the signs. I am trying to sign things he finds hard to say.
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DS started signing about a month ago. Yay! He knows how to do dog, more, all done and recognizes potty, milk and bath. I am wondering which ones to do next. Which have you found most helpful?
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Hey bmum - its fantastic when they first start. I found that once he got the first few signs he was picking them up super quick so we just started to do everything at once. Useful ones to add are drink/thirsty, eat, sleep, poo, nappy, book...you can also add musical instruments, animals, hear, different fruits (banana, apple, pear etc) Really, sky is the limit. DS has over 60 signs and has started to speak, he has also started to recognise letters and sound out simple words - I am not sure if this is early or standard but I think the signing has really helped develop his language skills and helped us avoid so many potential tantrums
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Thanks for the ideas! It is great once they start!
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Hi ladies, once again I am behind the times. ::)
I never did signs with T but then never felt I needed to since he was so easy to understand, even before he spoke. I hadn't given it much thought with F but now I am thinking he could really benefit from signing since he gets frustrated easily. Is it too late to start do you think? He is 13mos. Also, where can I find the basics? That's all I really want anyway, you know 'more', 'finished', 'milk', that sort of thing.
I won't be running to the store to buy any books or videos, or signing up for any workshops anytime soon. But do want to know where/how to get started on my own. :)
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Hey martina - no its not too late! In fact, I think its a good age to start, he'll pick it up really quick. Don't buy anything, you don't need to there is so much online. I use a mix of American, British and Australian depending on which sign is easier to do. Check out these links
http://www.signingsavvy.com/sign/bread
http://www.itvbabysign.com/video-sign-guide
http://commtechlab.msu.edu/sites/aslweb/browser.htm
there's lots on youtube too...
yay!
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Hi - I'm just seeing this thread and have also been thinking about trying to sign with DS. Martina, we are in the same boat. S is 14 months old and I just decided that maybe this was a good idea. He is very easily frustrated also. He is babbling, but no words yet, so I think it could help us.
One question - did anyone feel like signing delayed their LO's speech at all? I had read that it could somewhere (because once they sign they don't feel the need to speak). I'm assuming that's not the case since so many people are doing and just wanted to see what you all thought. Thanks!
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Hey Nicole,
The things I have read are that signing actually aids language development. My sister swears that it was the signing that has helped her daughters become so articulate at such a young age (4 and 7) My DS is 20 months and words are coming on thick and fast, at least 2 or 3 new words a day at the moment. Sometimes he does the sign and the word together. I think because he already has a familiarity with the word (the connection to the sound I make and the sign we both make) allows him to practice saying it much quicker. From my own experience and what I witnessed with my nieces I have to say the signing has been so beneficial for so many reasons - the first one being the lack of frustration induced tantrums!
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Thanks Chicane! Will check out those links today. Can't wait to get started. F has no words and doesn't even seem close to getting any. T didn't have any until 18mos either so I'm not surprised! But F gets very angry if I don't understand what he wants. so hopefully signs will help. :)
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That was the age (just after 1) when K really started signing back and picking up signs quickly so I agree it is not too late and infact is just about right. It really helps esp when K is getting annoyed and crying - he can still sign at the same time but not talk.
There are loads of good links t/o this thread for signs and google is good if you are looking for one in particular.
K is talking loads for his age putting 4 words together often and has been doing three since before 18mo and I also think the signing has helped. He still uses the signs now he can say most things to some extent.
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What do you ladies find are the most useful signs to know?
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when I was starting out I found the most useful to begin with were more, drink, eat, change nappy (poo, wee) then as we moved on it was shoes, walk, sleep....I guess the signs to do with basic needs and functions is a good place to start. We are at the point now where isaac can make sentences with his signs...ie. papa cooking rice, or baby sleeping...its pretty cool
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I would go with whatever you find yourself saying most on a daily basis. Hungry and thirsty are good. K still cant say those now so signs are really helpful.
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Thanks, Chicane! He has been getting REALLY frustrated lately because he can't communicate so I think the signs will really help. And that would make sense that signing might aid language development. I'm going to check out those links.
Thanks, ladies!
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Jakobs 17m and has a ?short soft palate and so is very nasal and lots of his words sound the same. we have always done please/thankyou/ sorry which he does 8/10 times. but he has never picked up 'eat' and doesnt consistently use 'drink' which we did from a very early age (and i think we have fizzled them out over the last 3 months tbh)
he can also do fish! essential!
i really need motivating to get back to it as im guessing his frustration is going to take off over the next 3 months, he grabs my hand and points and generally makes himself understood. im just being lazy really!
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Sounds like J is desperate to sign so consider yourself kicked up the butt J's mommy!
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I agree if he is already using gestures so much he may do great with signing.
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even if he isn't signing some of them back he will be taking them in - I used to be amazed that Murray "wasn't interested" in some signs, like "dog" then months later would see a dog and sign "dog"!; it certainly doesn't do any harm! We ended up doing most signs that were of interest rather than necessity (eg light, animals, etc more than routine words/phrases like "get dressed")
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'ow'! thanks for that....back to the library for those signing books again then! i think im going to try some food and animals again. what do you do for signing if they are poorly/hurt etc and when would you do it? would you practice with a toy or something so they were prepared for when they actually felt ill?
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I did the sign for ouch (touching the two pointer fingers together) anytime DS fell over or hit his head or something and also if someone else hurt themselves. He's never used it but he did understand the meaning, now he just says the word ouch...don't know if that helps at all. Our words are coming on thick and fast but the signs are still being used daily...
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Hello ladies....I plan on signing with DS as we did it with my younger sister and even at 10 years old, I was amazed! When is the best time to start? 6 months?
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You can start any time! It's more about YOU getting into the habit ;) :-*
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We started at around 9 months and it wasn't until around 11.5 - 12 months that he started to sign back, however, at around 10 months he was understanding the meanings of the signs...so as Rachel says, I think as soon as they can sit up and look at you you can start signing, it just takes more of a wait until they get control over their hands to start signing back, and yeah, its about getting into the habit, I found it didn't take long at all for it to become second nature...
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We started signing about 9mo and by 10mo k was using more and pot well so definitely starting sooner rather than later to get full benefit.
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So we started today! I'm just doing "breastfeeding" right now. So fun!! Do any of you use "no" for when they do something they're not supposed to? I thought maybe using that for when he bites me after pulling him off?
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We started around 9 mths with Meg and she is the most AMAZING signer ever. She is 12 mths now and she knows a TON of signs :). Her first were sleep, milk, and rabbit (her lovey), but she learns them very very fast. DS was a fab signer as well - we started at 12 mths with him and he learnt pretty fast from there.
Starting early is great but just don't get disillusioned if they don't catch on until nearer age 1 when their motor control is better. They will get it and it is a fabulous tool to communicate with.
Watch out for them signing stuff different to what you teach as well - it often won't be perfect but it doesn't matter as long as you both know what it is - and if you recognise it and praise etc it reinforces it far better than trying to teach the correct way iyswim??
I also agree that signs that they are interested in are easier to teach than ones that may be 'useful'. You need to capture their attention with it first.
I swear Megan thinks if she waves her arms about I know what she is saying. She definately knows that waving arms communicates things.
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So...."sleep" and "breastfeed" are very similar motions. Do you find another sign that has a similar meaning if two motions are similar? I thought of using "eat" instead but won't that get confusing once he's actually eating solids?
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I'm not sure what signs you are using but we use 2 different ones. Sleep is hand cupped on side of head and we use milk for feeding which is like milking a cow with a thumb and fore finger pulling down.
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Hi Ladies, I am interested in signing with my 8 month old and I have a question for you all :)
Can this work if you do this, but DH doesn't (I haven't yet mentioned to DH but I can see him maybe being to lazy to make the effort) or do you both have ot be on board as to not confuse your LO in that sometimes their signs are not responded too. Also, do other family members ie grandparents need to be in the loop if your LO are staying there, or will they know that signing is between you and them...does this make any sense!
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I'm the only one who really signs to k even though my mum and dh have him when i work. I think as long as you tell them what the signs mean they can respond. They all think it is clever and want to understand even if they dont sign back to k. I would do it anyway for sure.
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I agree - you just need to make sure other people know what the LO is saying - they don't necessarily need to sign to them.
Remember you always SAY the word at the same time as the sign so that the LO develops language comprehension at the same time.
My DH has never signed to my 2, and they are both amazing signers. But he does recognise all the signs they actually do so he does respond to their needs. I just keep pointing them out to him - and he takes great pride in his clever little girl even though he doesn't take part in the teaching process iyswim?
Actually my Mum has always been the main teacher to both my LOs!
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For milk we do 'milking a cow' action, for breast feed I rub my boob! for sleep its hand to side of head and tilt head. I found that using a mix of Australian, British and American signs helped when choosing which signs would work best, some of the US ones I thought would be a bit difficult for little fingers so would choose another one and vice versa...we also made up a few of our own...
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Hi guys, dd is almost 10 months and I would really like to do some signs with her. There are no classes where I live....is there a cheat sheet that I can download from somewhere with a few signs on it or am I best off buying a book?
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I'm on my phone so cant put then now but if you look back though the thread or possible the one before this there are lots of great websites where you can learn signs. They are better than books as you can see videos rather than 2d pictures.
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I put some websites up on the previous page...or the one before...there's lots of resources online, we never went to classes and DS ended up having over 60 signs.
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I started learning by frequenting www.mysmarthands.com to get all the basic signs - there is a vast dictionary there. TBH though if you need a sign for a word I find google will always find it for me :)
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Thanks will have a look downloaded a baby sign app !
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So have been doing about 10 different signs, just wondering what the time frame is for dd to start doing them, I know every child is different....are we talking months? weeks?
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Oh we're talking months! We started at around 10 months and DS made his first sign (after I asked him to do it) at around 12-13 months and then really got going with it around 16 months. It can sometimes seem futile but its not at all, once they do that first sign the others come rolling in super fast and it saves you a whole lot of heartache and tantrums trying to work out what they want when they can just tell you with their hands.
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Ok that is good to know....will keep at it! I actually enjoy doing it! Is there a limit in the amount of signs I should introduce?
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Is there a limit in the amount of signs I should introduce?
Nope! Just sign whatever you feel is useful ... but don't try to sign whole sentences, etc - just the key words. At one stage before Murray was talking much he could sign over 50!!
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Forgot to mention something I found/find useful. When I used to ask him how to sign something (as in getting him to show other people what signs he uses,etc) I always said "how do you sign ..., rather than "how do you say ..." etc so that he learnt that signing was signing! Recently he has started comparing signs - he signed "finished" then realised it was similar to "sit down" so was going from one to the other, signing and saying them! He also makes his own signs up :)
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Same here Lucy except i say 'what's the sign for...' DS is also making up a few of his own. Its fascinating to see how he now knows he can use his hands to communicate. So when he sees something or does something new he can almost always figure out a sign for it without any help from me! Eg. sunglasses - made up his own, and sitting down...
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Quote from: *Amy* on Today at 08:08:08 AM
Is there a limit in the amount of signs I should introduce?
Nope! Just sign whatever you feel is useful ... but don't try to sign whole sentences, etc - just the key words.
That's good to know, Lucy. This one website said to only start with 5 main signs and I thought that doesn't really make sense since we don't start with just speaking 5 words? And they also don't say when to start introducing more signs. So, I like the way you think!
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You never know what signs will capture their interest - definitely doesn't do any harm signing lots (as long as you remember to say the word too, and not just only sign!!). Often they will not sign a certain word and MONTHS later will suddenly do it - it's amazing what they store.
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I agree do lots of signs. Deaf people Will sign to babies like we speak with all the words so there is no reason why not. K was using peter signs before 1 and we only started a couple moths before.
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What are peter signs KM?
Maybe that website was thinking it would be easier for the parent to start with 5 signs and build up...?
We started signing at 6mo and DS signed back his first sign at 12mo then about a month later he was doing about 20 signs. Like he just got it and ran with it.
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Who knows what peter signs are. Funny enough my sign tutor was a peter. I meant several and was on my phone so predictor text gone wrong.
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The reason 5 (or so) signs are recommended at first is for YOUR benefit. It's hard to remember to sign (and speak) those frequent words every time, so if you limit yourself to just a few, you have a greater chance at remembering to do them. If you take on the whole vocab at once, you may forget, and the more they see a sign, the sooner they will pick it up.
As someone said, deaf people sign all the time, baby is cool with that ;)
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Well I have only really been doing 3 signs with F - more, milk, and all done. And he has been signing all 3 back to me! We only started a few weeks ago. I need to remember to incorporate more signs in. Last week we went to a short baby signing class at the Early Years Centre. They pretty much just showed a dvd, and we didn't make it through the whole thing because T got impatient, but still got to learn a few. We're going again tomorrow. I'm so impressed that he has picked them up already. :)
Oh and T is doing the signs too which is really cute. I never signed with him, but it's still kinda cool to see him doing them now.
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Martina - FYI if you go back a few pages i posted up some sites where you can look up hundreds of signs...
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Just wanted to add that T is picking up lots of signs right now! I just introduced please and help, and he is attempting both already. He has said several new words in the last few days too. So fun to see him picking up things so quickly! I need to learn a few more to teach him lol!
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Chicane, I did check out some of those. I also borrowed a book from my chiropractor's lending library. But hundreds is a little out of my league at the moment, so I'm just sticking to the basics. ;)
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Martina - basics is good. You'll be surprised in the end how many varied signs you both pick up once you get into the swing.
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We had our little class this morning which was fun, actually T is doing really well with the signing! I know lots now, it's just I forget to use them so will have to try harder.
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I think 'more' will be dd's first one...it seems to be the one we use most often lol
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Yes, more was DS first one too. Followed by biscuit!
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Followed by biscuit!
Don't teach them any signs you don't want them to know! I deliberately didn't teach Murray the sign for biscuit, etc as I was advised initially when they sign to give them what they want to teach them that signing actually gets them what they want! I kept to the generic "food" sign instead so I could choose what to offer him ;)
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I agree do not teach them biscuit! K and his 2 cousins all know it and they ask for it alot and they sign to each other like "do you want one?" then we have 3 toddlers all asking for biscuits. There is a biscuit tin at playgroup and K will see it come out from across the room and start signing to me from the top of the slide.
The speach therapist was at playgroup yesterday and I was worried that K's saying words in the wrong order (e.g. car, get, me instead of me get the car) might be from the signing, but she said that they only worry about that at 3yo so at 2yo it is perfectly normal. Phew.
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I agree do not teach them biscuit! K and his 2 cousins all know it and they ask for it a lot and they sign to each other like "do you want one?" then we have 3 toddlers all asking for biscuits.
LOL. Agreed!
Cadan has started doing his own sign for finished even though I have never taught him one and he can say it. Although it sounds more like "oosh" which incidentally is how he says shoes too so it is handy that he has a little sign to accompany it when it means finished. For a while I was like "no, you don't need shoes. We're not going outside". LOL.
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Never thought of that lol ok will just do food!
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Ah! Wish I'd figured that one out. Well, I've just stopped buying biscuits and now when he signs it I give him a cracker. he was a little confused at first but has accepted it without trouble.
To be honest I don't think getting word order wrong is from the signing - my friends son get word order wrong all the time and they didn't do signs. It sounds pretty normal to me. DS does get word order wrong but I thought it probably had more to do with being semi-bilingual than signing (in Spanish the noun usually comes before the adjective etc)
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On the other hand, teaching a wide variety of foods will help if your child wants a snack and you pop him in his high chair and hand him some yogurt, but he prefers cheese at that time. Instead of an outright refusal of yogurt and eating, he can tell you cheese instead, kwim?
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On the other hand, teaching a wide variety of foods will help if your child wants a snack and you pop him in his high chair and hand him some yogurt, but he prefers cheese at that time. Instead of an outright refusal of yogurt and eating, he can tell you cheese instead, kwim?
that's a good point - I guess didn't consider it as Murray was happy eating anything! I suppose you teach them signs you want them to know and avoid the treat ones!
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On the other hand, teaching a wide variety of foods will help if your child wants a snack and you pop him in his high chair and hand him some yogurt, but he prefers cheese at that time. Instead of an outright refusal of yogurt and eating, he can tell you cheese instead, kwim?
that's a good point - I guess didn't consider it as Murray was happy eating anything! I suppose you teach them signs you want them to know and avoid the treat ones!
Oh yes. I just meant I agreed that I regret teaching Cadan biscuit as I now have to deal with requests for them and I don't really like him to have them. It is definitely worth teaching a variety of other foods so they can communicate with you about what they want.
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Interesting about the bilingual as K is too but The SLT actually said it is a perfectly normal developmental phase at 2yr and up to 3yrs even. Saying that since I have asked K seems to have stopped doing it much at all - maybe he heard me!
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This might be a silly question, but how do I know if LO is (finally!) signing milk or just playing with her hand? Or overgeneralizing? She does it a lot now in her high chair and I've been getting her out and nursing her when she does, but maybe she just means food? Or nothing at all and I'm just extra excited? LOL
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signs become clearer as their dexterity improves so she may be signing :) Murray used to clap whenever I changed his nappy (around 6 months old) and it was only when he started signing "light" I realised that the clapping was actually the "change" sign!!
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I keep meaning to ask do you guys still sign while you are reading?
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I did :)
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Yes I did sign while reading then once DS became more proficient at signing I would ask him to show me the sign for various things in the books we were reading, now days we don't sign while reading.
Anyone miss the signs as LOs start talking. I loved my DSs sign for monkey but now he says the word he doesn't do the sign anymore, boo hoo
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I love when k does that too. I do miss his signs now he is talking well.
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I do miss his signs now he is talking well.
Me too! We're not really signing at all over here anymore. I miss it. Can't wait to start with Miss Grace - soon for sure!
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Over here too. DS can say so many words I don't even bother with teaching him any new signs. He stills signs a few of the core words that he started out with even though he says them too (I think it is so ingrained that he just automatically associates the item with the sign). I love the signing so much and am sad to see them slowly disappearing. I was on the mysmarthands site and Laura the founder encourages everyone to keep signing even when the kids can talk. Do any of you do that? Is there any point?
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I guess its a good idea because I really think it helps build vocab...but we haven't done any new signs either, maybe i will...
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I'm going to keep signing with DS when he's talking, as I think it will be very useful if he's unwell and has a sore throat and can't talk - at least he can tell me what he wants then ;)
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Or if you're in a crowded room and want to have a private conversation!
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If you need to tell them something across the room, it's great... or if you see them doing the pee-pee dance, you can ask them if they need to use the potty without embarrassing them ;)
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Or if you're in a crowded room and want to have a private conversation
It's also good when they are a bit older and you want to tell them something without shouting - Murray is very active and when he is being silly when we are out somewhere I just need to sign "sad" to him and he knows that what he is doing is making me sad, so he "should" stop (shame he often then shouts out "Mummy sad"! ::) ). It's also useful for "sit down","come here" and "don't touch", etc
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I was on the mysmarthands site and Laura the founder encourages everyone to keep signing even when the kids can talk. Do any of you do that? Is there any point?
I don't but I think about how I should. I grew up signing (as my brother is deaf) and I do think it helped my language development as I was always ahead. On a somewhat related note, I also read at 3 as everything in my house was labeled to help my brother, who was 5 at the time. I'm thinking of adding back signing and some signs as well!
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At My Smart Hands, we teach classes to babies, toddlers and preschoolers. There is research out there that links signing and IQ and spelling.
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We have started signing with our books and it is prompting me to learn more signs. I find it hard to do full sentences as i want to say it in English but if i sign i am tempted to use bsl grammar. What do you do with sentences? Kate how did that work with your db?
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We didn't use correct grammar :-[ Didn't really get to know the language until later. Mostly we put 2 words together, but no more than that... like "momma eat" and "kitty sleep". But you would say "Momma is eating" and "Kitty is sleeping".
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Kate how did that work with your db?
Well I'm actually old enough that I learned SL before ASL/BSL was really around! So we all learned Signed English and now we kind of do a modified SE/ASL thing. I never really took the time to fully get the hang of the ASL grammar. So it didn't really affect my brother. My mom was a SL interpreter in a school, though, and she saw a lot of kids who had a lot of trouble with grammar. Not surprising when you learn to speak one way but you're expected to read and write in an entirely different fashion! I think with Austin I'll basically stick to SE, maybe drop the little words (the, etc) to make things more efficient.
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We have started signing with our books and it is prompting me to learn more signs. I find it hard to do full sentences as i want to say it in English but if i sign i am tempted to use bsl grammar. What do you do with sentences? Kate how did that work with your db?
The course I did said the point of the baby signing was to teach main vocab and allow them to communicate, rather than teach them to sign iykwim? Of course, if you know how to sign completely then it would be great to do that and help them become bi-lingual.
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I just sign each of the main words in the sentence as I say them. So if I was asking if he wanted to eat I would just sign "eat" and "want" and ignore the other words. I only started doing want much later so to start off I was just signing the word eat but saying the whole sentence in English.
Although I have done a BSL level 1 qualification I am not trying to teach my DS BSL and I'm not good enough for that anyway.
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I have basic training in bsl so it is automatic to sign the words in a different order but i Will stick with signed English as my bsl isn't good enough to teach it as a 3rd language. How do you sign when reading. Do you just use 1 hand?
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I just do the main words too. Its a juggle with the book and hands etc. usually I try to rest the book on our laps or a cushion on my lap after a while DS could hold most of the books and 'help' me
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hello everyone - please help guide us! I have been doing some signing since he was 6 months - eat, all done, milk, more...but I have gotten no response!! he doesn't seem to associate the actions either (we are not 12 months) I also try to do hand of hand to guide him, but he gets made a pulls away. any advice? I will continue on, but it is very frustrating. also, what is your favorite resource for signing? we are in the states.
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Emily, I would just keep signing and saying the word. One day it will just click and he will start doing them back to you. We did the signs from 6mo and got our first back about 12mo. Only today someone was commenting on how cute it was that he signed please when he was asking for food.
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Same, we started at 9 months and it took AGES to get a sign back. One day I just asked him can you show me the sign for that and he did it! I was so shocked. After the first one they came on pretty quick. Be patient, it will come.
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Emily, To learn more individual signs, have you found www.signingsavvy.com yet? I really enjoy that website. Also, for your LO to use, there is an old VHS tape called Talking Hands that my ds learned from. One tip I can offer, is to ask them to sign back to you a lot. I used one specific phrase with both my children and it prompted them to sign. It was "Can you sign ________?" So simple, yet VERY effective! And I only did it with maybe 5 or 6 words at a time. If they can't sign it yet, YOU sign it, and then (if it doesn't bother them) form their hand(s) into the sign. :)
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We've been watching a tv show called something special in which they sign. It's actually am educational show aimed at young kids with learning disabilities but Cadan loves it. He always signs back the new words they learn. It's on BBC Iplayer so is available on demand.
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Hi everyone!
I was hoping I could join in...L is almost 12months and is really starting to pick up signs that I've been using with her. She's been able to sign "more" and "all done" for awhile now, but has always done the sign for "all done" incorrectly (she opens and closes her hands instead of rotating them from palm up to palm down). I always say "all done" back to her while using the correct sign but is it even worth it to keep doing the correct sign back? DH has gotten in the habit of using her version of "all done" and I love that he's signing with her, so I don't want to be correcting both of them, lol. Thinking maybe I should just give up and go with her version of the sign?
Also, I'm not sure what signs may be useful next...She's learned "rain" and "fan" recently, I'm going to try "cat" next and I'm also going to start teaching her "please" and "thank you". Are there any signs that were useful for you around 12months that I should consider throwing in the mix?
And, last question I promise. How do you remember to keep up with introducing new signs? I always think to myself "Oh, I should start using this sign tomorrow with L" and then I completely forget. I feel like she could be learning so many signs if I could just remember to use them!
Emily - Keep at it. It seems like forever when you are signing and waiting for them to sign something back...but then one day it happens! Keep in mind that it may not look exactly like the way it should, so be on the lookout for anything that approximates the sign, L's sign for "more" actually started out looking like she was clapping :)
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When she signs 'all done', she believes she is doing it correctly, so you should keep doing the correct sign. It's like talking... when they say a word incorrectly, you don't adopt her way of saying it, you stick with the actual word (ok, I guess many of us are guilty of adopting their cute words, but you get the point ;) ). Introducing her sign to her can confuse her, as she may think it's a new sign meaning something else. Make sense?
I would go with things that are interesting to her. I assume you have a cat, so that's a great one. Certain favorite foods are good too (she can tell you if she wants something else to eat). Places you go... colors, my dd2 could tell me all her colors correctly before 18 months using signs.
You could put notes around the house on things you would want to teach the sign.... maybe a list on the fridge? Just do one sign at a time, no need to rush them all in (for your sake ;) )
HTH
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I agree about the keeping signing correctly even if she doesn't. If she thinks she is doing it like you are she won't know what you are doing if you do it her way since she doesn't realise she is doing it that way IYKWIM? Can you help her with her hands to do it the right way? I find K will do it wrong forever once he starts unless I show him and then he quickly gets it.
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my dd2 could tell me all her colors correctly before 18 months using signs.
That is so COOL! I was going to make a book with pictures of family members and sign each person to DS when I showed him the book - I think I'll do the same for colors!
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I just wanted to post how impressed I am that Cadan has been learning signs from the TV! He watches Something Special and loves Mr Tumble. He has picked up the Makaton signs for "no" and "help" (which is actually quite complex I think) without me or anyone IRL ever doing it to him. I was shocked the first couple times he used them and was wondering where he got them from since it's only really me who teaches him signs normally (DH just carries on with what I have taught)and then I remembered those signs had been used in the Something Special programmes he watches.
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Thanks for the tips ladies! It never crossed my mind that she is thinking that she's doing the sign correctly, lol. I talked to DH and he is going to sign the correct sign to her from now on as well, because to do otherwise will just confuse her like you said. We had an airshow in town last weekend so there were planes flying over our house all day, it helped cue us to use the sign for airplane with her :)
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Hi, I would like to start signing with my DS, but am wondering if we should attempt a few common ones or start just with one?
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It's completely up to you. Your lo will be fine with several so it's just how many you can remember to do consistently to consider. We started with about 5 basic ones i think like eat sleep drink nappy and more. We started around 6mo but he didn't sign back until about 12mo.
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At this point it is more about YOU and how consistent you can be. You really need to be consistent and sign the word every time you say it, so if you just do milk for now so YOU get a hang of it, that's fine.
Think about how much they take in with songs with motions, you won't be overdoing it on their part :-*
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We started with more, food, drink, mama and papa and very quickly added many more. It was frustrating at first because it took such a long time for him to sign back but when he did the first one the others came flooding after. It was the best thing I ever did, now at 2 his vocab level is amazing and I hardly ever have to interpret his speech for others, I am convinced that the signing has made him such a great communicator now. Rachel do you think thats true?
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Just joining in - we've been signing with my LO for about four months and she's just in the past few weeks really started to sign back. So far she signs milk, all finished, more, dog, duck and bath. She understands heaps more though, and is so so interested in everything I do with my hands when we're reading stories - I think she's starting to check whether I'm showing her new signs.
Just wondering what you all do when your LO signs milk and it's not time for milk?! Usually F is on a really good routine of BFing when she wakes up (and just before bed) and it's only happened a couple of times that she's signed for milk other than at those times...so I did offer her a feed then and she drank a little. Just wondering what others do - seems a bit mean to teach her to communicate and then ignore her, but on the other hand I don't want to mess with our routine too much!
Chicane, I have read in several sources that babies who learn sign language often start forming sentences earlier (eg, more food please; or where dada?) as they have already learnt to do this by combining signs, and that they have a much more extensive vocab than their peers after a couple of years. Makes sense to me - they start practising communication and getting feedback much younger. Hope so anyway!
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Just wondering what you all do when your LO signs milk and it's not time for milk?!
I was told when your LO is starting off to give them what they want so they make the connection between signing and getting what they want ... but you could always say "it's not milk time, do you want ...." instead ... (or offer a little bit of milk if it wont interfere)
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Nuala - in reference to signing milk and it not being milk time...have you tried offering water instead? It may be too early to introduce cows or other milk (a personal choice) but maybe she's just a little thirsty and a sip of water would satisfy her?
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Yes, she has water in her sippy cup fairly often - it's so hot here.
She always signs milk when it IS milk time, before I ask her, so I know she understands what she's asking for. On reflection, the few other times she's asked have usually been times when she may have just wanted the comfort because of teething, so I think I'll go with giving it when she asks unless it looks like it's going to become a problem!
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It was the best thing I ever did, now at 2 his vocab level is amazing and I hardly ever have to interpret his speech for others, I am convinced that the signing has made him such a great communicator now. Rachel do you think thats true?
Research has shown it's true ;D
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Quote from: Chicane on Today at 08:54:35 AM
It was the best thing I ever did, now at 2 his vocab level is amazing and I hardly ever have to interpret his speech for others, I am convinced that the signing has made him such a great communicator now. Rachel do you think thats true?
I found that Murray's vocab range was way above his peers .... but actually found his speech was worse - I think it made him lazy as I could understand what he said as he would sign too .... it's only when I insist he speaks properly that his speech is really good now - not sure if this would have been the case anyway and I would have struggled understanding him ..... suppose I am saying that even if you understand, get them to speak clearly ;) ... I LOVE signing and can't wait for Oliver to sign more
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Lucy, likely would have happened anyway, that's the great thing about signing, even if there is a speech issue, you can still communicate :D DD2 was in speech therapy for a bit. And Murray is still young... there are 5 and 6 year olds in DD2's class that I can't understand all of their spoken words (but their peers understand!!).
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Hmmm I never found it made DS lazy with his speech. He is only 22mo and speaking in 4 word sentences clearly so a stranger could understand him most of the time. He learned to sign Biscuit when he could only make the b sound. I have never tried to get him to change how he says it and it graduated to bisk and is now biscuit. All Los are different of course.
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Lucy, likely would have happened anyway, that's the great thing about signing, even if there is a speech issue, you can still communicate DD2 was in speech therapy for a bit. And Murray is still young... there are 5 and 6 year olds in DD2's class that I can't understand all of their spoken words (but their peers understand!!).
yes - I think he is just lazy at speaking (so am I, I suppose!) - when I remind him to speak clearly he does (mainly S and C at start of words but he is much better now he is in the habit of it) ... so glad we signed - I remember all my friends saying their LOs only babbled nonsense - it sounded like Murray was too, but as he was signing along with it I was able to understand the "nonsense" ...
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Ok, so we started. Very simple - mommy, daddy, book and milk. BUT - I find it so difficult to get his attention, to look at me when I am signing. Is that his age or him?
We also have a problem as DH and I are speaking different languages with Alon and English when we are all together, so we don't know in which language to say the work. Will he pick up "book" if we say it in three languages in different times?
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It's ok if you don't have his complete attention. Just keep doing it.
And yes, use the sign with all three languages... the sign and object don't change :)
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And yes, use the sign with all three languages... the sign and object don't change
someone that did the signing course with me was doing it as she spoke German to her son and her DH could only speak English ... so they were using signing as a common language. Wow - Alon will be multi-multi lingual!! :)
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Alon, we are bilingual at home and K will sign in both languages. We always signed whichever language we used and I think it helped K realise the words meant the same thing. DH would say "say thank you" in Swahili and K would sign thank you and say "Thank you " in English. It was never an issue that there was more than one language.
Now B is 6mo I have started signing to him too. I am encouraging K to sign to him too. It is so cute. I must video it. I am glad I kept it up. Now we are used to doing it it is easy to do lots of signs together.
Oh and I used to worry K didn't look at me. Once he realised I would make gestures to communicate he would look at my hands more. I find even when speaking he doesn't pay attention. I would just keep doing it.
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Felicity didn't pay much attention when I was signing at first, but now she watches my hands really intently when I do any gesture - to see if I'm showing her a new sign! It just takes a little time I think.
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Please post a video if do manage to catch K signing to B!
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Oh my goodness, in the past week we have had a signing EXPLOSION!
So F can now sign: milk, more, all finished, bath, dog, duck, cat, rooster, rabbit, horse, lizard, hat, home, and wash hands; and she attempts walk, music, sweep/broom and drink - for these she wriggles her hands in ways that actually look nothing like the signs yet, but I usually know from context what she means. We were having lunch a couple of days ago and she got really scratchy like she wanted something, but refused everything I offered her....and then she quite clearly told me that she wanted to go for a *walk* to see the *rooster* and the *cat* (who live next door). I almost fell off my chair in astonishment.
Exciting times - just wanted to share :)
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wow! That is so cool! Congratulations!
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I got all excited just from reading it, I can only imagine how excited you were. It's so amazing to see them becoming "people", iykwim. The suddenly have their personality so clear, with what they want and what they don't want, wishes and needs.
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Wow, that's a huge "vocabulary" at such a young age - well done mum and bub! Such exciting times. I'd love to see videos of all your kids signing. Here is my little guy back in July demonstrating some signs and word comprehension. We don't get a lot of signs anymore so I'm so glad I have just a few clips when I actually was able to capture the moments. http://www.allnewadventures.com/2011/07/juggling.html
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OMG Lien - that is the cutest thing ever!
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Wonderful signing!!! ;D
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Gorgeous! I'll have to find a way to hide the video camera to get some footage of my LO as she stops whatever she's doing as soon as she sees it :)
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I'm really keen to see your videos, ladies :D. I'm waiting, patiently....
Nuala, I know what you mean about hiding the camera. My LO used to freeze whenever he saw or heard me turn it on, and he never used to demonstrate his signs if I asked him to. He only ever used them to communicate with me ::) - fair enough, but disapointing for anyone who wants to see it. He used to look at me, and I interpreted him saying "mummy, I'm not a performing seal you know!".
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I've been thinking about signing with DS for a while. He's 7 months now and trying so hard to communicate but all he can say is mum mum mum and nnnn-g. Not sure what nnnn-g means, but mum mum mum means I want my milk; you haven't started making my breakfast, lunch, dinner; its nap time; I fell over; I want a cuddle; come play with me; pretty much everything!
I'm thinking I should just start with a few so I can remember them and hopefully when he gets them, he can say the main things he needs - food, milk, drink, bath, sleep, more, finish, please, thankyou... I may be back for some support when he doesn't sign back at me tomorrow :P I'm not good at waiting
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... I may be back for some support when he doesn't sign back at me tomorrow :P I'm not good at waiting
He may ;D or may not sign back tomorrow, but be assured that he will, and life will be a whole lot easier than mum mum mum MUM MUM MUM followed by :'( :'( :'( for you both. Just keep at it - so worth the effort!
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Ladies, I really need to get onto trying to teach Z some signing as he gets very frustrated when he can't communicate his feelings and what he wants.
I am forgetful :( but really just want to get the key ones working for the both of us. Does anone have a good link to a baby sign language site which has charts I could print off to remind myself (and DH) to do them.
I was thinking of working on say 6-8 signs for now of the basics that cover hunger, thirst, tiredness, no/done, bath and bedtime.
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Go for it, both of you - we're finding it so so helpful with Felicity. Already she can do about 30 signs, and we feel like we're communicating so much with her and appreciating what she's interested in (at the moment, clearly hats and bags. She can spot someone with hat or bag a mile off, and signs enthusiastically ;D )
Sara, we're using the book "Baby Sign Language for Hearing Babies" by Robyn Warburton - it's based on NZSL. The website also has a e-learning pack that you can download with charts to print. http://www.babysign.co.nz/ That's the only site I know of that's specifically NZ signs, but there are others that have BSL or ASL.
I also find the official NZSL site useful for words that aren't in the baby sign book - they have a good video dictionary of signs. if they're too tricky for little hands, I make up an easier variation. And we've completely made up some of our own signs too for more unusual things (eg mango :))
I found once we started I got into the habit of signing more quickly than I expected - and now F reminds me!
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here are some helpful links
http://www.itvbabysign.com/video-sign-guide
http://www.signingsavvy.com/sign/bread
http://commtechlab.msu.edu/sites/aslweb/browser.htm
I used these all the time and just chose the sign that I thought was easiest to make
Remember it takes time, we started at 6 months and didn't get really solid signing until about 11 months more or less. Its seems like a long time to wait but its totally worth it and will really help with later language development
xo
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How long before your LO's watched what you were doing with your hands?
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We started signing before six months, just with three or four basic signs, so she gradually came to understand those without ever seeming to look at my hands that much. But around 8 or 8 1/2 months she started watching my hands much more intently, and by nine months she'd completely taken off. She looks to me for a sign now, if she sees something new that interests her, and she's started making up her own. She signed "digger" today, first time she'd ever seen one but the sign was unmistakable!
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Has someone already given the Auslan Sign Bank website? It;s got the australian signs of the deaf community. Nice site with great videos of all signs. http://www.auslan.org.au/
I've been signing finished, more and drink with my LO so far (almost 6 months) and will be adding more as he starts doing a bit more!
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I did baby signing quite late with both of mine - about 12 mths with DS and about 9ish mths with DD (but I guess I always did a bit as I knew all the signs from DS).
Both of them are/ were amazing signers. Megan is just great - amazing really. And interestingly DS stopped signing at about age 2 when he had decent language but has started again now Megan is at it. If I say no he will try signing for it instead often ::) ::).
I would actually suggest teaching a sign for something they are interested in as well as 'helpful' ones. I think it is easier to understand the same of something rather than an action/ describing word.
I can't quite remember first signs very well these days - but I think it was tree for Megan - and perhaps duck for Jacob. Dog and rabbit were early ones for Megan as well - we have a pet dog and her lovey is a rabbit. Then I guess drink and sleep were the earliest 'more useful' signs.
I just wonder if it helps them to 'get it' iyswim???
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yeah, we started with a few fun signs - so bath, dog and duck alongside milk and all finished. Milk was her first sign, but bath and dog weren't far behind. All animal signs are extremely popular here, as are forms of transport.
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Whatever you think they cry for/desire most is a good sign as it is likely to be the one they get most frustrated for if you can't understand and don't give them. As pp says, if they sign and they get something they really want they are more likely to realise signing=getting what I want so will use it more.
I have started signing for DS2 more and more. He is 7mo and not signing back yet and not even paying that much attention yet but we will keep at it. I tried to get a video of K signing to him but K got all shy and wouldn't do it. I will have to do it covertly I think.
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Keep in mind, even if they are not looking directly at you, they are seeing it in their peripheral vision. Keep it up ;D
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Oh I will for sure. Thanks
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Thanks, hadn't thought of signing things he might be interested in... "leaf" would be a good one and maybe "duck". He cries so rarely (only if he is shocked by falling over and when he is getting dressed, really) since EASY works so well - his needs are all met before he really needs them :D
He's just worked out that he can move his high chair by swinging his legs (like you would on a swing) - he went forward til he could reach to grab his sippy cup off the table this morning.
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his needs are all met before he really needs them Cheesy
Felicity clearly understood milk loooong before she signed it, and I think this is why - she always knew the milk was coming as soon as she woke up, so why would she need to ask for it? Now she uses it hopefully if she wakes in the middle of the night ::)
Drink is a really handy one here though. I sometimes forget to put her cup on the table at breakfast time and she can remind me. She also sometimes signs drink when we get home after a long walk to remind me it's pretty hot.
She learnt mango a couple of days ago, and now asks for it after every meal...or halfway through a meal... ::) She doesn't always get it though!
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How long before your LO's watched what you were doing with your hands?
About 7-8 weeks old here. I was really surprised! Still watches them and he's 13 weeks now. I sign bath, cute, milk, eat, name, mama, daddy, his brother & sister's name signs, water, and diaper on a regular basis. There are others I sign to him too, but not on a daily basis, just as they come up. I want Signed English to be second nature to him as he gets older. I wish I knew real ASL but I don't so I just sign the ASL signs in English order to him (and my other children). :)
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She learnt mango a couple of days ago, and now asks for it after every meal...or halfway through a meal... She doesn't always get it though!
Ooh- i have to learn that one too!! Although by the time he's using it mango season will be passed.... And it's always the way- teach them to communicate and they use it against you!!
I wish I knew real ASL but I don't so I just sign the ASL signs in English order to him (and my other children).
You definitely dont need to do ASL as it's a totally different language- signing the key words in english order is going to better support english language development anyway! (althoug bilingual is ASL and english would be cool- hard to achieve if you're not fluent!!)
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You definitely dont need to do ASL as it's a totally different language- signing the key words in english order is going to better support english language development anyway! (althoug bilingual is ASL and english would be cool- hard to achieve if you're not fluent!!)
Good point! I taught individual signs to DS1, Joshua, as I learned them (when he was a baby-I was new to it at the time) and he signed back to me before speaking and then WITH speaking and it made his toddlerhood much easier IMO. :) I now have a large vocabulary of signs and so do my kids (I still know more than they do somehow, though) so Samuel will be exposed to a lot more signs than Joshua even was. I LOVE signing with babies! :D
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Ladies, please post videos. I love seeing babies signing!
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Ladies, please post videos. I love seeing babies signing!
Ditto!! my LO is still a bit small... he tends to eat the 'finished' sign when i do it... (our aussie sign is a thumbs up shaking)
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I'd love to post a video but DS has stopped signing! I still sign to him in certain situations, if we are at a playdate and I think he's done a poo for example, I can sign to him from across the room and he will nod yes or no. And the other day I was munching on some apple and so used the sign for shoes instead of the word cause my mouth was full and he nodded and went and got his shoes! I also continue to use the signs if he is over excited and not paying attention to my words - I find that signing makes him look at my hands and I can usually get my message across. But his language seems so advanced now, he is telling me stories! Also, he seems to be able to recall the smallest details from his books - I wonder if that is also a result from signing???
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I'm sure it all helps!! The research around signing is that it can support and encourage communication but doesn't necessarily bring on speech. However- that said- if the pressure is off speech to communicate then kids spend less time throwing tantrums and being frustrated and more time learning that communication is where it;s at!! Signing is excellent for receptive communication- what kids understand- and their ability to understand speech DRAMATICALLY reduces when they are frustrated- or over excited... this is where signing can be really important for keeping that communication open!! It also means that you don't use too much talk at the kids when everyone id frustrated... you can't talk at a million miles an hour and sign... unless ASL or auslan is your native language!!
hmm... reading back i'm not sure if that answers your question at all.. but i thought i'd post anyway as it's probably useful information... perhaps... can you guess signing is part of my day job?
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Ladies, please post videos. I love seeing babies signing!
I will see if I can link the one I posted on facebook but not sure if it will let me ... was M when he was little, just starting to sign really
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https://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=191886225909 have made it public so see if it works :)
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WOW!!! That is so cute. How old was he here? He seems so young, like 9-10m?
We are signing now milk, eat, wake up, get dressed, sleep and hug. But still nothing from Alon, most of the time he doesn't even pay attention. I know that it's normal, but I just can't wait!
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O signed "up" today after eating, and as I asked if he wanted up he signed "finished" :)
p.s ISA will need to check but think he must have been about that age ....
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Wow that is great Lucy.
I have been working on up with B too.
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Love the video!! Hey i'm going to be teaching some signs to a friend who is about to have a baby.. i've done heaps of signs with my clients (children who can't talk).. so know about sign selection for interaction... but what are some of the signs that you guys have found useful with babies? I was thinking more, finished, help, drink, eat, sleep, milk, mum, dad, time (as in time for food) and maybe some kids songs with animals and colours in them... Any other suggestions?
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More bath toilet and nappy are favourites here.
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Lucy, that's so great you got him signing so early. My LO didn't actually sign back until maybe 13-14 months but when he did man was it useful!
... but what are some of the signs that you guys have found useful with babies? I was thinking more, finished, help, drink, eat, sleep, milk, mum, dad, time (as in time for food) and maybe some kids songs with animals and colours in them... Any other suggestions?
Bath, milk, more, again, sleep, crackers, blueberries, raisins, juice, water were the most useful signs around here. I basically stuck to things I knew he would want to ask for. Sleep sign was invaluable - he would do it to let us know he was tired. All the food and drink signs were all his favourites that he would want all the time, but along with that there were words he just said instead of signed at 14 months like "apple", "nanana" for banana, "orange", "rice".
No more signs now; the last one (milk) was dropped a couple of weeks back. We have 5 word sentence structures from him so I guess he didn't feel the need to sign to us any longer :P - but still, it was great while it lasted.
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We have 5 word sentence structures from him so I guess he didn't feel the need to sign to us any longer - but still, it was great while it lasted.
you will probba3. We have 5 word sentence structures from him so I guess he didn't feel the need to sign to us any longer - but still, it was great while it lasted.
you may find he reverts to signs if he isn't being understood or is too excted (like when M saw trains he spoke and signed)
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trains- a love so huge it can't be only spoken....
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Have any of your LOs started signing and then stop for a time? DS signed "more" for the first time about two days ago. He was real consistent with it. After every time I'd sign it when he was finished with food, he'd sign it. He signed it for about two days. But now he won't sign it anymore. When I put his hands together, he does it, but I have to start putting his hands together. Now when I sign "more" he just waves his arms up and down.
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Now he knows what he is doing he will probably save it for those vital times! Oliver can sign food but only does it when I am eating something he really wants ;) Murray used to not sign some words back but months later suddenly would, and other signs he would drop (esp when he learnt to say the word) but even now signs sometimes! It is still in there ....
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Well, this week the penny has dropped and Oliver can suddenly sign to ask for food (we were upstairs and he looked at me, signed food and got grumpy, so I brought him downstairs and he ate!! He can also sign mummy, daddy, finished and nappy (either while I am changing him, or the other day when he needed changed). It's funny as you sometimes see he wants to sign something and goes through all the ones he knows til he gets the right one (I say the sign as he is doing it to confirm what he is signing). ;D
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Love it when that light bulb goes off!
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It's funny as you sometimes see he wants to sign something and goes through all the ones he knows til he gets the right one (I say the sign as he is doing it to confirm what he is signing).
love that stage so cute.
congratulations guys, such a great achievement for all. Yay!
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Isaac is definitely signing "more" again. Sometimes I even feel like he's doing it in the middle of something else besides eating...and I'm trying to tune in to see what he's trying to communicate.
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That is great he is signing. I found at the beginning they sometimes did the sign for other things because they first learn it gets a response I think.
We are still siging to B. He isn't doing it back yet. I still often forget so I need to be more consistent.
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That is great he is signing. I found at the beginning they sometimes did the sign for other things because they first learn it gets a response I think.
We are still siging to B. He isn't doing it back yet. I still often forget so I need to be more consistent.
I find it's when they start signing back that I really get going with the signing ::)
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Yes that is true.I was much better with K once we were actually having 2 way conversations.
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Some research i heard the other day to add to your bag of knowledge- We know already (I assume you guys do to- but if you didn't) That kids are able to produce signs before speech aas it is an easier task. The research now shows that kids combine 2 gestures before they combine 2 words. So AGAIN- signing is a great practice for Language!
Unfortunately- does not result in higher IQ directly... but the interaction with parents and focussing on the key words probably goes a long way to helping with that!!
ALSO- a question- I BF and was wanting to ntroduce some more signs.. Do you guys use a sign for breastfeeding rather than milk? I thought the sign for milk seems very like a cow (the aussie sign) and is not what i'd like to do in public (or have him do!!). So I thought one sign for BF and then introduce 'milk' when he starts having thaat?
Just did some googling- the aussie sign is VERY like milking a cow- the british and american are a little more of a departure...
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ALSO- a question- I BF and was wanting to ntroduce some more signs.. Do you guys use a sign for breastfeeding rather than milk? I thought the sign for milk seems very like a cow (the aussie sign) and is not what i'd like to do in public (or have him do!!). So I thought one sign for BF and then introduce 'milk' when he starts having thaat?
we just do "milk" which is opening and closing your fist with thumb sticking up - but you can do any sign you want (don't suppose your DS will be singing breastmilk in later life ;) ). M made up a few signs and we just kept to those.
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For BF I just made a rubbing motion over my breast and kept the sign for milk for a glass of milk...
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Remember, unless you are going for teaching them the full language, you can use a ASL or BSL sign. Here, I would sign 'Mommy' then 'milk' for breastfeeding, and 'bottle' for a bottle. You can check out lifeprint.com and look up breastfeeding for other options.
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THanks ladies! Anyone come up with an idea for 'mango'? I seem to be lacking creativity and can't find the sign for it! Thought it could combine the 'man' sign and the 'go' sign... but not sure!
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We sign M for mango - so three fingers of the right hand against left palm. She has adapted this to just clap to mean any sort of fruit!
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Cool ta!
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Sign language of mango
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So F will be 1 next week so I thought I'd count up the signs she can do...and got to 99! Have to make sure she learns another one or two in the next few days to bring us up to the big 100 ;)
Makes me aware again just how incredibly grateful I am that we started using sign language with her - that's soooo much communication we have we her, so many insights into what she's thinking and feeling, that we wouldn't otherwise have. And so much less frustration, I'm sure!
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That is so cool Papaya!
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Wow, will need to get a move on with Oliver!!
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That has really inspired me to be even more consistent with B. Lovely.
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Wow, Nuala, that is amazing! I am jealous (in a good way) :)
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100! Great! An away with a one year old who doesn't do any signing(which is fine- it's not for everyone) and she has sooo much to say, but can only point and sort of say 'ugh' whenshe wants something, or to comment, or complain etc... I think that's what some people don't think of- that yeah you may know that they are hungry at a certain time, and pretty much what they'll want to eat- that you will have no idea that they're about to tell you how funny the bottle of suncream looks on the bench!! Will be ramping up my signing as soon as I get home (I already seem crazy enough here with our BLW!)
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One of the signs I'm finding most useful at the moment is *help*. Yesterday F had put some pens in a bag and couldn't work out how get them out again. I watched her for a minute but didn't step in, then she just brought the bag to me, signed help, I showed her how to get them out and she went on her way again, happy. No frustration!
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More help and finished are the three best I reckon- even with no other signs you can get pretty much everything said!
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We love help too
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Locking as per the 30 page rule. Carry on here:
http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=224127.0
;D