BABY SIGN LANGUAGE

[EmMUK74]

as you know Rachel was doing amazing with the signing but over the last 2 months things have all changed.  1st she is now crawling which means she doesn't like to do signs with her hands - they're always busy!  and 2nd she now has over 20 words and so seems more focussed on using those.

so my question - do you think this is the end of the signing or will it pick up again when she finds other new words she doesn't know?  I am really happy she is talking so early, and I am sure it has alot to do with the signing, but I would be sad if the signs have gone for good.

[RachelC]

Just keep signing.  I don't think this is the end for you.  I found that some of dd1's words would sound the same and in order to clarify we would ask her to sign what she meant.  At 4 years old, she is still signing and often picks up the ASL dictionary to "browse" 

[EmMUK74]

Thanks Rachel, I will keep trying and see what happens.

[joannad]

Ages since I've been on BW site (back at work, less time etc) but catching up with all my threads today.

We've been doing Tiny Talk & although I can't get to class now - been signing 'milk' since birth (did it with DD1) & on Tues Helena clearly signed 'milk' in the middle of a feed indicating she wanted a drink.  She was so excited when I stopped the food & gave her the bottle. Chuffed to bits as I wasn't expecting a response til about 8 months (she's just turned 6 months).

My DD1 loves the 'Sing & Sign' DVD (got it when she was 1 for Christmas), personally it drives me mad & much prefer the new Tiny Talk one but it's more aimed at parents.

I've actually got a comment on the TT website as client. - http://www.tintytalk.co.uk

Keep up the work girls, for those just starting signing - it does work!!

[caf_uk]

Hiya,
I've decided to start signing with my 5 month old.  We live in the UK but are moving home to Australia in December so thought it would be wise to do Australian sign language.

If anyone else is interested, here are some excellent links I found for AUSLAN:

http://www.auslan.org.au/ - Sign bank with literally thousands of sign demo's
http://www.bilby.net/Sub/DefaultNew.asp - good free resources for kids, adults and teachers
http://www.signswap.com.au/SignSwap/BabySign.asp - nice posters for basic baby signs, courses etc

How many signs should I start with?  I was thinking milk, eat, more, finished, mummy, daddy. 

[x95stocchier]

quick question....what do you all do for diaper change?  I've seen a few different ones....I think I want to add that to our vocab, even though he's not really signing back any of our first few yet....I thought it's another that's important to him and frustrating when I don't know what he wants.  Wish I could teach him to sign "my teeth hurt, please give my tylenol" lol!

[joannad]

quick question....what do you all do for diaper change?  I've seen a few different ones....I think I want to add that to our vocab, even though he's not really signing back any of our first few yet....I thought it's another that's important to him and frustrating when I don't know what he wants.  Wish I could teach him to sign "my teeth hurt, please give my tylenol" lol!

Sign for 'Pain' & point to teeth when you know he needs it??? Might be worth a go!

[Marisa's Mom]

I try to do the sign for "pain" and then point to teeth/mouth, but only during the daytime. It's too dark at night for her to see (and I don't want to turn on the light in the middle of the night, hoping the darkness will be her "cue" that it's night night time).

I try to show her the sign for "medicine" before giving her Orajel. That one hasn't clicked yet, but then, it's not like I have given her Orajel THAT much.

[joannad]

I try to do the sign for "pain" and then point to teeth/mouth, but only during the daytime. It's too dark at night for her to see (and I don't want to turn on the light in the middle of the night, hoping the darkness will be her "cue" that it's night night time).

I try to show her the sign for "medicine" before giving her Orajel. That one hasn't clicked yet, but then, it's not like I have given her Orajel THAT much.

 
Good luck!!

[Ryan&HollysMom]

HI!
my ds is 4 1/2 months old. i'm very interested in teaching him sign language, would like to start him at about 6 months. i have an awesome book that has lots of signs in it, and i want to start with just a few crucial ones. however, will i confuse him too much, when i'm speaking to him in german and english, my husband only in english, and then the signlanguage too? should i sign (ie milk) when i say it in english or german or both?

[ShelleyE]

Hi  RyanD'sMommy

I am a baby signing teacher in the UK and we basically advise parents that its fine to speak both languages you just need to be consistent in your use of signs.  I am not sure if there is a separate sign language for Germany - France have one as do the USA and of course the UK.  For instance you can say milk in either german or english but always make the same sign for both languages - that way there is no confusion to the baby. 

Hope that helps - have to go as my little one (6 weeks) has just kicked off.... Trying EASY and its not that easy at the moment - one day at a time hey?!

All teh best
Shelley

[mom2avie]

RyanDsMommy, using signs is great when teaching two languages. It connects the two different words with the same sign. I'm an instructor and have an article about using signs in bilingual homes on my personal site http://www.babysignsbyashley Just click on about us and the word files are on the left hand side of the screen. Hope this helps!

Ashley
Avery 3.30.04

[joannad]

I've just cme on her to boast!! Sorry!!! But I'm really proud of my DD2's achievement.  I started signing 'milk' from about 2 weeks whe she was starting to focus. (Did Tiny Talk with DD1), I took her to the class from 10 weeks & had to stop when I went back to work.  DH went with my friend (from work, but she's gone PT) yesterday for the new term - the teacher introduced our DD2 to the class as the youngest baby the organisation has had signing!!! It's ony 'milk' but then she signed at 6 months & 1 week & is 7 months today!! We're still working on eat, mum, dad & bed at the mo!!!

Giving up signing.  My DD1 went in 'fits & starts'.  She picked up 'milk' quite quickly & then dropped it & then started again. She then added 'dad'.  Nothing for months, then about 11 months she picked up eat, more & all gone.  Occasionally she signed cow for mum (sarcasm in a baby??) When she was about 20 months she had laods of signs - some we didn't know she'd learnt them from her DVD & 'Something Special' (baby/toddler tv in the UK).  About 2 years old she had a massive vocab explosion & as she learnt to say the words she dropped the signs.  She still knows most of them & does them with her baby sister! She used to cheekily stand behind the teacher at the class & sign along 'to show the other babies'!

[2peasinapod]

Yay!  Just found this discussion about baby sign language.  I am signing like crazy to my twins, with no response yet, but I know it will come.  We are sticking with milk, more, and all done for now until they start picking up those... And oh, yeah, cat is a BIG one since they love our cat!

[x95stocchier]

I just started signing "outside" to DS along with the milk, more, all done, and eat.  he's not really into eating these days, but LOVES outside, so I thought this would be a good addition to his vocab.  I think he mimics me with all done, but hard to tell.  We just keep plugging away.