Baby signing

[migirl]

I think this topic was discussed long ago, but I'm too lazy to go back through the forums and look for it , so ...

Has anyone here taught their baby sign language? If so, I have some questions:

- When did you start?
- What resources (books, videos/DVDs, websites) did you use?
- Did you have success and a good experience with it?

Jack is about 7.5 months old and a couple of other moms have told me that they started signing with their babies when they were around his age. I'd like to try it, but I just don't feel like he has the cognitive ability to understand something like this yet. How do you know when they're ready for it?

I did not, but have several friends that did (and plan to if / when we have another). It's really sweet, and helps with the communication.

I think he's about the age to start the basics. You make the sign when you say the word you think he's trying to express. Banging on the high chair tray for more cherrios? You say "more" and make the sign, then give him the cherrios.

I can't reccomend good sites or anything .. but I know that it's worthwhile.

If I remember correctly, Shella did this and had some good resources. More current that what I used.

I checked out a video from the library and learned a few signs and some information that way. I think we used about 5 signs though I know people who have used more. It was really helpful.

I think you could start now, using the signs when you speak a word, and he will eventually start using the signs too. That might be a few more months...I think.

We started Andrew at 5 months when he could sit up unsupported. I bought the Signing Time dvds 1-3 and we would watch 15 minutes here and there. I'm not crazy about him watching tv, so it was more for dh & me to learn the signs so that we could use them throughout the day as we spoke with Andrew. We started out with basic signs (eat, sleep, play, milk, mama, daddy, ball, please, thank you....) Whenever we fed Andrew, we would sign & say "eat" and whenever I nursed him, I would sign & say "milk." And when Andrew pet our cat, we would sign & say "cat." It was all about repitition.

I have heard that babies have the ability to start signing around 8 months of age. After 7 months of signing to Andrew, I was beginning to think it was all a bunch of bunk....until one day last week when I went to get him after his nap and he signed "milk." Since then he has picked up about 9 more signs...eat, water, cat, ball, more, yes, go, wash hands, potty. "Wash hands" and "potty" were surprising because I never really signed those with him...he must have just picked them up from the dvds.

I think now is definitely a good time to start signing with your little guy. It'll seem like it is all over his head and it may get frustrating after a while, but his little brain really is picking everything up. Even though he won't be able to sign back to you right away, don't get discouraged. His fine motor skills will eventually catch up.

If you go the dvd route, Signing Time is the best IMO. You can buy them off of eBay. Some PBS stations have a Signing Time show so you may want to check your local listings. I rented a few others through Netflix and they were pretty flat and boring. You can also pick up an ASL dictionary or go to this website to look-up signs: http://commtechlab.msu.edu/Sites/aslweb/browser.htm. I started out with a dictionary, but found that I picked up the signs much faster with Signing Time.

Now that Andrew has started signing, I can say it was definitely worth it to keep up with it. Let me know how it goes and have fun!

[migirl]

If you go the dvd route, Signing Time is the best IMO. You can buy them off of eBay.

Thanks, Erica! I just checked and our local library has the whole series so I just put Signing Time Vol. 1-4 on hold. I'm going to start once I pick them up, so I'll let you know how it goes.

How fun that Andrew has started signing back to you, I'm so impressed!!

[Gwendolyn]

I am sorry I don't have any great resources, but we are teaching James sign as a communication option. We work with an ASL tutor once a week. We started at about 9 mo. before we knew how delayed his speech was and it was a similar situation. We signed for months and just as I was beginning to think it was a waste, James started using the basics...milk, mama, dada, more, all done, etc. Now almost half of our communication is done with sign language.

There are a few websites that we use...

http://www.aslpro.com

http://commtechlab.msu.edu/Sites/aslweb/browser.htm

[Cumberland]

We did. We used the book Baby Signs and made up some of our own. I started at like 4months ( always too early!!) and got discouraged after a month or so and stopped. At 11 or 12 months a friend encouraged me to try again. DD picked up two or three signs in a week. We loved using the signs. She just stopped signing 'Im sorry" ( hand to forehead) a month ago at 28 months.

Her signs were:
more
drink
potty ( this was in my elimination communication phase)
eat
please
thank you
im sorry
fish
swim
all done

I will definitely do it again with DD2, but I dont think I will start til maybe 10 months. Good luck!

I think "I'm sorry" is such a good one for the 1-2 age range! It really helps, especially with a sibling (who is awaiting an apology).

We did many of the same -- more, eat, nurse, bath, sleep, all done....I think there were some animal ones in there too.

Henry signs "more, please, thank you, down, and up." I tried to do the sign for more (touching fingers together) when he was under a year and it seemed like he wasn't paying a bit of attention. When he was thirteen months old he starting pointing one index finger into the palm of his other hand. He only did this while eating. One day, I noticed another little boy in his daycare was doing the same thing, but he was also saying "more." I asked the teachers if they taught this. They said that one of the other little girls in the class starting doing it and all the others joined in. I guess when Cheerios are the incentive, kids learn fast. Once he knew the sign for "more," I started doing the other signs and he picked them up really fast.

I am really glad that he can do these signs. It has really cut down on the grunting and screaming.

I have a book that I picked up at a consignment sale, but mostly we just make up our own signs.

Emily

Yup, I did the sign language thing with DD. We used Signing Time (I love love LOVE the movies, they are very well done). I tried to teach her on my own pretty early, like when she was 4 months (I think) or so, and got nothing. A few months later I found the Signing Time videos at the library, and she just absorbed it. It really helped a lot with her crying when she wanted something. Once she learned the sign, she'd just ask for milk or whatever. She knew her colors well before she could talk, and I really think signing has given her a huge boost verbally. Seven months is the perfect age.

DD will still on occasion watch a Signing Time movie. They really are fun, and have some really cute songs that she loves.

[houseelf]

We sign on a very informal basis (as in what I've picked up from videos and from others). It boggles the mind how much they can communicate from an early age. (Here I thought they were just drooling and cooing!) It is so sweet to see a baby ask for what s/he wants that I just can't deny them any request!

This topic *kind of* dovetails with the other conversation regarding foreign languages, but knowing the sign helps the kids transition from one language to the next. My son's Spanish teachers use ASL to get the kids to actively participate in the new language with their bodies.

Kelly