Signing Success Story #7 | San Antonio * Baby Signing

Sienna's family has been attending our Play & Sign classes since June 2013. Even though she graduated in October, we are thrilled to see her smiling face each week! I love when families continue to be a part of our awesome community!

Sienna's mom is an elementary school music teacher, and it is evident that both her parents do a great job singing and signing at home with her! I love that their signing is rooted in real, meaningful play (like signing colors and water while painting). Here is their success story:

* Child’s name and age:

Sienna (23 months)

* When and why did you start signing with your child?

We knew we wanted to sign with Sienna all along and had casually introduced a few signs on our own. Her first sign around 10 months was milk, which she used daily to communicate with her Daddy while Mommy was at work.

We discovered the Baby Signing Time class when Sienna was around 13-14 months old. Sienna added several signs her first couple of months of class: cat, shoes, hat, baby, eat/food, more, bird, ball, bubbles, dog.

Even though we have now completed the curriculum cycle, we continue enrolling each session. Sienna gets more and more out of class each time, adding new signs every month. The weekly repetition of songs has led her to name and sign color words, which led her to begin identifying colors. She is still surprising us with words and signs we had no idea she knew. We are so proud of her success!

* How has signing made a difference in your family?

One word: clarity. In Sienna's pronunciation, many things with the same initial consonant sound the same: bird, ball, book, bear. Sign language adds more context to everything she says and solves the mystery of what she meant. How many times could this potential misunderstanding have escalated into a tantrum or meltdown? Not usually a problem for us, thank goodness (her tantrums are thrown for other toddler injustices).

And, oh, the expression! We have here an extremely verbal, expressive child who uses signs to emphasize, supplement, and specify what she is saying. Sienna is a prime example of how adding sign language will only expand a child's vocabulary. We have also seen her confidence bloom. She will now try new signs and words more readily and incorporate them on her own.

Photos courtesy of Sienna's mom. :)

* What would you tell a friend interested in signing with their child?

We have been so impressed with Melissa's Baby Signing Time class week after week. Melissa is a true teacher in every sense whose experience and love of the profession show in every lesson. She provides differentiated instruction for all the various ages in the class. The setting is like a playdate, but with more structure; it allows Sienna to listen and absorb at her own pace while she discovers things around her and interacts with her classmates. The material is totally approachable for parents who are new to signing. It is logical and wide-reaching, drawing together kinesthetic, auditory, and visual learning styles.

As a teacher myself, I know how well combining these approaches solidifies learning, remembering, and understanding. The concepts are really appropriate for babies and toddlers, making for tons of practice opportunities in context everyday. Melissa provides a multitude of hands-on activities each week that connect developmental skills to the concepts she has presented. I have gotten so many great ideas for activities to try later. We really enjoy watching Sienna experience everything this class has to offer and make connections at home.

* Do you have a favorite Signing Time product?

We have a few DVDs and a few flashcard sets. The videos are nice for seeing multiple examples of how to do the signs as performed by adults as well as young children. Sienna really gets a kick out of seeing the kids sign. The flashcards are great for practicing learned signs in quiet settings. Sienna has picked up new signs from both products. It's been great to have a variety of ways for her to practice and learn new signs.

* * * * *
I am so thankful to Shannon, who took the time to share their family's story.
I truly believe that signing is for everyone--it can only enhance your family's communication!

* * * * *

Previous Signing Success Stories:

#1: McKaylee, 2 years old

#2: River, 15 months

#3: Edan, 3 years old 

#4: David, 17 months
#5 Everly, 13 months
#6 Isabella, 3 years old

Signing Success Story #6 | San Antonio * Baby Signing

It's time for another signing success story! Isabella has been attending classes since May 2012. I have treasured watching her grow and mature this past year. (We love when graduates continue classes!)

I asked her mom to share a little of their story today--I am a firm believer that American Sign Language is beneficial for children of all ages! Even though she didn't respond to sign language as a baby, I admire Laura for trying signing again when Isabella was older. I can attest to their great parent-child communication now!

Two- and three-year-olds LOVE using sign language to express themselves, even after they have acquired speech! It's never too late to start.

* Child’s name and age:

Isabella (3 years old)

* When and why did you start signing with your child?

When Isabella was little, I thought it would be neat to teach her to sign. I thought it would help in communicating with me as she was not very vocal. I tried signs like more, milk, and please with her at first, but she didn't really pick up the signs. When I heard about Lone Star Signers, I thought we would give Play & Sign classes a shot. I felt that it would also give her the opportunity to make friends and help develop her social interaction with other children her age. When Isabella was 2 1/2, she officially started signing.

Since she has learned how to sign, her interaction with others (children her own age and adults), has greatly increased for the better. Her verbal communication skills have increased and have become more clear.

* How has signing made a difference in your family?

In our family, signing has allowed Isabella and I to learn not only together but with each other, increasing our mother-daughter bond. Communication with Isabella from before signing to now is completely different. We no longer get frustrated with each other while speaking with each other.

* What would you tell a friend interested in signing with their child?

If a friend was interested in signing with their child, I would highly recommend it saying that signing has not only given my child the opportunity to thrive in her verbal communication but also has given her the opportunity to expand her knowledge of language.

* * * * *

THANK YOU for sharing your story, Laura! 
We love having your family in class!

* * * * *

Previous Signing Success Stories:

#1: McKaylee, 2 years old

#2: River, 15 months

#3: Edan, 3 years old 

#4: David, 17 months
#5 Everly, 13 months

What We Offer: Graduate Classes | Baby Sign Language Classes, San Antonio, Texas

From the very beginning of Lone Star Signers, I have endeavored to make our class culture distinct from other paid children’s activities in the San Antonio area. That is why you’ll find classes are priced per family, not per child. We also chose a price point that would allow families with one income (like ours) to participate. And once students graduate from our program, we encourage them to keep coming back.

When families commit to 14 weeks of Play & Sign classes, we want them to know how much we value that choice. Four months is a long time in a toddler’s life!

We have been excited to see the genuine community that is built in class each week. Children have become playmates, parents have become friends, and the overall feeling of “we’re in this together” support has been unlike any other group I have been a part of. Our families are amazing, and of course we want to continue spending time with them!

Graduate Program

After four months of Play & Sign classes, our young graduates have a brief ceremony that includes Pomp & Circumstance and balloons. There’s a photo-op with mini-diplomas and a “Class of 20—“ banner on the wall. In addition, students are given a Graduate Pass: good for a steep discount on future “undergraduate” classes and access to exclusive monthly Graduate-only classes.

When you attend a Play & Sign class, you will find there is a healthy mix of families who are participating for the first time and families who have been attending for two or three sessions. One of our current students is actually our FIRST student who began way back in the summer of 2012. As you can imagine, signing class has different benefits for a child that just turned one and one that is nearing her third birthday!

We love watching our grads reach new milestones in their development. And as our first group of graduates continues to grow older, we hope that the Preschool Sign & Learn classes will become a regular feature on the Lone Star Signers class schedule.

If you have any question about Play & Sign classes, the benefits of signing with children, or our graduate program, don’t hesitate to contact me!

Signing Success Story #5 | San Antonio * Baby Signing

One of our sweet little signers just celebrated her first birthday AND graduated from our Baby Signing Time classes! She is our 20th graduate, and I asked her mom Kim (a wonderful local doula) to share their signing story with us.

* Child’s name and age:

Everly (nearly 13 months)

* When and why did you start signing with your child?

We started signing with her around 6 months when we introduced solid foods, as well as with daily activities. Then we started taking your class (in November)! Yay!

* How has signing made a difference in your family?

Signing is awesome, as it give my daughter the confidence to express her wants and needs before she might be able to do so verbally. She gets so excited when we understand her and I have seen it remove frustrations and open communication for her. My hope is that signing will also help her with future communication, understanding context, and being able to effectively express herself.

* What would you tell a friend interested in signing with their child?

I absolutely recommend my friends (and my clients!) sign with their children. It benefits them, their relationship and their development. Taking classes is a fun way to interact with others and enhance what you are already doing at home. I seriously can't recommend it enough!

* * * * *

THANK YOU for sharing your story, Kim!

We currently have two openings in our Baby Bounce & Sign class starting the first week of March.

Just like babies crawl before they walk, they sign before they talk (pointing, blowing kisses, waving bye-bye, for example). For many children, signing is a bridge to verbal communication!

Baby Bounce & Sign Classes are full of songs, rhymes, and visual stimulation—perfect for the littlest signers, ages 4-12 months. Come connect with other parents, explore language play, and discover how easy it is to add ASL vocabulary into your day!

Find all the information here!

* * * * *

Previous Signing Success Stories:

#1: McKaylee, 2 years old

#2: River, 15 months

#3: Edan, 3 years old 

#4: David, 17 months

NEW: Preschool Sign & Learn | Lone Star Signers, San Antonio

I am thrilled to announce our upcoming Preschool Sign & Learn classes! I am passionate about early education, and I firmly believe that American Sign Language is a powerful tool for young learners. (Read more about the benefits of signing.)

Preschool Sign & Learn classes start with the same awesome base curriculum as Play & Sign classes, but are tailored specifically for children ages 3-5. We use the same books, same songs, and same signs, but add a much greater emphasis on ABCs, numbers, colors, and fine-motor skills to prepare your young child for Kinder/1st grade. 

This Friday, I will be teaching a trial Preschool Sign & Learn class on transportation ("Here I Go!"). I taught this theme to my younger Play & Sign students earlier in the week, but here are a few of the preschool activities we'll be using with older children, based on the books We All Go Traveling By, Freight Train, and Bear Takes a Trip.

Learning centers are an integral part of our class time. They allow parents to practice ASL signs with their preschoolers and give me an opportunity to offer support/answer questions one on one. My goal is to give parents a variety of simple learning activities that they can use at home during the week.

1) Pom-Pom Counting  (top picture): 

One-to-one correspondence is an important skill for 4 and 5-year-olds. Using the pictures of vehicles and fuzzy pom poms, children have a chance to practice counting with meaningful manipulatives.

2) Count & Clip Cards (top picture): 

I love when activities cover more than one skill. These cards are perfect for early mathematicians, and squeezing the clothespins gives children a chance to work their hand muscles, preparing them for holding a pencil down the road.

3) Simple Puzzles (above):

Transitioning from wooden peg puzzles to 24-piece interlocking puzzles builds visual discrimination and problem-solving skills for early readers.

4) Imaginative Play (above):

This article about the changes in Kindergarten has really encouraged me to give both my children and students ample time for imaginative play. Using small vehicles and wooden blocks to build a small town is the perfect activity for spatial reasoning and teamwork.

5) ABC Train Puzzle (above):

Letter recognition is important! Using a fun, themed puzzle gives parents a chance to evaluate which letters need more practice.

6) PlayDoh and Cookie Cutters (above):

PlayDoh is important for building muscles in the hands and is a great sensory experience for young children. I know I'm hesitant to pull it out and make a mess, but my girls always have a great time.

7) Math Games (below):

I always love to include at least one whole-class game in each class. Learning to take turns and encourage friends are important social skills! This particular game comes from my daughter's Kindergarten math curriculum--setting up a matrix of items (sorting by color and attributes) and then taking turns removing one of the items. (While taking this picture, I called my 5-year-old over and she could immediately tell me which one was missing.)

Registration for Preschool Sign & Learn classes is currently closed. Add your name to the waiting list! 

* $70/parent-child pair includes tuition for 7 weeks of classes, materials, and a Signing Time DVD of family's choosing; a non-refundable payment of $40 is due upon registration, followed by one additional payment of $30

* TWO identical class times: Tuesday afternoons at 4:00 p.m. and Wednesday mornings at 11:15 a.m. (45 minute class) | near 10 & Huebner on the North Central side of town

* Class minimum of three students. Class will be capped at six students. 

Which of these activities would you choose to do with your child?

Baby Signing Classes: What to Expect | Lone Star Signers

When I joined the Signing Time Academy back in March 2012, I had no idea what our community would look like two years later. Twenty awesome families from San Antonio have graduated from our Play & Sign classes--I am truly honored to have a role in their child's early education!

Many families write to me each week asking for more information about our baby sign language classes, so here is what I typically share:

* My name is Melissa Droegemueller and I am a Baby Signing Time Instructor with the Signing Time Academy. Before becoming a mother, I was a classroom teacher in both the public school system (Northside ISD in San Antonio, TX) and private parochial setting (Kansas City, MO). I graduated from the University of Texas at San Antonio in 2001 with a Bachelor's Degree in Elementary Education (specialization: Reading). My years in the classroom were magical, and my passion for teaching has only increased in the past 12 years.

* I am married to an amazing man, and we have two beautiful daughters (ages 5 and 2). Our older daughter is being homeschooled for Kindergarten, and her little sister is learning right along with her!

* I teach three sign language classes weekly, with the possibility of a fourth (preschool-level) class starting next month. Classes are offered on Tuesday evenings and Wednesday mornings.

* I am certified as a Baby Signing Time Instructor (ages birth-5 years) with the Signing Time Academy, the educational division of Two Little Hands Productions (creators of the award-winning programs Signing Time, Baby Signing Time, Potty Time, and Rachel and the Treeschoolers).

* Our older daughter was born extremely prematurely (26 weeks) in 2008. We spent the first 135 days in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and the next three years in doctors' offices and various therapies. Addie began speech therapy when she was 18 months old (15 months adjusted)--it was our Speech and Language Pathologist that recommended we use American Sign Language (and Signing Time DVDs, specifically) with her as a bridge to verbal communication. By the time Addie turned 3.5, she was recognizing over 50 words that she could sign, and she has been actively reading books since shortly after her fourth birthday. With my educational background, I have no qualms giving the credit for her early reading to sign language!

* Our signing classes are for ALL children, whether they are hearing or deaf, exhibiting signs of speech delay or apraxia or early talkers! I have been down the Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) route, and I firmly believe that using ASL with your child works beautifully in conjunction with speech therapy. Many families come to us simply looking for a fun, interactive, educational experience for the whole family, while others may have deeper concerns.

* Classes are casual and family-centered! Parents are encouraged to sit down on the floor with their children and model the signs as they are being taught. My children are in attendance, and my husband is typically here for the evening class. We love it when both parents are able to come--and if Grandma is visiting, bring her along, too! Our space is not huge, so we often limit class size for comfort.

* We encourage families to build relationships with each other, both in class and in "real life." There is a warm family environment in all classes; it's not unusual to see a child sitting in another parent's lap! Many of our families continue to attend class even after graduation, so the community that is being built here is really genuine.

* As I mentioned earlier, I am a passionate teacher with detailed lesson plans. However, students are young, ranging from young toddlers to older preschoolers--and each class looks a little bit different depending on the group of children, their moods, their nap schedule, and even the weather outside. :) Flexibility is key--active learning is the goal!

* Routine is important for young children, so our class does have a typical schedule that ebbs and flows each week. We open and close each class with the same songs. New signs are introduced at the beginning of class, and we practice our signs with stories and songs. We take frequent movement breaks--dancing, whole-class games, and more. Usually, we move from instruction-time to the family craft and learning centers. Each class features 5-6 educational activities for families to practice new signs and work on important literacy, math, and fine-motor skills. The last 10-15 minutes of class include bubbles, parachute play, ABC and color songs, and a brief review. Families are welcome to stay and participate in free play after our closing song.

* This time in our life is a joyous one. We treasure the relationships that are being built through signing classes! My goal is to help your family with your child's early education--don't hesitate to contact me with specific questions.

Signing Success Story #4 | San Antonio * Baby Signing

David is a recent graduate from Play & Sign classes, and I am so glad that his mom and dad agreed to share his story on the blog today! The entire family is proof that when you put in consistent time and effort into signing with your little ones, amazing things can happen!

* Child’s name and age:

David (17 months)

* When and why did you start signing with your child?

We started at 11 months old and classes at 13 months old. We have always believed learning different languages was a good thing and we love watching him learn.

* How has signing made a difference in your family?

Signing has helped bridge the gap between English and Spanish in our family. David understands Spanish much more than English. Signing has helped us teach him that things can have multiple names.

* What would you tell a friend interested in signing with their child?

Definitely worth trying it out. I feel like David doesn't get as frustrated because he knows how to communicate with us about the things he wants.

* * * * *

Two weeks ago, his mom sent me a video of David signing over five words--and they regularly post pictures of their family practicing signs at home (AIRPLANE at Christmas time, FLOWER at the zoo). I'm blown away by his parents' passion and how quickly this little guy has become trilingual.

This family is DEFINITELY a Signing Success Story!

If you're using more than one language with YOUR little one, I'd love to hear about it in the comments below.

Eat, Milk, More, All Done; Now What?

I talk to a lot of parents about signing with their babies--and about 75% of those conversations go exactly like this:

Them: "Oh, we signed with Susie!"
Me: "Awesome! Signing has so many benefits for children!"
Them: "Mm-hm. We did MILK, MORE, and ALL DONE. And then Susie started talking, so we stopped."
Me: **awkward end of conversation**

It's no secret that I am a huge fan of signing with babies.
AND toddlers!
AND preschoolers!
AND school-age children!
AND adults!!
I'll say it again: American Sign Language is its own language with its own rules and grammar. Children don’t outgrow sign language just because they’re already speaking!

I wrote a post called Beyond Baby Signs back in July, but I think signing with toddlers is SO important that I'm here to tell you all about it again.

WHY should I sign with my toddler?
(As Rachel Coleman says, "Why wouldn't you?")

Here are a few more reasons:

• Signing reduces frustration—your child can tell you exactly what they need! 
• Signing improves confidence and self-esteem. 
• Signing increases vocabulary and helps children play with words (use the "grumpy" sign for angry, annoyed, frustrated, etc.).
• Signing teaches children to decode non-verbal clues, like facial expressions.
• Signing allows parents to communicate privately (no, wait, be nice, I love you, etc.).

Oh man, what a trip, looking at pictures of Kate when she was 12-15 mos old. :)
Toddlers have SUCH a range of emotion.

So, if your toddler is acquiring speech, but you're not ready to give up on signing, here's what I recommend:

• Start with manners! Your child wants MORE? Add in a PLEASE! Work on NO, THANK YOU. :)
• Take signing away from the table--learn signs for bath time, bedtime, playtime! MORE BUBBLES! ALL DONE with the PUZZLE!
• Add in colors! Your child knows BALL? BIRD? CAR? Start building phrases with adjectives! (Brown Bear, Brown Bear is great for this!)
• Follow your child's passions! There are THIRTY Signing Time/Baby Signing Time DVDs available at the library, so there really is something for everyone!

Your baby's first words are an awesome milestone, so it's absolutely appropriate to celebrate the new skill! One word of advice from this "experienced mom" though: don't be surprised to see a speech regression when your child starts working on other skills or when a new baby joins the family--that's when you'll really be glad you kept on signing!

Share your story below--tell us about a time you were glad you had kept signing with your toddler!

Signing with Toddlers: Why WE Do It! | San Antonio Baby Sign Language Classes

I mentioned back in the summer that our 2 year old daughter was having a speech explosion, and yet we were choosing to continue signing with her. (You can click here to read that post for some ideas on HOW to move beyond baby signs with your own toddler.) Now that we are four months further down the road, I wanted to come back to that idea and tell you WHY we are still so thankful to be signing with our littlest girl.

Yesterday afternoon, we were at the park with my parents (who have just retired and moved less than 10 miles away!). Kate was busy, busy, busy climbing up the ladder to the big slide and zooming down. Our girl LOVES to slide and she must have gone up and down at least 30 times. And every time she would get to the bottom, she'd scoot off and say/sign, "AGAIN!" with the cutest smile on her face.

We weren't the only family at the slide...there were three other toddlers making the same rotation--climbing the stairs painstakingly slow and then zipping down to the bottom. It wasn't long before one of the other moms commented on Kate's signing--she said that her daughter had picked up the sign "more" as a baby, but they hadn't done much more signing than that.

When we're in public, I never, ever want people to feel like I'm giving an infomercial or trying to "sell" them something. But the simple truth is that we sign with our girls at home AND in public, and sometimes that prompts a short conversation. 

I told the mama that we signed with our older daughter first because she had a speech delay, but that Kate had been signed to from birth. Like all two year olds, Kate has an obsessive streak--she loves to try on shoes, and be read to, and she LOVES to watch Signing Time. (If she had the choice, she would watch the same episodes over and over all afternoon long.) This particular mom had never heard of Signing Time, so I was happy to tell her that she could find the DVDs at the library or download episodes to her mobile device. And then she said, "I'll have to remember that for our NEXT baby."

I was busy making sure that Kate didn't tumble off the slide and so I didn't get a chance to respond as eloquently as I would have liked. So, on the off chance that mama happens to read my blog, here's what I *should* have said to you! (And if YOU have children or grandchildren, please feel free to read along.)

There is NO reason that you can't start signing with the beautiful children you already have! Studies and anecdotal research have shown over and over again that there are countless benefits to signing with children of all ages and abilities. (See here and here.) American Sign Language is a beautiful language and you can start learning together today! Pick a handful of signs for foods, animals, or family members--find a book or a song with those words and practice, practice, practice. Signing with verbal children has immediate results!

Here are five reasons why WE sign with our toddler:

1. She WANTS to! Honestly, signing with Kate requires that we are consistent when we read books, sing songs, and play games. If we signed it once, she's going to expect that we sign it every time...and she's going to sign along, too.
2. It helps immensely with our communication. Yes, she is extremely verbal for her age, but there are a few times every hour that I have no idea what she is trying to tell me. And she will keep saying the same phrase over and over again until I respond, so it's a relief when she signs and I can finally understand!
3. Signing helps our girl notice details. ASL is a very precise language and I catch her frequently watching how I make a sign and then trying to replicate the sign herself. Not only does signing help with her visual discrimination, it is helping with her fine motor skills! She is isolating fingers to make the signs for letters and colors (y for yellow and p for purple are particularly tricky for even older, bigger hands).
4. She is LEARNING. Our older daughter has a strong auditory-visual learning style, and Kate appears to be a kinesthetic learner. In just a few short months, Kate has learned all of her colors, her ABCs (the song and many individual letters, too), and numbers 1-10. She "reads" her books to us, telling us the colors and names of animals that she sees on every page. Just a few minutes ago, she pointed the word family and said, "F!"--not only did she recognize the letter on the page, but she knows that the SIGN for family uses f hands. I love that our 2 year old is making connections between learning concepts through ASL!
5. Most importantly, signing is fun! We love to watch Signing Time together and we love to have friends over for signing class. Children want to MOVE and DANCE all the time--and American Sign Language gives them that opportunity to let their bodies do the talking!

Signing is not something that your children outgrow just because they have started speaking! It's NEVER too late to start!

And just for fun, here's a video of Kate singing and signing along with Rainbow Song (from Signing Time) earlier this week!

Post by Lone Star Signers.

Silent Star: Book Review | Lone Star Signers, San Antonio, Texas

I first heard about William Hoy on the TV show Switched at Birth. (Do you watch that show? I love learning new ASL signs...and seem to have been sucked into the characters and storylines. ;) )

Recently, Addie and I stumbled across Silent Star: The Story of Deaf Major Leaguer William Hoy at the public library. The book was written by Bill Wise and the illustrator is Adam Gustavson.

Addie and I really like to read biographies. I think it's important for her to learn about people who have gone before us and made a difference in the world around them.

William Hoy is just such a person. After an illness left him deaf at the age of three, Hoy later attended the Ohio School for the Deaf and learned American Sign Language. He also joined the school baseball team! When he graduated in 1879, Hoy went to work as an apprentice at a shoemaker's shop.

The book emphasizes Hoy's strong work ethic and makes it a point to mention that he soon OWNED the shop. (I love it when hard work and excellence are praised in children's stories--too many children believe that celebrity status comes with luck and ease.)

William Hoy was soon discovered by a baseball scout who stumbled upon a pick-up game on the lot behind his shoe shop. After playing in a minor league team for a while, Hoy was signed by the Cincinnati Reds.

"Of the tens of thousands of players who have made their careers in major league baseball, William Ellsworth "Dummy" Hoy ranks in the top twenty-five in the following all-time career statistics: stolen bases, assists by an outfielder, and double plays by an outfielder."

We both loved the story and the illustrations. The Droegemeller girls give this book two thumbs up! :)

Starting with Signing: Young Toddler Edition

When our precious first daughter was born in the summer of 2008, we had never heard of baby signing. Addie was born (unexpectedly) at 26 weeks, and I often joke that I never got past that week's chapter in the "What to Expect..." books.

Our first months were occupied by our time in the NICU (health issues, surgeries, and eating struggles), immediately followed by five months of home quarantine to avoid germs and the very-scary threat of RSV, and topped off with a hasty move when we realized our apartment had mold growing in the walls. You might say that first year was overwhelming. You might say that we were focused on surviving, not thriving...

Enter our amazing speech therapist:
"How does Adeline express her wants and needs to you?"

"Um...well...we sort of anticipate what she wants before she tells us," was the best that I could do. (I didn't know any better.) We didn't know if she didn't know how to talk or if there was just no need. Her receptive speech (what she understood us saying to her) tested above average, so we began to work on expressive speech with a side of sign language.

Here is how we started signing with our young toddler:

• We picked a handful of words we wanted Addie to be able to express to us first. 
• We found a million different ways to work those words into our daily routines. Let's say that "bath" was one of our key words; we would talk about taking a bath whenever we were in the restroom together, pretend to give her toys a bath, and check out books from the library featuring baths. We would say the word, show the sign, and then say the word while signing. 
• As soon as she would conquer one word, we would add it to our picture card pile. I printed off pictures from the Internet and pasted them to index cards to practice at the store, at church, while we were waiting in line for anything. (Addie LOVED flash cards; every child is different, though!)
• We taught signs with positive reinforcements first. BUBBLES, COOKIE, and SHOES were all things she loved and wanted to have. We empowered her to tell us what she wanted and when.
• We kept a journal, adding in her new words and signs weekly. We also wrote down our goal words to keep us on track. This communication was vital for parents, grandparents, and therapists! It's a wonderful keepsake now.

Our SLP is also the one who first recommended Signing Time to us and we checked them out from our library each visit. For both our girls, who waited until after 18 months to start signing or speaking regularly, signing was the bridge that they needed to speech. Their first signs became their first words, when they were ready!

With Addie, I am so, so, so thankful that we had her in Early Childhood Intervention services (speech, physical therapy, and occupational therapy) from a young age. By the time our second baby came along, I was a little more relaxed and a lot more informed about the range of "normal" in children...Kate is still a little below the curve when it comes to speech as an almost-two-year-old, but her signing vocabulary more than makes up for it.

Here's a brief video of Kate signing at 14 months. My notes say, "If you have a toddler that shows no interest in signing, don't give up! We've been signing to Kate (now 14 months old) since birth and she signs MORE and MILK sporadically. Today, I asked her to say/sign PLEASE and she did, which totally shocked me. Here's a video of the cutie reenacting for a cookie. (Hee, hee...I bet COOKIE will be her fourth sign.)"

For those of you who started signing after the baby stage with your little ones, what brought you to that decision? What tips do you have to share with parents who may be new to ASL?

Signing Success Story #3

ASL Story
by Katie Lamping

* When and why did you start signing with your child?*

My son Edan is 3 years old and we’ve been signing for about 2 years now. He turned 1 in March of 2011 and he had some developmental delays at the time, including speech. Despite having normal hearing and understanding of language all along, he was almost 18 months old when he said his first word. (Incidentally, that word was “hot”; can you tell we live in Texas??) My husband Kevin, Edan, and I were all so frustrated by Edan’s inability to communicate his increasingly complex observations and requests. I had the option to take an ASL class as an elective for my graduate program in the summer of 2011, so I signed up and started teaching Edan as I learned. I was amazed when he started signing back! It was so much easier for him to SHOW me what he was thinking, and ASL gave him a way to direct how he was already using his hands and body and facial expressions to communicate. His emphatic use of this new language taught me a lot about what a “visual-gestural” language really looks like.

* How has signing made a difference in your family?*

Today Edan has typical language skills. We backed off of signing a bit when he first started speaking, but like all families, we continually run into periods in which his receptive language development outpaces his expressive and articulation abilities. So we keep coming back to ASL. It’s also given us a way to talk to each other privately no matter who else is around, and I think we will appreciate this more and more as he gets older because I will be able to ask questions, provide instructions, or offer affection without embarrassing him. Of course, it’s also a way for us to communicate when we can’t otherwise speak, like when we’re too far apart, when one of us loses our voice, when I’m on the phone, when we’re in a quiet environment like when daddy is still asleep, or a loud one like during a tantrum. ;)

* What would you tell a friend interested in signing with their child?*

For those interested in beginning to sign, I would encourage them to take a class if at all possible, either through a Signing Time instructor or at a local college (in San Antonio, SAC and UTSA offer ASL courses). Bookmark a couple relevant websites and/or pick up an ASL dictionary and get in the habit of looking up the signs for words you use throughout the day. Be consistent, use the signs at every opportunity, and watch for and acknowledge approximations of the sign in your child’s movements. Make it a part of your life as much as possible and know that it’s never too late to start or pick it back up.

*Do you have a favorite Signing Time product?*

I LOVE all the Signing Time DVDs. Many of them show signs for foods and because Edan has multiple food allergies, this provides a great opportunity to talk about foods that are and are not safe for him. He gets so excited when an Edan-safe food comes up; “I can have that mama!”. Vol 6: My Favorite Things is one of his favorites because it includes the signs for so many “Edan-safe” fruits and vegetables...and also because he likes the rainbow on the cover. My personal favorite is Vol 5: ABC Signs because it shows so very many signs and it’s fun trying to keep up with Rachel as she sings.

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Thank you for sharing your family's story, Katie! We have loved getting to know all of you in classes this year!

Katie was given a free Practice Time DVD as a thank you gift for participating in this series, but all opinions are her own. Some affiliate links are included.

Signing Success Story #2 | San Antonio * Baby Signing

* Child’s name and age:

River (15 months)

* When and why did you start signing with your child?

We started at 6 months with 'milk', but we knew when I was pregnant that would would be signing with River. I'd done so much research that told me how much of an impact it would have on his development.

* How has signing made a difference in your family?

It's been so much easier(is it ever easy?!) to communicate with him, he's speaking more and telling us what he's wanting.

* What would you tell a friend interested in signing with their child?

To start early! Even if its just a couple signs. The best insight I've been given was that they understand much sooner than they can communicate back, so it's important to sign to them even if they aren't responding back.

* Do you have a favorite Signing Time product?

We've only used the DVDs to this point, so they're our, River's, favorite! He won't watch anything on TV for more than 30 seconds. He loves Rachel, he requests to watch "Baby". He just lights up when he hears the music and sees it coming on.

Thank you for sharing, Joscelyn! :)

**

You can download a FREE 13 minute Signing Time sampler by clicking here and following the directions!

Joscelyn will be sent a  free Practice Time DVD as a thank you gift for participating in this series, but all opinions are her own. Update (June 2013): Joscelyn is now a Baby Signing Time Instructor in the Converse area! Check out her Instructor page here.

Signing with Children Who Speak, Part 2

Yesterday, I shared five social, emotional, and behavioral benefits of signing with young children who are already speaking. Today, I'd like to share the educational benefits!

If you've read our story, then you know that our oldest daughter was a micropreemie born at just 26 weeks. Addie had a number of developmental delays, and we began signing with her when she was nonverbal at 18 months. By her third birthday, her speech was evaluated at a 60 month level by our local school district and just six months later, she was beginning to read.

I first saw this video on one of the Signing Time DVDs we borrowed from the library when Addie was a baby, but I never expected similar results with my own child.

Katy Barrett - Interview with Signing Time from Signing Time on Vimeo.

Almost identical to Elizabeth, Addie first memorized a variety of printed words, but it wasn't long before she had figured out the pattern of phonics and started reading independently.

(Keep in mind that we never intended for Addie to learn to read by watching Signing Time and using sign language, but I do believe that it played into her learning style.)

Sign language uses a multisensory approach that has proven to benefit a variety of learners--auditory, visual, and tactile/kinesthetic! In my education training, we were required to take several seminars on brain development. Since I'm not a neuroscientist, I'm going to link a great summary about neurons and synapses here...basically, it says that the first three years are critical to a child's brain development and that it's the best time for a person to learn more than one language.

ASL is a very visual language and taking in information causes you to use the right side of your brain, while other languages [such as English] that are not as visual as ASL cause you to use the left side of your brain. [Children] who learn ASL are actually using both sides of the brain which causes building of synapses. (link, emphasis mine)

So even if your child is an early talker, using sign language can actually increase your child's knowledge bank and strengthen the connections in his/her brain! Let's use the concept MILK to illustrate: at a very young age, your baby will learn that there is a delicious white substance that is offered to them several times a day! Before long, he will hear you say "milk" (or "leche", etc.) and he will begin to associate those sounds with the drink that he wants! If you teach him the sign, you are giving him yet another reference point for the solution to his growling, hungry tummy. He now has a tactile way to express himself, even if he can't do it verbally. AND then, when he's quite a bit older, after learning the sign for milk and learning to say milk (and/or leche, or another language used in your household), he won't be surprised to learn that there's yet another way to demonstrate the concept--this time with the printed letters M I L K!

Now imagine how useful sign language is for a concept like wind! Incidentally, WIND was one of our younger daughter's first signs. Every time she would feel the breeze on her face outside, she would grin SO big, even when she was just a few months old. It wasn't long before I was labeling it with the word and with the sign: "Oh Katie, it's the WIND! Doesn't that feel great?" Imagine my delight the first time she signed WIND to me, before I said a word! :)

There have been several studies on using sign language with young children. One study completed by Linda Acredolo, PhD and Susan Goodwyn, PhD, followed more than 100 families for a two-year period. Some of the families used signs with their young children while the rest (the control group) did not. At the conclusion of two years, the doctors discovered that the signers scored higher on intelligence tests, understood more words, had larger vocabularies and increased self-confidence! Furthermore, Acredolo and Goodwyn followed up with as many families as possible when the children turned 8, and found that the signers had an average IQ of 114, twelve points higher than the average of the non-signers!

I don't want to forget to mention the best benefit of all in signing with your child who's already speaking--it's FUN and children ENJOY it! There's a reason why children's songs and rhymes have motions that go along with them and teachers across the country are using a technique called "Whole Brain Teaching." Children who are engaged in learning retain the information longer and have a great time in the process!

I would love to hear what you think! Can you think of any other benefits to using sign language with children who are already verbal?

Why Should I Use Sign Language with My Early Talker?

As I mentioned yesterday, both of my girls took their sweet time learning to talk (18-20 months). So, I'm not approaching this question as a mom, but as a teacher:

Why should I use sign language with my early talker/

older child that is already speaking?

A long, long time ago in a land far, far away, I was an elementary school teacher. Fresh out of college, I was paired with an amazing teammate/friend in the classroom next door. I learned nearly everything I know about teaching from her--and one of her best tips for classroom management was using sign language.

Y'all, I don't know if you've ever been in a small room with 20+ people, but it gets LOUD. :)

(I quickly eliminated sharpening pencils during school hours--I had a sharp bucket and I had a dull/broken bucket and I took all the ones that needed sharpening home each night. So, now that you know just how crazy I am...)

The first week of school, we took time to learn the manual alphabet together. Students learned the sign for "restroom" and "water" and that eliminated HALF of my daily questions. Just a quick nod/yes (or the sign for wait/later) and I kept on teaching!

Whenever we had a few extra minutes to spare (usually waiting in line at the restroom or to go into the gym/cafeteria), we'd work on fingerspelling vocabulary words. Most of my students LOVED this game and it was quiet, so my principal really liked it, too.

American Sign Language has so many benefits beyond basic communication with pre-verbal children! Here are a few of my favorites:

1. Signing clarifies your child's message--you're at the playground and your child comes running up to you, crying hard. You ask, "What's wrong?" but you can't understand what he's trying to tell you. It just takes one sign (sad, hurt, angry, sick) to know how to respond. For those early talkers, you may have a difficult time trying to decipher the "buh/buh/buh" she keeps repeating (ball, bubble, boy?). Then (click!), she signs BIRD and points to a picture in the book she's holding.
2. Signing reduces whining. Unfortunately, it doesn't eliminate it entirely--but who doesn't want less whining?!
3. Children LOVE to move their bodies in parent/teacher-approved ways! Some kiddos have a difficult time being still and signing gives them an outlet to get their wiggles out.
4. Dramatic/thematic children LOVE to expressive themselves when speaking. Sign language is all about using body language, facial cues, and eye contact to communicate.
5. ALL children, whether easily distracted or intensely shy, learn to focus on the speaker/signer and build stamina through eye contact and working to understand the message.

Tomorrow, I'll share five MORE reasons I think using sign language with speaking children is valuable!

Will Signing Delay Speech? (our story) | Lone Star Signers

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