Baby Sign Language Hawaiian Style

Down Syndrome Awareness Month: Sign Language can help children who may have difficulty with speech

2010-10-27T18:35:00.000-07:00

It has been shown that children with learning disabilities often need to have multiple senses stimulated simultaneously in order for them to learn effectively. Even boys (as opposed to girls) do better when movement, or a third sensory stimulus) is added to their learning regimen. Yet, in a normal classroom setting, children only listen to a teacher and see what is being demonstrated. In this example only two senses are stimulated and a single set of connections is made in the brain.

By stimulating the tactile centers of the brain with a hands-on activity like signing, that number of connections can be tripled. Connections would now be made between somatosensory and visual centers, somatosensory and auditory centers and visual and auditory centers. As a result, learning becomes more efficient and memory is enhanced, or in the case of a child with a learning disability, learning becomes possible. This is just one reason that children with learning disabilities benefit from the use of sign language in the classroom. However, sign language isn’t just for the learning disabled. All children tend to benefit from its application.

This may be why teachers and early childhood educators are piling into sign language and baby sign language workshops. A representative from Kauai-based company, Blossoming Little Minds, just recently gave a standing room only presentation about using sign language in the classroom at the 2010 HAEYC (Hawaii Association for the Education of Young Children) conference. She covered many benefits of using sign language in a classroom and pointed out that those benefits are multiplied for children with learning disabilities, speech delays, Down Syndrome and autism. She said that Children with Down Syndrome may also have difficulty with speech and that using sing sign language can alleviate much of the stress and frustration that is due to the inability to communicate.

She went on to say that preverbal children that can communicate their needs, are more likely to get their needs met. As a result, these children are often more self-confident and have higher self esteem. Since self esteem is related to the future success of our children, it would only make sense to use a tool such as sign language to instill these qualities into our children at an early age and if signing can help children with learning disabilities too, then kudos to the teachers that attend these workshops so that they can help our children succeed.

For more information about the benefits of baby sign language, you may visit Blossoming Little Minds’ website.

March 24 vocabulary sign list

2010-03-23T17:05:00.000-07:00

Aloha Mamas and Daddies:

Thanks for continuing in your quest to communicate with your baby! you guys did fabulous today, give yourselves a hand! Today we learned the signs for: Apple, banana, grapes, cookies, ice cream, water, juice, mommy, daddy, gramma, grampa, baby, bath, sleep, up & down! WOW! and we learned how to use them with songs! Keep up the good work and try to remember to incorporate just a couple signs into your daily life!
good luck and happy signing!

Word List March 16 class

2010-03-16T15:54:00.000-07:00

Here is the word list for today's class:
Milk, Eat, More, drink, all done.
We will review these signs next week. For now, try to remember to use them as such:
Would you like more milk? Would you like more food? Would you like to play some more? When all done diapering say all done! When all done eating say all done! As your child if they would like to drink some milk. Then ask if they would like more or are they all done. Are you hungry, would you like to eat? Check out youtube, signing savvy, blossoming little minds and signing time! And bring pictures from magazine of fruits, cookies, cheese and crackers, etc.
Good luck! Happy SIgning

Baby Sign Language Classes

2010-03-04T13:24:00.001-08:00

Baby Sign language class

Learn how to communicate with your infant/toddler before they develop speech. This 6 week class will cover the benefits of signing, how to get started, how to help toddlers identify emotions using sign, overcoming any pitfalls and continuing to use sign language as a multisensory teaching tool in the preschool years. You will learn over 75 signs and the manual alphabet. Classes run Tuesdays 10A-10:45A, March 16-April 20 at Storybook Theatre in Hanapepe. Donation recommended but not required. More info lucidhawaii@mac.com, www.blossominglittleminds.com.
Schedule of topics:
March 16: Getting Started, Benefits of Signing, signs for basic needs
March 23: Uses of sign language, signs for food & drink
March 30: Overcoming pitfalls, signs for animals
April 6: Everyday signs, review, questions, books & games
April 13: Using signs to help toddlers identify emotions, signs for body & feelings
April 20: Using sign language as a multisensory teaching tool, signs for colors and the alphabet

Ziggity Zoom

2010-03-04T13:18:00.001-08:00

Aloha folks:
I was recently appointed to the Ziggity Zoom advisory board and have posted a few articles about sign language at this site. By the way, it's a great site for kids and parents and shares that title of best site for kids with Disney kids. You may see my article on Empowering your baby with sign language here.

Multisensory learning

2009-07-20T17:26:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I've posted. I have been busy promoting my book, "The Complete Hawaiian Reef Fish Coloring Book"...which is now being used as a textbook in a number of Hawaii Schools as well as mainland schools. A lot of folks have said that the material is too hard for kids, but we parents know better. Young children are like sponges soaking up everything they can at an early age...Why? because their brains are developing at an astounding rate and everything that is new is exciting. My son is 2 and while he might not be able to identify all 80 species described in the book, He definitely knows the difference between a Manini, a Hawaiian whitespotted toby, and a Moorish Idol. This is because I don't underestimate his learning ability and I expose him to lots of different material (if he wants, I never force). I'm not saying my textbook is appropriate for 2 year olds who can barely hold a crayon, but I'm also not saying its not...there is something for everyone in there including college students..Why & where am I going with this on a SIGN LANGUAGE BLOG? MULTI SENSORY LEARNING IS KEY. when I developed the book I based it on the fact, that it was easier for me to learn to identify the fish when I used a multisensory approach...in this case reading & seeing (VISUAL), saying & hearing (auditory), & coloring (tactile)...so we have used multiple senses here...Multisensory learning can triple the number of connections made in the brain, thereby making learning more efficient & enhancing memory...NOW here's the Sign Language tie-in...SIGNING makes all types of learning multisensory...try it when you are teaching your child the alphabet, or reading...WOW! AND!!!!multisensory learning really helps those with learning disabilities!!!WOW again! You'll be hearing a lot more about this from me in the near future....In the mean time, don't forget to check out my older posts on how to get your baby started with sign language

Baby Signs Winner

2009-02-08T15:03:00.000-08:00

Sarah Grossmann of Kauai is our winner of the Baby Signs Starter Kit! Congratulations!
Sarah wrote:"I really wanted to sign with my first child, but found the book
I read
about it too complicated to follow and gave up too early to see any
results.
I really have been inspired to try again with my second child by
the results
I have seen with Monika and her child. It's so neat to see them
communicate
with the signs and her son seems so centered and intelligent. I
know every
child has their "moments", but they do seem to be less frequent
when you
have some way to communicate with your child. I hope that I can
use the
baby signing videos to help foster fun learning with my children.
It's
exciting, too, that my older child is trying to sign to the baby!"

Thank you Sarah, Enjoy!

Does Your Baby Make up his own Signs?

2009-02-07T17:38:00.001-08:00

Mine does! He always watches my husband and I to see what we are doing. When he wants chapstick, he smacks his lips (I guess he sees me rub the chapstick on with my lips). He is relentless until he gets the chapstick. There are many others which I cannot think of at the moment, but I got an email from Dion who told us: "Just wanted to send in a new sign that my 11 month old recently came up with recently. When ever my wife and I cough, he see us tap our chest and he started doing it every time he coughs. It is really cute looking at him do it." Thanks for the email Dion! Love to see what babies will make up! On that note, they love to imitate, so if you want it to be cute...BE ON YOUR BEST BEHAVIOR!
thanks again!
Always love to hear from you!

Contest Winner Announced Soon

2009-02-06T10:46:00.000-08:00

I will announce the contest winner shortly. Thanks for your posts and entries! Sorry there have just been a lot of ads lately, will get back to the meat soon!
Aloha!

March Baby Signs Coupons and Deals

2009-02-06T10:34:00.000-08:00

Signing Time Coupons

2009-01-23T10:04:00.000-08:00

Purchase Baby Signing Time DVD Gift Set Vol. 1-4, and Save over 25%! Includes a bonus "Good Night Baby CD" and FREE Shipping!
Coupon Code: NONE NEEDED
Valid until March 31st

Free Baby Signs Starter Kit Contest

2009-01-20T14:01:00.000-08:00

The folks at Baby Signs have been gracious enough to sponsor a contest to give away a free Baby Signs Starter Kit. To enter the contest, please email me with a short paragraph on why you would like to receive the kit....or you may email me with a short story of a sign that your baby has "made up". Please include your name and email address. If I like you story, I would love to post my favorites on the blog (I won't post your name or contact info), but please note whether you give me permission to post the paragraph. Winners will actually be chosen at random. In the mean time, please scroll down and take advantage of the 50% discount that Baby Signs is offering this month (January) on their starter kit. I will be running the contest until Feb. 8. 09 in order to allow my workshop attendees to participate.
email entries to Lucidhawaii@mac.com
Aloha,
Monika

Introductory Baby Sign Language Workshops

2009-01-14T14:37:00.000-08:00

Baby Signing Hawaiian Style is offering introductory BABY SIGN LANGUAGE WORKSHOPS. The workshops will give you the resources to learn how to communicate with your little ones before they develop speech. This introductory workshop will cover the following topics: what is baby sign language, why you should sign with your baby, the benefits of signing with your child, how to get started and resources for continuation. We will also teach you a handful of useful signs so that you can get started right away. There is a $25 fee, bring your baby. Come share the joy of signing with us! The workshops will be held at the Koloa Neighborhood Center, Mon. Feb 2, 2-3:30p or Mon., March 2, 2-3:30p and at the Kalaheo Neighborhood Center, Mon., Feb. 2, 6:30-8p or Sat., Feb. 7, 10:30-noon. We encourage childcare providers to participate. Individuals, parenting groups, childcare facilities & church groups can also host a workshop. Email me for more info: lucidhawaii@mac.com

My baby stopped signing, what happened?

2009-01-10T16:35:00.000-08:00

When my son was about 12 months old, he had been signing pretty regularly and then he suddenly stopped for about 3 weeks. At 13 months he began walking and then the signing resumed. Sometimes, when babies are working on new skills such as walking, they may focus all their efforts on learning the new skill. If your baby suddenly stops signing, don't give up. Allow her to work on other skills and milestones, she should resume when she is ready. Also, don't get frustrated and force anything, remember signing is a fun activity!

Product Review- Sign with your Baby DVD

2009-01-09T10:53:00.000-08:00

Sign with your Baby - Baby Sign Language (ASL) Training Video - US DVD (Closed Captioned)
is a great tutorial for parents. There is a lot of good information about how to teach your baby to sign. They frequently review the tips throughout the DVD. They also have interviews with Doctors and speech pathologists to really drive home the benefits of signing with your baby. There is also a sign dictionary that is pretty extensive. I recommend watching this DVD, it is worth the time. However, this is not a DVD that your children may be interested in watching with you, it is more geared for adults. I will write more product reviews and include DVDs that I would recommend to watch with your baby.

Great Deal on Baby Signs Program This Month Only

2009-01-07T10:55:00.000-08:00

We've got a great coupon deal for January: Save 50% on the Baby Signs Complete Starter Kit! (Coupon Code: SAVE50)

The Starter Kit is regularly priced at $39.95, but for the month of January, you can buy it for just $19.98. That's an amazing $20 savings on our best-selling Kit that includes a Parent Guide, Parent DVD, Baby DVD, 4 Board Books and a Flip Guide!

My baby uses the same sign for everything

2009-01-03T17:00:00.000-08:00

I hear this a lot and it is rather common. I remember when my son was first learning to sign, he signed milk for everything. I was recently re-reading Monica Beyer's book, Teach Your Baby to Sign: An Illustrated Guide to Simple Sign Language for Babies,
when I ran accross this topic once again. She suggests that this is actually a good thing. Your baby is beginning to realize that he can use gestures for communication. Be consistent and teach him new signs to meet the needs you think he may be asking about. With my son this phase lasted for maybe a week or two. Eventually he used the appropriate signs to get what he wanted.

Don't give up when your baby begins to speak

2008-12-21T15:08:00.000-08:00

I hear from a lot of parents that they taught their baby to sign milk, more, eat and potty and then their baby started to talk, so they gave up. Remember, signing may actually speed up the learning process for language development. It is also a great tool to help your child learn their ABCs. Many professionals are using sign language in the classroom because it reinforces learning, "while teaching children a hands-on second language" (to quote Rachel Coleman from Signing Time). SO don't give up just because your child has started to talk. Remember if she says three words and signs 25 that is a 28 word vocabulary. Imagine if she says 25 and signs 75, that is a 100 word vocabulary. And remember signing is a fun way to bond with your children!

What is baby sign language?

2008-12-10T13:26:00.000-08:00

Put simply, baby sign language is a means of early communication with your child. It is based on ASL. Remember, children are somewhat powerless unless they can communicate. Get ready to empower them!

Why sign with your baby?

2008-12-08T21:57:00.000-08:00

REMEMBER, COMMUNICATION EMPOWERS CHILDREN!

The real question is, why wouldn’t you want to sign with your baby? If you can communicate with your little one before she develops speech, wouldn’t you want to get on board? I know you would! Here’s the thing to remember, you are not focusing on teaching your baby a second language by signing, but instead using sign language as a means of early communication. You are enhancing communication skills and giving your baby confidence in her ability to communicate with signs. This may lead to improved language skills, greater understanding of words and earlier use of sentences. It can also give your child the power to learn more and it can aid in the development of concepts. Signing with your baby provides one more way that you can interact with her, but most of all, signing with your baby is fun!

How to get started

2008-12-08T10:11:00.000-08:00

Although the technique for signing with different ages may vary, here are some pointers to help you get started signing with your baby.

Start with just a few signs.

We suggest starting with milk, eat and more. These signs will probably have the most relevance in your baby’s routine and fulfill her most common needs in the beginning. You may add more signs, once she begins to use these.

Use signs every day. Incorporate them into your daily routine.

You may start signing with your baby as early as six months. Try using signs every day and as often as possible. Make it part of you daily routine. Ask your baby, “would you like to eat” while signing eat. Ask your baby if she would like some milk when you give her a bottle. Ask her if she would like more when she finishes her snack. Repetition is the mother of learning. Repeat, be consistent and most of all be patient. It may take a while, but the signs will come. Most often signs first appear around 9-10 months. We also recommend watching baby signing videos together (our favorites are from the Baby Signing Time series).

Speak, read or sing and sign together

Always say the word you are signing. For added reinforcement, you may sing songs and use signs, or you may read books and use signs. Research has shown that reading while signing may make children more interested in books. Signing is like reinforcement for language, you hear the word, see the object or action and then make a kinesthetic gesture. It actually speeds up the learning process.

Help your baby form the signs if she cannot

Sometimes it is hard for babies to form the shapes of the signs with their little hands. You can take their little hands in yours and help them form the signs.

Watch out for signs

Signs may first appear out of context. Your baby may sign more more more on the changing table, or eat while watching tv. Watch closely, if you see it again she may be practicing. Some signs are more difficult to form than others. So watch for something similar, that may be their own modification. For example, if your baby brings one finger to her mouth while you are drinking from a bottle of water, she may be signing water. Also look for sign substitution. My baby will sign bath when he wants to go in the pool, bike if he sees a motorcycle or knife when he wants the scissors. To him they are similar items and since he doesn’t know the signs for pool, motorcycle, or scissors, he uses what he does know.

Always offer positive reinforcement,

Always praise your baby she makes an effort to sign, even if the sign isn’t exactly correct.

Check the research on baby signing, lady!

2008-12-05T15:35:00.000-08:00

I get a lot of flack from the 50 plus generation for teaching my baby to sign. They can't understand why I would do it, they want to make sure that I am also teaching him how to talk, they are concerned that he may not be SAYING enough words, etc. My son has a 60 plus word vocabulary and you want to tell me he's not communicating with me? Hello! Here's the thing, I'm not teaching my son a second language, ASL. I am teaching him to communicate with me before his speech is solid. The research shows (YES the research) that signing babies' speech is often accelerated, their sentences come sooner, they have larger vocabularies, score higher on future IQ tests, and are more interested in books. Oh yeah...AND ITS FUN! So never mind what others tell you, signing with your baby is soooo worth it... Drs. Acredolo & Goodwyn did some of the original research that disputes any ideas that speech is delayed in signing babies, in fact, they found that speech is often accelerated as I mentioned above. You can see the summaries of some of the research here .

Sign Substitutions

2008-12-04T15:56:00.000-08:00

My son cracks me up some times. He'll be frantically signing something, and I just won't get it. Then I realize, he doesn't have the sign for what he sees or what he wants so he uses something similar. During the summer, we were in the back yard and it was so hot, he kept signing bath, and then I realized he wanted to go in the pool. Recently, we were at the park when a guy drove up in a Harley, there's my son signing bicycle..okay kinda similar...the latest one, we were in the bedroom and he started signing knife, finally I realized he wanted the scissors. When they want to communicate, they sure can find a way!

Signing Time Addict

2008-12-03T13:42:00.000-08:00

My baby is a Signing Time Addict! If we are in the house, he begs me with his sign language to let him watch Baby Signing Time, near the end of the DVD, he starts asking again, for a new DVD. He dances to the songs, laughs if I sing them, learns new signs every day. This is a great product, but I am actually concerned that he is addicted! and who said signing babies don't have tantrums, while they can sign what they want "more baby signing time", if I don't play it for him....you guessed it! But really, signing does alleviate a lot of frustration that comes from not being able to communicate. Anyone else with Signing Time addicts?

Some Benefits of Signing with Babies & Toddlers

2008-11-17T14:02:00.000-08:00

Signing helps Reduce frustration and tantrums

Signing allows children to clearly communicate their thoughts, needs and desires

Signing helps form stronger bonds between you and your baby

Signing may accelerate verbal language development

Signing babies have larger vocabularies

Older children that were signing babies often score higher on IQ tests

It’s a fun to sign together

Signing children tend to be more interested in books

Signing also provides a way to talk to your children discreetly in public when they get older or when the situation may be embarrassing

My baby's first signs appeared at 10 months

2008-10-03T13:37:00.000-07:00

My mother had sent me some info on baby sign language when I was pregnant. I discovered the Baby Signing Time DVDs when he was about six months. I started to sign "milk", "cat", and "eat" with him at seven months and lo and behold at 10 months, I was changing his diaper when the "milk" sign appeared. I thought it was just an anomoly or something, but he started using this sign regularly! At twelve months, he busted out fish, eat, car and more. I was so excited to communicate with my baby. WHen did your baby start signing?