Comments on: Signing with Babies, My Favorite Topic http://melissawiley.com/blog/2007/10/15/signing-with-babies-my-favorite-topic/ Children's Book Author Thu, 08 Jan 2009 06:36:46 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Kathryn http://melissawiley.com/blog/2007/10/15/signing-with-babies-my-favorite-topic/#comment-5540 Kathryn Sat, 20 Oct 2007 06:47:42 +0000 http://72.29.64.190/~mwiley/blog/2007/10/15/signing-with-babies-my-favorite-topic/#comment-5540 I wish we had something like Signing Time available here. I'm trying to use BSL with my little one (same logic as your choice of ASL - better to learn a real language) and the resources are much more limited. From a zero knowledge base I'm blundering on with a book of BSL intended for parents of pre-schoolers and occasionally watching a TV show intended for special needs kids which uses BSL. Oh, and a bit of input from my neighbour who learned some Makaton (simplified BSL?) when she was working with a non-verbal autistic preschooler. I have not been very consistent, but we do have a few working signs, including please and thank you ;). I wish we had something like Signing Time available here. I’m trying to use BSL with my little one (same logic as your choice of ASL - better to learn a real language) and the resources are much more limited. From a zero knowledge base I’m blundering on with a book of BSL intended for parents of pre-schoolers and occasionally watching a TV show intended for special needs kids which uses BSL. Oh, and a bit of input from my neighbour who learned some Makaton (simplified BSL?) when she was working with a non-verbal autistic preschooler. I have not been very consistent, but we do have a few working signs, including please and thank you ;).

]]> By: monica http://melissawiley.com/blog/2007/10/15/signing-with-babies-my-favorite-topic/#comment-5539 monica Tue, 16 Oct 2007 04:27:49 +0000 http://72.29.64.190/~mwiley/blog/2007/10/15/signing-with-babies-my-favorite-topic/#comment-5539 thanks so much melissa, i knew you would have lots of info about it. i asked for some ST videos for christmas from grandparents, so we will get on board soon too. thanks again. can you believe our "babies" are 18 mo old?? thanks so much melissa, i knew you would have lots of info about it. i asked for some ST videos for christmas from grandparents, so we will get on board soon too. thanks again. can you believe our “babies” are 18 mo old??

]]> By: KC http://melissawiley.com/blog/2007/10/15/signing-with-babies-my-favorite-topic/#comment-5538 KC Tue, 16 Oct 2007 02:15:31 +0000 http://72.29.64.190/~mwiley/blog/2007/10/15/signing-with-babies-my-favorite-topic/#comment-5538 My 2 year old knows all her letters thanks to Signing Time. Her favorite one is the ABC one (don't remember which one it is). My 2 year old knows all her letters thanks to Signing Time. Her favorite one is the ABC one (don’t remember which one it is).

]]> By: Seastar http://melissawiley.com/blog/2007/10/15/signing-with-babies-my-favorite-topic/#comment-5537 Seastar Tue, 16 Oct 2007 01:19:05 +0000 http://72.29.64.190/~mwiley/blog/2007/10/15/signing-with-babies-my-favorite-topic/#comment-5537 We have been watching Signing Time movies for about 2 months and my kids love them. I think we have seen about 7 different shows. My little 2 yr old has really caught on quickly and is signing things all the time. This is very helpful since he wasn't talking but all of the sudden he is talking too. The words are suddenly coming out. We have been watching Signing Time movies for about 2 months and my kids love them. I think we have seen about 7 different shows. My little 2 yr old has really caught on quickly and is signing things all the time. This is very helpful since he wasn’t talking but all of the sudden he is talking too. The words are suddenly coming out.

]]> By: patience http://melissawiley.com/blog/2007/10/15/signing-with-babies-my-favorite-topic/#comment-5536 patience Tue, 16 Oct 2007 00:58:25 +0000 http://72.29.64.190/~mwiley/blog/2007/10/15/signing-with-babies-my-favorite-topic/#comment-5536 I'm not surprised that using sign language as a baby can raise a child's IQ score. My own guess would be that communicating using hand gestures opens new, different neural pathways that verbal speech doesn't use, and so exercises and "expands" the brain. We know some, but I have been unforgivably slack about teaching it on a regular basis. I’m not surprised that using sign language as a baby can raise a child’s IQ score. My own guess would be that communicating using hand gestures opens new, different neural pathways that verbal speech doesn’t use, and so exercises and “expands” the brain.

We know some, but I have been unforgivably slack about teaching it on a regular basis.

]]> By: Courtney http://melissawiley.com/blog/2007/10/15/signing-with-babies-my-favorite-topic/#comment-5535 Courtney Mon, 15 Oct 2007 16:40:25 +0000 http://72.29.64.190/~mwiley/blog/2007/10/15/signing-with-babies-my-favorite-topic/#comment-5535 I was a speech path for 4 years in a public school setting. I worked with kids with autism and severe language delays. We'd have many parents not wanting us to use sign for fear the child wouldn't speak. As you stated, Lissa, the sign only enhanced their verbal language and gave them a way to communicate until they could speak verbally. I used baby signs with my first child and the months before she was able to clearly verbally speak were so much easier b/c she could communicate! It didn't impede her speech one bit, either. I was a speech path for 4 years in a public school setting. I worked with kids with autism and severe language delays. We’d have many parents not wanting us to use sign for fear the child wouldn’t speak. As you stated, Lissa, the sign only enhanced their verbal language and gave them a way to communicate until they could speak verbally. I used baby signs with my first child and the months before she was able to clearly verbally speak were so much easier b/c she could communicate! It didn’t impede her speech one bit, either.

]]> By: Mary Beth P http://melissawiley.com/blog/2007/10/15/signing-with-babies-my-favorite-topic/#comment-5534 Mary Beth P Mon, 15 Oct 2007 16:03:28 +0000 http://72.29.64.190/~mwiley/blog/2007/10/15/signing-with-babies-my-favorite-topic/#comment-5534 I loved using (what few signs I knew) with my kids. It was especially helpful with my 3rd son, Aaron. He was only speaking about 20 words at 2, but was signing about 10-15. I immersed myself in "Signing Time" for him. It made my heart melt when he signed "Jesus" in response to "Who loves you most?" We have fallen out of the habit of using signs now, because my 4th child is so verbal. I do miss it, it's so cute seeing a baby sign! I loved using (what few signs I knew) with my kids. It was especially helpful with my 3rd son, Aaron. He was only speaking about 20 words at 2, but was signing about 10-15. I immersed myself in “Signing Time” for him. It made my heart melt when he signed “Jesus” in response to “Who loves you most?” We have fallen out of the habit of using signs now, because my 4th child is so verbal. I do miss it, it’s so cute seeing a baby sign!

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