Baby sign language course

[bessie]

Hi there

I've just been on a training course for baby sign language. We all really enjoyed it and many of us think we'll give it a try.

Has anyone else done this training and does anyone use it in a childcare setting? I'd be interested to know what success people have had.

Thanks
Bx

[angeldelight]

I have not but I have wanted to but could find no where that did it round here

I do use some sign language with the little girl I care for she is autistic so does not communicate too well although she has now learnt to say my name
I use basic sign because that is what she was taught at home and at school it took a while for me to get used to it and I basically had to learn myself

I have some downloads I think somewhere if anyone is interested I can find them out , they give the signs to do for certain words only basic I'm afraid

Angel xx

[rainbowmum]

Check out www.chelltune.co.uk its a great sight with books for signing aimed at children, I have a few and found them good to introduce signing to my 2 & 4 yeard olds.

[angeldelight]

That is great thankyou

Angel xx

[bessie]

Hi - Thanks for the web site info. I've seen the lovely 'sign about' books and you can get them from amazon too but this site has plenty more resources.

We did the course with a Tiny Talk trainer and they use what is basically British sign language and it's compatible with other signing systems too.

Their web site is www.tinytalk.co.uk if anyone fancies a look.

Bx

[angeldelight]

Oh that is a really nice website I will take a good look over the weekend because I am really interested in this

Thanks for that

Angel xx

[Victoria Ashley]

Hi All,

I did the sing and sign course and really enjoyed it. I learnt my own daughter to sign from 6 months old and it certainly helped with communication. She signed 'milk', 'more', 'all gone' as well as a few others.

The hard part is remembering to keep signing at your baby while you say the word so they understand the sign but once you get into the habit of signing all the time it is easy.

If you can put in the time and a baby's parents are willing to sign at home (if you are teaching a mindee) then it is definitely worth it and it does work!

Victoria x

[Pauline]

You can also download some basic signs and symbols from the Makaton website

www.makaton.org/resources/available-symbols-signs.htm

[bessie]

Hi all

Victoria - it's good to hear from someone who used signing successfully with such a young baby. Well done.

Did you feel it helped with your daughter's spoken language skills too?

They say it sometimes does as you say the word more often as you teach the sign.

Pauline - thanks for the makaton site - very interesting.

Bx

[Victoria Ashley]

Hi Bessie,

I feel baby sign definitely helped with my daughter's communication skills. I know every mum thinks they child is brilliant but Emily really is!!! She has just turned two and speaks in full sentances, but she was speaking clearly from 12 months and never stopped talking and singing at 15 months. Other people may have had other experiences and it is hard to say exactly as she was my 3rd child so had her older sibling to help but it certinly didn't do her any harm. As I said earlier, if you want to use it in your setting, you need to ensure that the parents sign at home too, teach them some basic signs, otherwise it is difficult to ensure continuity and the baby may not pick it up.

Good luck,

Victoria x

[tasha]

Hi,
I babysigned(self taught) with my son from when he was about 6 months same with my daughter - she's nearly 8 now and he's nearly 2 - they both still sign - much faster than me and it definately improved their language skills. It's really sweet when my son wants to emphisise a word he says it and signs just to make sure I've understood - my daughter did the same and it really makes me chuckle!!! I havn't really had much success with the little one I look after as his parents think it's a waste of time so haven't bothered to learn and continue at home - which is a tad frustrating!! Would love to do a proper couse or workshop - but have yet to find one that is affordable! Hoping to get on to a subsidised worshop on Maketon in June though.

Tasha

[lorri]

Hi

I did baby signing with my son Benjamin but had to fight a lot of negative people in my family about it. None of them could see the point of it and said that it would stop him talking bla, bla, bla but I stuck to my guns and he learnt quite a lot and I honestly believe it's one of the best things you can do for them.

He hardly ever had any 'tantrums' out of frustration because he was able to communicate with me about a lot of things and it was nice that I could 'talk' with him while other mum's at toddler groups and places couldn't with theirs!

He also started to speak quite early because you always have to say the word with the sign and maintain eye contact so he learnt words and I suppose realised the wonder of communicating quite quickly!

I think it's brilliant and would recommend it to everyone who is interested. I was signing with him for a couple of months before he signed back although he did know what I was signing but just unable to do it himself but then one day he did three signs all of a sudden! It was amazing - I was so proud - I kept phoning everyone and telling them!

Anyway, sorry to rattle on I just really do think baby sign is brilliant!

Lorri

[jules]

One of my parent's paid for me to do a baby signing course with her when her eldest (who is 4 years) was 6 months old and I had only just started minding her.
We both signed with her very successfully. Her second one (who I mind as well) is 1 year old now and we have been signing with him right from the start. He signed "dog" when he was about 9 months old as he loves my dogs and gets really excited shen he sees them. He can now sign "milk", "cat", "more", "all gone", "drink", and lots more. It really stops the frustration because they can communicate so much better. It didn't stop the speech.
I have now booked to do the Stage 2 which I am looking forward to. I would recommend it to anyone, although it does help to have the co-operation of the parents to work with you.

[banana]

Would be really interested in doing a baby sign language course in preperation for having another baby. (Not that we are trying yet)

Its good to hear from people that have found it works and is beneficial. I think its a great thing to be able to do with young babies.

x

[nannan]

Hi
I'm hoping to go a workshop in June for Makaton sign, glad to hear that it can work in a childminding setting, now looking forward to the postman arriving to say if I have got a place, might be the same workshop as you tasha
mandy

[tasha]

Mandy

Where in Surrey are you? As I'm ding the June Maketon course! Hopfully we can meet up!

Tasha

[deeb66]

Hi Tasha/Mandy

If it is the course I referred to Mandy it is on Saturday 23 June and I think it in Virginia Water

Dee

[tasha]

Sorry - my mistake I checked the dates and my maketon training is on 07/07/07 in Redhill. Nevermind!

Tasha

[nannan]

I did the training course for makaton, a couple of weeks ago, it was very interesting and we did over a 100 signs in the time we were there, I was under the impression it was for baby's but the teacher we had said it was best to start when the child is two, the course was more for a special needs child, rather then the impression I got that it was for babies to help stop the frustration when they get to two, and want something but havent quite mastered the way to let us know, still I would like to train further in this subject as it was very interesting, and if I manage to get on any more courses I will let you all know.
Mandy