Become a Certified Instructor
- The Basic Requirements
- Levels of Certification
- ASL Education Requirements
- Video Submission Guidelines
The Signing Time Academy certifies instructors who teach Signing Time and Baby Signing Time Classes in their communities.
If you have a love for Signing Time products, a desire for all parents to benefit from Signing Time, AND you want to run your own business–we invite you to become one of the very first Certified Instructors!
Instructors will have access to curriculums, products, discounts, tools and support for ongoing success. Instructors will have the opportunity to give valuable feedback in this initial test phase and will help shape the future of the Academy.
The basic requirements for becoming a Certified Instructor are as follows:
- Must have graduated from high school or equivalent (passed GED).
- Must be at least 18 years of age at the time of application.
- Must have access to high speed internet (most of the training is online), email, and be able to use Adobe Acrobat Reader and Microsoft Office programs (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) or equivalent.
- Complete at least one formal ASL class (see ASL education requirements below)
- Must purchase your Start-Up Kit (contains the materials, supplies, and curriculums you need)
- Must submit a resume, letter of recommendation, background check form, and Instructor Agreements.
- Applicants for Advanced and Master Levels must also submit a short video (see Video Submission Guidelines below).
- Must pass a basic background check provided by Integrascan.
- Complete an interview with the Signing Time Academy Director via phone or Skype
- Pay annual licensing/membership fee ($100/year or $9.95/monthly) to maintain Certification status and have access to Instructor's Lounge online.
(The official application will be available soon, and the details of the process will be spelled out at that time. We offer this information to you now so you can begin getting ready!)
If you are interested in becoming an instructor, you may begin pulling together a few things you will need for the certification process while you wait for the academy to officially open.
- Resume - Please limit this to no more than two pages. Be sure to highlight anything pertaining to your ability to perform as Signing Time Instructor.
- Documentation of successful completion (C or above) of one or more ASL courses. (Please see ASL education requirements below)
- Letter of Recommendation from someone not related to you, whom you have known for at least five years. They should be able to attest to your character and your abilities to successfully perform the tasks required of Certified Instructors.
- Advanced and Master Level Applicants only: create a short video of you signing (see Video Submission Guidelines below)
There are three levels of instructor certification for which you can apply or work toward:
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Level 1 - Baby Signing Time Instructor - teaching parents with (and sometimes without) their babies and toddlers. Instructor candidates must have completed 1 approved ASL course (see ASL education requirements below).
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Level 2 - Advanced Signing Time Instructor - teaching parents, professionals, and children. Instructor candidates must have completed 2 approved ASL courses (see ASL education requirements below).
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Level 3 - Master Signing Time Instructor - teaching parents, professionals, and children, presenting at conferences and other special events, and providing leadership and training to other Instructors. Instructor candidates must have completed 4 approved ASL courses (see ASL education requirements below).
As an instructor, you will have access to discounts on Signing Time products, enabling you to purchase them at wholesale to sell at retail prices to parents and professionals in your community.
Visit the certification details page for complete details on each level.
ASL Education Requirements
Because Signing Time products teach American Sign Language vocabulary words, we require all Instructors to have formal ASL training through accredited institutions (listed below) or through our approved on-line resource at www.signingonline.com. Not only is it in our best interest to ensure that our Instructors are qualified and knowledgeable, but it is in our Instructors’ best interest to be prepared and able to answer questions from students about ASL in general, signing, the Deaf community, and so forth.
We require verification (transcripts, certificate of completion, report card, etc.) of successful completion (C or above) of courses from any of the following:
- accredited college
- community college
- vocational school
- university
- high school
- www.signingonline.com
Courses must be within eight years to the date of application unless you are currently licensed and working in a professional field that relies on ASL communication.
While we encourage any effort to learn ASL, the following do not count toward ASL requirements for our Certified Instructors:
- Watching a lot of Signing Time
- Attended or taught baby sign language classes
- Church classes
- A friend taught me
- Self-taught through books
- YMCA Classes, Summer Camps, Community classes/clubs
These requirements are waived for those applicants whose native language is ASL, such as those who are Deaf and fluent in ASL, children of a deaf adult (CODA), or a spouse of a deaf adult (SODA) where ASL is the primary language in the home. In lieu of academic transcripts, please submit a letter from someone (such as a Deaf family member) who is qualified to testify of your ability to use ASL.
The easiest, fastest way to meet this requirement if you have not done so already, is to register for and complete courses at www.signingonline.com. This is an approved alternative to attending college courses on-campus. The www.signingonline.com curriculum is excellent and sufficient for all three levels of certification. If you haven't yet taken any ASL classes, get started at www.signingonline.com today!
Video Submission Guidelines
If you are applying as an Advanced or Master Level Signing Time Instructor, you must submit for evaluation one video of you signing. Select one song AND one story from the lists provided below. This requirement does not apply to Baby Signing Time Instructors.
When performing a song, please use the Music CDs provided in your Start-Up Kit. Singing is optional - you will be evaluated on your overall presence and your expressive sign language skills.
Please make sure your video meets the following guidelines:
1. You can be seen clearly, from the waist up.
2. No background distractions.
3. Introduce yourself, while signing as much as you are able. At a minimum, fingerspell your name. Include your first name, where you live, and indicate what you are going to be doing.
4. Don't be dramatic - just be yourself. Don't dress/act like Rachel. Just show us how YOU would be in front of a room while instructing or leading a group of parents and children.
5. Sign as many words as you know. The songs don't have to be signed exactly as Rachel does them!
For example: My name is Alison. I am from Texas. I am going to be signing Leah's Farm and The Very Hungry Caterpillar for my Advanced Signing Time Instructor application.
We are not looking at video production quality here. We just need to be able to see you signing!
Approved songs (select one from this list):
- Silly Pizza Song – Volume 3 “Everyday Signs” (Series One)
- The Rainbow Song – Volume 6 “My Favorite Things” (Series One)
- Leah’s Farm - Volume 7 “Leah’s Farm” (Series One)
- Watch Me Go – Volume 11 “My Neighborhood” (Series One)
- Hello Backpack – Volume 13 “Welcome to School” (Series One)
- Feelings – Volume 4 “Family, Feelings and Fun” (Series One)
Approved books (select one from this list):
Sign the story as you would with a group of children during Story Time. Teaching and signing key words are all that are necessary – not a full ASL interpretation of the book.
- Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr. and Eric Carle
- Daddy and Me by Karen Katz
- Goodnight Gorilla by Peggy Rathmann
- Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney
- Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson
- The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
- If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Joffe Numeroff
- Miss Bindergarten Gets Ready for Kindergarten by Joseph Slate & Ashley Wolff
- The Going to Bed Book by Sandra Boynton
- The Runaway Bunny by Margaret Wise
Note: Please do not submit anything until you are instructed to do so as part of the formal application process. This information is provided to give you time to prepare before we begin accepting applications.
