Parenting Articles

The Advantages of Signing in the Classroom and Homeschool

Colleen Brunetti, M.Ed., revised by Rose Turnbow Teachers in a classroom setting and families who homeschool their children have a wonderful opportunity to choose curriculum and activities tailored exactly to children’s needs and interests. Let’s look at some of the ways that signing with your child or class can be integrated into your day. Capitalize on learning strengths Children learn in different ways and through a variety of strengths. Sign language taps into tactile (touch), auditory, visual, and kinesthetic (movement) ways of communicating. Signing appeals to many ages, making it ideal to use when you are working with more than one child. …

The Advantages of Signing in the Classroom and Homeschool Read More »

Are You “Just-a-Mom”?

“Mother dear, I love you so,

Your happy smiling face

Is such a joy to look at,

It makes home a lovely place”

This was a song I sang many years ago as little girl in Jr. Sunday School. Our mothers wore corsages, got a long-stemmed carnation or a little plant from the church, and had either had breakfast in bed prepared by the children with help from Father, or went out after church services to a nice place for lunch.

I am a Baby-Boomer, born in the post-World War II years between 1946 and 1956.

Why Use Sign Language in Homeschool?

Written by: Rose Turnbow American Sign Language (ASL) is perfect for homeschoolers because: American Sign Language is a qualifying foreign language to most colleges. Teaching ASL helps students become more engaged through cognitive and whole-body learning. Signing is a powerful tool for behavior management in the classroom. It encourages students to be more alert and aware of the instructor when using silent cues (ASL). Reinforces other classroom curricula. Children have fun learning it. When I was homeschooling my two daughters, not knowing a second language myself, the idea of a required foreign language was daunting.  In my research, I found out that most colleges …

Why Use Sign Language in Homeschool? Read More »

What Is The Funniest Thing Your Child Has Ever Done With Signing?

I started signing with my hearing daughter when she was 6 months old. Originally, my goal was to be able to communicate with her before she could talk. As she grew, signing became so much more than that! She’s now 7 years old and, looking back, I can’t help but think of all the little “moments” that I would have missed if we didn’t have baby sign language! It truly opens up a window into your child’s mind. One day, when my daughter was about 14 months old, she started tugging at my jeans frantically signing SQUIRREL and pointing out the window. I had …

What Is The Funniest Thing Your Child Has Ever Done With Signing? Read More »

Signing Turns Your Child’s Brain On

All of our children have normal hearing and don’t have any behavior or physical conditions. But we wanted to communicate early with our babies, and give them the tools to communicate with us.  And it worked! When our first daughter was about 6 months old, we introduced her to the first volume of Baby Signing Time. She loved the show and began signing to us. We also signed multiple things to her.  By the time she was 1 year old, she could sign 50 words. Over the next few months, she learned 100 more! We were so impressed. It really helped …

Signing Turns Your Child’s Brain On Read More »

Signing with Hard of Hearing Children

Hi, my name is Marisa and I’m a momma bear of 4 kiddos, 3 of which are HOH (hard-of-hearing), and wear hearing aids. I have 3 boys and one girl, ages 11, 8, 2 and 9-months. “Signing Time” was one of the first resources I found, over 10 years ago, when my first son was diagnosed with hearing loss. Your videos made a sometimes hard and solemn time more enjoyable and fun. They were a way to connect with my babies when I felt so disconnected from them. I am now almost fluent in sign language and am teaching my …

Signing with Hard of Hearing Children Read More »

What’s Your Sign?

Originally on The Dadventurist 2/9/2017 published with permission Tilley reaches her chubby little arm up into the air, stretches out her fingers, then balls them up into a fist and repeats. My wife and I leap from our seats, after months of practice, Tilley has thrown up here first sign, and its ‘Milk’. Even before we had our first daughter my wife and I agreed that learning two languages is a great exercise for kids. Not only does it give them an extra skill but helps them with adaptive thinking. There was just one problem, neither of us was fluent in any …

What’s Your Sign? Read More »

Sharing my saddest and happiest days as a mother!

(originally published in The Adoption Constellation Magazine) #birthmother #adoption #reunion#mylaura Shared by Rachel Coleman on Facebook May 12, 2017 Happiness 1992 My first daughter was born on February 12, 1992. I was seventeen-years-old. I signed the papers relinquishing my parental rights on Valentine’s Day. The legalities were complete. In my next moment alone with my daughter I whispered in her ear, “I relinquished my rights, but I will never relinquish my love.” The following day, I secured her in a car seat. I kissed her, and through torrential tears I said, “good-bye,” then I stopped, turned back to my tiny …

Sharing my saddest and happiest days as a mother! Read More »

Welcome to a World of Communication through Baby Sign Language

We’re thrilled to provide so many free resources that will help you incorporate sign language in your daily life. Thank you for signing with us!   White Paper: Signing with Babies and Children A comprehensive summary of the academic research on the impact of signing on cognitive, linguistic and social-emotional development  Written by Dr. Claire Vallotton Michigan State University Commissioned by Two Little Hands Productions   Download Signing with Babies and Children Now Free Resources Baby Sign Time Parent Guide Download a Signing Checklist so you can track your baby’s progress. Baby Signing Time Progress Chart  Signing Promotes Reading Elizabeth Barrett …

Welcome to a World of Communication through Baby Sign Language Read More »

Signing Time Academy Instructors are Teaching Girls Scouts How to Sign

After seeing the following video and post last week we reached out to theGirl Scouts of the USA to ask permission to share it with you. We wanted to share what some of the Signing Time Academy Instructors are doing to teach Girls Scouts how to sign. While selling Girl Scout Cookies with her dad, 9-year-old Phoenyx ran into a cookie customer who was deaf. Writing on a slip of paper, the customer asked Phoenyx to return later, when someone else would be home. This one incident inspired this go-getting Girl Scout to learn ASL—not only to communicate with cookie customers …

Signing Time Academy Instructors are Teaching Girls Scouts How to Sign Read More »

Scroll to Top