Fans' FAQs

Signing Time Fans' FAQs

Here are some of the answers to the most commonly asked questions from our fans. You can always find out more on the Signing Time forums.

Are Rachel, Leah, and Alex really related?
Does Rachecl really write and sing her own music?
Who is Lex de Azevedo?
Is this really American Sign Language?
What does Emilie do?
Why colored tape on the fingers?
Why are the pictures of the family members in "Signing Time! Volume 4: Family Feelings & Fun" not of Alex and Leah's real siblings (Zak and Lucy)?
How did Hopkins get his name?
Can I use Signing Time in my Church/Daycare/School Class?
At what age do children start signing back?
How do you sign names?
My child is a really great signer. How do I get them into one of your shows?
My children would love to become pen pals with Alex or Leah. Is that possible? If we wanted to write a letter to them would they write back?
I have a personal question for Rachel Coleman or would like to get her opinion on a situation I am facing with my child. How do I get in touch with her?
I have a really great sign language product I've invented and I would like to submit it for your consideration for manufacturing or sales in your online store. Is that possible?
How do I get a Signing Time playgroup going or find out if there is one in my area?

I have a question about how to sign something I don't see in your shows. Or I have a question about something Rachel signs while signing and I don't understand what it is. How do I find that out?

Q. Are Rachel, Leah, and Alex really related?

Yes. Rachel Coleman (co-creator & host of Signing Time) is Leah's mother. Emilie Brown (co-creator) is Alex's mother. Rachel and Emilie are sisters; Alex and Leah are cousins.

Q. Does Rachel really write and sing her own music?

Yes, Rachel writes and sings her own music.

Q. Who is Lex de Azevedo?

Lex is the Executive Producer at Two Little Hands Productions, Music Director, and President of the company. He is also Rachel and Emilie's father, and Alex and Leah's grandfather. He has had a diverse career as an accomplished musician, composer, arranger, producer, and Golden Globe Award Nominee.

Q. Is this really American Sign Language?

Yes, Signing Time is an American Sign Language Vocabulary Series.

Q.What does Emilie do?

Emilie is the co-creator and co-owner of Two Little Hands Productions. She completes a lot of the pre- and post-production work, which includes writing, producing, and directing.

Q. Why colored tape on the fingers?

This is not something you would ever see in a real ASL environment. However, for teaching purposes, Rachel uses blue tape on her thumbs and pointers and orange on her other fingers to help clarify finger positions. If you look at the hand shapes for A, N, S, & T and don't know them well, it can be confusing. The colors help show the different position of fingers.

Q. Why are the pictures of family members in "Signing Time! Volume 4: Family, Feelings & Fun" not of Alex and Leah's real siblings (Zak & Lucy)?

There are many reasons:

1. We thought it would be easier for you and your families to understand what Leah was saying if she basically repeated Alex's lines.
2. Filming of that volume took place in Los Angeles, and everyone but Rachel had gone home when the photoshoot for the "Families" segment took place.
3. Lucy and Zak do appear in the shows but not in relation to Alex and Leah.
4. We are acting! There are a number of "families" shown in the series who aren't really families in real life. Uncles, aunts, and cousins were often hard to come by. Keep in mind that Alex and Leah, although real kids who are really related, are "characters" in the Signing Time series.

Q. How did Hopkins get his name?

Yes, Hopkins is named for Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet who was the founder of the first free school for the Deaf in America. It is a also play-on-words...Frogs do hop, you know!

Q. Can I use Signing Time in my Church/Daycare/School Class?

Signing Time can be used for non-profit educational purposes. If you need written permission for your Administration office, please see this post on the Signing Time Forums.

Q. At what age do children start signing back?

It depends on when you start signing to them, and their personal abilities. Babies who are exposed to sign can start to sign back as early as 5 or 6 months. They usually master a few words that are important to them such as milk, eat, more, finished. Many children have a "signing explosion" around 1-and-a-half to 2 years. You will be amazed at how quickly they pick up signs.

Q. How do you sign names?

You can fingerspell the entire name using the ASL alphabet. In the Deaf Community, people are often given "name signs" (unique signs that represent a person's name). Name signs are traditionally given to you by someone who is Deaf and are shorter ways of expressing someone's name. It is not culturally acceptable to give yourself a name sign.

Name signs are often the first letter of your name mixed with a characteristic (physical, personality or just something you like or enjoy doing).

Q. My child is a really great signer. How do I get them into one of your shows?

We post audition announcements on our Signing Time Forums as well as our Newsletter . The best way to stay in the loop about any opportunities for participating with us in any way, please subscribe to our Newsletter and Promotions email list.

We always love hearing about the difference Signing Time is making in your life. Visit our Testimonials page to submit your story today!

Also, we have an ongoing feature in our Newsletter called "Signing Time Star" where you are welcome to submit a video that shows off your little one's signing skills. One winner is selected each month and receives a $25 Gift Certificate to our store. Visit our Signing Time Star page for more information.

In an effort to streamline our customer service efforts, please do not send pictures or videos of your children to us (in hopes of being in a future volume of Signing Time) unless we are specifically asking for it. Thanks for your understanding!

Q. My child would love to become pen pals with Alex or Leah. Is that possible? If we wanted to write a letter to them, would they write back?

We always love hearing from our fans. Alex and Leah do get a fair amount of fan mail and they do read it all. Sometimes they are able to respond personally, and other times, someone from our office may respond on their behalf. They are not able to maintain ongoing penpal relationships with their fans. Thanks for your understanding.

Q. I have a personal question for Rachel Coleman or would like to get her opinion on a situation I am facing with my child. How do I get in touch with her?

Rachel has generously shared her personal life story on the page called Our Story . Anything she is comfortable sharing with the public or with fans can be found there, or on her blog. There are also many areas of our Signing Time Forums, where Rachel is an active participant along with scores of parents and professionals who are generously willing to provide free support, resources, and answers to your questions. Please join the forums and post your questions there in the appropriate place, and please respect the Coleman family's right to privacy when considering your questions. Please do not email customer service with personal questions about Rachel as they are only trained and authorized to answer questions related to our products.

Rachel, like Alex and Leah, is a real person with real life responsibilities. While she is passionate about Signing Time and the cause behind it, she is not a trained professional and cannot provide advice or advocacy on issues related to children with special needs. Her best advice is to speak up, follow what is true for you, and be willing to work hard until you get the results you desire while respecting other people's views. We hope that is helpful to you.

Q.I have a really great sign language product I've invented and I would like to submit it for your consideration for manufacturing or sales in your online store. Is that possible?

At this time we only manufacture and distribute our own products. We currently do not link to other websites or sell or promote products made by other companies.

If, however, you have a professional, high-quality product or idea that you think would fit into the Signing Time brand, feel free to send a detailed description with photos to info@signingtime.com. We will pass it on to our marketing team for further consideration, and if they are interested in discussing it further, they will get in touch with you.

Q. How do I get a Signing Time playgroup going or find out if there is one in my area?

Please visit the section of the Signing Time Forums called "Wanna Play?" to connect with others who are hosting or interested in joining a Signing Time playgroup.

Q. I have a question about how to sign something I don't see in your shows. OR I have a question about something Rachel signs while singing and I don't understand what it is. How do I find that out?

Please visit the section of the Signing Time Forums called "How do you sign..." There are many answers already there, and if not, feel free to post your question. It will be answered by knowledgeable fans, deaf adults, interpreters, or a designated staff member.