Like in Sign Language

Learn how to sign like – it’s a useful sign to help sort out children’s preferences, preferably without a tantrum when they don’t like something!

1. Starting at the center of your chest, touch your middle finger and thumb to your body, separating them out a few inches. Keep the other fingers extended out (they should not touch the body).
2. Draw your hand away from your chest, ending with the pointer and middle fingertips touching. This is the sign for like.
3. If you want to show you don’t like something, start with the middle finger and thumb at the center of the chest, but when you pull them away, touch them together just briefly and then flick your hand away from your body. This is don’t like.
4. Tip: Your facial expression will play a key roll in expressing the emotion behind this sign. Make sure your face shows how much you like or don’t like something by smiling or scowling, wrinkling your nose, etc.

Teaching Tips:

• Activities for children that help them express their likes and dislikes in constructive ways are very helpful for mom and dad! Gather several pictures of foods (cut them from the grocery story circular for easy recycled materials!). Sort them together with your child. Hold a food up. If she likes it, have her sign like and place in one pile. If she does not like it, have her sign don’t like and place in the other pile.
• Make learning this sign silly and interactive. Really encourage big facial expressions and body language to help communicate the feelings behind the sign. In Deaf culture and ASL, facial expressions and body language are key to effective communication!

Transcript:
Like. Take your thumb and middle finger and pull it back. Like. Don’t like. It’s the same as like then you throw it away. Don’t like.

Download the Flashcard (click on the image. Print in color or black-and-white and adjust the print size according to your needs.)