The Complete Guide to Baby Sign Language 101 Tips and Tricks Every Parent Needs to Know
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At a very young age, children are like sponges, absorbing everything they see and do, learning at an unprecedented rate. This ability to learn so quickly is what allows them to start speaking on an average between 10 months and 2 years old, and to pick up many grown-up mannerisms in infancy. American Sign Language (ASL) is the most recent discovery for infants, and is a very popular way of working their brains and teaching them not only an early form of communication, but the third-most spoken language in the United States. For those parents who teach their babies sign language at a young age and continue into childhood, it is possible for their child to learn quicker in school, and likely to be bilingual or even trilingual before reaching high school.
This book will guide every parent through the process of teaching an infant the necessary steps to understand beginning sign language. You will learn what you should expect from signing, from the basics of the program to the reactions you will get from your baby. You will learn how to get started by teaching yourself first, what the first signs you should focus on for your child, and when you should start teaching. You will learn how sign language can aid in the potty training process, and how it can help your child with his or her early learning and reading skills. You will be given a complete troubleshooting section with common problems you may encounter to help you when things do not go according to plan. You will also be given details about how to instruct and teach babysitters and nannies to use the same sign language while teaching your child.
Sign language experts, both for adults and children, have been interviewed and have provided their insight into how signing can change the interactions between you and your child. Learn how to develop signs as your child gets older and more cognitive, and how to combine signs into longer communications and even sentences well before he can speak. You will also learn how to start taming tantrums even before your child is 1 year old with sign language, and how to continue signing into older childhood, teaching your child full ASL and then branching out to additional options. Sign language is not only a great way to boost a child s intellect; it can help make your life much easier.
Unlike other books on this subject, this book will explore Deaf Culture and tips for teaching deaf and hard-of-hearing children sign language. It will also address how hearing children of deaf parents use sign language. The book also includes ways you can take use your new skill in signing and use it in different career opportunities. With this book, you'll share a different communication experience with your child and explore new possibilities.
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The Complete Guide to Baby Sign Language 101 Tips and Tricks Every Parent Needs to Know - Tracey Porpora
FAM034000
FAMILY & RELATIONSHIPS / Parenting / General
$24.95
Porpora
EDU018000
EDUCATION / Language Experience Approach
L389
It is no surprise that children pick up on your manner-The
isms, your actions, and even your words. Like sponges, children absorb everything they see and do, learning at a swift and unwavering rate. This ability to learn quickly is c
what allows them to start speaking at about 10 months 10 om
old. In fact, most children retain about 80 percent more 1 Ti
information than adults when learning a new language, according to the Association for Psychological Science.
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A tailored form of American Sign Language (ASL) is the a
most recent language introduced to infants and is a very N T
popular way of teaching them not only an early form of e Gu
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communication, but also some of the fourth-most common language in the United States. Children introduced to signing typically have more advanced mental development, learn quicker in school, and develop C I
a stronger bond with their parents.
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The Complete Guide to Baby Sign Language will guide every parent through the process of teaching Ev T
an infant to understand beginning sign language. You will learn what you should expect from sign-o
ing, from the basics of the program to the reactions you will get from your baby. You will learn how E
By Tracey PorPora
r Ba
to get started by first teaching yourself and when you should start teaching your child. You will learn y P
how sign language can aid in the potty-training process, and how it can help your child with early learning and reading skills. You will also be given details about how to teach babysitters to use the ar B
same sign language. This book includes images of more than 100 different signs so you can get the y S
sign right the first time. There is even a troubleshooting section with common problems you may ENT
encounter if things do not go according to plan. With The Complete Guide to Baby Sign Language, you can share a unique communication experience with your child and explore new possibilities.
N IG
EE
"Being a first-time mom, i would have loved to read this book when my son was born. i wanted n
to teach him sign language, but i didn’t have a clue where to start or what to do. i pulled re-d
sources from pretty much everywhere. This book is fabulous because it has all the information S l
you need in one place.
T an
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i just love the tips, the teaching techniques, and the lesson plans. i will most certainly continue using the book as my son grows. Because i signed with my son, i know that the bond we have kNO G
is stronger. He’s a very confident and happy child because he is able to communicate his needs and wants, and he can tell me what he sees. Through his signing journey, we’ve hit some prob-u
lems, so i really enjoyed the problem-and-solution section of this book. it made me understand W a
the reasoning behind the problems and gave great advice on what to do next.
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i love signing so much that i became a Baby Signs® independent Certified instructor, and i will e:
be telling all of my clients about how helpful this book will be as they continue their signing journeys with their little ones."
— Emily Bosak; Baby Signs® independent Certified instructor; emily@babysignsprogram.com Atlantic Publishing Group, Inc.
ISBN 978-1-60138-393-852495
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The Complete Guide to
Baby Sign Language:
101 Tips and Tricks
Every Parent Needs to Know
By Tracey Porpora
APBSL101.indb 1
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The CompleTe Guide To BaBy SiGn lanGuaGe: 101
TipS and TriCkS every parenT needS To know
Copyright © 2010 Atlantic Publishing Group, Inc.
1405 SW 6th Avenue • Ocala, Florida 34471 • Phone 800-814-1132 • Fax 352-622-1875
Web site: www.atlantic-pub.com • E-mail: sales@atlantic-pub.com SAN Number: 268-1250
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Porpora, Tracey, 1969-The complete guide to baby sign language : 101 tips and tricks every parent needs to know /
Tracey Porpora.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN-13: 978-1-60138-393-8 (alk. paper)
ISBN-10: 1-60138-393-2 (alk. paper)
1. Nonverbal communication in infants. 2. Interpersonal communication in infants. 3.
Nonverbal communication in children. 4. Interpersonal communication in children. 5. Sign language. 6. Language acquisition--Parent participation. I. Title.
BF720.C65P67 2010
419’.1--dc22
2009047058
LIMIT OF LIABILITY/DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTY: The publisher and the author make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this work and specifically disclaim all warranties, including without limitation warranties of fitness for a particular purpose. No warranty may be created or extended by sales or promotional materials. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for every situation. This work is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional services. If professional assistance is required, the services of a competent professional should be sought. Neither the publisher nor the author shall be liable for damages arising herefrom. The fact that an organization or Web site is referred to in this work as a citation and/or a potential source of further information does not mean that the author or the publisher endorses the information the organization or Web site may provide or recommendations it may make. Further, readers should be aware that Internet Web sites listed in this work may have changed or disappeared between when this work was written and when it is read.
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Dedication
To my mother, who told me I could, and to my daughter, who showed me it was possible.
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Table of Contents
Foreword
13
Introduction: Benefits of Teaching
Your Baby Sign Language
17
Sign Language for Babies ....................................................................18
Long-Term Benefits of Baby Sign Language .......................................18
Help for Speech-Delayed Children .....................................................20
What is American Sign Language? ......................................................20
Is Sign Language Easy to Learn? .........................................................21
Can I Really Teach an Infant Sign Language? .....................................22
What You Will Learn From This Book ...............................................22
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The Complete Guide to Baby Sign Language: 101 Tips and Tricks Every Parent Needs to Know Chapter 1: Why Use ASL to
Communicate with a Hearing Baby?
25
Foster Language Skills ........................................................................27
Increase Communication Skills ..........................................................28
Stimulate Cognitive Skills ..................................................................30
Develop Fine Motor Skills ..................................................................30
Form an Early Bond ..........................................................................31
Chapter 2: Gaining Perspective on ASL 35
A Psychological Perspective on Baby Sign Language ...........................35
Setting the Stage for a Bilingual or Trilingual Child ............................37
The Use of Sign Language with Special-Needs
and Speech-Delayed Children ............................................................40
Chapter 3: Get Started Now —
Learn Sign Language for Yourself
47
Teach Yourself Sign Language .............................................................47
Get Educated .....................................................................................48
Learn Basic Signs ................................................................................49
Tips for Teaching Yourself Sign Language ...........................................51
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Table Of Contents
Chapter 4: How and When Can I Begin
to Teach My Infant Sign Language?
53
Mommy/Daddy and Me
Classes .....................................................54
Teaching Techniques ..........................................................................56
How Many Signs Should I Introduce at a Time? ................................57
Six-Month Timeline for Teaching Your Baby Sign Language ..............58
25 Lesson Plans for 52 Weeks of
Teaching Sign Language to Your Baby ................................................62
Chapter 5: Sign Language
Teaching Tools
77
Make Learning Fun ............................................................................77
Signing as Structured Play ..................................................................78
Watching Your Baby Make Connections ............................................79
Guidelines for When and Where to Sign ............................................82
Benefits of Repetitive Signing .............................................................85
Chapter 6: How Can I Use Sign
Language to Prevent Tantrums
and to Potty Train?
87
Tackling Tantrums Before They Occur ...............................................87
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The Complete Guide to Baby Sign Language: 101 Tips and Tricks Every Parent Needs to Know Exercises to Help Prevent or Calm a Tantrum
Using Sign Language ..........................................................................88
Build Self-Esteem ...............................................................................90
Signing to Potty Train ........................................................................94
Situations and Solutions .....................................................................96
Potty Training Timeline ......................................................................98
Chapter 7: ASL Connected
to Learning Skills
101
Will My Baby Signer Become a Quick Reader? ................................102
Early Signers Equal Early Spellers .....................................................104
Facilitate Learning Through ASL ......................................................110
Chapter 8: Troubleshooting — Solving
Common Sign Language Problems
113
Do Not Make Signing a Chore .........................................................113
Common Sign Language Problems and Solutions ............................116
Chapter 9: Should My Babysitter
or Nanny Also Use Sign Language?
127
Making Sign Language Part of Your Household ...............................128
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Table Of Contents
Why Should I Have Other Caregivers Sign with My Child? .............129
When Other Caregivers do not Understand Your Baby’s Signs .........131
Importance of Reinforcement From Other Caregivers ......................132
Chapter 10: Signing to Deaf
and Hard-of-Hearing Children
135
Early Detection of Hearing Loss .......................................................137
Deaf Culture ....................................................................................139
Misconceptions About Deaf Culture ................................................141
Controversy About Cochlear Implants .............................................146
Hard-of-Hearing Children ...............................................................147
Teaching Deaf Babies ASL ................................................................150
Body Movement ...............................................................................155
Methods for Teaching ASL to Deaf
and Hard-of-Hearing Children.........................................................156
Children of Deaf Adults ..................................................................158
Chapter 11: Becoming a
Sign Language Professional
161
Careers in ASL .................................................................................161
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The Complete Guide to Baby Sign Language: 101 Tips and Tricks Every Parent Needs to Know Sign Language Interpreting ..............................................................163
Sign Language Interpreter: The Intermediary ...................................169
More Careers That Use Sign Language .............................................173
Become a BSL Expert .......................................................................175
Chapter 12: Sign Language for
Home and Public Schooling
179
Teaching Students About Deaf Culture ............................................180
Using Sign Language in the Classroom .............................................183
20 Lesson Plans for Teaching Sign Language
in Elementary School Classrooms .....................................................185
Sign Language as a Classroom Management Tool .............................203
ASL Syntax and Grammar ................................................................205
Chapter 13: Parents’ Point of
View/Stories That Inspire
207
Parent Success Stories .......................................................................207
Sign Language Journal ......................................................................218
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11
Table Of Contents
Appendix A: Sign
Language Dictionary
221
Appendix B: Information
and Resources
277
Web sites to learn about sign language: .............................................277
Books on babies ...............................................................................278
Books on baby/toddler sleep ............................................................280
Bibliography
281
Author Biography
283
Index
285
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The Complete Guide to Baby Sign Language: 101 Tips and Tricks Every Parent Needs to Know APBSL101.indb 12
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Foreword
i recall the first time I saw a baby sign to her mother. It was back when I attended graduate school at Penn State during the early 1980s as I was helping to conduct research about deaf parents’ communication with their children. I watched deaf mothers effortlessly interact with their very young children. No tantrums were observed while parent and children spoke with their hands. At the time, I knew some sign language from my basic college sign language courses; however, nothing had prepared me for this observation. I witnessed no delays with discourse — simply communication between a mother and baby in its simplest form.
That is when I was sold on the idea that sign language could be instru-mental with promoting language development for both deaf and hearing children. I know children can communicate much earlier and effectively when taught to sign by people who are their language models.
Leap ahead 25 years, and here I am writing the foreword to a wonderfully useful book about learning the basics of sign language with children: The Complete Guide to Baby Sign Language: 101 Tips and Tricks Every Parent APBSL101.indb 13
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14
The Complete Guide to Baby Sign Language: 101 Tips and Tricks Every Parent Needs to Know Needs to Know. In essence, Tracey Porpora and the book’s contributors have set out to offer the readers a succinct explanation of the multitude of benefits of baby sign language combined with true-life experiences and helpful lessons to learn sign language. I was quite interested that Porpora provided essential background information about American Sign Language (ASL), which, in my opinion, should be the starting point in any true discussion about signing. The reader will learn how ASL has roots deeply imbedded within the deaf community. Yet, through the years, ASL has changed a bit to accommodate the communication needs of the hearing population wishing to learn this beautiful visual language. Thus, English and ASL have melded together in a way that provides communication between deaf and hearing. It also allows the hearing community to access this language to help promote or augment language with children and adults, including babies and individuals with special needs. In addition, I loved how Porpora paid respect toward the deaf culture, which is known for its rich history.
Advantages of sign language for babies and young children are clearly relayed in this book. I enjoyed reading the stories of the parents, educators, and researchers who shared their passion for sign language with young children. Early literacy with children is one of the many bonus outcomes for signing with young children. I truly enjoyed this chapter and feel that it is one of the compelling arguments
as to why all schools should require basic sign language knowledge among their staff.
As a person who has dedicated her career to helping children with special needs, I was pleased to see Porpora include clear explanations as to the reasons children with learning, developmental, or even medical challenges could profit from using sign language. How wonderful for the families who have children with autism or Down syndrome to be able to establish a user-friendly mode of communication to augment other modalities, such as speech, picture exchange, or assistive technology. Also, children with medical speech impediments are also in need of being able to find an alter-APBSL101.indb 14
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15
Foreword
native form of communication to speech, which makes sign language the optimal choice.
I am always fascinated by how children so young can learn several languages within a short time frame as compared to adults. I always tell participants in my Signing Families workshops that, typically, developing children can usually learn more than one language at a time that is oral and visual. In my home, the children had been exposed as babies to three languages, including sign. The bilingual/trilingual aspect of this book, in my opinion, is very important, as so many of our children are raised in bilingual and bicultural homes today.
Parents and educators of all ages will be pleased to find a plethora of ideas sprinkled throughout the book to help adults learn about sign language and then act as role models for children to learn themselves. The ideas are easy and very manageable to include within a classroom, preschool, daycare, or home environments. Most important, they are fun, interactive, and engaging: all the ingredients to a good lesson.
Porpora has laid out an excellent resource and educational book for readers of The Complete Guide to Baby Sign Language: 101 Tips and Tricks Every Parent Needs to Know. It is a great way to start your sign language journey. Enjoy!
Sincerely,
Louise Masin Sattler, NCSP, M.S.
Founder and owner of Signing Families
www.signingfamilies.com
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The Complete Guide to Baby Sign Language: 101 Tips and Tricks Every Parent Needs to Know APBSL101.indb 16
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Introduction
Benefits of Teaching Your
Baby Sign Language
one day, my daughter came home from preschool and started singing her graduation songs. Her words were accompanied by hand gestures, and I asked her if she was using sign language. She said yes, then showed me all the signs she had learned over the last year in school. There are no deaf children in her class, so I wondered why she was taught sign language. The answer to this question is simple: The school was teaching my child to be bilingual. Integrating some sign language into the curriculum is not any different from teaching children to count in Spanish or say please
and thank you
in French. You might be asking yourself, Why do we need to talk with our hands?
It is obviously a benefit to people who are not verbal. Though that includes deaf individuals, it also applies to understanding babies who are not yet able to talk but are perfectly capable of knowing when they want something, are hungry, or have wet diapers. A baby who is 6 months old has the developmental ability to communicate with his parents, yet he does not yet have the verbal skills to do so. A baby at 6 months has developed the muscles in her hands needed to perform signs and has the ability to understand the basic elements of what people are saying to her. However, the baby’s vocal cords have not developed enough to utter the APBSL101.indb 17
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The Complete Guide to Baby Sign Language: 101 Tips and Tricks Every Parent Needs to Know words necessary