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Old December 13th 07, 04:02 PM posted to misc.kids.moderated
Karen
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Posts: 58
Default baby sign language and bilingual kids

wrote:

But you might want to check out the
Baby Signs book anyhow for hints on how to teach it, and suggestions
as to how you might choose or invent the best signs for your child. I
wouldn't worry about her learning a real sign language unless you know
she will be in a childcare or school situation with deaf children
sometime soon.

Thank you for your thoughts, Robyn. I'm coming to the same conclusion.
Complicated signs are just impractical, and will take longer to learn,
which defeats the purpose. At least in the beginning, signs will have to
be one-handed, as I'm usually holding my baby or a utensil (spoon etc)
in the other hand. So this already favours the American sign for milk
over the British one...
Anyway, we'll see how it goes and whether she shows any interest. I
don't think she has noticed anything different yet. But she has started
to make a funny gesture a couple of days ago (putting the back of her
hand to her mouth and wriggling her fingers while making some sounds),
and I'm still trying to find out whether it's a sign (bored? wants to be
breastfed?) or she's just playing. She's usually complaining a little
while doing it, but she doesn't look at me, so that makes me think it's
not an attempt of communication after all. We'll see :-).

Karen