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Baby sign language?



 
 
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  #1  
Old April 9th 04, 08:47 PM
zolw
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Default Baby sign language?

Hi;

I had read in a thread wees/months ago about baby sign language. My
husband & I seem to agree that this is such a great way t help our
little baby communicate .. eases both of our frustrations (ours & the
baby's that is)

So, I have a few questions:

- At what age can/should we introduce sign language?
- What kinda sign language are we to use?
- any book recommendations?
- Any classes recommended?
- If I make up some signs of y own, would this confusethe baby? (I know
it sounds stupid, but I was told that it would. Which I really can't see
as logical at all)
- Does the fact that our baby is gonna be raised tripple or quatro
lingual mean that sign language will be harder for the baby to learn? (I
mean it is an added language)

OK, I guess as we go along this thread, I might find more questions. If
you have any more info that you feel I should know, please don't hesitate.

Thanks in advance.

Mona
due 07-31-04

  #2  
Old April 9th 04, 09:41 PM
Luna
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Default Baby sign language?


- At what age can/should we introduce sign language?


I read that you should introduce the signs around 6-7 months - you can, of
course, start whenever. With consistent signing, most babies begin to sign
around 7-9 months. "Sign with Your Baby" suggested starting with "more,"
"nurse," and . . something else. "Help?" Just because those are very
useful signs.
We are just starting to sign with DS 3.5 months, so we'll be in the habit.

- What kinda sign language are we to use?


There are "baby signs" but we found it easier to use American Sign Language.
The baby will adapt the signs to his ability, and/or make up his own. Just
as long as you understand each other - that's the point!

- any book recommendations?


I'd just buy a few basic ASL dictionaries to have at hand. But I know other
people do videos, classes, etc.

- If I make up some signs of y own, would this confusethe baby? (I know
it sounds stupid, but I was told that it would. Which I really can't see
as logical at all)

I see absolutely no reason this would be true.

- Does the fact that our baby is gonna be raised tripple or quatro
lingual mean that sign language will be harder for the baby to learn? (I
mean it is an added language)


I don't think so. Signing is really useful for the pre-verbal stage. Most
babes gradually stop signing as their verbal communication improves.

Hannah


  #3  
Old April 9th 04, 10:11 PM
Plissken
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Default Baby sign language?

"zolw" wrote in message
news:C5Ddc.740$nK1.7942@attbi_s54...
| Hi;
| So, I have a few questions:
|
| - At what age can/should we introduce sign language?

I've heard any time after 6 months is good

| - What kinda sign language are we to use?

I use ASL but you can just make things up that make sense to you, as long as
you are consistent

| - any book recommendations?

I haven't used a book, just a website to see how to sign
http://commtechlab.msu.edu/sites/aslweb/browser.htm

| - Any classes recommended?

I didn't take any classes. There was a brief 1 hour intro to signing in one
of my baby classes but I found it useless really.

| - If I make up some signs of y own, would this confusethe baby? (I know
| it sounds stupid, but I was told that it would. Which I really can't see
| as logical at all)

Go for it, make your own up! I don't see why this would confuse the baby any
more than using ASL would.

| - Does the fact that our baby is gonna be raised tripple or quatro
| lingual mean that sign language will be harder for the baby to learn? (I
| mean it is an added language)

Not in my opinion! It's an added language but the signs can be used along
with any language the baby learns. Words are spoken differently in different
languages but they have the same meaning and sign lanuage is physical way of
showing the meaning of the word (did that make sense?) so it would
compliment any language really.


Hope this helps.

~Nadene


  #4  
Old April 9th 04, 10:37 PM
Jacqui
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Default Baby sign language?

Luna wibbled


- At what age can/should we introduce sign language?


I read that you should introduce the signs around 6-7 months - you
can, of course, start whenever. With consistent signing, most
babies begin to sign around 7-9 months. "Sign with Your Baby"
suggested starting with "more," "nurse," and . . something else.
"Help?" Just because those are very useful signs.


The ones we use most (and introduced first) are Milk, More, All Gone,
Book, Nappy (diaper), Eat, Sleep. We're working on Drink now he's
learned to use a cup.

We use Milk for Nurse since he isn't drinking milk and won't be for
quite some time, and we can always just use Drink for cows' milk later.

Jac
  #5  
Old April 9th 04, 11:20 PM
Jamie Clark
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Posts: n/a
Default Baby sign language?

"zolw" wrote in message
news:C5Ddc.740$nK1.7942@attbi_s54...
Hi;

I had read in a thread wees/months ago about baby sign language. My
husband & I seem to agree that this is such a great way t help our
little baby communicate .. eases both of our frustrations (ours & the
baby's that is)


Great idea. I think this will really help you all! I've been signing with
Taylor for months now, and love that I could actually communicate with her,
well before she could speak to me.


So, I have a few questions:

- At what age can/should we introduce sign language?


You can start any time, but they say that most babies don't start signing
back until around 9 months. But just like speach, that doesn't mean that we
aren't talking to our babies from birth on, and before! So, start signing
whenever you like, but don't expect your baby to pick it up and mimic it
until around the 9 month timeframe. Some of it is the physical dexterity,
beign able to form signs.

- What kinda sign language are we to use?


We chose not to use ASL, and instead bought a book called Baby Signs, How to
Talk to Your Baby Before Your Baby Can Talk, by Acredolo & Goodwyn. They
use simple signs and encourage parents and babies to make up their own
signs. One important point, whether you use Baby Signs, create your own or
use ASL, it's important to remember that it's about communication, not
signing accurately or perfectly. If baby does a sign in a certain way,
different from what you are doing, but it's clear that it means the same
thing, then it's best to change your sign to match babies, so they
understand that you "get it."

- any book recommendations?


I highly recommend the book I mentioned above.

- Any classes recommended?


I don't think you need to take a class. The book was all we needed.

- If I make up some signs of y own, would this confusethe baby? (I know
it sounds stupid, but I was told that it would. Which I really can't see
as logical at all)


No. Again, it's about communication, rather than signing accuracy. Perhaps
if the child were deaf, then yes, it could be confusing as the entered the
deaf world and other people used different signs for things. But if your
child is hearing, then the signing is only a temporary communication tool
until language sets in.

- Does the fact that our baby is gonna be raised tripple or quatro
lingual mean that sign language will be harder for the baby to learn? (I
mean it is an added language)


Nope, all languages help and encourage the learning of other languages.
They say that babies who use some sort of sign language usually end up
becoming verbal sooner than babies who don't. As always, there are going to
be exceptions to that rule, but the issue at heart is that they are
communicating, their brain is processing language, and eventually, rather
than just sign "more," they'll sign and say it simultaneously, then
eventually drop the sign all together. My guess it that your baby may sign
"more" and say it in various languages at various times, depending on what
he/she knows at the time.

OK, I guess as we go along this thread, I might find more questions. If
you have any more info that you feel I should know, please don't hesitate.

Thanks in advance.

Mona
due 07-31-04


Good luck!
--

Jamie & Taylor
Earth Angel, 1/3/03

Check out Taylor Marlys -- www.MyFamily.com, User ID: Clarkguest, Password:
Guest
Become a member for free - go to Add Member to set up your own User ID and
Password

Handmade Baby Blankets -- www.geocities.com/digit_the_cat/Blankets.html



  #6  
Old April 10th 04, 01:46 AM
Jamie Clark
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Default Baby sign language?

"Richard" wrote in message
...
zolw wrote:


SNIP

Signing is really neat. It's fun to be able to communicate with a

pre-verbal
toddler. Be prepared for early disagreements, though. Here's the

scenario: a
pre-verbal baby sitting in high chair as you lovingly prepare dinner.

Just as
you get ready to feed your baby, still too young to talk, your baby signs
"Raisins. More. Raisins." You sign back "No. Eat." pointing to her

dinner.
Your baby starts fussing, and you (jokingly) think, "why did I teach this

child
that sign?" ;-) It happened to me (but I didn't ask myself why I

taught
her this raisin sign).


Silly question here, but why not just give her more raisins? In our house,
cheerios and raisins are a part of every meal, and can be eaten in any
quantity she wants. Like an appetizer, or first course. And if for some
reason all she ended up eating for that meal was raisins and cheerios, then
that's okay. At least I know she'd be getting some fruit and some grain,
along with her milk or orange juice.

I'm a big believer in letting the child chose what she wants to eat and how
much, from the food that I'm providing, a la How To Get Your Child To Eat,
But Not Too Much, by Ellyn Satter. It's great book!


We're at the point where we're just beginning to see some of the "T two's"
creeping into Micaela's behavior (in 9 days, she'll be closer to 2 than to

1).
We've read that signing toddlers have an easier time through the two's (as
do their parents!), so we're cautiously optimistic.

Richard
Micaela's dad


I'd forgotten that Micaela was only 2 months older than Taylor. Too funny.
This has happened to me a few times in the past week or so -- hearing about
someone's toddler and realizing that child is only 2-3 months older than
Taylor, but thinking that child must have been closer to 6 months or a year
older. I guess it has to do with how slowly time was passing while we were
dealing with IF and waiting for our own child to finally arrive. Funny.
--

Jamie & Taylor
Earth Angel, 1/3/03

Check out Taylor Marlys -- www.MyFamily.com, User ID: Clarkguest, Password:
Guest
Become a member for free - go to Add Member to set up your own User ID and
Password

Handmade Baby Blankets -- www.geocities.com/digit_the_cat/Blankets.html


  #7  
Old April 10th 04, 05:39 AM
Heather and Reggie Fulbright
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Posts: n/a
Default Baby sign language?


--


From: zolw
Organization: Comcast Online
Newsgroups: misc.kids.pregnancy
Date: Fri, 09 Apr 2004 19:47:46 GMT
Subject: Baby sign language?

Hi;

I had read in a thread wees/months ago about baby sign language. My
husband & I seem to agree that this is such a great way t help our
little baby communicate .. eases both of our frustrations (ours & the
baby's that is)

So, I have a few questions:

- At what age can/should we introduce sign language?
- What kinda sign language are we to use?
- any book recommendations?
- Any classes recommended?
- If I make up some signs of y own, would this confusethe baby? (I know
it sounds stupid, but I was told that it would. Which I really can't see
as logical at all)
- Does the fact that our baby is gonna be raised tripple or quatro
lingual mean that sign language will be harder for the baby to learn? (I
mean it is an added language)

OK, I guess as we go along this thread, I might find more questions. If
you have any more info that you feel I should know, please don't hesitate.

Thanks in advance.

Mona
due 07-31-04


I know I have never posted here before, but I was lurking around and saw
your post. I can put a different spin on this. My son, now 3 years old,
was diagnosed autistic when he was 18 months old. I had never really
considered using signlanguage with him even though at that point he had no
way of communicating with me (very frustrating). He began working with a
speech therapist and she introduced me to the possibility of teaching him a
few signs to help him communicate. Well, it's been 1 1/2 years and he's
finally really talking, but before the words came the sign language. He
could sign 'more' 'cookie' 'color' and 'eat' before he was two. Now he can
ask for those, but he still signs them when he says the words. He also
signs 'please' and 'thank you'. Which will come in handy later when mom is
trying to give him the hint to say 'please' or tell someone 'thank you'. He
can also sign for 'help' and while it isn't an asl sign he tells me he needs
his diaper changed by patting his own bottom (kinda cute actually). Don't
be afraid to let the child make up a few signs of their own or to modify an
asl sign for simplicity's sake. Like another poster said...the key here is
communication. If it works for your needs, go for it.

As far as books or videos go, I bought the Signing for Dummies book and the
speech therapist let me borrow her dictionary for a while. Probably not the
best resource, but it was sufficient.

Heather



 




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