Monday, March 31, 2014

How Do I Sign with my Baby At Home?

by Jennifer De Fries

How can you sign at home with your little one? Do you have to sign all day long? What if you aren't fluent in American Sign Language?

You can incorporate signs in all daily activities and conversations you have with you infant or toddler. Remember to use song and to sign before the activity, during and after the activity. To be constant and repetitive with the signs will aid in your child to make the connections from the words to the signs.

This is an example of "A Play Time Conversation"

Remember all words are spoken and key words are signed substitute your child's name for baby.

**This is how my son and I interact when its play time, I love to interact using sign and song :) **

Before play time caregiver says and signs:
Who wants to PLAY, who wants to PLAY, lets get your favourite TOY, baby wants to PLAY.

During play time:
Baby gets his TRUCK, MOMMY gets her CAR, together they DRIVE around TOWN!
Baby is READY for an ADVENTURE! (adventure is optional to sign)

After play time:
Its time to CLEAN up, its time to CLEAN up, its time to CLEAN up all the TOYS, its time to CLEAN up.
Baby puts the TRUCK away. MOMMY puts the CAR away.
TOYS are all CLEANED up!

We have signed 20 times, using 10 signs, for CLEAN, TOYS, TRUCK, CAR, MOMMY, READY, PLAY, ADVENTURE, DRIVE and TOWN. Add and change words or signs to fit the needs for your daily routine with your child.

Jennifer de Vries is a license and certified WeeHands Instructor. She is also a mom and a Registered Early Childhood Educator with a degree in Child Development and Autism Behavioural Management from Seneca College of Applied Arts and Technology. Jennifer has completed her level 3 American Sign Language class with Deaf Access Simcoe Muskoka in Barrie, and will be continuing with the ASL program. Jennifer works with the York Region District School Board and used sign language with the children she works with on a daily basis. Find out more about Jennifer' WeeHands classes on her webpage: http://www.weehands.com/profile.php?id=235

No comments: