Sign Language

[cancer_survivor_06]

I am slowly learning sign language on my own through videos and some books but they are harder. I would like to take a/some class(es) but I am not sure where to look to get started. If some one can point me in the right/best direction to start that would be awesome. My 5yr old doesn't communicate verbally and she has picked up SL very quickly and I am not learning it fast enough to incorporate it into our daily communication. I would also like for my older dd as well as my dh to take the classes. Any info would be awesome as I have just started looking into doing it.

 

[teachallday]

The best and most productive way I have ever found to learn Sign Language is from a DVD series called Signing Time (www.signingtime.com). As a Special Education Teacher, it is also the best way I have found to teach my students Sign Language. I have looked at many DVD's and Videos over the years to learn Sign Language, but from my experience, this is the best for the age of your children.

Personally I have taken many sign language classes over the years, but walk away from them with little ability to really use sign language. They tend to focus on words I don't need and try to teach too much too fast. One of the best I took was done at my states School for the Deaf. But I learned more watching the Signing Time DVD's then I did in any of the classes. If you really want to take a class, try to get your son's teacher (the one teaching him sign language) to put on a class for the families to learn what they are teaching in class.

You might be able to find the Signing Time DVD's in your local library. Just keep in mind, these are not DVD's that you watch once or twice. You will want to watch them over and over again, learning more sign language each time. Kids enjoy them and ask to watch them over and over. Although expensive, they are worth the money if you have a child using sign language to communicate. If you own them, you can loan them out to family and friends your daughter interacts with.

Just remember Sign Language is a second Language. It is a slow process to learn and the more you use it the faster you will pick it up. Learn it with your daughter and family and as you use it more as a family, the easier it will be to learn it and drive you to learn new words.

 

[alizesmom]

I am learning sign online (signingonline.com). It is helping me with conversational sign. My only problem is finding someone to practice with. Karen

 

[Forevryoung]

Signing becomes limiting when communication needs increase.

Have you thought about signing plus picture forms of communication?

PM me or speak to your daughter's speech therapist if you are interested in more info... I'm a HUGE advocate of early communication systems (for toddlers)

 

[brenalexacamp]

call your local early intervention center. sometimes they have someone come in and give classes and teach toddler signs- enough for a young child vocabulary.

we did them in Mass and at the end-we had to sign a song.
It was neat.
As Brenny got older we moved to pictures-preschool a communication device-we went through dynavox.
He is 15 now and still uses a device- his speech is so poor- we are practicing power words and phrases to help other people get what he says quickly.
Lots of boardmaker and mayer johnson symbols.
He uses writing with symbols to do his sentences, shopping lists.

 

[Talking Hands]

Find a church with a deaf ministry and associate with deaf people.
Also check your local deaf service center to see if they give sign language classes.
Look for deaf socials at the malls, coffee houses and deaf clubs.
Go to a college that has a interpreter training program.

Anyone with a webcam or videophone is welcome to PM and we can chat that way. I am hard of hearing and trained as an interpreter.

 

[cancer_survivor_06]

Thank you everyone who has replied. The biggest hurdle we have is that we are living in a small town so we don't have the funds and opportunities that was cities and towns offer. I currently travel for all of my dd's docs and therapies so I am looking into that. I did see the online site but I just wasn't sure how that would work out so I will look into it some more. I am also going to check w/ the community college here to see if they have anything available at either of the campuses.

 

[cancer_survivor_06]

Signing becomes limiting when communication needs increase.

Have you thought about signing plus picture forms of communication?

PM me or speak to your daughter's speech therapist if you are interested in more info... I'm a HUGE advocate of early communication systems (for toddlers)

We have tried picture forms of communication but that is actually more limiting than the signning for us b/c dd's vision is highly impaired. If you have any thoughts or recommedations please feel free to pm me at anytime. We have big mac (i think is what it is called) it attaches to different toys and such but she really will not use them to commnicate. We even tried w/ her last speech therapist w/ a unit very similar to a keyboard that we attached pics to it and for each button we recorded something and she would press it but would respond to the pics or the color. It has 4 different buttons and you could use how ever many you wanted. Our new therapist doesn't use devices.

 

[cancer_survivor_06]

call your local early intervention center. sometimes they have someone come in and give classes and teach toddler signs- enough for a young child vocabulary.

we did them in Mass and at the end-we had to sign a song.
It was neat.
As Brenny got older we moved to pictures-preschool a communication device-we went through dynavox.
He is 15 now and still uses a device- his speech is so poor- we are practicing power words and phrases to help other people get what he says quickly.
Lots of boardmaker and mayer johnson symbols.
He uses writing with symbols to do his sentences, shopping lists.

I spoke w/ the first steps/early intervention coordinator and they don't have anything honestly they can't even keep one speech therapist and I recently found out that the project prints center here is closing for lack of funding.

 

[alizesmom]

Thank you everyone who has replied. The biggest hurdle we have is that we are living in a small town so we don't have the funds and opportunities that was cities and towns offer. I currently travel for all of my dd's docs and therapies so I am looking into that. I did see the online site but I just wasn't sure how that would work out so I will look into it some more. I am also going to check w/ the community college here to see if they have anything available at either of the campuses.

That sounds a lot like us. No decent ST in the entire county and no programs either except one that won't take insurance thus we can't afford. Hang in there and I hope you find help. Karen

 

[SueM in MN]

My DD was given many kinds of communication to start with as a toddler and signing was the one she took to. We tried lessons and books, but most of them were different vocabulary than she was using (for example, if you use church sources, you will get 'church' words). I've heard good things about the signingtime videos that were mentioned, but they did were not around when my DD was little. We had a reference book and when they taught new signs, they sent home a list so we could look them up in the book.

With better technology now, I would suggest videotaping the teachers signing the words they are teaching your child. Some school districts own a video camera, but many (?most?) digital cameras will also video tape. You can download that video and watch it on your computer. That way, you can see what words they are teaching her and what they look like to your DD. You will be learning the same things she is at the same time (which will help a lot when she signs something to you).

 

[flying_babyb]

I love this site http://commtechlab.msu.edu/sites/aslweb/browser.htm mostly because they have videos. I love the video for afraid.
Aslo try signlanguagevideo.com I know our community college offered a ITV class and a video class (taught by a teacher, then you pick up the videos and watch them). I hope it works out for you

 

[dyna]

Our trouble is getting Gson now 21 months to sign he was doing really well there for awhile with common signs eat, drink, more, please, ty then he learned to nod yes an shake head for no that is what he prefers now.

NO hearing loss here Gson just slow at talking, he's in speech, OT an PT they both try to get him to talk too or to sign but he not willing right now .

Gson has periventricular lukomalisia simular to CP

DD too having trouble findin a good source for sign language I tried to get her to call a lady I've known all my life who is in her late 80's but would be very willing to meet with DD in her home for a few mins weekly. Both of this ladies parents was DEAF so she KNOWS sign language.

 

[flying_babyb]

kids can be stubborn with signing. I teach at a hearing daycare where they do sing from birth up. They do this as early communication for the toddlers. I have seen 8 month olds who can sign but just dont "want to". i wish you luck

 

[cancer_survivor_06]

Lily prefers not to sign on command but when she does sign for instance if she is eating instead of saying more which she can she just continues to say eat.

 

[bonybroad]

My community college has classes for less than $30.
I also used video, and I had a tutor who could hear but not speak.
I learned so much.
I know more than my little sister, but she has limited cognitive capacity, so we can communicate at her level.
Good luck!

 

[Talking Hands]

Signing becomes limiting when communication needs increase.

This statement is absolutely untrue and has been foisted on the deaf for eons. American Sign Language is as complex as any other language for communication. It can be used to speak about anything a hearing person would speak about orally. In fact it can be clearer because of the use of space and facial expression. A person who is fluent in Sign Language can communicate with others who know their language as well as anyone else. THe only limitation is when people don't speak Sign Language and that is the same as if a person doesn't speak an oral language that the ohter person does. Even then sign language is better because although there are many sign languages, it is easier to adapt to another sign language than to an oral language.

 

[Talking Hands]

Lily prefers not to sign on command but when she does sign for instance if she is eating instead of saying more which she can she just continues to say eat.

This is typical for a young deaf or CODA child to do as well. Not a big deal. She is still communicating what she wants. Think concepts and not word to word correlation. Pictures. There is not a word to sign correlation really. Unless a word has no synonym there can't be. Also English has multiple meaning signs and each concept is a different sign.

 

[Forevryoung]

This statement is absolutely untrue and has been foisted on the deaf for eons. American Sign Language is as complex as any other language for communication. It can be used to speak about anything a hearing person would speak about orally. In fact it can be clearer because of the use of space and facial expression. A person who is fluent in Sign Language can communicate with others who know their language as well as anyone else. THe only limitation is when people don't speak Sign Language and that is the same as if a person doesn't speak an oral language that the ohter person does. Even then sign language is better because although there are many sign languages, it is easier to adapt to another sign language than to an oral language.

You are 100% right WHEN taken out of context. However, this thread is NOT about raising a Deaf child. American Sign Language is just that, a LANGUAGE all of it's own. It becomes "limiting" when you want a child to interact and communicate with peers who do not know signs, it becomes "limiting" if you aren't going to go all the way- with every detail that makes American Sign Language a beautiful language all on it's on (and yes, I "know" ASL).

You can't give a child 10 signs at the age of 4 and call it communication. That is when it becomes "limiting." People who use ASL as their language are truly bilingual. And, is a family with a child who has a significant speech disorder going to be able to create that bilingual environment (and the school, and the community...)? If this child does not have a teacher fluent in ASL, than all the signs in the world will do this child no good in school. Unfortunately, it's the reality of the situation.

That is the heart of my point... I expressed my opinion within the context of this situation.

 

[Talking Hands]

You are 100% right WHEN taken out of context. However, this thread is NOT about raising a Deaf child. American Sign Language is just that, a LANGUAGE all of it's own. It becomes "limiting" when you want a child to interact and communicate with peers who do not know signs, it becomes "limiting" if you aren't going to go all the way- with every detail that makes American Sign Language a beautiful language all on it's on (and yes, I "know" ASL).

You can't give a child 10 signs at the age of 4 and call it communication. That is when it becomes "limiting." People who use ASL as their language are truly bilingual. And, is a family with a child who has a significant speech disorder going to be able to create that bilingual environment (and the school, and the community...)? If this child does not have a teacher fluent in ASL, than all the signs in the world will do this child no good in school. Unfortunately, it's the reality of the situation.

That is the heart of my point... I expressed my opinion within the context of this situation.

But you made a statement that was not qualified and can be used by some as a blanket statement. This is very dangerous and continues the myth that the proponents of oralism want to continue.

I would hope any parent using ASL with their child be it a deaf or hearing child, would be willing to learn the language and become involved in fully immersing their child in the language and culture. If not why bother because there isn't 2 way communication. Sometimes it takes a shock for the parents to get it.

In 2000 I broke my leg and couldn't work for over 3 months. I day my husband and I were shopping and met a parent with her autistic son that I had worked with before the accident. The boy started signing to me and of course I signed back. The mother was completely flabbergasted that I communicated with her son when she could not. That entire family eventually learned sign language.

The importance of using real sign language and not just something made up the by speech therapist was brought out by another child in the same class. His cousin was in my church small group and was deaf. He knew I worked at the school and one day he came to me and asked why was the ST teaching the boy wrong signs. You never know the full situation in the family. Turns out the cousins lived in the same home and sign language was used by the entire family and they were frustrated by the wrong signs that the boy was forced to use in school by the ST. His teacher and I always used proper sign language with him.