Baby Signing

[reAllytee]

Ok girlies !
Im interested to know who is using this & whether it has worked.
How did you go about it etc ?
Who has used it & it hasnt worked or found it wasnt useful or the likes ?

Im sorta skeptical here because well when i saw one program about it i saw a young girl who was 3yrs & she wouldnt even say "baby" to her sister as she would only sign. Now dont get me wrong i know all kids develop differently & the likes but to me she shouldve been saying "baby" ( or maybe im being harsh ? i dunno :confused: )
Especially now as Harry says "baby" & knows what it means he points them out in pictures on t.v & when we are out. His latest thing is he now puts his hand on his chest & says "baby" to himself as he knows he is a baby LOL.
So i guess im worried it may hinder him "talking" or am im being silly ?
Please feel free to say im being silly LOL after all we all know i am :rolleyes: ;)

[lukaelmo]

His latest thing is he now puts his hand on his chest & says "baby" to himself as he knows he is a baby LOL.


That is so cute Ally, I can't wait 'till the dude starts talking.

I am also interested to hear the response on this thread, I want to teach the dude signing, but keep forgetting :laughing: .

[reAllytee]

I am also interested to hear the response on this thread, I want to teach the dude signing, but keep forgetting :laughing: .

Yeah see thats my other thing i mean i forget to hang washing out thats in the machine what hope have i got to remember to teach him to sign :rolleyes:
Im a basket case. :o

[veve]

hey :) - (warning long post... I LOOVE sign language)

I will be teaching my little man sign ... as a special ed teacher I read many articles (PLEASE dont ask me to name them... they are filed... somewhere safe :rolleyes: ) which discussed that kids develop the ability to sign far earlier than they learn to speak... (kids have their fine motor skills far earlier than they can use sounds)

I remember discussing in a lecture that the behaviour demonstrated by kids in special schools ALWAYS has a purpose... and most of the time that purpose is communication - so ... teach a kid who cant talk to sign... and the behaviour (is meant to :D) stops... and from my personal experience - that is usually the case...

I definately dont think that signing replaces the need for speech... and the parents have to continue to expect more from kids as they grow ... but if it can help avoid a tantrum in the shops... even just one - it has to be worth it :laughing:

I have taught my DH basic sign (which comes in handy at loud parties... quiet church ... when we are on the phone to other people etc) - so I figure it wont hurt to teach our little guy...

I found it interested in one article.. which discussed the children of deaf parents vs the children of hearing parents... and it pointed out that children of deaf parents actually 'babbled' with their hands... (instead of doing it out loud)... I found that facinating!! It is really amazing what kids pick up!!!

xxx

[Mother Duck]

I sign Heaps with M - LOVE IT love it love it!

There is actually another thread floating around somewhere that has a fair bit of info on it - worth having a look for that

But in the meanwhile ....

There are all sorts that you can use, you have to chose ie Auslan (australian) or US etc - and then you have to chose again - baby specific or general

I use Makaton - which is basically shorthand ie sentences based on the main word as opposed to finger spelling - alot of special needs kids use Makaton

I don't use a baby version as it is something I want to encourage M in right through to childhood not just as a bubba

With Makaton - the word is said really clearly as well as signed

Such as "Moon" - a half moon drawn with the hand in the sky while I say the word sounding out the M really clearly

If anything this places even more emphasis on words and sounds than just plain talking because you are focusing so specifically on a single word.

I find that M makes her own signs up for things and has variations on words with some signs - she seems to have really picked up on how exciting it is to communicate what she wants and even with something as simple as when she wants something pointing at it and shaking her head to tell me if I then point to the wrong item.

I guess she has just learned that using gestures is a great way for me (and others) to understand her

I make her say please for everything (she signs an adaption for the sign please while actually saying 'ta') - she has signed please since clearly since she was about ten months old

There is SSSoooooo much more I could say here - please feel free to ask specifics as I feel like I am blabbing on!

[Mother Duck]

I nearly metioned your name here - actually typed it out but then thought better of dobbing you in as a "fast signer!"

Nice to see you here my love

PS - you no longer have rights to name yourself as Nick-O-Less' caretaker - shame shame shame!

[veve]

:hugs: to you too Jessie my dear - I thought you might stick your head into this thread :D

- makaton is what we use at school - it is a very simplified version of sign language... lots of the signs are the same as signed english though ... makaton is perfect for the little bubs...

- auslan is a whole different kettle of fish... I've been signing for years now (hobby... not everyday) - and I still really struggle... it doesn't have the same structure as signed engligh..

(signing english is what deaf and hearning impaired students use at school - auslan is basically what the dear use in their community - it is much faster.. and cuts out lots of useless info)

xx

[veve]

- hvae modified signature... thanks for the tip Jessie :)

[Mother Duck]

...mention the gnome

*grumble grumble, mutter mutter*

Sorry ....am I getting off track in my miffed state of mind! Bloody gnome :p

[reAllytee]

Ok well see now you have thrown a real good one at me LOL !
See i never thought of using sign language like the deaf use DER *smacks head* i actually learnt a little in primary school as my sisters learnt it at tafe & had deaf friends so they also encouraged me when they visited to sign to them !
Darn now i wish i had kept up with it :o
Ok now im going to have to get some info etc to help me out here. Anyone know some good websites ?
Thanks so much girlies im silly sometimes for whatever reason i just kept thinking of "baby sign" as using certain specific signs when i could use the above ! :hugs:

[jarrahsmumma]

Wow - other people know what Makaton is! :smiliedance: :smiliedance:

[Mother Duck]

Oh ahh - I wondered where it would be - and what better place :)

Allyoo - did you do a search on other threads, there are heaps of good website refs in that one - I will have to think of some

Hmmm

(puts on thinking cap that is way too big for her little weeny pregnant head)

[Mother Duck]

Its under

Research - help wanted - baby sign language

there are heaps of good pointers in there - worth a squiz

[JnA]

Hi, I intended to use an already set sign language, like makaton or Auslan (which I use to know) but I have found myself using my own made up signs. Jade is still quite young, but she understands our sign for milk (patting my upper breast) and will do it when she wants a drink and is sitting on my lap. I simply give say the word and make the sign and then show or give her the object, repeat. We'll see how sucessful it is.
Dp doesn't have great fine motor movement in his hands, so I've had to modify a number of signs so he can do it too.

[veve]

try this thread

http://bubhub.com.au/community/forums/showthread.php?t=2126&highlight=signing

might help you out a bit.. I haven't read all the links though...

might have some useful stuff :)

:hugs:

[reAllytee]

Man you guys are all so great !!!!! :D
Thankyou sooooooooooo much :hugs:

[Mother Duck]

Man you guys are all so great !!!!! :D
Thankyou sooooooooooo much :hugs:
As are you Allyoo!:kiss:

[reAllytee]

Oh dear !
I just had a mushy brain moment :o
While looking up sign language & the likes i looked up " royal blind society " :laughing:
Im such an idiot :o :laughing:

[Baby Girl]

http://www.auslan.org.au/index.cfm?skinname=content&page=6

I found this site, it hasan Auslan sign dictionary - you have to register but it is free.

[Mother Duck]

Great site Kel - thanks for that!

[reAllytee]

Oh thanks schmell !
Thats awesome !
Will be starting today :thumbsup:

[Nicolet]

Oh wow I wish I'd known about that site when I did my Auslan course.

Thankyou Kel !

I know a fair bit of sign language but stupidly don't do it with my 13 month old although now he's getting to the age where it would be really useful.

Watching the film 'meet the Fockers" put me off a bit!!

Anyway I'm inspired now so will drag my books out and give it a go

Rach

[challenge]

Hi everyone

Just wanted to let you know that I found a great system called Tinytalk. The signs are very easy to use and Tinytalk is very easy to understand. My daugter was signing back within no time. Have a look at www.tinytalk.com.au, it has some good information on it and footage of babies signing.

:smiliedance: