Another baby signing question

[AngelDog]

What's the best way for me to learn as many signs as I can without having to go to classes? I was thinking of getting the Sing & Sign DVDs if I could find them cheap, but Amazon reviews seem to suggest they don't teach you that many signs.

So far I've read 'Teach Yourself Baby Signging' and the S&S vocab book - both useful, but there are lots of signs I want to know which aren't covered.

The website looks good, but is £15 subscription for a year, and I don't know that I'd learn them all in a year, and I'd resent paying 2 years' worth.

DS is 10 months.

TIA

hi angeldog!

I hope you are well.

I managed to find a free class at a children's center billed as rhyme time. A friend told me about it and it isn't that local but nowt is really! And i've been told you are can go to any childrens centre so we do! I love it cause it's a much more mixed group than any more local baby things i've been to.

I've also had some books out of the library. They've been a mix of bsl, asl and makaton but we're sticking with bsl as dh has a deaf cousain, otherwise it wouldn't matter too much if you used a mixture.

I also picked up a bundle of books from an nct nearly new sale which are great. They are bright colourful board books but would probably work out quite pricey bought new. I can't remember the name at the mo, i'm in bed feeding ds, but will check in the morning.

I could photo copy some of them and post them to you if you like? You can pm me your address if you want. They'd be black and white i'm afraid.

oh, and what signs in particular do you want to know?

I did baby signing with my DD and never attended any classes. TBH, I think classes are actually quite superfluous as really for signing to work it needs to be incorporated into your daily routine... so long as you learn the signs, which you can get from any good book, then you're away really.

I looked at lots of systems and eventually opted for the one developed by acredolo and someone else. They did a guide book for parents and a set of board books for babies. I liked this because it is the only system actually designed for babies. Many of the signs based on Makaton / BSL are actually too difficult for babies to actually sign. For example, often the sign for plane os to extend the first and last finger, curling under the middle two fingers. That is actually really hard for a 10 month old baby to do. In contrast, Acredolo's system is just for the baby to stick out both arms. Also, flower under traditional systems is to pinch your fingers under your nose and to move them back and forth. The acredolo system is just to crinkle the nose and sniff. Much easier (and also taught my DD to blow her nose too!)

But that's just my experience :)

www.amazon.co.uk/Original-Signs-Program-Complete-Starter/dp/1933877006/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1288659009&sr=8-1

The books I'm talking about.

I agree oldjolyon, classes aren't necessary, but they are a fun way for me to learn signs so I can use them in daily life!

Yes BSL is more difficult to sign but no one expects a 10mo to accurately sign just as you don't expect first words to be perfectly pronounced. You look for what could be a sign and then repeat it back to them with an example, much as we turn "Dadadada" in to Daddy and grab him etc.
For me BSL/makaton have the advantage of being used more widely so can be used later on in life too.

"being used more widely so can be used later on in life too." Although once they start talking, they quickly forget the signs. I thought that too and initially wanted a BSL system, but as I have already said in my last post, she found it way too hard (after all, it is not designed for babies). We also tried Makaton, but found similar problems.

In the end, with the system we finally used, DD learnt well over 100 signs, and even combined signs to 'talk'. She was a prolific signer and everyone who met her converted to signing. But now she is 6, she can remember one sign (more)! Even DD2, who is now 3, almost 4 does not remember any of the signs that she used (far fewer - she wasn't as interested). In my experience, once they can say the word, they lose all interest in the sign. Neither of my daughters could communicate in sign now, even though they were once excellent signers.

Aw that's a shame Oldjolyon, as I said we have deaf family so bsl is used in our family so sign will continue to be used as an everyday form of communication.

Can you record Something Special every day and watch that? That's all we did and by 18mo me and DS could communicate using a few signs within a few months (it can take them a while to get going with it sometimes)

Thanks for the replies and sorry not to have been back yesterday to reply myself - it was a bit hectic!

I also liked the idea of Makaton as being more widely understood too - e.g. my MIL uses it with the SEN children she teaches.

I'll have a look at the books you linked to though, Oldjolyon (like the name - is there a Youngjolyon? :))

The only free class in our area is for people living in a different children's centre area (one of my friends has just been chucked out for being in the wrong area.) The others you have to pay for. I agree that classes aren't essential.

Jareth, we don't have a television , otherwise that would be a good idea. I've just found at least one episode on iplayer, though, so I think that'll be my next port of call - they have videos of some basic signs too on the Something Special website.

MFM, thanks for the offer - perhaps you could just let me know what the titles are?

I saw an old DVD with good reviews on Amazon with Makaton nursery rhymes which didn't cost much, so I might get that for a bit of fun.

The signs I most want to know at the moment are 'zip', 'button' and 'washing machine' (following my baby's lead and all that ). I'm happy to invent my own, but I have limited creativity and would prefer to use a more widely recognised sign if there is one.

DS is already using 'all gone' which we find exciting, although he cries when he uses it as he knows exactly what it means.!

AngelDog - try YouTube for Something Special as as well, noticed a few on there the other day. Also if you search 'makaton alphabet' it'll take you to a whole load of stuff with the signs

i go to tiny talk classes, which we love not just for the signs but the people in the class are lovely! I heard some mum and baby groups can be cliquey so when i found this and met the ppl was v relieved! Ayway, in answer to the OP, they do a dvd and cd, and laminated sheets. Its bsl based but the teacher always reminds us the accuracy of the finer details doesnt matter. I do like the sound of the simpler system described above, but we're enjoying the classes so will stick to tiny talk. The other benefit of the classes is it helps me to learn the signs before putting them into practise.

For us the sing and sign DVD's worked really well. You'll be sick to the back teeth of them by the end but they work.

I was a total sceptic about baby signing, right up to the point at about 3am one morning. The wife had been persevering with it and had persuaded me to pitch in too over the previous weeks/months. Our DD (then 8 or 10 months at a guess) had been a bit sick the day or two before and off her food. That night, she woke up about 2am and for an hour or more we were trying to get her to sleep to no avail. Nothing would calm her down. Eventually we ended up with her in our bed and she still remained upset but it was then that we noticed her doing the sign for food.

Went downstairs, got her a banana, fed it to her and about 2 minutes later she was out like a light. Turns out she was obviously feeling better an now starving hungry!

That's a lovely story, DaftMule. :)

Jareth, thanks for the tip - I'll have a look. I'd searched for 'sing & sign', but it didn't occur to me to look for 'Makaton'.

muslimah28, thanks, I'll have a look. It's amazing how much stuff there is out there! :)

Find 'something special' on ceebies - a great way for you and baby to learn signs