Learning Sign Language

[EvesMama]

while waiting for reg to happen, i want to further my training and although want to do business side more, i really fancy learning sign language as i feel it would be great to teach children and would obviously help with a hearing impared child..or parent for that matter.
has any one done this? and did it help or is it something you have no need for and you think i should do book keeping instead?

now now girls..put your handbags down!!!

I can use Makaton - one of my mindees, who has special needs, uses it. His mum (and mindee too) taught me a lot of it, but I also did a course which was funded as I was a "carer" for him.

All the mindees and my own children learnt to sign as well, and it is still put to great use - I am still particularly adept at telling off a child from a great distance away!! My older mindees still like to use it to communicate and my house can be particularly quiet at times. And Ofsted are always dead impressed!

I have continued to use Makaton with minded babies, and it still amazes parents when their 10 month old starts signing "drink."

The signs in this book are compatible with BSL and Makaton.

Makaton is also more widely used in school situations -I know as this is part of my job.Makaton learnt by you early would be good grounding for a special needs child as the switch when they move up will be easier.Also as makaton is the preferred method in most schools it might provide continuation for any children you pick up after school or mind before or in the holidays. I find bsl much more fiddly and the children I support could never get to grips with it but are sailing through makaton.Hope this helps.
jo

Since 2003 BSL has been recognised as a langauge in the UK. Its used by over 70,000 Deaf people as their first or prefered language. I think it was £1million that the government invested in bringing BSL into schools. With the introduction of the Disabilty Discrimination Act hopefulky things will improve further.

hi i 'was' Evesmama..tried to offer dd's school my extra copy of makaton signing and they said no thanks, will confuse?????????