Baby Signs & the importance of ASL

baby asl

My sister took an ASL class and taught my nephew ASL and he's 4 or 5, hearing kid. I don't know if he still uses it. They live in San Fransisco, CA.

My other sister says she wants to do that to make sure her baby can tell her if something is hurting, or he/she is hungry, and my cousin is already teaching her little 2 year old.

I wished my mom had thought of this in the 1970's, but she tried to teach me as a baby to swim instead. :)

I think it's awesome to teach a baby, deaf, hearing, ect. ASL young. I wished, too, I had learned more Spanish when I was younger. My ASL is really slow, but I'm still hacking at it as an adult. :)
 
When I taught preschool years ago we taught ALL of our kids 'baby signs'-- we had a couple of kids that were HOH and deaf- one went on to get a cochlear-- but it really helped all of our kids communicate~~

Luckily I remember a few things from way back then... I'm TRYING to teach my son who is 11 mo old and hearing impaired. He goes to a school that promotes oral-verbal but I want him to have all the advantages-- so if he learns ASL young he'll be able to choose as he ages if he wishes to be culturally deaf or if he wants to be oral.

I dont think there's any harm in teaching littles to sign a few signs, but at the same time encouraging them to be oral if they're 'typically developing'.
 
Adamsmomma said:
When I taught preschool years ago we taught ALL of our kids 'baby signs'-- we had a couple of kids that were HOH and deaf- one went on to get a cochlear-- but it really helped all of our kids communicate~~

Luckily I remember a few things from way back then... I'm TRYING to teach my son who is 11 mo old and hearing impaired. He goes to a school that promotes oral-verbal but I want him to have all the advantages-- so if he learns ASL young he'll be able to choose as he ages if he wishes to be culturally deaf or if he wants to be oral.

I dont think there's any harm in teaching littles to sign a few signs, but at the same time encouraging them to be oral if they're 'typically developing'.
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Just be aware that to ......sign a few signs, ...." That gap closes real fast.
 
Adamsmomma said:
I'm sorry, I don't understand what gap?
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I'm not much of an educator but it just seems to me that if the overwhelming emphasis is on oral but to include a few signs away from the oral environment, that there will be a hunger (by the child) to increase the pace of signing; thus, putting more pressure on you to increase your own ASL expertise if you are going to be the sole giver/purveyor of same.....
 
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Tousi said:
I'm not much of an educator but it just seems to me that if the overwhelming emphasis is oral but to include a few signs away from the oral environment, that there will be a hunger (by the child) to increase the pace of signing; thus, putting more pressure on you to increase your own ASL expertise if you are going to be the sole giver/purveyor of same.....
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yeah I'm looking around for ASL classes that fit w/our schedule... so I can get better and faster~ so far he doesn't use anything I've taught him :( he just looks at me like "mom, what ARE you doing??" when I sign, talk and offer him whatever it is LOL... hopefully as he gets older and focuses more he'll pick some up--

What I meant by the a few signs is when I taught school we did basic signs like potty, drink, etc... b/c our kids were 2 going on 3 and some still didn't have all their words yet... usually by the time the hearing kids got to the 3-4 y/o room they neglected signs for oral~~ but those were all but two 'typically developing' children... they learned enough to make communicating easier at their age.
 
scheduling

Adamsmomma said:
yeah I'm looking around for ASL classes that fit w/our schedule... so I can get better and faster~ so far he doesn't use anything I've taught him :( he just looks at me like "mom, what ARE you doing??" when I sign, talk and offer him whatever it is LOL... hopefully as he gets older and focuses more he'll pick some up--

What I meant by the a few signs is when I taught school we did basic signs like potty, drink, etc... b/c our kids were 2 going on 3 and some still didn't have all their words yet... usually by the time the hearing kids got to the 3-4 y/o room they neglected signs for oral~~ but those were all but two 'typically developing' children... they learned enough to make communicating easier at their age.
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That's the trouble I've been having because I work full time... so ASL PRO is a nice help. :)
 
Bottesini said:
Sure that is great. The controversy comes in when it is a fashionable fad for teaching sign to hearing babies, and then it is denied to deaf babies in favor of therapies as AVT, etc.
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I'm a hearing person new to the the culture of the deaf community, I guess I don't understand why deaf babies are being denied being taught ASL. I'm not trying to strike up an argument, I'm just a curious observer of the topic :)
 
Adamsmomma said:
yeah I'm looking around for ASL classes that fit w/our schedule... so I can get better and faster~ so far he doesn't use anything I've taught him :( he just looks at me like "mom, what ARE you doing??" when I sign, talk and offer him whatever it is LOL... hopefully as he gets older and focuses more he'll pick some up--

What I meant by the a few signs is when I taught school we did basic signs like potty, drink, etc... b/c our kids were 2 going on 3 and some still didn't have all their words yet... usually by the time the hearing kids got to the 3-4 y/o room they neglected signs for oral~~ but those were all but two 'typically developing' children... they learned enough to make communicating easier at their age.
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Hi there - I couldn't help notice but see your location showing that you're from Kentucky as well. :)

Whereabouts in Kentucky are you at? There are several ASL classes provided across the state.
 
Jolie77 said:
Hi there - I couldn't help notice but see your location showing that you're from Kentucky as well. :)

Whereabouts in Kentucky are you at? There are several ASL classes provided across the state.
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We're in Lexington-- the problem is my work schedule-- b/c I've found quite a few that start at like 5:30pm or are during the day... I also have to find childcare for AFTER daycare... so I'm still trying to work all the kinks out~~

Where in Kentucky are you???
 
Take a look at ASL PRO DOT com--free sign videos you can rewatch anytime, easy dictionary format! For you, Adam's Momma! :)
 
This is a late post to this thread....so if there are any lurkers here's my take: Before I had my son in 2007, I was oblivious and totally ignorant to anything in the Deaf Community. (We are all hearing) I stumbled across Baby Sign Language and it's ideas when he was 6 months old, and within 3 months my son was signing "More", "Cat" and and a few others- by 9 months old! He is 21 months now and knows over 150 signs. (maybe more- I've stopped counting) He can count to 4, and can sign and sing the ABC's- though his dexterity isn't great...little fingers and all. Personally I would not discount the ability to recognize the alphabet at an early age as being normal...I think for alot of kids it's absolutely normal. Many children who have been immersed in signing have begun communication FAR earlier than most of thier peers, and therefore it is understandable that they would have a certain level of advancement. I have seen deaf three year olds fingerspell the word nugget after signing chicken at playdates (we have a playgroup of both Deaf and Hearing ASL kids). I know other 3 year olds that have not been taught any form of sign that can't tell you the letter nugget begins with.
Regardless- I am soooo glad to see a boom in Baby ASL! So many children may now have an opportunity to make life long friends they might not have earlier were they outside of the Deaf Community).
One last note on anyone interested in Baby Sign language....many programs use signs that may not be true ASL, but are easier for babies to use. If you plan on continuing ASL (even after your hearing chid speaks) I would learn the same way other Deaf parents and children learn- with CORRECT ASL. It can be confusing changing the sign later for a one year old or a two year old. I learned this after Parker (my son) STILL signs goat the "Baby Signs" wrong way. LOL (BTW, that is taking the "V" letter starting at the chin and moving over the face to the top of the head)
I would also recommend Rachel Coleman's Signing Time- fun songs and games for all kids (and adults!).

Crystal
Banksey's Mom
 
:ty: Jillio and Banksey's Mom

Banksey's Mom, That is awesome, it seems that your child will have a really good start.

Jillio, thanks so much for your wonderful and informative research. It was nice to see those facts coming from a person with a related degree. I found the information to be on the dot!
 
Banksey's Mom said:
This is a late post to this thread....so if there are any lurkers here's my take: Before I had my son in 2007, I was oblivious and totally ignorant to anything in the Deaf Community. (We are all hearing) I stumbled across Baby Sign Language and it's ideas when he was 6 months old, and within 3 months my son was signing "More", "Cat" and and a few others- by 9 months old! He is 21 months now and knows over 150 signs. (maybe more- I've stopped counting) He can count to 4, and can sign and sing the ABC's- though his dexterity isn't great...little fingers and all. Personally I would not discount the ability to recognize the alphabet at an early age as being normal...I think for alot of kids it's absolutely normal. Many children who have been immersed in signing have begun communication FAR earlier than most of thier peers, and therefore it is understandable that they would have a certain level of advancement. I have seen deaf three year olds fingerspell the word nugget after signing chicken at playdates (we have a playgroup of both Deaf and Hearing ASL kids). I know other 3 year olds that have not been taught any form of sign that can't tell you the letter nugget begins with.
Regardless- I am soooo glad to see a boom in Baby ASL! So many children may now have an opportunity to make life long friends they might not have earlier were they outside of the Deaf Community).
One last note on anyone interested in Baby Sign language....many programs use signs that may not be true ASL, but are easier for babies to use. If you plan on continuing ASL (even after your hearing chid speaks) I would learn the same way other Deaf parents and children learn- with CORRECT ASL. It can be confusing changing the sign later for a one year old or a two year old. I learned this after Parker (my son) STILL signs goat the "Baby Signs" wrong way. LOL (BTW, that is taking the "V" letter starting at the chin and moving over the face to the top of the head)
I would also recommend Rachel Coleman's Signing Time- fun songs and games for all kids (and adults!).

Crystal
Banksey's Mom
Click to expand...

Thanks for sharing.
 
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