Sign and Sing class 2

Last week in Sign and Sing we worked on different attention getting strategies for presenting the signs. We used interesting objects like musical balls to draw their attention to the sign for ball. We sang a silly song and signed about their reactions to the song. Another strategy we used was bringing the object about which you are signing to your face so that the child's line of vision will follow the object. This draws attention to the object so that you can then demonstrate the sign.

We had a few "signs" of progress this week! Some of the children were responding to our signing with their facial expressions. This is a first step and shows that they are paying attention to the signs and that they are learning that the signs have meaning. If you sign "more" and you child lights up, take encouragement in that and use that as an opportunity to review the sign. We also saw some early hand movements in response to the signing. Whenever you see this, even if you are not sure that they are actually signing, go with it! Those first few signs might be an accident and might be hard to recognize, but if you applaud these first efforts, as they get older you will notice them deliberately signing to you. One way to reinforce this is to sign back to them, speak the word and give them what ever it is for which you think they might signing. This gives them visual reinforcement, auditory reinforcement, and tactile reinforcement of what they were doing. Also, be sure to ask them if they are talking with their hands so that they understand that hands can communicate!

Our stations for this week included a ball pit where we signed about the balls as well as about being inside and outside the ball pit. We also had a dancing station with music where we signed about dancing and music. This can be done at home as well. Another idea for the music station is to turn the music off and sign "more" before turning it back on. We had a car station where we signed about the cars and where the cars are going. After our bubble parade, we ended the class with a visit to our "duck pond" where we used a familiar song to sign about the ducks. After class the kids played in the outer area and we practiced signing our new signs during playtime.

The point of our class is to give you the tools you need to stimulate your child's verbal development at home day to day. Keep working with your child consistantly at home even if you do not see the results at first. It sometimes takes months before the younger ones begin to sign back. Remember that any time you spend talking and interacting with your child as well as with other child is not wasted.