Baby signs gaining popularity in day care centers

More and more often when I visit my young students with hearing impairments, I visit them at least once a week in their day care settings. I do this so that the little one, who is taken care of at the center, while mom and dad work, has consistent exposure to signing and to people who know and understand about the special nature of hearing loss.

When I go to the centers, I chat with the play group advisers, workers and other people who interact with the littlest ones at the centers. If my student is in a class, or room, I make sure he/she can be understood by the staff and that the staff is aware of the need to draw attention to sounds such as water running, music coming on, or any unexpected noise. I do this by training staff to point to the sound and touch their ears and then say, "I hear water." They then sign 'water' as well. In this way the child begins to identify what is heard with the concept of water.

In every setting to date, I have been well received and everyone wants to learn more signs. This is easy to do and I love doing it. It is so encouraging that many people have heard of 'baby signs' and are very willing to use them. I am also thrilled to hear the wonderful results that staff and parents are having with the use of sign language. Most people are very familiar with the PBS show of 'Signing Time' and may also have seen signing on Sesame Street and Baby Einstein. It really does appear that all major TV programs for infants and toddlers recognize the importance of using sign language early.

I love it! If it were not a wonderful method and if parents really did not see benefit from it, this phenomenon would not be spreading. It is fantastic that parents are learning to sign and children are signing at playgroup setting, preschools and day cares. The word of mouth propulsion of the popularity and validity of sign language with infants and toddlers is picking up speed.

Very recent blogs on how baby signs have influenced, shaped, enhanced the lives of some wonderful children are listed below. I just love the kindermusik site. The music on it is cheerful, light hearted and of course, they use signs as well.

http://mocobabies.wordpress.com/2008/10/15/reinforcing-the-signs-while-scaffolding-the-verbal/

http://proggingblog.com/2008/10/02/i-love-signing-time/

http://www.kindermusik.com/