signing time on PBS

[Chester]

JT and I were flipping through stations this morning and Alex and Leah aka Signing Times was on PBS! How very cool is that?!

Dawn

[momofrussell]

Did they have their own show or what???

COOL!

A.

[laurasnowbird]

Isn't it cool? I must be on their mailing list, because I received this press release a few months ago:

Children Learn a “Hands On” Second Language Through the New Signing Time! TV Series, Now Available from American Public Television

Revolutionary and Wildly Popular American Sign Language Learning Program Hits the Airwaves Early 2006

SALT LAKE CITY, UT (December 27, 2005) – Two Little Hands Productions—creators of the popular Signing Time! series that teaches babies, toddlers and young children to communicate using American Sign Language (ASL) — are pleased to announce the public television debut of their award-winning series! Consisting of 13 fun, interactive, entertaining, and educational episodes, from “My First Signs” to “The Zoo Train” and “ABC Signs”, each episode teaches a different set of ASL vocabulary-building signs to ‘hearing’ children, enhancing their learning, communication, self-confidence, and verbal skills.

The same proven, engaging, and fun methods used by the already-successful DVD series finally achieves the reach it so richly deserves. The Signing Time! series will begin airing in early 2006 and is available for distribution to all public TV stations through American Public Television. Signing Time! is destined to become one of the most popular educational programs of the season.

While Signing Time! is a blessing to all parents interested in the benefits of teaching sign language to their children, Rachel Coleman, co-creator of the series and mother of Leah (who is deaf), confesses a more personal goal. " One in 1000 babies are born deaf. I have no control over that. But, I can do my best to share my daughter's language with you and your children. I can't tell you how many times we've been at the park and other children notice she is signing and they don't know what to do. My hope is that the communication barrier between the deaf and hearing will dissolve; that every one will know a little ASL, just as most people know a little Spanish. And when your child sees my child at the park, there would be no awkwardness… just three signs... 'Hi ~ friend ~ play'…that is all it would take to change her world."

With an unparalleled multi-sensory approach (encouraging learning through three senses: visual, auditory, and kinesthetic), Signing Time reaches children with diverse learning styles and abilities by encouraging interaction through signing, singing, speaking, and dancing. Featuring Rachel Coleman, her daughter Leah, Alex (Leah’s cousin, who can hear) and their animated pet frog "Hopkins", the Signing Time series teaches hundreds of ASL vocabulary-building signs that are useful in daily life.

Signing Time! is packed with wonderful original songs (all written by Coleman) with messages of self worth, tolerance, and the joy of learning and growing. Combined with peer modeling, clever animation, fun activities, and endearing characters, Signing Time! makes learning to communicate through ASL extremely effective and infinitely enjoyable.

For public television stations interested in the distribution of the Signing Time! TV series, please contact Thomas Davison of American Public Television at 617-338-4455 ext. 160 or [e-mail].

[Jessie]

The PBS stations that are airing this are listed on the signingtime.com website