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Post by jelanismom on May 2, 2008 18:02:10 GMT -5
Do any of you have opinions on the use of sign language you want to share? I know in Jelani's Kindy the speech therapist is supposedly teaching signing, although he's not been coming home with any new signs, infact he's not signing at all! She hasn't been on my list of favorite people...she's not shared useful ideas for me to help him nor has she made any effort to include a report in his backpack on his progress (this is on his IEP that I specifically stated I wanted updates once a month on his progress placed in his backpack!) Jelani is really only speaking one word at a time and not even at all some days. He has said 3 words in a row, and 4...like "gimme that" and I don't like". One day I called her to inquire about Jelani and I indicated my concerns that he's quite delayed in communication, and what she would suggest I be doing and she offered nothing. I even mentioned that I attended a Teaching your child w/ Ds to Read conference, and you know what she said? "Oh you know too much mommy" grrrrrrrrrr.... imagine that! In the meantime, I'm looking to maybe take a sign language course at our local college...I'm wondering if any of you consider this an important key to assisting our kids in communication, and do you feel it's a good means of our children being able to communicate their wants and needs/ Or do you feel it's a hinderance in that they'll rely more on signing and less on forming verbal communication? Just wondered about your opinions on the subject.
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Post by damarasmom on May 2, 2008 18:22:51 GMT -5
I am a big advocate of sign language....Damara speaks only single words, mixed with signs and is able to communicate to us what she wants/needs. I have taken signing classes both with and without her. I continue to teach her words on things I know they are learning at school ie. animals, transportation etc...then I convey to the teachers the signs we are working on and they work with her (she happens to have wonderful teachers). I am currently taking a signing class taught by a interperter we meet twice a month for 3-4 hours a night! I LOVE it! I am now learning sentences and finger spell pretty darn good if I do say so myself! This class is through my church (she does the interperting at church too) and it is free!!! Signing helps Damara so much and I know she understands because for some reason she cannot say her colors, everything is yellow, however, when we point to a red car, she will speak yellow and sign red, the same for green and blue...so I am so pleased that she can sign or I would think she only see's yellow!!! I'm sorry that you are meeting such resistance with his teacher, it's tough if you are the only one working on it, it's so much easier if everyone that is around him does the same thing. Taking classes I think is a great idea, and you may want to find one that you can bring him, they are fun, do songs and everything!!!
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Post by Chris on May 2, 2008 19:22:15 GMT -5
I should get paid for advertising for Signing Time since I am such a huge fan! Honestly, I think Sarah has learned more signing from their dvds than she could have possibly learned from a ST. I would never have known just how smart she is if she didn't sign. Not only have the Signing Time dvds taught her to sign, they have also taught her tons of sight words. Sarah's former ST (whom I adored) did not like the fact that I encouraged her to sign. She felt it delayed Sarah's oral language. I feel just the opposite. She rarely signes without trying to say the word. Signing helps me to understand what she is saying. Between her signing and talking, I can usually understand what she is trying to communicate. We started signing with Sarah when she was an infant. She only signed eat, ball, more and thank you for what seemed forever. I think by watching the Signing Time dvds something finally clicked in her head and she understood she could communicate with us. Her signing really took off when she was 5. She still didn't use it to communicate her wants as much as I wanted but she would name everything in sight. Wow! She knew so much! I think we should give our kids as many tools to help them communicate as we possibly can. I do not believe that it discourages kids from talking. The Signing Time dvds are quite expensive but many times you can check them out from the public library. So in my opinion sign, sign, sign!!! Chris
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Post by CC on May 2, 2008 19:55:49 GMT -5
"I think we should give our kids as many tools to help them communicate as we possibly can"
I SECOND Chris on that ;D
Maybe you could go in and observe some of Jelani's ST sessions. I would go in a few times a year and the ST would show me what she was working on. Because Speech is the area Chris struggles with most we had our own ST/Home Communication Book which was separate from the Teach/Home Communication book and it helped tons too.
If you have in your IEP that a monthly report is to go home and it not, I would call a meeting on Monday. I know its almost the end of the year but they have to follow the IEP.
CC ~
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Post by Ericsmomma on May 2, 2008 20:16:17 GMT -5
I LOVE Signing Time videos.....they are wonderful. we have about 8 VHS tapes. We got them on sale on their website. They were only about $6 each. (I think they were getting rid of VHS tapes and going with all DVD's). Eric has learned alot of signs with this...but he doesn't really initiate it. But if you ask him the sign for bird, shoe, bananna, etc., he will do them. My two Grandaughters (2 and 5 years) also learned sign from the videos. I think they are well worth the effort. And they are alot of fun!
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Post by jessjetland on May 2, 2008 20:48:36 GMT -5
We are all for signing in our home and actually started doing it with our youngest when he was ten months. He will be two on the 31st and............he can count to ten, knows all of his primary colors and can identify 10 letters of course including the ones in his name. He also knows well over 100 signs and his grasp of language is amazing. Now this is not just a mom brag but I truly believe he is where he is because we signed with him. Sam (Ds) knows a ton of signs but doesnt always use them we are hoping that will come with time. Jess
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Post by Googsmom aka Jennifer on May 2, 2008 21:54:12 GMT -5
Oh Dawn funny timing here. So as you know I was was waiting for my piddly library to get the signing time dvd's I inquired about and it so happens that one came in today. The first sign's one. I have never seen one of the shows before. Had only heard good things about the show and as everyone knows i'm the ST so I had to find something to help me teach Brooker more words. OMG she LOVED it!!!! I took her in the bedroom as messy as it was ( cant interupt the bball game hubby is watching ya know) and put her in her highchair w/ some milk and cherrios and she did not move for 3 playings of the show. She was clapping and I think she even signed water. Although I knew all the signs on this first dvd already it was still a good learn for mommy too. I would say the word, she'd look at me for a sec, and then back to the show. I was a proud momma. I SO wish I had started this earlier. I know I was gunna save my simulious check but i'm going to invest in all the signing time shows, and save the rest I haven't checked out their websight but I found them on Ebay for like $20 each or a series of like 13 for $250.00. I know that sounds like alot, it IS alot but i'm gunna do it.(just won't tell hubby exactally how much they are ) Just watching her STARE at the tv, I just know she retained at least some of it. Brook does not watch tv. She used to watch the news but now it's books. From am to pm, books. So to see her take such intrest in the signing time show, i'm just beaming And, I have a clean room Folded all the clothes and vaccumed the floor. It's a MIRACLE!!!!!!
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Post by meghans_mom on May 4, 2008 9:18:39 GMT -5
we did alot of signing w/ MM when she was younger, and I think it definitely helped. there are websites that will teach you basic signs for free, and you can get books & videos from the library as well - or used on ebay, whatever.. just teach basic signs and do "hand over hand" when teaching Jelani. You show the sign while saying it...then use your hands to help him form the sign...
you know, if he wants "more" - have him sign it.....cookie, milk, drink, whatever...and make sure he signs (approximates) before he gets whatever. and always say the word outloud as you sign. be consistent.
another fun thing to do is to sing "Old MacDonald" and sign all the animals....its an easy way to learn some signs, and J might learn to equate the sign w/ the word, etc....learning thru music really helps things sink in, I think -- I can still sign several entire songs like "Itsy Bitsy Spider" etc that I learned in Mommy & Me with meghan like 4 years ago!
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