Learning More ASL

It's so fun when signing with your little one sparks a desire to learn more American Sign Language. I was hooked after learning the alphabet and a few songs from my Kindergarten teacher! One of the reasons I picked Biola for my undergrad was because they offered ASL courses to meet my foreign language requirement. One of my good friends and I had so much fun doing "silent" coffee dates to practice signing together. :)

If you're looking for a way to learn more beyond Baby Signing Time, there are a lot of options...

1) You can check out a local community college. The benefit here is being able to see the signs and practice them in person. If your professor is deaf or teaches with their "voice off," you get more of an "immersion" experience. You're able to see many peoples' signing styles, and can be corrected if you're signing something wrong without meaning to. You can ask questions, get feedback, and even learn more about deaf culture in your area. Plus, you'll likely be challenged with assignments that get you out of your comfort zone by visiting deaf events in your area so you can REALLY practice. :) (Deaf people are incredibly gracious and friendly--and are happy to see hearing people learning their language--so you don't have to worry about striking up a conversation!)

2) Take a course online. Right now I'm taking a course through Signing Online for my Advanced Signing Time Instructor certification. (I'm currently certified to teach 0-5 year olds, but this "upgrade" will allow me to teach all ages, as well as train teachers on how to teach and use ASL in their classrooms.) The lessons are quick, and my 4 1/2 year old daughter daughter even loves doing the quizzes with me. They're $75 per course, and they can count for high school or college credits. I like that I can do these during Ellie's quiet times or after she's in bed, and can learn ASL in my pajamas!

3) Utilize the many resources available to you. One of my favorite websites is LifePrint. It's run by Dr. Bill Vicars, an ASL professor at California State University, and it has a wealth of information and resources on signs, ASL grammar, and deaf culture. You can start with his First 100 Signs, or jump right into his 30 FREE lessons!  

The other resource I of course LOVE for learning to sign on your own is Signing Time! Yes, the episodes and songs are designed for 1-8 year olds, but that just means they're easy to learn from! :) Get that library card if you don't have one already, and search for Signing Time DVDs in your local library's online catalog. That way you can place the different volumes on hold to pick up at your nearest library. (You can also purchase favorite episodes from me, but the library is a great way to "try before you buy.") Note that there are 13 volumes in Series 1, and 13 volumes in Series 2, and they can be watched in any order (though I'd recommend sticking to Series 1 first and then moving to Series 2). Also, some PBS stations are still airing Signing Time (depending on where you live), and Series 2 currently has clips on Netflix!  And don't forget you can get Series 1 Volume 13 for free--just scroll to the bottom of this post for the link!

*Hint: Check out the Signing Time Progress Charts or the Buyer's Guide to find which signs are taught in each volume.

Once you've learned the 1,000+ vocabulary signs taught in the Signing Time episodes, you can learn ASL grammar from their new series, Signing Time Sentences! The first volume teaches you how to introduce yourself in ASL, ask questions, how to fingerspell, use classifiers, and a bunch more. I love how Hopkins the Frog rearranges English sentences on the screen to show what they would be in ASL. Plus I love that it has two play modes--one where Leah's voice is off. And of course it's not Signing Time without some catchy songs written by Rachel and her dad! Rachel, Alex, and Leah are currently filming the second ST Sentences episode, and the third one has started funding. So exciting! View a preview of the first episode here. (Because it's still new, I haven't seen it in libraries yet, but you can email me to order a copy.)

More Resources...
There are many other things out there that can help you learn to sign. It always helps to check a few resources when learning a new sign so you can learn the different variations, or find out which one is most commonly used. More websites I like for looking up signs (other than www.lifeprint.com) are www.signingsavvy.com, www.handspeak.com, and of course... www.signingtime.com/dictionary. Some books are helpful tools for learning ASL grammar as well, but because it's hard to learn a sign just from a picture and description, I'd just use that as a supplement. Make sure to read the reviews, and also double check to make sure it's ASL and not SEE (Signed Exact English). I used "Signing Naturally" in college, and another friend used "A Basic Course American Sign Language" for her college course.

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Well there you have it! Hope this helps you along your signing journey, and remember that I love hearing how it's coming along! Shoot me an email or post on the Little Sign of Mine Facebook page. :) Feel free to comment below with your tips on learning to sign, too.

1st Day of Pre-K (Plus a FREE volume of Signing Time!!)

"Oh my gosh, it's happening...  Like right now, this is it!" I excitedly whispered to my husband as Ellie held up her "1st Day of Pre-K" sign proudly, unicorn backpack strapped to her back.

We had lived up this past summer.  I especially wanted to make the most of each day together, knowing these days weren't forever, and I kept tucking away little moments in my heart.  We excitedly counted down the days to September 1st (with alphabet cookies and everything), when Ellie would get to start her first official day of "real" school.

We searched high and low for the perfect little backpack (yay for Skip-Hop!).  We hit up Carter's for the first day of school outfit.  I even got a new lunchbox for E, even though she wouldn't be needing it at school just yet. (Can you tell I love this whole school thing??)

We got a postcard from her teacher, and she eagerly wrote a letter back.

Sounding out each letter as she writes.

We went to see the new classroom and meet her teacher (even scoped out the bathroom), and talked all about what school would be like.  I asked if she would want her to teacher to call her Ellie or Elizabeth, and she decided on Elizabeth. :)

We got "first day of school" books from the library, and read her favorite Berenstain Bears one again, too ("The Berenstain Bears Go to School").

I printed out the classic sign for her to hold for pictures, and got her morning routine all ready so she could practice a few times before the big day.

Then last night arrived--we laid out her clothes, made sure her backpack was ready, and went to bed.

When my alarm went off this morning, I smiled thinking, "It's really here... Ellie's first day of school."  I got myself ready before she was up, and David whipped up the pancake batter.  I had some playdough on the table for her to play with when she got up, and spelled out a special note for me "I LUV YOU." :)

She was so surprised when we started singing "Happy 1st Day of School to You," and brought out the special red plate with a candle for her to make a wish.  (She wished we could go to Sky High again--since we'd just closed out our summer break with it yesterday.)

I couldn't resist making "Pre K" pancakes, since my mom got me this fun pancake pen a while back that's been just too fun.  And I really wanted to make this day special for her.  I love family traditions, and I always loooved back to school as a kid (just ask my mom), so this mama has seriously been beyond excited for this big event.

Ellie asked a few times how many more minutes it was till school, so we didn't need to ask twice when it was time for her to put on her shoes and get her backpack.  As David helped her into her backpack, it just became that much more real.  Kind of like when you first find out you're pregnant, but it doesn't really hit you until you see that little gummy bear in the ultrasound and hear their little heartbeat??

So as we handed her the sign and I saw her beaming at me through the camera's viewfinder, my heart just melted.  It was happening.  Her first day of school was here.  And I couldn't be more proud.

Walking to school from our house.

We cracked up that she even drew a little picture of herself above her name. (Right above the second L)

The first thing the students do is get a book from the bookshelf and sit on the rug to look at it quietly.  She asked me where the books were, so I walked her over, helped her pick out an I Spy book, and then she was good to go. :)

David and I walked back to the house together (we're just 3 minutes away--love it!), and it felt so weird being in there without Ellie.  After I kissed him goodbye and he left for work, I sat down on the couch and thought... now what?  It feels so strange not having my chatty little buddy at home with me, asking constantly, "Mommy, would you like to play with me?"

I'm looking forward to the days I'll have where I'm not teaching classes where I'll get to just run errands quickly or get some house cleaning done, or work on Little Sign of Mine stuff, or exercise.  But it's definitely going to take time to adjust!  I always thought I'd have some one-on-one time with our next little one while Ellie was at school, so there's a sad emptiness there...  But I'm grateful for each season God is giving us, and I'm ready to go make the most of it.

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I love that Ellie's class will be practicing the alphabet in sing language--that was how I first came across my love for signing (in Kindergarten)!  I absolutely love how signing helps little ones learn and remember so many things.



So I'm excited to share that Signing Time is giving away a FREE episode!!!!  No loopholes or gimmicks, it's just yours!!  "Welcome to School" is Volume 13 from their first Signing Time series, and you can get it for free by entering your name and email here: http://www.signingtime.com/free-video/

One of the best things about this video is it has the ABCs at the end after the credits (which is how Ellie learned her ABCs before she was two!).  And even while Ellie was still one, we used a ton of signs from this video--like CRAYONS, PAPER, CHAIR, TABLE, NAME, PAY ATTENTION (when I would say, "Look at mama's eyes"), QUIET, READ, REST, PAINT, DRAW, and so many more!  Plus I love the song, "Hello Backpack." :)

Hope you'll enjoy it as much as we have!!

Happy 4th Birthday, Ellie Joy

I got a tripod for myself for Christmas with the hope of making more signing FAQ videos and such--without having to play a balancing Jenga-esque-type game with my camera on top of some shoe boxes, on top of a chair, perched on a coffee table. :)

Fast forward to May... Since Ellie's birthday decorations were still up from her party last Saturday, I had an idea for a video project that she could help me with.  She has become quite the little teacher, having gone with me to all my Little Sign of Mine classes for the past 2 1/2 years, and I knew she'd love to take the spotlight to teach some birthday signs for this one.

I shared our little video with other Signing Time Academy instructors, and Rachel Coleman shared it on her Facebook page, too--commenting that Ellie could be an Honorary Signing Time Instructor. :)  She'll take it!!

At the end of the video is some info to enter a giveaway that I'm hosting through Friday, May 29th.  I'll send the Signing Time "Happy Birthday To You" DVD to one lucky winner, and all you have to do is send a clip of you (or your little one) signing the two words, "Happy Birthday," to Ellie. :)  Email me at littlesignofmine (at) gmail (dot) com or tag me on Instagram with @littlesignofmine and using the hashtag #happybirthdayellie.

So without further ado, here's my little Peanut teaching a few birthday signs!

P.S. These signs are great for attending parties as well, and beginning to explain to your little one what birthdays are like.

Sign of the Week: MUSIC

So this was actually from two weeks ago, but I've been focusing on some other things lately!  Time to catch us up. :)

First off, I have to say that I'm typing this from a sort of "vacation" spot.  Our complex has been doing a lot of renovations and construction (for oh... years.), and this time around they got smart and have some furnished units that we can use during the day!  Complete with a coffee pot (of course this is listed first), TV (woohoo cable!), wifi, and even beds--so my peanut could take her nap undisturbed (hallelujah)!  I can't tell you how thankful I am for the peace and quiet.  And Ellie's thankful for Disney Junior. ;)

Okay so here we go...

"This week's" sign from the Signing Time Blog is... MUSIC!
(from Baby Signing Time DVD Vol 4: Let's Be Friends)

I also have a bunch of previous Signs of the Week in a  photo album (viewable on my Little Sign of Mine Facebook page even if you don't have a Facebook account).

1) How to sign MUSIC:
MUSIC: Hold your left (or non-dominant arm) out in front of you, perpendicular to your body.  Make a flat hand with your right (or dominant) hand, and sway or swing your hand over your arm--almost like you're conducting music.

*The cool thing about this sign is it is also the sign for SING and SONG.  As you make this sign, just say the word you're intending it to mean!
Example--"Should we put on some MUSIC?  What SONG do you want to listen to?  'Old MacDonald?'  Okay, let's SING along!" (Meanwhile, you're doing the same sign each time.)

2) Watch Rachel sign MUSIC & print the flashcard on the Signing Time Blog here.

3) Signing Activities:
*Infants:
-Anytime you hear music--whether at a grocery store, listening to a Baby Signing Time CD in the car, or playing with a toy that sings a song--sign and say MUSIC.  ("Do you hear the MUSIC?  Oooh, what SONG is this?")
-Make a drum circle for little one out of pots and pans.  Let him use his hands or give him a wooden spoon "drum stick."  Clap and cheer for him as he makes music, and encourage him by saying, "Good job, you're making MUSIC!" (while signing MUSIC).

(Source: Play Create Explore)

*Toddlers:
-Make your own sound treasure basket by collecting, making, or buying fun instruments.

(Image source: Fine Solutions)

-Check out this fun pin for lots of ideas on instruments you and your little one can make and explore together:

(Source: Red Ted Art)

*Preschooler:
-In addition to the toddler ideas, try making this fun windchime!
Using an old xylophone (check thrift store, garage sales, ebay, or Craig's List), hang pieces to an embroidery hoop using fishing line.  Talk and sign together about the MUSIC it makes.

(Source: Craftster forum)

4) Today's Challenge: Listen to a song and dance with your little one once a day, and practice signing MUSIC.  "Do you like this SONG?  It's so fun moving to the MUSIC!"

Happy signing!

Fun Christmas Signs and Videos

Merry Christmas everyone!  I thought I'd share some holiday signs with you today, and update you on something brewing in the The Two Little Hands Productions offices... :)

Here's Rachel Coleman (co-creator of Signing Time), sharing some holiday signs with us!  

And did you know Two Little Hands is filming RIGHT NOW to make a special 2-DVD Signing Time Christmas??!  It will be coming out for Christmas 2014, so stay tuned!! 

This project was funded completely by families who love Signing Time through Kickstarter!  Here's a link to the video where Rachel shared about the project below...  It was amazing to see how quickly the project was fully funded!



I love that it will have one DVD of Rachel, Alex, Leah, and Hopkins decorating for Christmas and teaching a bunch of holiday signs with new Signing Time music, and then the other DVD will teach us how to sign our favorite Christmas songs in ASL!  Did you see Rachel sign a snippet of "Silent Night?"

I hope you have a wonderful Christmas week!  I'll be sharing some Christmas treats on the blog tomorrow, and then will be taking a break till Tuesday, January 7!

For those in Orange County, my Little Sign of Mine classes will be starting up at Granola Babies on Friday, January 10.  Can't wait!  Want to see a sneak peek of the signs we'll be learning??

The four-week series will run Jan. 10, 17, 24, 31, and will cover... outside signs | colors | day & night | weather | stop, wait, go
Register online today at http://www.granolababies.com/collections/events-costa-mesa/products/little-sign-of-mine)

Email me with questions at littlesignofmine (at) gmail (dot) com!