bdroberts1998 Posted October 14, 2010 Share Posted October 14, 2010 I am thinking about starting to do sign language with my kids. Does anybody on the boards do it? If so what do you use and do you know of any websites that teach it? My kids are ages 6 & 9. Thanks, Doniell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom2J112903 Posted October 14, 2010 Share Posted October 14, 2010 We do ASL :) Very informal, but it is great for fine motor skills. I took ASL in high school and I used to be quite proficient at it. Too bad I stopped signing once I was out of high school. We use this book and LOVE it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluemongoose Posted October 14, 2010 Share Posted October 14, 2010 Check and see if your library has the Signing Time Series. They are awesome, but spendy to buy yourself! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justasque Posted October 14, 2010 Share Posted October 14, 2010 We do ASL :) Very informal, but it is great for fine motor skills. I took ASL in high school and I used to be quite proficient at it. Too bad I stopped signing once I was out of high school. We use this book and LOVE it! I am taking ASL at co-op. The teacher has been pulling stuff from various places, and there are some good web sites she has referred us to. However, I've found the above book (which I have gotten out of the library) to be very helpful, as it almost always gives you something to visualize to help remember the sign. As with any other language, a few minutes a day is better than a longer time period less often. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doodle Posted October 14, 2010 Share Posted October 14, 2010 Here is a link to a thread I posted earlier this year with useful web references for ASL. http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=158703 Definitely check out the PBS links. They are signed children's stories that are very enjoyable to watch. The Signing Time DVD series is wonderful. I own and have used them with Doodle. My testimony is actually printed on the back of one of them. For the ages of your children, you may want to look at Signing Fun by Penny Warner. I too own the book Talking With Your Hands, Listening With Your Eyes and agree it is a great book. My other book reference of choice is American Sign Language Dictionary, Unabridged. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather in OK Posted October 14, 2010 Share Posted October 14, 2010 The best way to learn is from someone who is deaf or hearing impaired. Books and/or lessons are great (that's how I learned and started interpreting..way back when). But to really know and learn the language, learn it from someone IRL who uses it to communicate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted October 14, 2010 Share Posted October 14, 2010 The best way to learn is from someone who is deaf or hearing impaired. Books and/or lessons are great (that's how I learned and started interpreting..way back when). But to really know and learn the language, learn it from someone IRL who uses it to communicate. Sure, but make sure you are hiring them to teach you. They don't like people trying to befriend them just to learn to sign, understandably. Even if you are friends before you decide to learn, they still won't want to be your teacher. Use what vids you can get from the library, and online dictionaries, but eventually you need to take a class. Speaking English doesn't make you able to teach another to speak it (except for your own kids, of course) and being a native signer doesn't make you able to teach another either. Rosie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChristusG Posted October 15, 2010 Share Posted October 15, 2010 We do! We do Sign Language as one of our school subjects. I'd rather do Sign Language than a foreign language because I feel that it could be more useful. We use the Signing Times DVD series. I'm doing the subject with my 6 year old but my 3 year old sits in too. Tuesdays are Sign Language day around here. We watch the video and go over previous signs that we've learned. DD probably knows 75-100 signs since we began two months ago. It's really fun! I enjoy learning it too. While the kids are watching the DVD, I watch too and write down the signs they are learning in that episode so that we can review them later. For review I have her show me 10 signs and I have to tell her what they are. Then I show her 10 signs and she has to tell me what they are. Then I ask her 10 signs and she does them. Then she asks me 10 signs and I do them. We don't go over every sign that she knows every single week.....I try to rotate the ones I review each week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WiseOwlKnits Posted October 15, 2010 Share Posted October 15, 2010 (edited) I'm taking a Sign Language class right now and teaching DD as I learn it. My class is using this book. For the kids' class (which you have to be 8 to do so my DD isn't doing it), they use this book. I'd recommend Signing Time too. It's a great series. :) Edited October 15, 2010 by Hill Country Classical Academy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted October 15, 2010 Share Posted October 15, 2010 Curiosity is eating me. Why do you all call it Sign Language instead of ASL? Rosie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomOfOneFunOne Posted October 15, 2010 Share Posted October 15, 2010 The best way to learn is from someone who is deaf or hearing impaired. Books and/or lessons are great (that's how I learned and started interpreting..way back when). But to really know and learn the language, learn it from someone IRL who uses it to communicate. You're interpret in Tulsa?? Such a small world. So do I. It's a wonder we've never met being homeschoolers AND interpreters! Or maybe we have and I just don't realize it. You don't seem familiar from your avatar. Do you know me? Rebecca Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bdroberts1998 Posted October 15, 2010 Author Share Posted October 15, 2010 Thank you guys! Can't wait to get some stuff and get started. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jennifero Posted October 16, 2010 Share Posted October 16, 2010 When I first started learning, my teacher used The Joy of Signing to teach us basic signs. I really like http://aslbrowser.commtechlab.msu.edu/browser.htm because is shows a video with each word. It tool me a while to be able to understand waht the books and dictionaries meant in their explanations. One of my long-term goals is to go back to school for ASL. I have done informal interpretation at our old church, but I really want to learn more. Maybe when the kids are grown up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamee Posted October 16, 2010 Share Posted October 16, 2010 Curiosity is eating me. Why do you all call it Sign Language instead of ASL? Rosie There are other sign programs/schools of thought out there beside ASL. I'd only want to learn ASL, but I know that the whole "baby sign" has been popular too. Anyway, we are HUGE Signing Times fans. Started with DS back when he was in pre-school and little brother was not quite a year at the time. They both signed all the time! Not so much lately, but every once in awhile they'll get the DVDs out to watch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted October 16, 2010 Share Posted October 16, 2010 There are other sign programs/schools of thought out there beside ASL. I'd only want to learn ASL, but I know that the whole "baby sign" has been popular too. Yeah, I know this, but everyone here seems to mean ASL when they say Sign Language and I wondered why. It looks like I shall have to remain curious :lol: Rosie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom0012 Posted October 16, 2010 Share Posted October 16, 2010 I'm so glad this thread was started. My daughter has been asking about learning sign language and I was going to get some dvds from the library, but I had no idea which ones. They have the full Signing Times series. Yay! Lisa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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