Anyone know of any good sign language programs? Something fun and easy to follow, with some kind of direction on how to go about learning/teaching it?
It's probably not exactly what you're looking for, but to supplement I HIGHLY recommend Signing Time videos. Most libraries carry them. My boys (5 and 3) have learned so many signs from Singing Times. She does do some phrases, but mostly it's vocab. So you'd still want a program to handle the grammar of ASL.
I watch Signing Times with our two year old "unofficial grandson" every day. He is profoundly hard of hearing and wears hearing aids. He is a signing machine at the age of two. I am so proud of him. He has the whole set of ST DVDs and brings a few every day for us to choose from. We all watch so we can keep up with Babyboy.
We too love Signing Time Yes, Signing Time is a great way to learn sign language. We have most of their dvd's but they are also on most local PBS channels now. They also have a web site you can go to for other activities. My 7 year old ds & I can carry on a pretty good conversation using signs only and the 5 year old is catching up. One of these days I am going to make it a no talking day only sign language....that would be fun!!!
Please keep in mind that ASL grammar is NOT the same as English grammar. People who sign ASL communicate in concepts, not sentences. Signing Time is wonderful. It's a great start. My boys watch the heck out of it. I watch the heck out of it. But other measures are needed to ensure that your child can actually carry on a conversation with a deaf adult.
There are a couple of web sites with worksheets that we have used. http://www.teach-nology.com/worksheets/misc/sign/ www.kinderprintables.com/signlanguage
Thanks everyone. I know that later in life to further their education formally, they will need a "foreign" language. American Sign Language usually qualifies. It is also something I can actually teach without knowing it first. I hadn't really toyed with this idea much, until I had a deaf patient at work this past weekend. I thought how wonderful and easier it would have been to get a fuller picture rather then having to write everything down. He didn't read lips hardly at all. It would be a great family project. I am going to check out those videos and do some goggling as well. Perhaps, we can piece something together.
My dd is doing sign language (ASL) this year. We found a Program from Living Language called "Getting Started in Signing". My dd10 really likes it. It has some neat stuff in it, and she's learned a lot so far. We got it at our Barnes & Noble.
We have used the Little Einstein First Signs video, as well as Sign with Your Baby. Of course, my guys are little..but they enjoy seeing the babies sign
http://commtechlab.msu.edu/sites/aslweb/browser.htm This isn't a program, but it is great for learning vocab. The way we taught our little's was to pick books and learn all the words in the book. Like simple abc books. It is amazing how simple and hard it can be. Aggie
I didn't know about babies signing until I had my dd. We did the signing with her, and it was so neat to see her signing! But then, sad to say, once she started talking she refused to use the signs anymore. Now she wishes she would've kept it up, cuz she'd know a lot more by now! But she's excited to be doing it now!
All of my boys did that. It wasn't until they turned 4 ish that they decided they wanted to sign again. Then I was starting over.
I bet that was neat! I soooo wished I'd have known about it with my first. He was so frustrated when he couldn't get his idea through to us! I think he would have been much happier if he'd known sign language! I would have too!
