Tag: sign language

Sign Language

Leave a comment

Sign Language (3)

Travis and I did a brief lesson on American Sign Language during homeschool today, a lesson plan provided by Raddish Kids (which, by the way, has dozens of homeschool units even if you don’t subscribe to their recipe kits).

The lesson was a great way to talk about embracing and accepting difference, starting by asking Travis if he knew what it meant to be deaf. Once I explained the concept to him, it immediately became familiar since he remembers some of the Sign he used as a baby, and we use it now with little sister Veronika. A video link had neat biology about the ear.

Raddish provided lots of links which could make this a very detailed homeschool unit for older kids. We kept things simple and jumped ahead to learning a few songs in ASL, including Itsy Bitsy Spider.

Sign Language (5)

Veronika was grinning when we checked out a video for 16 animals in ASL, since she already knows most of these. She looked thrilled we were speaking “her” language.

Sign Language (6)

It was fun to go through the alphabet and Sign the kids’ names, too!

Sign Language (7)

You can add to the lesson by cooking a love-ly recipe or curling up with books on the topic. We read I Have a Sister, My Sister is Deaf by Jeanne Whitehouse, Hands & Hearts by Donna Jo Napoli, which had us learning a few new Signs, and The Deaf Musicians, a great book for onomatopoeia by Pete Seeger.

Sign Language (8)

Extend the unit with older kids by doing a biography of a famous deaf person. Fun suggestions include Beethoven or Helen Keller.

More or All Done?

Leave a comment

Introduce Question (1)

If you’re going to introduce one question for your baby at nine months old, this one is it: do you want more, or are you all done? First, by asking Veronika if she wants more of something or if she’s all done, it gives her a sense of agency. She can’t say the words yet, but she realizes that by her actions – pushing something away, grabbing for more of it – I’m listening to her. When you use the words, tilt your head and make your voice rise up at the end.

“More” and “all done” are also easy signs to learn, both for parents and babies (and siblings!). “More” is made by taping fingers together.

Introduce Question (6).JPG

“All done” is putting the hands up and shaking them, as if shaking something away. So today at meal time, I made sure to ask Veronika – do you want more or are you all done?

Introduce Question (3)

Hmm, she’s thinking about it. Pause and see if your baby vocalizes, or perhaps even starts to sign back.

Introduce Question (2)

More this time!

Introduce Question (4)

The same question applies when we play with toys or if we’re hanging out some place and I’m curious if she’s had enough or wants more more more. She is just starting to do a hand wave that I think might be her first attempt at “all done.”

Would you like more of that pouch, Veronika?

Introduce Question (5)

All done!

Introduce Question (7)

Valentine’s Poetry & Signs

Leave a comment

Raddish Valentine (8)

With a clever little template to follow from Raddish Kids, Travis wrote his first poems this Valentine’s Day! I loved guiding him through the project, and the final result makes the perfect Valentine’s gift for a teacher, family member, or friend.

First, we brainstormed a list of three categories: things that were red; things that were blue; and things that were sweet. He had some very definite opinions about what to include i.e. blackberries are bluish purple, not black, so they could go on the list.

Raddish Valentine (4)

What ensued was a sort of Mad Libs game. I read the original poem to him first:

Roses are red,

Violets are blue,

Sugar is sweet,

And so are you.

Using the lists he’d made, we slotted in a new word for each line.

Raddish Valentine (3)

The results were adorably hilarious, and will likely be so different from anything you’d come up with!

Raddish Valentine (5)

Overall, this was a great way to introduce poetry to my four-year-old, and a fun way to make some last-minute Valentine’s cards.

Raddish Valentine (6)

For still more language fun this holiday, teach your kids to sign ‘I love you’ in American Sign Language. Here’s his super excited face working out how to properly make the sign with his fingers!

Raddish Valentine (1)

Travis and I decided this can be our secret way to say the words at school drop off, now.