Parents all over the world seek to find ways of encouraging and enhancing the development of their child as a method of preparing for later life and enabling them with the skills and knowledge needed to become successful as they mature.
Providing them with the tools needed to promote and advance communication skills is thought to be an excellent way of helping your child and baby signing, otherwise called baby sign language, may offer this opportunity.
What Is Baby Signing?
Baby signing was first recognised and developed in the early years of the 21st century so it is still primarily in its infancy but may have been used in households for much longer.
Baby signing or baby sign language, is a way of teaching young children and babies to communicate using gestures and signs. By encouraging this it is thought that cerebral development is enhanced and also that the child is a lot less frustrated as they are able to communicate to those around them of their needs and requests.
It may be something extremely simple such as a gesture that shows their carer that they would like a drink or that they are hungry. Such a gesture may be one individual movement or motion but is an easy enough action that can be learned by the child.
Initially it is recommended that only your child's basic needs are learned such as nappy change, hunger or thirst but over time both you and your child can learn the signs that depict certain toys or activities that can be enjoyed without disruption or coaxing.
Your child will be able to communicate to you what they would, like to do, how they feel and when they want to change the activity, which really is quite an accomplishment if your child is still a baby.
It is encouraged that parents and carers action only the most important word in a sentence and show a sign that corresponds with this word. When signs are used, sounds may also be incorporated that correspond with the action.
What Do The Experts Think?
Speech and language therapists generally whole heartedly agree that baby signing is good for a child's development, not only for their cerebral and sensory development but as a way of enhancing the relationship between the child and parent or carer and supporting a harmonious environment in which the child can thrive and the parent or carer enjoy their role.
In fact, signing and making associated sounds are being widely used by many nurseries, schools and professions around the country and is thought to encourage interpersonal relationship building and allow your child's confidence to grow.
Who Teaches Baby Signing?
Once bay signing has been learned and the principles and theories have been gained anyone can teach baby signing. In fact many of the current teachers of this skill are parents them selves who have embraced the initiative And are keen to encourage and recommend the benefits to other parents.
Can Anybody Learn Baby Signing?
Absolutely anyone can learn how to baby sign and methods can be learned at home from books, DVDs or on the internet or it is possible that each family can develop their own form if they require.
Baby signing is a method of developing and embracing communication techniques in young children. It is a form of pre-verbal interaction and communication that is thought to decrease frustration in both the child and carer and encourages personal, social and cerebral development in the child.
Taken from: http://www.signedlanguage.co.uk
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Parent Workshop at TBL on 4th April, 4pm
We will be conducting the Baby Signs(R) Parent Workshop in The Baby Loft, on 4th April at 4pm.
Application:
This one-time, approximately 2-hour instructional event is designed to introduce parents (and parents to be), grandparents, and caregivers who would like to communicate with the baby in their life before they can talk, to the Baby Signs® Program of infant communication. It is geared for adults looking to teach signs to babies aged 0 to 2 ½ years or toddlers who have communication delays. You will be taught everything you need to know to get started with the Baby Signs® Program in the comfort of your home.
Objectives:
The Baby Signs® Parent Workshop introduces participants to the history of the Baby Signs® movement and the research behind the program. Participants will be provided with the knowledge and strategies they need to begin teaching their children to use signs. Most importantly, the workshop participants will learn about the many benefits for families who incorporate signing into their daily lives.
You will learn:
-The history and solid research foundation upon which the Baby Signs® Program is based;
-The benefits for you and your baby;
-When to begin signing with your baby;
-Strategies to begin teaching your children to communicate with signs at home;
-Looking out for signs of progress; and
-What to expect as your baby transitions from signs to speech
To sign up for this class, please call Audrey at 012-6934311. You can also complete our on-line registration form found on the right side bar.
Application:
This one-time, approximately 2-hour instructional event is designed to introduce parents (and parents to be), grandparents, and caregivers who would like to communicate with the baby in their life before they can talk, to the Baby Signs® Program of infant communication. It is geared for adults looking to teach signs to babies aged 0 to 2 ½ years or toddlers who have communication delays. You will be taught everything you need to know to get started with the Baby Signs® Program in the comfort of your home.
Objectives:
The Baby Signs® Parent Workshop introduces participants to the history of the Baby Signs® movement and the research behind the program. Participants will be provided with the knowledge and strategies they need to begin teaching their children to use signs. Most importantly, the workshop participants will learn about the many benefits for families who incorporate signing into their daily lives.
You will learn:
-The history and solid research foundation upon which the Baby Signs® Program is based;
-The benefits for you and your baby;
-When to begin signing with your baby;
-Strategies to begin teaching your children to communicate with signs at home;
-Looking out for signs of progress; and
-What to expect as your baby transitions from signs to speech
To sign up for this class, please call Audrey at 012-6934311. You can also complete our on-line registration form found on the right side bar.
Friday, March 27, 2009
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Baby using Baby Signs® to communicate
Watch a video of 16 month old Bethany using sign language to communicate. Bethany's family used the Baby Signs® Program.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Read this testimonial from a happy mom on the Baby Signs(R) Potty Party
Within a week of getting the Baby Signs Potty Training Program at your Potty Training Workshop, my 5-yr-old who has a developmental delay in speech and language and is a habitual diaper "junkie" when it comes to doing his poo, actually started using all the signs taught in the video in their appropriate ways. The video is very entertaining and the songs are catchy too. We used the whistle and reward stickers after each successful trip to the toilet. He still needs prompting when it comes to doing the big job but he is much more cooperative toward the whole potty training process. He now enjoys signing as a new way to express himself, not only for potty time but also during play and study. Thank you Baby Signs for introducing this wonderful communication tool to my child.
Mrs S Chan
Mrs Chan attended the Baby Signs(R) Potty Party on 1st March at our office.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Sign, Say & Play(R) Class DEMO
Our next Sign, Say & Play(R) Class DEMO will be held on 4th April, 1p.m. in Kizsports, Bangsar Village II.
Fee per family is RM20.
Prior registration required. Fill in our On-Line SSP Registration Form to attend our DEMO Class.
Fee per family is RM20.
Prior registration required. Fill in our On-Line SSP Registration Form to attend our DEMO Class.
Great news for those residing in KK
Ethel, our ICI in Kota Kinabalu Sabah is offering a 10% discount for participants who attend the Baby Signs(R) Parent Workshop in March 2009. Hurry, only one more date to choose from.
Below are Workshop dates for March - May 2009: -
28 Mar (Saturday) - Registration closing date : 25 March
4 Apr (Saturday) - Registration closing date : 1 April
25 Apr (Saturday) - Registration closing date : 22 April
9 May (Saturday) - Registration closing date : 6 May
30 May (Saturday) - Registration closing date : 27 May
Time : 2pm - 4pm
Venue : Penampang (pls contact Ethel at 012-8292800, ethel@babysignsmalaysia.com for more info).
Below are Workshop dates for March - May 2009: -
28 Mar (Saturday) - Registration closing date : 25 March
4 Apr (Saturday) - Registration closing date : 1 April
25 Apr (Saturday) - Registration closing date : 22 April
9 May (Saturday) - Registration closing date : 6 May
30 May (Saturday) - Registration closing date : 27 May
Time : 2pm - 4pm
Venue : Penampang (pls contact Ethel at 012-8292800, ethel@babysignsmalaysia.com for more info).
New Cloth Book Set
We have just brought in a Cloth Book Set. This Cloth Book Set features the following two soft, but durable books:
My First Fun Signs Cloth Book uses the DiaperDoodle babies to help infants and toddlers learn six basic signs: Eat, Dog, Hat, Flower, Bath and Sleep.
My More Fun Signs Cloth Book highlights six additional important signs: Book, Duck, Cat, Shoes, Ball and More
My First Fun Signs Cloth Book uses the DiaperDoodle babies to help infants and toddlers learn six basic signs: Eat, Dog, Hat, Flower, Bath and Sleep.
My More Fun Signs Cloth Book highlights six additional important signs: Book, Duck, Cat, Shoes, Ball and More
We are running a special Introductory Offer.
Buy the cloth books now for only RM70 (a set of 2). While stocks last.
Fill in our Product Order Form.
Offer ends on 31st March 2009.
Events on 14th (Sat) and 15th (Sun) March
14 Mar, 10.45am, Parent Workshop, Lara's Place, SS2
For enquiries, please call Natasha at 012-6637601
14 Mar, 2pm, Sign, Say & Play(R) Class, Kidzone, Sri Hartamas
For enquiries, please call Natasha at 012-6637601
14 Mar, 2pm, Parent Workshop, BSM, Petaling Jaya
For enquiries, please call Valerie at 012-8897880
14 Mar, 4pm, Storytelling, Borders The Curve, Mutiara Damansara
For enquiries, please call Jamie at 012-3101704
15 Mar, 10am, Parent Workshop (Chinese), Kota Kemuning
For enquiries, please contact Elaine at 012-3915925
Alternatively, you can email enquiry@babysignsmalaysia.com.
For enquiries, please call Natasha at 012-6637601
14 Mar, 2pm, Sign, Say & Play(R) Class, Kidzone, Sri Hartamas
For enquiries, please call Natasha at 012-6637601
14 Mar, 2pm, Parent Workshop, BSM, Petaling Jaya
For enquiries, please call Valerie at 012-8897880
14 Mar, 4pm, Storytelling, Borders The Curve, Mutiara Damansara
For enquiries, please call Jamie at 012-3101704
15 Mar, 10am, Parent Workshop (Chinese), Kota Kemuning
For enquiries, please contact Elaine at 012-3915925
Alternatively, you can email enquiry@babysignsmalaysia.com.
Monday, March 9, 2009
Launch of Baby Signs Malaysia Blog
To celebrate the launch of this blog, we are having our first ever CONTEST.
Tell us about your most memorable signing experience with your child. If you are having a difficult time deciding on only one, don't worry, we will accept a max of 3 entries from each individual.
Please include the following details: -
1. Your name and your child's name
2. When this incident happened and how old your child was at that time
3. At least one benefit of signing that you/your child experienced from this incident
4. A picture of your child signing (if you managed to catch your child on camera)
There will be ONE winner and this winner will be entitled to win our I Can Sign!Animals DVD/Book Set, worth RM60.
And as a BONUS, if the lucky winner is a past Baby Signs Malaysia customer, he/she will in addition win our I Can Sign!Playtime DVD/Book Set!
Contest ends 31st March 2009. Submit your entries to contest@babysignsmalaysia.com today!
Baby Signs Malaysia reserves the right to publish your entries in this blog.
If you have any enquiries, please email us at enquiry@babysignsmalaysia.com or call Jamie at 012-3101704.
Tell us about your most memorable signing experience with your child. If you are having a difficult time deciding on only one, don't worry, we will accept a max of 3 entries from each individual.
Please include the following details: -
1. Your name and your child's name
2. When this incident happened and how old your child was at that time
3. At least one benefit of signing that you/your child experienced from this incident
4. A picture of your child signing (if you managed to catch your child on camera)
There will be ONE winner and this winner will be entitled to win our I Can Sign!Animals DVD/Book Set, worth RM60.
And as a BONUS, if the lucky winner is a past Baby Signs Malaysia customer, he/she will in addition win our I Can Sign!Playtime DVD/Book Set!
Contest ends 31st March 2009. Submit your entries to contest@babysignsmalaysia.com today!Baby Signs Malaysia reserves the right to publish your entries in this blog.
If you have any enquiries, please email us at enquiry@babysignsmalaysia.com or call Jamie at 012-3101704.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
ABC News: It's No Charade: Baby Gestures Could Help Speaking
The More Babies Gesture, the Bigger Their Vocabularies
Feb. 18, 2009
Does your baby shake her head when you try to feed her vegetables? Though that may be frustrating from a nutritional perspective, it can mean good things for her educational future.
A new study from the University of Chicago suggests that the more gestures babies make at 14 months, the bigger their vocabularies will be. The size of a child's vocabulary is a key predictor of how well he or she will do in school.
"Good Morning America" parenting contributor Ann Pleshette Murphy explains what the study means and how parents can encourage a child's gestures.
So how do a baby's gestures translate into school smarts?
Simple gestures are the fundamentals of communication -- shaking your head, pointing at something you want or a baby raising his or her arms to be picked up. The University of Chicago study found that the more gestures a baby used at 14 months, the more words he had in his vocabulary at 3½ years old.
Can you teach a baby gestures?
To a certain extent, yes. You don't have to drill your child; what's more important is how you respond to the gestures. You need to gesture and talk a lot as well. That can mean doing something as simple as waving bye-bye.
It's modelling, and the more you do, the more you encourage them. You can say, "Show me what you want." And this is important when they are pre-verbal. When they raise their arms to be picked up and you say, "Oh you want to be picked up?" that teaches them they can ask with their mouths
And this helps with tantrums as well?
Helping a child to say with their hands what they can't yet say with their mouths will not only build vocabulary, but reduce tantrums and increase the parental bond.
When they are 14 months, babies get really frustrated at not being able to communicate. Teaching them these gestures helps reduce their frustration and the number of tantrums they throw.
What's at the heart of this is a nurturing interaction. You're telling the baby, "What you're saying does matter to me, I am paying attention to you." And that stimulates brain activity.
What if you're not seeing a lot of gestures from your child?
Gesturing can start around 10 months. If your child isn't gesturing by 14 months, that could indicate a problem, and parents should have their child's hearing checked.
Is there a difference between girls and boys?
Girls tend to be more verbal than boys and start to talk a month or two earlier. There's even evidence that female fetuses move their mouths more than males.
When should children usually start using words and sentences?
Feb. 18, 2009
Does your baby shake her head when you try to feed her vegetables? Though that may be frustrating from a nutritional perspective, it can mean good things for her educational future.
A new study from the University of Chicago suggests that the more gestures babies make at 14 months, the bigger their vocabularies will be. The size of a child's vocabulary is a key predictor of how well he or she will do in school.
"Good Morning America" parenting contributor Ann Pleshette Murphy explains what the study means and how parents can encourage a child's gestures.
So how do a baby's gestures translate into school smarts?
Simple gestures are the fundamentals of communication -- shaking your head, pointing at something you want or a baby raising his or her arms to be picked up. The University of Chicago study found that the more gestures a baby used at 14 months, the more words he had in his vocabulary at 3½ years old.
Can you teach a baby gestures?
To a certain extent, yes. You don't have to drill your child; what's more important is how you respond to the gestures. You need to gesture and talk a lot as well. That can mean doing something as simple as waving bye-bye.
It's modelling, and the more you do, the more you encourage them. You can say, "Show me what you want." And this is important when they are pre-verbal. When they raise their arms to be picked up and you say, "Oh you want to be picked up?" that teaches them they can ask with their mouths
And this helps with tantrums as well?
Helping a child to say with their hands what they can't yet say with their mouths will not only build vocabulary, but reduce tantrums and increase the parental bond.
When they are 14 months, babies get really frustrated at not being able to communicate. Teaching them these gestures helps reduce their frustration and the number of tantrums they throw.
What's at the heart of this is a nurturing interaction. You're telling the baby, "What you're saying does matter to me, I am paying attention to you." And that stimulates brain activity.
What if you're not seeing a lot of gestures from your child?
Gesturing can start around 10 months. If your child isn't gesturing by 14 months, that could indicate a problem, and parents should have their child's hearing checked.
Is there a difference between girls and boys?
Girls tend to be more verbal than boys and start to talk a month or two earlier. There's even evidence that female fetuses move their mouths more than males.
When should children usually start using words and sentences?
Two-year-olds can generally say two-word sentences, 3-year-olds can say three-word sentences, but after that, language explodes. Fifty words seems to be the magic number. Once a kid knows that many words, their ability to learn new ones increases massively. Most children say more than 150 words by the time they are 20 months old, and 300 or so by their second birthday.
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