Sign Language Blog

Signing with Your Young One Looks Promising

July 21, 2008 on 11:30 pm | In Sign Language |

Communicating is one of the most difficult skills for toddlers to learn — yet one of the most rewarding.

The pure delight they show when they have made themselves understood is a treat to watch — but the frustration when they cannot is to be avoided at all costs!

That is why Sing & Sign is so good. It combines music and fun, while teaching your youngster how to make their needs and wants known.

I took Olivia when she was nine months old and I wish we’d started earlier. She loved every minute and still uses some of the signs now.

As part of typical development before speech is well established, babies naturally use a combination of gestures and sounds to help their parents understand them.

They may point, shake their heads, clap their hands and wave bye-bye.

Sing & Sign encourages extra gestures to help your little one communicate, so they can tell you: milk; more; change nappy; tired and a whole host more.

It is wonderfully rewarding and you will be amazed by what your baby is capable of telling you before being able to say the words.

Sarah Glover runs popular classes in Exeter and Honiton. She has eight sessions over three days and teaches more than 90 youngsters. Using nursery rhymes and action songs, she introduces signs that relate to those important first words in your baby’s world.

And not only is it really useful, but it is also great fun for you and your child.

Sarah, a mum of two, has been involved with Sing & Sign for three years and for her it is a dream come true.

Shortly after having her first child, Megan, six years ago, the family moved to Honiton.

Sarah looked around for something to do with her toddler but could not find anything she liked.

She then discovered Sing & Sign and realised there were no classes in the area.

“It all suddenly just started to fall into place. I knew sign language, loved singing and amateur dramatics and wanted to work with children,” she said.

“I contacted the national organisers, got the training and bought a franchise that runs from Axminster to Exeter and Exmouth.”

After giving birth to her second child, Jonny, three years ago, she started her classes and has not looked back since.

Sarah runs four sessions in Exeter on a Wednesday morning and two on Thursdays and Fridays in Honiton. The groups are small and informal and many parents go back again and again.

Sarah Rowe has been taking her two-year-old daughter Star to the Exeter classes for the past year.

She said: “It is fantastic fun and also very useful. Star picked up the signs really well and uses them. It helped with some of the frustrations when she was younger and did not have the vocabulary she has now.”

Steve Morely’s son, Luke, who is nearly two, has also been going to the sessions for some time.

“Luke loves the singing and the signing has really helped his communication. It has also been a good way for us to get to know other parents.”

Jo Kiddle has been taking her 18- month-old son William to the sessions for about a year.

“He loves the singing and musical instruments and Sarah is a great teacher,” she said.

Simon Greenwood said the sessions have helped his daughter, Sienna, aged 18 months, make herself understood. “It has stopped a lot of the frustration and really helped her vocabulary.”

For more details contact Sarah on 01404 548829 or www.singandsign. co.uk.