Why Wait to Communicate? Signing with babies facilitates communication long before they can talk.

Nov. 14, 2007 - PRLog -- Local classes & workshops teach adults in North Carolina how to use American Sign Language with infants and young children.  Signing with pre-verbal hearing babies is one of the most fascinating and fastest growing parenting trends in North America. American Sign Language (ASL) is the third most commonly used language in the United States and its popularity is growing!

Beginning as early as eight months of age (if not earlier), hearing babies show signs of learning  by using simple signs to clearly tell their parents and caregivers what they want or what they are thinking. Imagine the relief parents feel when their baby can sign "MILK”, “PLEASE", “I’M HUNGRY", "CHANGE MY DIAPER", or "MY EAR HURTS" . . . instead of crying! Signing reduces frustration and crying because babies can clearly communicate specific thoughts with their hands even though the muscles that allow for speech are not yet fully developed. It also builds on a baby’s natural tendency to use gestures, and reinforces verbal language by adding visual emphasis to auditory output.

Studies show that using American Sign Language with infants and toddlers can help to reduce frustration, strengthen the parent-child bond, enrich children's literacy and speech & language development, boost vocabulary, increase self-confidence, and stimulate intelligence. Children with special needs also benefit from the gift of ASL, allowing them to communicate in a meaningful way. For more information on the research supporting the use of ASL with young children please visit: http://signsoflearning.com/ and click on "Links" on the side bar.

Signs of Learning, a locally owned and operated business, provides workshops, classes, and personal instruction in the NC Triangle and surrounding areas designed to introduce American Sign Language (ASL) to infants, toddlers, and preschoolers as well as their parents, educators and early intervention specialists.  Participants are engaged in a playful, language-rich, educational environment where basic ASL skills are taught and Deaf culture is discussed and honored.  These classes introduce 100% American Sign Language and are based on the research of Joseph Garcia's and the SIGN with your BABY Program.  

Jessica Kelly, owner of Signs of Learning, is a certified member of the Sign2Me Presenters’ Network. She is also a certified Infant, Toddler, and Family Specialist offering Developmental Therapy in Wake County, NC. The ASL classes, workshops, and personal instruction she offers in the NC Triangle and surrounding areas are creatively planned to include various teaching methods, including props, video clips, signing to music, flash cards, flannel boards, and handouts.  Resources such as Books, DVDs, Flashcards, placemats and activity guides are available for purchase.  Gift certificates are also available.

Signs of Learning offers Sign Language for Budding Babies classes and Parent Workshops at various locations including: Herbert Young Community Center (Cary), Middle Creek Community Center (Cary), Brier Creek Community Center (Raleigh), Lake Lynn Community Center (Raleigh), Jaycee Park (Raleigh), Pearl Street Building (Town of Garner), Bright Horizons (Raleigh and RTP) as well as hosted classes in homes throughout the NC triangle. For a current list of available classes, please contact Jessica at 919-469-5244 or visit the Signs of Learning website at http://signsoflearning.com/Signs%20of%20Learning%20Web/ca...

Jessica also offers workshops for educators and early intervention professionals to provide them with the tools they need to incorporate basic ASL in their classrooms and programs. Studies show that child care centers and preschools that incorporate ASL into their curriculum demonstrate a decrease in the instances of biting and screaming and an increase in the literacy skills needed for school success - reading, vocabulary and spelling.

Contact Signs of Learning if you are interested in a Sign2Me/Northlight Communications Press Kit. This kit includes information regarding the benefits of signing with hearing babies, citation of current research in this field, and an overview of the SIGN with your BABY Program. For print media, the Kit includes a CD-Rom containing high quality, press-ready images, including a wide variety of images of signing babies. For television producers, we offer a professionally shot, 60-minute Broadcast video B-Roll Package (Beta SP) with heart-warming footage of signing babies, interviews with experts and parents, sample voice over, and other ready-for-broadcast segments.

To contact Jessica Kelly, your local Signs of Learning Presenter,
call 919-469-5244 or email SignMeUpBaby@signsoflearning.com
or visit http://signsoflearning.com/

Website: www.signsoflearning.com