By Colleen Brunetti, M.Ed., C.HC. 

If you teach Baby Signing Time then you have probably been asked, “Is it okay to show my baby the videos?” 

The choice to show an infant any media is purely personal.  After all, the American Academy of Pediatrics (APA) clearly states that children under the age of two should not have screen time at all. And here we are as Instructors offering parents videos for their infants. Is it a conflict of interest?

Simply put, as both a mother and an educator, I don’t think so.

What you have to understand is that the American Academy of Pediatrics has to address what is essentially a media crisis. They claim on their website that today’s children are watching up to seven hours of screen time per day. They must take into consideration baby’s brain development along with the kinds of media most readily available – and rightfully so.

The thing about Baby Signing Time videos is that they really aren’t like most media out there. There is no rapid firing of images. There are no commercials. There is lots of music and learning. And perhaps, most importantly, they of course teach sign language, and sign language is naturally a language of movement, which is pretty hard to learn just from a book or flashcards alone.

Point out to parents how the videos use real children to demonstrate the signs. Nothing is quite so fascinating to a baby as other babies, and they really tune into this. Also be sure to point out that when Rachel teaches the signs, the printed word is shown, a boost for early literacy that connects items with labels and print.

Remind parents that Baby Signing Time (and Signing Time) videos are never meant to be babysitters. Encourage them to sit with their child and learn the signs and songs right along side them. The Baby Signing Time videos now come with the CDs included, so remind them that they can always learn the signs, and then turn off the TV and switch to the CDs for practice. Finally, they always have the option to use the videos in short segments, stopping it after 10 minutes or so and moving on to something else.

I feel very confident that what we offer on the videos is nothing but an asset to a baby’s development, and an awesome addition to all the other wonderful non-media things a parent can do with their child. Happy Signing!

Welcome New Instructors!

The following Instructors have joined the Signing Time Academy in the first quarter of 2013 and are completing their certification so they can start teaching the families and educators in their communities:

• Brandi Hook- Fort Worth, TX
• Stephanie George- Killeen, TX
• Lindsay Osborn- Bayside, NY
• Joanne Shar- Hong Kong
• Michelle Viquez- Temecula, CA
• Kotoko Takinawa- Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
• April Burton- Springfield, OR
• Sabrina Scheerer- Port Wentworth, GA
• Makiko Ikeda- Ibaraki, Japan
• Rachel Whitehead- Brewster, NY
• Kimberlee Peterson- Cypress, TX
• Jillian Norris- Harker Heights, TX
• Rasheda Garcia- Mount Laurel, NJ

Join our Team! The mission of the Academy is to bring the benefits of ASL to children of all ages and abilities through a network of certified Instructors who offer classes, products, and personal support to families in their communities. Learn how you can become an Instructor.

By Colleen Brunetti, M.Ed.

Sometimes it can be quite a challenge to teach our littlest clients. In fact, I often have people ask me, “How do you manage to teach babies and toddlers classes? Do they even pay attention?”

Well… yes and no! Right now I have a class of all one year olds. I don’t get 45 minutes of eye contact and interaction from them… not by a long shot! What I do get, however, is a chance to model for the parents and caregivers ways to invite their babies to explore the world, while integrating all the signs we learn. When young children are exploring the world, they are also exploring body awareness and how they as individuals relate to the world around them. And they are probably picking up on more than we realize.

What follows is an ages-and-stages list of ways you can tackle helping families learn about body awareness in your classes.

Early Infancy
Rub lotion on baby’s arms and legs and talk to them about each body part. While it is wonderful to ooh and ahh over the cute button nose and sweet pinchable cheeks, also encourage your clients to use language that is positive and empowering, such as, “Here are your strong arms!”, “Let’s make bicycles with your long legs!”

You could integrate this with the family class from BST Volume 1 and use words like, “Mommy loves your nose and Daddy loves your toes!”

Young Toddler
At this age, children can begin to learn simple one step directions. Perhaps you have some toys that represent vocabulary words you are teaching. Spread them around the room and sign WHERE and the item (“WHERE DOGGY?”) The class then moves together around the room to find the objects. Have children and caregivers move in different ways, such as on tiptoe, marching, etc. Encourage students to use bonus signs like “MY TURN” and “WAIT PLEASE” as they learn to interact with other children around them and take turns retrieving the object for you.

Older Toddler
Older toddlers may enjoy a game of dress-up during the clothing theme in Baby Signing Time Volume Two. Talk about not only the clothes, but what part of the body the clothes are going on. Make it silly! See if little pants will fit on Mommy’s big leg, etc.

All Students
Signing Time has some great songs that encourage movement and body awareness:

Proud to Be Me (ST Series 1, Vol. 3)
Move and Groove (ST Series 2, Vol. 3)
My Body is Amazing (Potty Time)

Consider using one of these songs each time you teach a class. Children thrive on repetition and routine and will begin to look forward to celebrating their amazing little selves with you at each session.

Welcome New Instructors!

The following Instructors have joined the Signing Time Academy in the first quarter of 2013 and are completing their certification so they can start teaching the families and educators in their communities:

• Clemencia Ponton    Whittier, CA
• Ashley Reeves    Mission Viejo, CA
• Kelley Zwirn    Palm Coast, FL
• Colleen Shannon    Redwood City, CA
• Hiromi Murayama    Funabashi-shi, Chiba, Japan
• Leila Alvarez    APO, AE
• Jacqueline Amorelli    Bayside, NY
• Kim Redmond    Monroe, CT
• Shelley Martelli    Round Rock, TX
• Douglas Whitney    Essex Junction, VT
• Alice Aday    Las Cruces, NM
• Jennifer Hall    Columbiana, OH
• Kathryn Robins    Duncraig, WA, Australia
• Chanelle Parker    Maricopa, AZ
• Crystal Squires    Martin City, MT
• Annie Hardin    Mifflintown, PA
• Holly Henry    Moyock, NC
• Tracy Ya-Chien Cheng    Tuen Mun, N.T., Hong Kong
• Chong LaBarge    Fredericksburg, VA
• Maribella Rodriguez    Chicago, IL
• Jeannie Wilkins    New Windsor, IL
• Juliann Winger    Temecula, CA
• Shanice Baker    Highland, NY
• Sara Radosevich    Blackey, KY
• Julianne Hyma    Sparta, WI
• Kristina Greiner    New Hudson, MI
• Kristi Sue Holien    Calmar, IA
• Laura Meckley    North English, IA
• Ivania Chavarria    Miramar, FL
• Sonja Brookins    Tampa, FL
• Anzu Ro    Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa, Japan
• Kellie Richetti    Helena, MT
• Rickie Bazzell    Marble Hill, MO
• Svetlana Smolyaninova    Aspen, CO
• Jessica Gagliardi    New York, NY
• Ligia Feo    Grand Forks, ND
• Rebecca Brown    Northampton, MA
• Ruth Hendricks    Dillon, CO
• Amanda Lord    Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
• Liliana Roman    Covina, CA
• Alvina Fischer    Sanger, CA
• Melinda Bonnette    West Monroe, LA
• Anna Dunson    APO, AP
• Rebecca Slone    APO, AE
• Sylvia Guerra    Long Beach, CA
• Brittany Corbett    Greenfield, MA
• Nancy Rockwell    Oklahoma City, OK
• Jody Wootton    Granite Bay, CA
• Lisa Warren    Dover, DE
• Chloe Tompkins    New Rochelle, NY
• Amy Cote    Greenwood, IN
• Susan Meyer    Lansing, MI
• Lorree Springsteen    Sherman Oaks, CA
• Brandi Johnson    Greenville, NC
• Jennifer Liles    Spring, TX
• Melissa Augustyn    Rockwell, NC
• Sofia Chabot    Bellerose, NY
• Ronica Dixon    Fullerton, CA
• Jodie Finlinson    Gilbert, AZ
• Andrea Purvis    Galloway, OH
• Elizabeth Kitchens    Charleston, SC
• Lorraine Jeter    Charleston, SC
• Kelly Hosna    Rockledge, FL
• Kirsten Burton    Waldorf, MD
• Chie Sugiyama    Shinagawa, Tokyo,Japan
• Amy Nowell    Calcium, NY
• Mary Priest    Midland, MI
• Melissa Oquendo    Brooklyn, NY
• Andrea Pacheco    Killeen, TX
• Barb Sells    Clayton, NC
• Cheryl-Annette Parker    Royse City, TX
• Hanna Rush    Eskridge, KS
• Andrea Merg    Ashland, OR
• Michele Pax    Troy, OH
• Rebecca Fitzner     Cheney, WA
• May Yeung    Bejing, China
• Dara Richards    Gas City, IN
• Laura Russin    Briarcliff, NY
• Akane Kikuchi    Tokyo, Japan
• Michelle Wentz    Springfield, VA
• Jill Eversmann    Columbia, SC
• Shanda Smith    Jacksonville, FL
• Yuki Schillo   Elmira Heights, NY

Join our Team! The mission of the Academy is to bring the benefits of ASL to children of all ages and abilities through a network of certified Instructors who offer classes, products, and personal support to families in their communities. Learn how you can become an Instructor.