sign: BALL, new word / new sign

So as mentioned before, we're going through major language explosion in our home with our 16 month old. Another new word is BALL. I was thinking of creating a list because I don't want to miss a moment of all these great times, each day with these new words. She recognizes them any time, any place. While we're walking she sees a BALL, she signs/says BALL?! I say 'yes yes BALL'. It's great!


I haven't been blogging as much making sure I spend this time with her realizing that each day and new experience truly needs to be cherrished. I'm off more in the summer than fall/winter/spring so I'm spending that time with Ms Little Fingers and her BALLS. We're hoping to even hit the beach for the first time soon. That would surely have tons of signs to come with that trip!

just DANCE!

My daughter is in love with DANCING. It's not new but it's definitely growing in interest. She's only 16 months and my sister swears she's going to DANCE class some day. We shall see. So DANCE, just DANCE! Maybe I'll have to get a video together of her 'raising the roof' and DANCING around. Actually these hands 

... look like her DANCING!

move those DANCING legs (upside 'V')

sign: CONGRATS for What's the Sign Wednesday

We had a lot of requests for What's the Sign Wednesday - so many we might do some during the week! Thank you Thank you! Keep them coming in.

Today - CONGRATULATIONS or CONGRATS. It's an easy one. You might already do it and not realize!

sign: HELP, very appropriate and it's a good age (16 mo)

 HELP ... Another one of our newest words / signs. Like other new words learned, it sometimes comes out like UP (meaning it's approximated). She understands the sign but isn't signing it back yet like her other word/sign combos (e.g. APPLE, BANANA, MORE, CRACKER, etc.) but she surely will say HELP. If she says UP and I say "HELP?" she'll say "YEA YEA".  


It's so great to see she's understanding the concept of help as she hands me something she truly needs help with. Just like all of the other teaching moments I provide the sign with the spoken word.


HELP is a tricky concept and I'm not sure if she was ready for much sooner than now (around 16 months). This abstract concept was something I had to wait until she was reaching for me to HELP and until she was looking at me for HELP. I began modeling the concept a couple months prior but it wasn't something she could grasp. Also I found myself talking through HELPING versus asking if she needed HELP. 
What's your experience with HELP?

Sign: BANANA, another new word/sign!

Another sign/word we picked up quickly was BANANA. I was just so surprised a couple weeks ago I picked Little Fingers up at the babysitter and the babysitter said, "look, say 'banana'." and modeled the sign while she said it... Little Fingers did it right away with a big smile on her face! And she still does it - she retained that word and sign!


Here it is a couple weeks later and it's a regular word. We're just stunned with the amount of words / signs she has. The list soon to come! 16 months and we're just amazed!

sign: APPLE

We started saying and signing APPLE recently!


I'm proud to say my husband and I practice what we preach! We introduce new words to Little Fingers with a modeled emphasized word "Aa - pple," attach the sign, and ta-da! She's says and signs it back. This is a teaching method we've used for the past six months and it's amazing to see it all come together. One sign/word after another! So today's sign: APPLE


One of the most important things I teach in my classes - teach the sign correctly and be ok if it doesn't always come back 100% correctly. APPLE is a great example. I sign APPLE and Ms Little Fingers gives me her rendition with her little fingers a little farther back closer to her ear. Once in a while her finger comes closer her cheek where they belong and I say, "yes! APPLE." Either way she gets praise but a little extra confirmation when the sign is correct.


APPLE!

WHERE Have I Been!?

WHERE have I been!?

compliments of Sign2Me (r) 

WHERE have I been?! I’m always busy so that’s not the excuse! Starting two Saturdays ago I was having migraines daily and some that lasted into the next day. My husband – the big problem solver said, “it’s because you keep looking down at your computer!”.  So my solution: splurge and buy a desktop! Well that turned into the biggest ordeal. I love my Mac and Apple products but this wasn’t a good experience. Long story short, Apple kept my new desktop and my laptop that I have attached to my hip 24/7 for 48 hours. Needless to say I wasn’t productive. Homework was turned in not by my standard, I was late to class online because my old laptop was pre-historic apparently and didn’t like Java, the sign language files were MIA and this is just part of the saga.

For those who don’t know, I am a doctoral student at Nova Southeastern University getting my Speech Language Pathology Doctorate. So next week I have to go back down to Florida for dissertation workshops and meetings.  I don’t know how the Sign of the Day will go during that adventure but I’m going to try my best.

My headaches have improved with my limited computer time. But I still have big plans for HearMyHands! Our summer classes start soon. We still have great products that we’re helping awesome families with. We have a new website building this summer with some specular surprises coming soon! I have some amazing updates from Ms. Little Fingers - some signs and some words! 

Have a great summer! And Keep Calm and Sign On!