baby sign language book question.

frankiesmom

frankiesmom

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BARNES & NOBLE | Baby Signs by Joy Allen | Board Book

these books are PRECIOUS!
I have a question though. I have heard from various people that baby sign language books dont use "real" sign language. Is this true?
I plan on grabbing a bunch of these from the bookstore tomorrow..I dont know why i didnt think of them sooner. *i might have, but as scatterbrained as i am, i probably forgot*
 
Of course, they are precious; that's how they sell. :)

Honestly, think about the natural way that children learn language (signed or spoken). In the most optimal situation, they learn language from their parents and other people in their immediate daily environment. Their language models don't usually use the baby talk 24/7, and that's not what babies really pick up on. Babies expressive language might not be clear at first but receptively, they're understanding adult language.

Did you teach your other children spoken English by using a specialized baby-talk vocabulary? Or did they learn how to speak from exposure to your natural adult chatter?

Just food for thought.
 
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Our nerd family keeps a SAT vocabulary book on the dinner table. It doesn't hurt to learn from some books along the way.
 
I just think if one is going to buy a sign language book/dictionary, buy a regular one and not waste money on a baby signs book that will quickly be outgrown. Also, it won't be necessary to "unlearn" any baby signs later.
 
i am the worst at using baby talk! i have done it with all of my little ones and i guess for us, it worked out..my oldest is in the navy, he is training to work on the combat computers that are on submarines, my 4 other kids are on the honor roll,etc etc.
*i use baby talk when talking to my husband too!!!*
 
sallylou said:
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Our nerd family keeps a SAT vocabulary book on the dinner table. It doesn't hurt to learn from some books along the way.
Click to expand...

our living room wall is nothing but textbooks over every kind, plus history, science..we FINALLY bought a tv several months ago, after living without one for 7 years! books are just wonderful, i think.
the funny thing is..we bought the tv to somehow help our little one, before we realized that he had more complex issues..we thought the noise and colors would stimulate him.
 
Reba said:
I just think if one is going to buy a sign language book/dictionary, buy a regular one and not waste money on a baby signs book that will quickly be outgrown. Also, it won't be necessary to "unlearn" any baby signs later.
Click to expand...

If children need "baby signs" they will develop them by not being able to articulate the specific sign they are using the same way that a hearing child does not articulate a word clearly. Baby talk is not something taught, but generally picked up from the articulation and application errors that a child makes. Deaf children will make the same kind of errors.

IMO, Baby signs are cute, and may be useful for teaching a hearing child to communicate one or two word concepts before their ability to produce speech develops. But a deaf child needs language, not a stop gap measure.
 
frankiesmom said:
our living room wall is nothing but textbooks over every kind, plus history, science..we FINALLY bought a tv several months ago, after living without one for 7 years! books are just wonderful, i think.
the funny thing is..we bought the tv to somehow help our little one, before we realized that he had more complex issues..we thought the noise and colors would stimulate him.
Click to expand...

What I find more helpful, because they do address language acquisition in a natural way, is the children's stories produced by Galladet where the books actually have the printed sign below the word of the printed text. Part of language acquisition is understanding the symbology in communication, and these books facilitate that.
 
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I get your point, Reba. ASL materials are very expensive. I have a dictionary that is very helpful. I don't have the green one yet.
It's always a good idea to use a half priced book store. The beginning ASL books are usually in good shape.
 
Get an app for iPhone, iPod touch, Android, whatever you have. You can have little people, or cartoon people modeling any sign you want at any time.

My granddaughters love learning signs this way.
 
Wirelessly posted (droid)

Great idea. Can anyone recommend an app for droid?
 
frankiesmom said:
our living room wall is nothing but textbooks over every kind, plus history, science..we FINALLY bought a tv several months ago, after living without one for 7 years! books are just wonderful, i think.
the funny thing is..we bought the tv to somehow help our little one, before we realized that he had more complex issues..we thought the noise and colors would stimulate him.
Click to expand...

You sound like my family. :lol: Except for the tv.
 
jillio said:
If children need "baby signs" they will develop them by not being able to articulate the specific sign they are using the same way that a hearing child does not articulate a word clearly. Baby talk is not something taught, but generally picked up from the articulation and application errors that a child makes. Deaf children will make the same kind of errors.

IMO, Baby signs are cute, and may be useful for teaching a hearing child to communicate one or two word concepts before their ability to produce speech develops. But a deaf child needs language, not a stop gap measure.
Click to expand...
That's why I'm saying parents don't need a baby signs book to teach baby signs to babies, any more than parents need a baby talk book to teach baby talk to babies.

It's clever marketing to sell books. If people want to spend the money, that's their prerogative.
 
Bottesini said:
Get an app for iPhone, iPod touch, Android, whatever you have. You can have little people, or cartoon people modeling any sign you want at any time.

My granddaughters love learning signs this way.
Click to expand...

Great idea. Things like this were not available when my son was young. Of course, we did fine with what was available and some good old fashioned ingenuity, but getting and keeping a kid's attention is always an issue. These apps help with that.
 
Reba said:
That's why I'm saying parents don't need a baby signs book to teach baby signs to babies, any more than parents need a baby talk book to teach baby talk to babies.

It's clever marketing to sell books. If people want to spend the money, that's their prerogative.
Click to expand...

Agreed. I invested in 2 sign language dictionaries when my son was small that I still have today. They served every purpose I ever needed them to.
 
my friends deaf mentor teach asl baby! I remember she smart to teach basic on ASL she is very experience! :D
 
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