Do any of you do signing?

I had a prospective family come yesterday and they want to sign up. The little girl is 13 months old and has been going to sing and sign classes for a while. She did several signs spontaneously throughout the visit to communicate with her mum - it was amazing. Really wonderful.

I have done the odd class and had a bit of training years ago, but none of it really stuck. Do any of you sign with your mindees? This little girl has inspired me. Her mum is going to teach me the main signs that her baby uses. Just been looking at some signing books on amazon - but I must not spend any more money! I'll have to start paying more attention to Mr Tumble.

When I was looking after a child who was non-verbal I learned a bit of Makaton.

My LA gave me information sheets and books. I also used YouTube to see how to do the signs properly. It was very effective and the child was able to communicate using signs. Obviously the other children picked it up at the same time so everyone benefitted from it. I learned words we'd use during the day like eat, sleep, drink, please, thank you etc.

I did also have a child who had done sing & sign sessions with his mum. He could do the signs for words in songs, but didn't really use any others and didn't try communicating with signs. He was good at signs like 'tree' and 'rabbit', but didn't know signs for things like 'milk' or 'sleep'. It was incredibly cute when he signed along to songs, but I'd probably have found it more useful if he'd learned some practical words as well.

Could you try the library for signing books to save you having to buy them? Or even charity shops? I once picked up a whole set of First Signs books for a couple of pounds.

One of my first nanny charges was rather deaf, and we used makaton. I intended to keep it up, but never did. I sign the odd thing, and although I have apparently had minded children who 'sign everything' ... I've never really seen them! I learnt signing at college, but I can't really remember much now!

I've got some of the 'baby signing' big board books by child's play and they are good. We use those to help us sign animals and things. Also, got a few of their song sign books.

If they are doing the official Sing & Sign course, then make sure your learn the same signs as parents are using. It is not the same as Makaton or BSL, it is similar but there are differences I found. I did S&S a long time ago, learnt it from the songs, it is very good but you need to be consistent and sign every time you use the word(s).

Thanks Moggy. I knew it wasn't the same as BSL, but I think I probably did think it was the same as Makaton. I think I read on the S and S website that it is the same as Mr Tumble, but maybe they said 'similar' - I'll have to double check.

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Originally Posted by Maza

Thanks Moggy. I knew it wasn't the same as BSL, but I think I probably did think it was the same as Makaton. I think I read on the S and S website that it is the same as Mr Tumble, but maybe they said 'similar' - I'll have to double check.

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Sing and Sign - What is it?
Sing and Sign say they are 'largely compatible' with Makaton, which is what Mr Tumble uses.