Tips to using American Sign Language

• Get a basic sign book and learn the signs. Keep doing them until you are comfortable with them.

• Choose signs that will help with communication such as “more” and “all done”

• Throw in fun signs too. Kids love animal and action signs.

• Teach manners such as “Please” and “Thank You". One of the first signs my son did was sign please. Not only did it teach him to be polite but if he saw something he wanted and he didn’t know the word he’d just sign please and that usually worked.

• Watch children’s hands closely. Kids will sign in little tidbits, much like babbling when you are learning to speak. When you notice a little sign, praise them and say the word and repeat the sign correctly. As they increase their fine motor skills, they’ll get better.

• Teach them signs that communicate well when they are older such as: No, Stop, Telephone, Wait, and Pay Attention. I signed the last one recently to my oldest when she was at swim lessons. She was goofing around and looked at me across the pool. I was able to get her to refocus without going over to her and embarrassing her in front of the class.

• Learn why the sign was created. It makes it so much easier to remember.

• Don’t force them! If they don’t want to sign don’t make them! It’s supposed to be fun. You’ll find as they get older in school a lot of songs in school and church are signed at the same time. They’ll love recognizing the signs and be proud that they can play along.

• Teach everyone in the family! The older kids will catch on really fast and if they use it as well it helps.

• Expect to sign for months without much apparent understanding or replication. But then all of a sudden, when you least expect it, they’ll sign something!

• Don’t try to sign every single thing at first, just incorporate a few signs into your day and you’ll find that they will learn gradually.
  

Sheila Cason, MD