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Title: Baby Sign Language Basics
Author: Monta Z. Briant
Genre: Parenting
Thingummies: 5
Synopsis: A how-to guide for baby sign language.
Thoughts: I was given two books about baby sign language, this and Baby Signing for Dummies. They have slightly different approaches and each has its strengths, but I think this is the better one.
The first half of this book contains explanations of how and why to teach baby sign language. I'm not going to list them all, but I think the fundamental argument that I find compelling is that it's way less frustrating for both a baby and parents if the baby can communicate basic needs six months or a year earlier than they would have otherwise been able to. (Essentially, the language center of the brain develops way earlier than babies have the physical dexterity in their mouths to be able to speak. If you give them a method of communication that requires less subtle muscle control, they'll learn a bunch of words and "talk" up a storm.) The fact that most kids who learn sign language end up speaking earlier and more fluently than non-signers is a bonus.
The second half of the book is a dictionary of signs containing most of what you'd want to be able to talk to a baby about--bath, meals, animals, directions, colors, numbers, weather, clothes, etc.
I found some of the first section a little twee and crunchy-granola for my taste. But it's fairly reassuring and friendly, I suppose. More importantly, the giant dictionary in the back is going to be quite helpful. It's all standard ASL--but I feel like the way you'd learn American Sign Language as an adult is not so helpful in learning it to communicate with a child. I feel like learning a new language as an adult typically does not focus on words like "milk" and "diaper" and "bubbles" and "bear", all of which are likely to be of prime importance to the average baby. On the other hand, most babies aren't going to be particularly interested in "Hi my name is" and "Do you have the time" standards adults start new language acquisition with.
It's a bit intimidating--the author talks about her kids knowing hundreds of signs. But as she points out, you only have to keep a step ahead of a baby, so surely this is doable. Surely?
Author: Monta Z. Briant
Genre: Parenting
Thingummies: 5
Synopsis: A how-to guide for baby sign language.
Thoughts: I was given two books about baby sign language, this and Baby Signing for Dummies. They have slightly different approaches and each has its strengths, but I think this is the better one.
The first half of this book contains explanations of how and why to teach baby sign language. I'm not going to list them all, but I think the fundamental argument that I find compelling is that it's way less frustrating for both a baby and parents if the baby can communicate basic needs six months or a year earlier than they would have otherwise been able to. (Essentially, the language center of the brain develops way earlier than babies have the physical dexterity in their mouths to be able to speak. If you give them a method of communication that requires less subtle muscle control, they'll learn a bunch of words and "talk" up a storm.) The fact that most kids who learn sign language end up speaking earlier and more fluently than non-signers is a bonus.
The second half of the book is a dictionary of signs containing most of what you'd want to be able to talk to a baby about--bath, meals, animals, directions, colors, numbers, weather, clothes, etc.
I found some of the first section a little twee and crunchy-granola for my taste. But it's fairly reassuring and friendly, I suppose. More importantly, the giant dictionary in the back is going to be quite helpful. It's all standard ASL--but I feel like the way you'd learn American Sign Language as an adult is not so helpful in learning it to communicate with a child. I feel like learning a new language as an adult typically does not focus on words like "milk" and "diaper" and "bubbles" and "bear", all of which are likely to be of prime importance to the average baby. On the other hand, most babies aren't going to be particularly interested in "Hi my name is" and "Do you have the time" standards adults start new language acquisition with.
It's a bit intimidating--the author talks about her kids knowing hundreds of signs. But as she points out, you only have to keep a step ahead of a baby, so surely this is doable. Surely?
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Date: 2013-05-27 03:36 am (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2013-05-27 12:27 pm (UTC)From: