Sign A Day - Olympics

Rather than try to explain the sign for "Olympics" through text, I posted the video below. It is a simple sign, however, explaining it through text would over complicate things. We are using this sign around our house right now. How about you??

Sign A Day - Book

Lots of ASL signs are based on common sense gestures. Luckily, "book" is one of them. We read books all the time! "Book" is one of the signs that can help us get Katelyn what she wants while eliminating the frustration that leads to tantrums.
The American Sign Language sign for "book" is made by placing both of your palms together just in front of your waist. You open your hands on a hinge to finish the sign. Just pretend that your hands start as a closed book and move on to an open book. Easy as pie!

Photo Courtesy: http://www.lifeprint.com/

Sign A Day - Break

With the untimely "break" in my laptop's screen, it was time to learn the word "break" -- there is no sign for broken because it is just a past tense of the word break.

Break is made by forming your hands into fists. Place your fists side by side in front of you with your index fingers and thumbs resting against each other. Then pull your fists apart and down as if you are snapping a twig. This is just one motion and stands for "break". See the illustration below for further explanation:

Photo courtesy: http://www.lifeprint.com 

Sign A Day - You're Welcome

Although I have not been faithful to the "Sign A Day" project until just recently, Katelyn and I have been progressing in our learning ASL. So I have posted about the following words:

• Duck
• Boat
• Music
• Dad
• Rain
• Mom
• Help
• Bath
• Please
• Thank You

Similar to other languages, ASL instruction is typically done by topic. That strategy sounds wonderful for me, but being a parent trying to learn and teach simultaneously, it is easier to teach Kate words she needs to communicate. Rather than going by topic, teaching on a need basis has worked well. This has led to an interesting spread in the types of words we have learned. 

Today's word: You're Welcome

Although in English it is Three words (or a contraction and a word), there is much controversy over what the sign for you're welcome is. Most people say there is not a sign for it. Therefore, we will not be using "You're Welcome" as a part of our ASL at this time.

The reason I am sharing this, is that I was misinformed that "Welcome" could be used to express "You're Welcome" but it cannot. So, don't fret that you don't know how to tell someone "You're Welcome" when they say "Thank You". Just smile, thats all you need to do :)

Sign A Day - Duck

The American Sign Language sign for "Duck" is a variation of the sign bird. The difference between "duck" and "bird" is minimal. With "bird", you use only your pointer finger and thumb. With "duck" you use your entire hand.

For illustration purposes, the graphic below is for "bird". Don't forget when saying "duck" you use all four fingers on top and quack twice with your fingers and thumb coming together to represent a duck's beak.

photo courtesy: http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-sign-songs-with-your-baby.html

Duck is made by placing your right hand to the side of your mouth with your thumb parallel with the ground and your four fingers closed against your thumb as illustrated above. You open and close your fingers/thumb twice in order to "quack" like a duck.

Sign A Day - Music

The American Sign Language sign for "Music" is made by opening your left hand flat and extending your left arm from your body in a curved "U shape". Using your right arm, open your palm flat and wave it above your left arm following the curvature of the arm, but without touching it as seen below:

Photo Courtesy of  http://mykidentity.com/

ASL vs Hand Gestures

How do you teach yourself a new language? I have been struggling with that recently. ASL is helping Kate to communicate with us. Her delay in speech is making it difficult to determine what she is trying to say. By saying words and doing an ASL sign we are able to give her a positive response.

The biggest issue? Real "American Sign Language" signs vs. our own made up hand gestures. It is EASY to make up a hand sign for something and have it be understood. However, since we are attempting to learn/instruct Katelyn in a new language the correct signs are important. One sign I know I have taught her incorrectly is "bath". I do a sign where a cross my arms as if hugging myself and then rub my hands up and down on the top portion of my arms. The true sign for bath is two fists held parallel on your chest. You motion them up and down to indicate scrubbing yourself for "Bath" as seen below:

Photo courtesy of   http://www.babysignlanguage.com/dictionary/b/bath/ 

At this point, we do not know any other children or families using ASL. However, I want Katelyn to have the opportunity to connect with others if she chooses. Using the correct ASL hand signs will be crucial to her communication with those who hearing aids do not help. In addition, if she goes somewhere with a large crowd (such as the Monticello Naturalization Ceremony) and has a hard time hearing the ceremony due to background noise, she will be able to follow along with the sign language interpreter standing to the side of the stage.

Adults do not learn languages as rapidly as children do. I thought Kate did not know many signs until this week. She has understood many gestures and signs that she would not perform until recently. This made me aware of the importance of teaching her the correct ASL sign from now on. Have you learned a new language as an adult? How did you make the time for it in addition to your every day activities? Do you have any helpful hints? I would love to hear from you!

Sign A Day - Boat

On our way to the boat, I realized we did not talk about a boat using a hand sign. We had just used the sign for fish, to indicate the lake. Luckily I had my handy iPhone sign language app and found the proper sign. Katelyn now knows the sign for boat.

The American Sign Language sign for "Boat" is made by cupping both of your hands just in front of your chest. You move the hands forward and then down twice as if doing the motion that a boat would when moving through the water as seen below:

Photo courtesy: http://www.lifeprint.com/asl101/pages-signs/b/boat.htm

Sign A Day - Dad

Being that we celebrated Father's day this past weekend it seems fitting to have our next sign be "Dad"


Dad is made by opening your hand flat into a "5 shape" and bringing it up to your forehead. Place the tip of your thumb on the middle of your forehead as seen below.

Sign of the Day - Rain

Recently the weather in Central VA has been filled with lots of precipitation. Katelyn loves it, I am apprehensive. The hearing aids make me nervous because they can malfunction in the rain, therefore she has to take them off when going outside on rainy days. Kate always walks outside and looks up with a questioning look. Recently she has begun pointing to the sky and putting her hands up to ask me "whats that?". Today is the day I have decided to try and teach her a weather sign. "Rain" is our beginning. I don't really think she got it, but it was worth a shot.

Rain is made by opening both of your hands flat with curled fingertips into a "5 shape" and bringing it up to your eyesight. Your palms should be facing the floor. This is an action sign. You have to bring your hands down to your waist, while stopping intermittently to represent rain drops. See below for a diagram:

Sign of the Day - Mom

With Mother's Day happening this past Sunday, the ASL sign for "Mom" seems appropriate.

Mom is made by opening your hand flat into a "5 shape" and bringing it up to your chin. Place the tip of your thumb on your chin as seen below.

Sign of the Day: Help

Katelyn is 2 years old. Meaning, I am there to assist in almost every activity she is interested in. Despite her determination, her height and strength often prohibit her from doing the tasks she wants without some help. The latest sign/speak combo we are working on is HELP.

Photo Credit: http://mykidentity.com/?p=309  

Lift your hands together in an upwards motion.

First, you form your right and into the sign for the letter A. 

Next, open your left palm and place the A on top. 

This sign varies with how you lean the help motion. If you want someone to help you, then start the sign farther away from your body, and as you lift it bring your hands closer to yourself. 

Sign a Day Project: Please

Being Deaf is not a reason for Katelyn to be impolite. In an effort to teach her the things I would be working on with her as a hearing child, I ensure she says "Please" at appropriate times. It is one of the few signs we have down that she will also use. Unfortunately, she has not learned that hand placement is key in ASL, she often rubs her belly instead of her chest which is not a sign.

Today's Sign: Please

Place your right hand on the center of your chest. Rub your chest clockwise a few times. You have now signed the word please! This signifies a request or eagerness in relation to the discussion. It is not the same as "this pleases me".

http://www.lifeprint.com/asl101/pages-signs/p/please.htm

Sign a Day Project: Thank You

Due to Katelyn's hearing impairment, my family is going to be required to learn sign language at an accelerated pace. Friends & family have been asking how they can help, and the best thing to do is learn basic signs with us so Kate will feel more connected to our daily lives.

Learning sign language is a huge undertaking for all of us. In order to help friends and family (and work on the signs ourselves), I have decided to do a "Sign-A-Day" Project. This will hold me accountable to continue to learn new signs, and it should help friends and family learn the signs that we are working on daily with Katelyn.

Today's Sign -- Thank You

Use your right hand and touch your chin. Keep your hand flat and extend it away from your body towards the person you wish to thank, as if you were blowing a kiss (without puckering your lips).

credit: http://www.lifeprint.com/asl101/pages-signs/t/thankyou.htm

Thank you for joining us on this journey!