I’ve enjoyed teaching my son sign language and using flashcards. We started when he was around a year old. However, I’m generally caught off guard on how to keep attention because about every month or two he decides he no longer likes our old format of learning. I hope to gain some helpful tips, encouragment and smiles on this journey with you all on BrillKids.
I’m really looking forward to introducing the Little Reader to my son.
Thanks to KL and all of you at BrillKids for making this available.
I’m very happy to learn that your son is a very avid learner - and hopefully we’ll be able to help you keep one step ahead of his learning needs by coming up with something new every week. :tongue2: I hope you share your experience in teaching your little one with us, and don’t forget to approach any one of us if you need help navigating through the forums or even using your Little Reader.
Deneen -
Hi there! Your avatar makes me smile - what a great face :biggrin:
Nice to see another Missourian in the forums -I’m only a few hours away in Columbia.
Have fun with introducing the Little Reader to your son - it can do so many things (to keep things new and fresh for him)!
I am a big fan of using sign as another modality/cue for introducing new words/concepts to kiddos - In the near future, I will be searching for an easy site to add videos of individual signs to my word files -I’ll let you know if I come across a good one that will let me use the video footage.
Hi there…I was curious about being the only one from MO…thanks for letting me know. And by “sign” you are talking about sign language…right? We are hearing people, but with a toddlers babble language it sure has come in handy for him to communicate with us via sign language. RE the video of signs…couldn’t that be used in LR? I’d love to collobrate with someone on a project like that. Again, I’m a GREEN NEWBIE and not 100% certain but I thought one of the features of Little Reader was to be able to add video to the words. I have a camera, a three year old and some computer skills…what I lack is focus and time…maybe we could do this together???
I have family in MO. I was just there last month actually! As far as sign language, I’m starting to teach Gabriel some basic words. I was thinking about making some sign language stuff for Little Reader too!
Hey there Deneen (and Nikki too- neat that you were in MO recently! Are you far away?) -
Yes - I think it would be awesome to have sign language video clips available to be added to the little reader word files. It certainly is possible - Deneen, I too, am faced with a lack in focus and am really constrained on free time these days (aren’t we all, though! :laugh:). Anyway, I know that there are websites that demo (for free) examples of adults performing individual signs that correspond with spoken words, but I don’t know about the legality of copying and using these in our Little Reader programs.
As for what type of sign language we should incorporate, I would recommend that we find files (or create our own) that use Sign English versus American Sign Language (ASL). The reason I say this is b/c ASL is really its own complete language with unique syntax (grammar) that differs from spoken English. If own is using spoken English and is pairing individual signs with his/her words, it would make more sense to use Sign English sign language. I hope that all made sense. The exception to this I guess would be individuals who are using Little Reader who are Deaf and who want their children to learn ASL.
I am glad to hear that many people are interested in and are already pairing sign language with spoken words and are teaching basic sign to their toddlers. “Toddlerhood” can be a time of great frustration for kiddos b/c their comprehension (ability to understand language) is typically ahead of their ability to verbally state their wants and needs. If they can initially use signs to make those requests (or pair those signs with their word attempts that may not be very clear when they first start speaking), then sometimes that “toddler” frustration can be minimized. I certainly saw this with my first child (now 4 1/2) when she was 13-18 months. She had some true words (about 10-12) that she could speak but other words were just not coming for her. However, she survived this time in her life b/c she had about 15-20 signs that she could use to request and comment on other things around her. As she started being able to speak the words that went along with these signs, her use of these signs began to fade. It is neat though (now that we are signing to our 10 month old) to see her using some of those signs with her brother, encouraging him to ask for “more” tickles or for something to “eat”.
Okay, got a bit off track there, but that is me!! :biggrin: Anyhoo, would love to see signs added to our categories - haven’t yet done any digging re: the internet as to whether there are easy ways to get this accomplished using what is already out there, would be interested in making our own sign files and collaborate with you, Deneen, just not sure when I could actually make the committment to participate in a new project at this point!
that would be superb if you guys were to come up with videos for a signing category. Problem with videos is that they can be huge. It’s fine if you just use it for yourself, but if you want to export it, that would be one mighty big file.
Unless… you convert the videos into flash (.flv) format (ie. same as YouTube format).
If you don’t know how, you can upload the videos to us (just PM me and I’ll give you a special upload link), or I can search around for a free video format converter (.mpg/.avi to .flv) for you to download and use.
I didn’t realize that there was such a want for this type of material! I’ve just uploaded 16 categories for Little Reader labeled “American Sign Language” which contains about 5 words with signed videos for each. Take a look at them if you are still interested, and if you have a group of words that you’d like to see that aren’t there, just make me a list. My husband is great at helping me with the videos, so they don’t take much time for us to make. It’s been really exciting for me the past week or so seeing how many people have actually downloaded by categories despite my obvious lack of professional sound/video equipment Enjoy!!
Fantastic rafikipaka - I am excited to check them out! I’ll let you know what other categories I would like to see! Thanks again for posting here and giving us a heads up about your categories. :biggrin:
Take care!
and am really constrained on free time these days (aren’t we all, though! :laugh:). Anyway, I know that there are websites that demo (for free) examples of adults performing individual signs that correspond with spoken words, but I don’t know about the legality of copying and using these in our Little Reader programs.