Webbing, Wiggling, and Weaving Again….

Two more questions I am exploring:

How do you teach infants sign language?

When can you start?

The webbing part of these two questions was easy. I had already been searching for information on sign language and had found several kits, videos, and books that contained instructions for teaching. I had a hunch that these tools would also give me an idea of an age to begin instruction.

I checked out the kit Baby Signs from the library and began reading the instruction manual and watching the DVD. I knew that this was a credible teaching tool since several of the articles I read mentioned the program and it is also backed by the National Health Institute. I also began “wiggling” my way through several of the sign language books I checked out from the children’s department. I compared the signs in the books to make sure that they were all similar. I found a couple variations, but for the most part all of the signs were the same. It was interesting to find out that not all of the “baby” signs correlate with American Sign Language. The reason for this is that some of the American Sign Language gestures are too complicated. Since you are trying to alleviate communication frustrations with babies, it is easier to use simpler signs.

Most books and the Baby Signs kit say that you can begin teaching your newborn signs as early as you want. However, children are not developmentally ready to register the use of the signs until about 7-8 months of age. Even then, most children will not begin signing until after their first birthday.

I found that the Weaving process this time occurred while I was looking through the information. I compared books as I went along and made a list of the signs that I thought would be most important to start teaching my son when he was ready. I even prioritized them and put the ones at the top I thought were the most important.

Here is my list:

Eat

Drink

Sleep

Milk

More

Help

Diaper

All Done

Love

Book

Dog

I will admit that I was reluctant to go back to the Webbing and Wiggling stages. If I feel reluctant, I can only imagine how the students feel. I definitely agree with our Curriculum Connections text when it says, “Our failure to teach research as a recursive process may be, then, one decisive, if not the most decisive, element in unsuccessful literacy instruction” (142). Children will probably not want to go back to the beginning stages of research, but if we model for them, it may make the process easier. Without retracing our steps, clarifying, and seeking more information, the inquiry process is incomplete. We will do our students a disservice if we only teach them that inquiry is linear.