SIGN with your BABY - Quick Start Baby Sign Language (ASL) Kit: Includes Book, How-to DVD, Quick Reference Guide [Deluxe Edition] [DVD]

Dr. Joseph Garcia (Author), Sign2Me Early Learning (Author), Sign2Me Early Learning/Northlight Communications Inc. (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 5, 2005

Trusted by more than 1,000,000 parents, medical professionals, teachers, childcare professionals . . . and babies . . . worldwide! This Complete Learning Kit provides beginners with THE easiest way to get you started fast with American Sign Language (ASL) baby signing! Amazon's Best Seller, "Sign with your Baby" is truly the Grandaddy of all ASL Baby Sign Language programs! This is THE program that launched the worldwide baby signing revolution. The most award-winning and respected product of its kind for introducing ASL signs to all youngsters, this powerful resource package will help you understand and meet the needs of infants and toddlers long before they can speak. Author/researcher, Dr. Joseph Garcia offers a straightforward, light-hearted approach to teaching infants how to communicate with simple ASL signs.

The Complete Learning Kit-US DVD Version - includes the SIGN with your BABY Book, Training Video (DVD), and Quick Reference Guide (total of 3 products) bundled together into one, money-saving package.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Sign with Your Baby Complete Learning Kit will enable you to communicate at new levels with your baby long before she can speak. This comprehensive package of book, video, and reference guide shows how simple gestures can communicate ideas like "I'm hungry" or "help me." Caregivers grasp baby's needs immediately rather than learn through trial and error. Dr. Joseph Garcia has designed the system so it's not necessary to learn an entire new language, although it also provides a terrific start in American Sign Language for a hearing-impaired child. A fascinating introduction delves into the development of language in children and uses informative line drawings to demonstrate over 150 hand signs for all kinds of actions and nouns. The accompanying video provides practical tips for getting started, some insight into the hows and whys of this method from Dr. Burton White (director of the Center for Parent Education), and inspiring sights of young babies signing effectively with their caregivers. The laminated quick-reference guide lists some of the most common words in any parent's day: cookie, no, and up are but a few. Garcia's clear, concise methods make learning a breeze, and caregivers gain outstanding new abilities to give the best possible care for the babies entrusted to them. --Jill Lightner --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Review

......An amazing new world of communication." "......An astonishing tool for parents." --abc News, "20/20"

Parents looking for a new way to communicate and bond with their infant and/or toddler now have one - this video, book and chart that teach elementary ASL signing. Eye contact, interaction and language development all get a boost from the kit, which is aimed at ages 6 months to 3 years. Plus, with a few of the simple signs in hand, the little ones can actually help mom and dad figure out what they need. (Eat? Up? More?) Parents who stick with it may also see a broader social advantage: bridging that communication barrier between deaf and hearing people of all ages. A Parents' Choice® Recommendation!
--Parents' Choice Awards®

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• DVD: 112 pages
• Publisher: Sign2Me Early Learning/Northlight Communications Inc. (October 5, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1932354018
• ISBN-13: 978-1932354010
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 7.8 x 2.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (76 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #37,318 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Sign2Me® Early Learning is a highly respected, established company based in beautiful Mukilteo, Washington, just 20 minutes North of Seattle. Our offices and warehouse are just a short stone's throw from the sparkling waters of Puget Sound. Our dedicated team is committed to the development, production, publication, and distribution of print, video, and multimedia resources to help establish two-way communication between hearing parents and their hearing children through the use of genuine American Sign Language signs. Each of our products has been carefully developed with the common goal of leaving the world better than we found it! We hope you will consider the many benefits of using ASL signs to communicate with the babies and children you love. We promise that you will be amazed when your baby signs. Sign2Me® Early Learning is the original baby sign language company based solely on American Sign Language.

HOW IT WORKS
Sign2Me® Early Learning is revolutionizing the way adults view and interact with preverbal babies. Perhaps for the first time in history, infants and toddlers are able to express their wants, needs, and observations in a manner that is clearly understood by their adult allies. Recent research, coupled with the experiences of parents and childcare professionals, is confirming that using ASL signs offers a host of significant benefits.

Scientific research is revealing that a baby can understand and express much more than what was previously thought. Consider the fact that hearing babies can understand spoken words early in life, though spoken words are frequently more abstract than signed words. The sounds "m" and "ah" have no inherent meaning but, when combined to form the word "mama", babies quickly learn to associate this symbol with the nice woman who feeds and takes care of them! To some degree, all words and signs are abstract symbols. If we consistently use the word "mama" in context, most babies will learn to understand what this symbol means. If we also use the sign for "mama" whenever we say that word, babies will come to understand and relate this symbol as well.

Incorporating signs into your daily routine does not require fluency in American Sign Language. Rather, it teaches that even a few simple gestures can make a big difference in empowering and meeting the needs of a child. Parents and caregivers should start slowly by introducing several ASL signs that represent ideas babies can understand, like "more", "eat", and "milk". When babies are able to replace some of the screaming, whining, and crying with a few simple hand gestures, it can dramatically improve their relationships with caregivers.

With each day, more and more people are coming to recognize the power of signing as it changes the way they view and interact with preverbal children.

BENEFITS OF USING ASL (AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE) SIGNS.
* Offer consistency through the use of an established, standardized language. Using standardized signs allow children, family members, caregivers, and other professionals to communicate using the same set of signs. This consistency helps facilitate transition from one setting to another.
* Are easy to learn for both children and adults. Most typically-developing children will learn and use somewhere between 20 and 50 signs before speech becomes their predominant form of communication. The good news for busy parents is that it is quite easy to learn these 20 to 50 essential signs, even without prior experience using ASL.
* Are easy for babies to understand, as many ASL signs are iconic; they are manual imitations of the actions or objects they represent. For example, the ASL sign for "bird" is demonstrated by placing the finger and thumb next to the mouth in the shape of a bird's beak.
* Are widely known and easily accessible. American Sign Language is the third most commonly-used language throughout the United States and Canada, and the strong guiding presence of the Deaf community in North America provides excellent opportunities to learn and utilize ASL.
* Allow for creativity by encouraging parents and babies to create their own sign when a standardized ASL sign does not exist. Be sure to document these special signs such that other caregivers may use them appropriately.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

606 of 618 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Joseph Garcia's ASL VS. Baby Signs - We tried both! March 28, 2005

By Maciels

Format:DVD

We began using signs with our son off and on since he performed his very first sign at 7 mos, "waving bye-bye," and thus demonstrated that he was ready to begin learning sign language.

There are basically 2 different methods for signing with your baby: Joseph Garcia's (you're teaching American Sign Language) & "Baby Signs" (you're making up your own sign language). Through the first - Joseph Garcia's system - your little one is actually learning a second language.
The advantages to his method are:
-ASL signs are nearly universal
-many childcare centers are teaching ASL and will reinforce at the center what you are already teaching at home. In other words, you won't have to teach every teacher or different caregiver, relative, etc. the special "Baby Signs" that you and your baby have created to communicate.
-There are a lot of supplemental materials with this system as well -like videos to watch with your baby, cute little posters at teacher-supply stores, books to read and practice signing with your baby, and even flashcards (I highly recommend using supplemental materials).

On the other hand, the disadvantages are:
-You, the parent, are also learning a new language and it is very time-consuming to study these signs (you really have to dedicate yourself).
-Also, some ASL signs are simply too complex for babies to learn...

Which is why "Baby Signs" was created. This is a method where you basically "wing it." You can either use the suggestions for signs offered in the book, create your own, or follow your baby's lead when he invents a sign, but you're supposed to be consistent. The advantages to this method are:
-They are much easier for baby to learn - so you wind up communicating faster with them.
-Also, during those spontaneous "teachable moments," you can create a sign right then rather than running over to your book or looking online for the sign and totally missing the opportunity to communicate right away.

However, the disadvantages are:
-Baby Signs is relatively new so very little supplemental material exists (I think there may be 1 video in the works right now and a few books).
-Nobody else will know this language that you and your baby have created -so if you want caregivers & relatives to understand your baby, you will have to teach each and every person.
-Your child will just be learning how to communicate with you temporarily and will not be learning a 2nd language that can be used for life.

We began teaching our son "Baby Signs" (with the Baby Signs book) and switched over to the Garcia method when we realized that our son would eventually be attending a daycare staffed by teachers fluent in ASL. We also realized that when ASL signs are too complex for babies, they will create their own easier version anyway and eventually develop the ability to form the proper sign -you just have to pay careful attention to what they're doing. Sometimes, what you think are random hand motions, are really their attempt at a sign of which you introduced to them the previous week;-) The Garcia video is a superb introduction to signing with babies, 100x better than the "Baby Signs" book we read. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND purchasing this kit as early as you can, preferably months before your baby reaches the 6-7 month mark, but remember: it is never too late! The video is the best place to start because you'll have the opportunity to see babies doing their various versions of signs -so you'll know what to look for. After the video, you'll need some sort of reference book that illustrates signs. The book & reference chart, included in this kit are decent. The book includes an intro on sign language and a small dictionary w/ illustrations of common signs. Though we found the book's explanations for signs somewhat confusing at times, we visit
the ASL online dictionary to see an actual person performing the sign. http://commtechlab.msu.edu/sites/aslweb/browser.htm
There are literally dozens of books, videos, and other materials for sale on Amazon that you might also consider. The Signing Time video series sets 1-6 (for babies to watch) and the Sign Babies ASL flashcards sets 1-4 are bestsellers.

Hope this helps!!!

49 of 50 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars There are better products out there such as the Signing Times video October 19, 2005

By B. Hanson

Format:DVD

I purchased this prior to my son being born and it is geared more toward the parents learning the sign based on an educational video for the parents, a book, and a laminated sign chart. I understood the concept of applying directly but it just hasn't taken off for us and our son is now 11 months old.

We purchased Signing Times DVD and it was an INSTANT hit. Not only did Dad and Mom pick up on the signs in the video but it was fun for our son to watch as well. It has made signing fun for us and we all seem to enjoy this way of learning and applying the sign language. The Signing Times video is also much cheaper which is a bonus.

38 of 39 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars It's easier than you think! February 17, 2005

By G. Holecek

Format:DVD

The concepts behind this kit are great. Empower your child to communicate with you long before he or she is able to speak. What's great about the process is, as Joseph Garcia suggests, you only start with 3 signs: More, milk, and eat. Start around 9 months or so (when they're able to understand symbols) and always use those signs when nursing, feeding or giving more (of whatever). Eventually they imitate, and soon after they learn that you do stuff for them when they make the sign. It opens up a whole new world for them.

We learned just the 3 signs and started signing around 9 months. Right around 11 months, she figured out the milk sign. That's a great feeling to see your child communicating language with you! And you can tell they like it too. As Joseph Garcia suggested, we rewarded our daughter by clapping, extra attention, etc, and so she had a few reasons to learn the signs. Every few weeks we would look up another word and start using it. Easy!

Our daughter is 14 months now, and she's picking up words like crazy. She speaks around 20 words and signs around 15. Words like more, milk, food, mommy, daddy, cat, dog, bird, baby, change (for diapers), bear (for her favorite teddy bear), help, up (to be picked up), down, water. All of these words are in the book and video. They're clear to understand, and most are easy for a baby to do.

The book is short and to the point. I expected to just use the video and reference the pictures of the signs in the book, but I found myself enjoying the suggestions in the book too. Same with the video. They give you great tips like where on the "sight line" to make your sign, recognizing moments of opportunity of when to show a sign, and just to emphasize repetition. It's also great motivation to see the little girl who tells her mother at 12 months "I'm your baby" using sign language.

If there is one drawback to Joseph Garcia's approach, it's that he follows American Sign Language. Some signs are tough for kids to do (cat, fish, banana for instance). Sometimes you see the perfect opportunity to teach a new word, but you don't know it yourself. So you have to go look it up. There is another school of thought (Baby Signs) that you just make up signs on the fly. Use easy signs that your baby can imitate and just be consistent. I can see the appeal, so you should decide what you want to do. For us, our daughter is going to daycare and interacting with other kids where sign language is used, and they go by the ASL standard. My daughter can't quite do the bird sign right (the beak is backwards), but we still understand, and we still use the proper sign to her. It's been working quite well for us.

Regardless of what school of thought you follow, I highly recommend you use the technique. Our daughter is rarely frustrated, she communicates with us all the time, and she's great to show off to other parents ;-).