Customer Reviews

Signing Exact English

5 star:		(28)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

To my knowledge, this is the only comprehensive dictionary of Signing Exact English (SEE) signs available on the market. Put together by some of the original creators of SEE, this dictionary contains over 4400 sign descriptions with illustrations. Also included are a short history of and rationale for developing SEE as well as important principles of expression, guidelines for creating new signs, sign families, etc. This is the definitive resource dictionary for anyone who is learning or using Signing Exact English and is used throughout our local school districts (as in many across the country) by teachers of the hearing impaired, interpreters, and students alike.

A word of caution: Learning sign language through the written word and 2-dimensional illustrations can be difficult, especially for those not well-experienced with sign language. This dictionary (as with any sign language dictionary) is best used in conjunction with a class or instructional/demonstrational videos which are available.

Signing Exact English is a wonderful "how to manual" that is aiding our family in increasing communication with our six year old Autistic son. Our son is completely non-verbal but can hear. SEE, Signed Exact English, makes more sense to an individual who hears spoken language than does ASL, because it follows the same grammar and syntax as spoken English. For example ASL would sign "table look", while SEE would sign "Look at the table". SEE incorporates all the subtleties of language including conjunctions, "and" "or", plurals, "s" and endings, "ing" "ed". SEE is very appropriate for those who use Total Communication, or signing paired with speech when communicating with an individual, even if the individual only signs in response. In conjunction with a sight word based reading program, The Edmark Reading Program, Signing Exact English has enabled our son to read at or above age level, and spontaneous communication through Signed Exact English is following. Signing Exact English is an excellent tool for the entire family to learn to communicate with the disabled individual. The illustrations and descriptions are exceptional in depicting the method of each sign.

I will give this book 5 stars for being the best in Signed Exact English (SEE), but I would recommend picking up a American Sign Language book instead. My family used the big orange SEE book when they first found out I was deaf - they still have the 1980 edition! Being someone who grew up using SEE, I can say that it's very awkward to sign, and does not feel natural. I moved over to ASL a long time ago. SEE is not as effective as people say it is at teaching children how to write English well. I didn't pick up my English writing ability from SEE, I got it from proper instruction and being a bookworm. American Sign Language has its own grammar and lexicon which is completely different from English, but it feels more natural because it is a language which was developed as a sign language, while English has been developed as a auditory/written language, and does not fit the parameters of a sign language very well.

I Have a son with a form of Autism and I was desparate because it was so hard to communicate with him. My local school district offers free SEE Sign classes so I decided to give it a whirl. Well...bravo! I came home and taught my son what I had learned and he actually learned the SEE alphabet in 2 days. It's like our own secret language. He is also very verbal, but this is another method of communication and it is fantastic. He actually asks me what the sign is for different words and I get my SEE Sign book out and we look it up together and learn the sign.

Get the pocket edition of this book and carry it with you! I mistakenly ordered the small size and was surprised when such a tiny book arrived, but now I'm thrilled.

My middle child was speech delayed due to a transient hearing loss. I had heard often of parents using baby signs but had never really considered it myself. Now I wish I would have, because my daughter *loves* to use sign. I chose a "real" sign language instead of creating signs, as some parents choose to do, because I wanted consistancy, uniformity and the chance that their signing might come in handy with a signing person. After all, why re-invent the wheel?

The full size version of this book is much easier to read, but the convenience of the small size makes the slight difficulties in interpreting the signs worth the while.

This book is the most comprehensive collection of words my wife and I have found to date. The pictures are easy to understand and at times funny. I highly recommend it for those deciding to Sign Exact English.

About 10 years ago I took a six week course through the town where I teach (in a private preschool). This book was required and used by the teacher (who works at a local school for deaf children). I would never ever be even close to her ability and speed...but found that this resource has been used successfully each year in our classroom. The children love signing, and we've found that it has increased their knowledge and awareness. Children ages three to six just love the "hands on" experience and are quick to share it with their families. What started as a new addition to our room's curriculum has now spread into all three classrooms in our school. The parents are thrilled, the children are happily learning, and the teachers look forward to learning with them. Thanks go to this great book (and the entire effort to put it together)! The introduction is also very useful. I would highly recommend this reference book for anyone at all interested in signing!

Have used the larger edition before buying this one. Really like the smaller size and there is at least as much in this small one as in the big paperback edition. Very satisfied with this purchase, thank you!

This book is an excellent resource for learning or even building your signing vocabulary. I have had various signing books but I now only have this one. Perfect product and easy to understand and handle.

After watching the adults use the classroom, full-sized SEE Dictionary, the students started doing it to look up words they didn't know in their leisure-reading books (they figured out how to do it all by themselves). We gave the books to them in their end-of-year gift bags and the books were a HUGE hit. They are perfect little mini-versions of the full-sized book. LOVE them!