Signs for Me: Basic Sign Vocabulary for Children, Parents & Teachers [Paperback]

Ben Bahan (Author), Joe Dannis (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 3 and up

Teaches American Sign Language to children with more than 300 essential signs, their English equivalents, and a picture “translation.” Provides a multidimensional sign language vocabulary for preschool and elementary school children. The authors introduce common household items, animals, family, verbs, emotions, safety, and other concepts. Each of the vocabulary words features a picture, sign illustration, and the English word. The American Manual Alphabet, number signs, and a list of different American Sign Language handshapes are included for handy reference.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 3 and up
  
• Paperback: 112 pages
• Publisher: DawnSignPress (July 1, 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0915035278
• ISBN-13: 978-0915035274
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.3 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #223,216 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

72 of 73 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book for young learners..., October 6, 2000

By 

K. L Sadler "Dr. Karen L. Sadler" (Freedom, Pa. USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Signs for Me: Basic Sign Vocabulary for Children, Parents & Teachers (Paperback)

I am a Deaf woman who uses ASL both at school, at work, and also at my church. I bought this book for a family with 3 children of a variety of ages with the youngest boy being six or seven. He is very interested in signing, and watches both me and my interpreter like a hawk. When I sign sing or teach the children at church to sign sing, these 3 would always consistently sign and do it well. To encourage those who want to learn how to sign, especially children, I tend to buy books or CD-ROMs for them. The need for decent interpreters is tremendous, and just as those who are activists in the Deaf/disabled community are pushing for ASL to be taught as a second language in schools, we try to encourage those around us who express an interest. The drawings are great. The vocabulary is more than a beginner's ABC book. The book will not teach syntax or how the Deaf community uses their language, but it is a good place to start. Again, I have to emphasize the difficulty in teaching a 3 dimensional language with a book which is limited to 2 or 1 dimension. But anything that encourages children to learn a language and perceive the Deaf as equals with a different language (and interesting) is to be lauded. I always tell children and adolescents that signing for the Deaf is a great way to put themselves through college...in Pittsburgh, the rate is between $25-$35 an hour, and ASL is used at schools, in courts, at hospitals and doctors. Karen Sadler, Science Education, University of Pittsburgh

57 of 60 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Good Pictures, Poor Vocabulary, May 4, 2000

By 

J. C. Griswold (Seattle) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Signs for Me: Basic Sign Vocabulary for Children, Parents & Teachers (Paperback)

I bought this book to help me communicate with my 22-month old daughter, who doesn't verbalize much yet but uses signs quite well. The pictures included with the signs are indeed helpful, but I have been very disappointed with the vocabulary included (or not included, as the case may be) in the book. There are no signs for please, thank you, more, again, sing, finished, diaper...lots of the words we use in our everyday life. It does have signs for things like embarrassed and jealous, which are concepts we're not going to get to for awhile.

29 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fabulous for young people who want to learn on their own!, November 19, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Signs for Me: Basic Sign Vocabulary for Children, Parents & Teachers (Paperback)

This book is a fabulous addition to any library. My 7 year old is facinated with sign language and was thrilled to find a book he could use by himself to learn new signs. We have been through many bookshelves and have yet to find anything that even comes close to this for ease of use and content. We have just bought more copies for our friends' children so that they can understand our new language.