Deirdre McLaughlin, owner, Sign2Music
I live near Crossgar, Co. Down and am mum to twins aged 12 and a baby daughter born in October 2006.
I am a qualified Social Worker and have worked with young people and families for the past 10 years. I studied Psychology to degree and Masters level at QUB. Since then, I have had varied and interesting experience, from the financial field, residential work with people with disabilites to work with deafblind people. It was while undertaking this work that I began studying BSL. I have completed BSL to stage 1 and 2.
I started using signs with my twins, not because I had ever heard of baby signing, but because it made sense to me that it would aid their communication. My friends and family still talk about how they used to display their signing skills!
When Cara was born I was delighted to learn that the concept of 'baby signing' had exploded. After doing some research on the internet I was even more convinced about the benefits. I started signing with Cara from she was 5 months old. She did her first signs at 5 1/2 months of age. By the age of 12 months she could use 50 - 70 signs and was able to tell us when she was hungry, thirsty, tired, needed her nappy changed, etc. She could also have a 'conversation' with us and take part in reading stories.
One of the most amazing 'signing' experiences I had was when Cara was almost 9 months old. I had been breastfeeding but was in the process of weaning, so had introduced a bottle/cup. That night I was breast feeding as normal, but had brought some milk in her cup to give her after, as I knew she would need more. She was getting quite upset as I was feeding her. I signed 'milk' and she lifted her head and signed 'no milk'! When I lifted her cup she got excited and signed 'milk' . I couldn't believe it so I repeated this several times with the same result! That was the last time I breastfed Cara, as there was indeed 'no milk'. I think it was totally amazing that a baby at less than 9 months of age could tell me this so clearly herself.
I was disappointed, however, to see that the 'baby signing' concept hasn’t really taken off in Northern Ireland. I really am passionate about the benefits and feel that introducing signs to babies will not only help them learn and communicate with others but will also give them an introduction to BSL, the beautiful language of most members of the Deaf community in Northern Ireland. I had already come across Sign2Me, as I had been using Dr Joseph Garcia's Sign with your Baby pack. Sign2Me is the original Baby Signing Organisation, based on Dr Joseph Garcia's 'SIGN with your BABY' programme, a straightforward and fun approach to showing infants how to communicate using simple signs borrowed from sign language. It has presenters all over the world including the UK and Ireland. His system draws from his years of research in early childhood development and from his own personal experience of signing with his own children. I joined the Sign2Me presenters network in May 2007 and 'Sign 2 Music' was born!
Alison Priddle, Teacher, Bangor, Groomsport areas
My interest for signing with babies/toddlers began in 2003 with my first son Dylan. We lived in Southern England and we attended sign classes there when he was 5/6 months old. Sadly I had to go back to work full-time and there weren’t any classes on a Saturday so I didn’t get to pursue this with him.
We moved back to Northern Ireland in 2006, now living in Donaghadee with a much less stressful lifestyle. Toby was born in 2007 and I started searching for a signing classes. I discovered Deirdre’s classes (founder of Sign2Music) and haven't looked back!
So I have had the 'Sign 2 Music experience' first hand!!
We went on Saturday mornings and I was able to bring my 5 year old along as well. (2 for the price of 1!!) To be able to sign with both my boys has been amazing and even Daddy joins in!! Toby, Dylan and I attended Baby Classes and then moved onto the Toddler Classes.
Before we started classes Toby’s speech was slightly delayed. We have found signing so beneficial for his speech development. Since learning to sign Toby has come on leaps and bounds, he gives us so much pleasure surprising us with new signs all the time, but better still he also says the words!! He now has a thirst for it, he seems to be looking for a sign for everything and I find that I can keep his attention better when I sign to him as well as speaking as he really focuses in on my hand movements. (our favourite sign at the moment is "share")
Toby is now 2, I have just started signing alphabet sounds, colours and numbers with him and know this will give him a head start for early literacy, and what better way to do it than in a fun way through song! For any of you who decide to come along to my classes I will keep you posted on the progress here!!
I have completed Level 1 in British Sign Language at Bangor College, and will do Level 2. The course is fantastic for learning Sign Language, for use with deaf people. At Deirdre's classes I learned how to sign key words while speaking (more like Sign Supported English than Sign Language) and learned themed signs of particular use for babies. I also learned some tips and ideas which were the key to Toby's success.
I can’t tell you enough how amazing signing has been for us and how passionate I now feel about it. It really has been a life changing experience and incredibly bonding for me and my family! Hope to see you at one of my classes very soon!!
Emma McSparron, Teacher, Limavady area
Having worked in the deaf community for a number of years and witnessing many hearing babies and toddlers sign to their Deaf parents and grandparents, I was immediately hooked! I couldn’t believe those tiny hands were actually communicating. I researched Baby Signing further to discover signs could be taught to babies of hearing parents – with quite compelling benefits.
When I became pregnant I looked forward to the day I could teach my baby sign language. Now nearly 3 years old, Georgina (who is hearing) asks me most days “Mummy what’s the sign for…?” Her enthusiasm really astonishes me at times! – It’s like second nature to her. Georgina also understands that people use sign language because their “ears are broken” and knows to “use her hands” when talking to my Deaf friends.
When I looked for Baby Signing Classes in my area I was disappointed to find they didn’t exist so I purchased materials by Dr Joseph Garcia, the worlds leading baby signing expert. Although I had signed for a number of years (and gained Level 3 Qualification), I felt I needed background information and also to read the fascinating true stories published by baby signing mums and dads!!
I suppose initially the reasons why I decided I wanted to teach baby signing were because of my knowledge and experience and:
- It is fun and cute
- It has enormous benefits for baby and parent
- It is a great bonding exercise
Then I met a family who gave me another reason to teach baby signing. While working in a Deaf Community Group a local lady popped in for some advice. Her daughter had been born with severe hearing problems and needed to wear 2 hearing aids. The parent was really keen to sign to her daughter, but was very disheartened with the lack of services and even knowledge of the subject. This saddened me and really spurred me on to find Sign2Music.
I am delighted that I’m now in a position to offer Sign2Music classes to ALL (hearing, deaf and hearing impaired) babies and toddlers, of the North West!
I look forward to meeting you all very soon (Classes coming to Limavady/Coleraine/Derry).
