Sign 2 Music uses British Sign Language (BSL) signs during our normal conversations, to support the spoken word. We does not use BSL which has a different sentence structure and grammar than English. Signing and learning to sign CORRECTLY is the focus of our class. The presenter is qualified to BSL Stage 2 and as far as possible uses regional BSL signs used in NI, which are often different to those in other parts of the UK (a bit like different use of English in various regions - wee / little). As well as the signs taught in the class, you can request other signs that would be helpful for you and your child, eg, if your family has an unusual pet. Our classes are fully inclusive and are suitable for children with hearing impairments, speech delay and learning disabilities.

British Sign Language (BSL) is the first or preferred language of many Deaf people in the UK. It is a language of space and movement using the hands, body, face and head. BSL was recognised as an official British language by the UK government in March 2003. There are approximately 219,00 deaf and hard of hearing people in Northern Ireland. Approximately 17,000 of these people are severely or profoundly Deaf. As well as this, many hearing people are beginning to learn this beautiful language. If you are committed to signing with your baby, it is advisable to enrol in a BSL course at your local college, even if you attend classes. Courses are widespread in Northern Ireland.

BSL signs are not difficult to learn for children or 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 BSL. Signs are easy for babies to understand, as many BSL signs are iconic; they are manual imitations of the actions or objects they represent. For example, the BSL sign for "bird" is demonstrated by placing the finger and thumb next to the mouth in the shape of a bird's beak. Many signs involve miming the action, eg, brushing your teeth or hair, washing your face.

By using BSL signs, you are introducing you child to a rich and beautiful second language, that they can continue to use and explore as they grow. Sign 2 Music is currently the only Signing group in Northern Ireland that uses the award-winning SIGN with your BABY programme by Dr Joseph Garcia, who was and American interpreter, and the first person to research the use of sign language in facilitating preverbal communication. In his words:

“By using American Sign Language (ASL), British Sign Language (BSL) or the signs of a specific region, we open the doors to communicating with a much broader community of people – and we lay the foundation for our children to continue learning and using ASL throughout their lives”

“I think ASL is a gift from the Deaf community. I can’t think of a better way for us to honour this gift than by using to facilitate early communication and bonding”

As well as building the foundation for the learning of a second language, signing has been shown to be very beneficial in the establishment of early literacy. Many classes tell you to ‘drop’ signing as your child learns to speak, but you can carry on signing even though language is starting to develop, giving your child a unique way to learn about their rapidly expanding world in a multisensory way. Research shows that adding a kinesthetic (movement) element when learning verbal and written language has a  positive impact on early literacy skills. (Find more details on this topic in the book by Marilyn Daniels - Dancing with Words: Signing for Hearing Children's Literacy (2001): Bergin & Garvey)