Empowering Hearing Babies and Young Children Through Speech and Signs From British Sign Language

 
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Two New Classes Starting 18th April in Peterborough

Discover the real secret to communicating with your baby.

Preverbal babies can really tell you what they want, long before they can talk! Learn how to use simple sign language to engage your baby in two-way communication.

At these classes you will learn which signs to show your baby, when to start signing, how to make the signs and how using signs can help reduce frustration for both babies and their parents or caregiver.

Class taken by a qualified BSL Interpreter. Full colour manual with over 200 sign graphics with sign descriptions, songs and information is included in the cost of the course.

10 Week Beginners classes will be held at the Hampton Vale Community Hal, Hampton Vale, Westlake, Peterborough PE7 8LN Wednesdays at 11:00am

For more details or a registration form please contact Brenda 07515165965

New classes especially for working mums or child care professionals Starting June 2012

We have had enquiries from child care professional and working parents that would like to learn this fun and educational activity in the evenings or weekends. We are delighted to offer you evening time slot :

Thursdays 5:30 - 7pm

Starting Thursday 14th June at 5:30pm

Venue: Stilton Village Memorial Hall

For more details or a registration form please contact Brenda 07515165965

Signing Solutions for Reading Success

Our Sign for Reading course is suitable for children age 2½ - 3 year and over. Singing and Signing phonics, it's a great 6 week course to help your child with literacy skills. Using signs, songs, alphabet and pictures learning your ABC has never been more engaging, entertaining , multi-sensory and FUN!

These classes will start in November on Wednesdays 11.15am Contact Brenda for more details.

BSL flash cards for phonic learning available NOW
 

We are pleased to announce that our new and exciting product are now available at the cost of £12.99 plus PP. These 82 fun interactive flash cards are designed to make the alphabet and phonic learning at home or at pre-school engaging, entertaining, meaningful and FUN! Playing the suggested games your child will learn :

  • The alphabet
  • Letter and sound recognition
  • Spell and read simple words
  • Improve memory and concentration skills
  • Multi-sensory learning

We are delighted to say that our flash cards have been endorsed by Dr Marilyn Daniels who is a leading expert in the field communication and improving children's literacy.

Dr Daniels writes “My research during the last twenty years demonstrates that hearing children in preschool through sixth grade who learn sign language increase their English vocabulary, understanding of concepts, number recognition, reading and spelling ability! These Communicating-Hands innovative Flash Cards teach British Sign Language to hearing children in a creative and fun manner, inspiring children to actively participate, while stimulating intellectual development and making learning a fun activity.”

Marilyn Daniels, Ph.D., Professor Emerita of Communication Arts & Sciences at The Pennsylvania State University, USA and author of Dancing with Words; Signing for Hearing Children's Literacy, Babies Can Talk: A Practical Guide for Early Communication Through Signing, and Toddlers at Play: A Complete Guide to Enhance Early Learning Through Signing.

Join us at 4 Children’s Centres During October

Four Children’s centres in and around Peterborough are having a full week of different activities based around the theme of communication. We are delighted that they have invited Communicating Hands to talk about the benefits of using BSL signs to develop early communication and early literacy skills in all children.

Come and join us for a fun hour’s session. We will not only teach you about the importance of signing with your baby but also we will show you BSL signs, how to get started signing and some fun songs like ‘Five Little Monkeys’ The Goldilock Song’, and others that you can stat signing and singing with your little one straight away.


Join us (free admission)

Tuesday 18th October 2011
Morning Session
Somersham Children’s Centre at 10- 11
Afternoon Session
Ramsey Children’s Centre at 2pm-3-pm

Thursday 20th October 2011
Morning Session
Sawtry Children’s Centre at 10-11
Afternoon Session
Brightfields (Farcet) Children’s Centre at 2- 3

For more information ring Brenda 07515 165 965 or 01733 358817 Or contact the children’s centres
Free Taster Session

New to Baby Signing? Want to know more about this popular activity?

Why not join us at a free taster session on the 25th January at 11.15 at Hampton vale Community Centre Westlake Peterborough PE7 8LN .

You will learn some signs, fun songs and just how beneficial signing with your baby and young children really is. Look forward in seeing you.

Testimonials

Evie is signing all the time now. The best thing is as she signs she says the word most of the time. Her signing, while we were on holiday, was a godsend. If she was wingy all we did was ask and sign ‘hungry’ or ‘sleep’ and she signed back what she wanted.

She signs dog, sleep, food, please, thank you, cat, more, milk, splash, water .when I sign good girl she repeats good girl she also has started signing please more in one action although please is a word she doesn’t say this she just signs

I think one of the best signs you taught me has to be help. If she's getting frustrated with something I just sign help and she calms instantly I really can’t thank you enough for your classes.

Thank you again Sharon

 

For more testimonial click here
Private Parties

Can't get to a class? Then why not host your own. If you know, a minimum of six people, that would like to learn how to sign with
their son/daughter why not host a private class from your home? The host will receive
10% off the course cost. Ring Brenda (For Peterborough/Cambridge/Leicester area) 07515 165 965

Amazing to see

You may ask whether it is worth teaching your Baby how to sign ?
Well here is a link to watch a cute 6 month old signing 'MILK'
Click here to watch the youtube movie.
The Little Miracles

Communicating Hands are proud supporter of the Little Miracles. This is a parent led support group and Charity for families with children that have additional needs/ disabilities based in Peterborough.

Dates start

Tuesday 31st Jan 11.15 – 12.45

Communicating Hands are running a series of BSL instruction to al members at the Werrington Centre, this is a popular activity so please book on the course early to avoid disappointment

Too busy to attend weekly classes?

Do you want to learn how to sign with your baby but are too busy to attend weekly classes? Don't miss out on learning this valuable skill. Why not have a parents workshop/private 1:1 ? Programme is tailor made to suit your needs and can be delivered at your own home.

Ring for more details on 07515 165965

Hello and welcome to Communicating Hands, My Baby Signing website.

We are a Peterborough based company dedicated to teaching families, educators and childcare professional across the country, how to successfully use and the value of using, signs from British Sign language to promote early communication and early literacy skills in babies and young children, both hearing and deaf. We aim to make learning at home and pre-schools for children, engaging, entertaining, meaningful and FUN! Parents and educators love our programme, so I hope that you will join us in our classes soon.

If you are a childcare professional working at a Nursery or Pre-school why not book one of our popular workshops. As well as learning many BSL signs, songs, theory, and story telling, you will also learn how signing: Influences a child’s ability to attend. It fosters concentration, which leads to learning. It boosts enthusiasm and a readiness to learn, It reduces negative behaviour It increases self-esteem. In short, our programme will transform your place of work, you will gain a valuable skill and you and your children will love it!

For more information see workshop descriptions. Or ring Brenda to discuss your specific requirements on 07515165965

Happy signing! .

What is ‘baby signing”

Babies can understand and express themselves much more than was previously thought. Building on a baby’s natural use of gestures we teach parents and educators how to use simple signs based on British Sign language with all of their children from as early as 6 months. As we use 100% BSL signs our deaf children will also benefit at the nurseries and pre-schools that use our programme. Parents and educators are recognising that signing is an amazing tool that really does facilitate early communication and development.

Why wait to communicate! Look at what can be achieved, this video is courtesy of Sign2me.com

Still not convinced that using signs to improve children's communication and literacy skills really work? Take a look at these two fantastic clips of Fern. Fern who is under two years old in these clips , and her mum Vikki, joined us for our Sign for Reading Classes and continued the great work at home. Buy using our programme of great songs, activities and signs look at the amazing results. If you have toddlers in your care or run a pre-school or nursery and want to learn how to achieve similar results, contact Brenda for affordable training on 07515 165 965

YouTube Movie 1   YouTube Movie 2

"Read and sign a book, sing and sign a song to empower and educate young minds."
READ: 'V' hand (fingers indicate the eyes) moves across or up and down the palm of the other hands. (palm indicates book)
SING: Both hands make small circles movements as hands move up and away

Our Mission Statement: We believe that children with poor language skills are disadvantaged learners. We aim:


  • To give teachers, childcare professionals and parents BSL skills and methods to help children that struggle with communicating, reading or spelling.
  • To help parents to communicate with their children before they can speak. Thus reducing frustration and tantrums that children experience because of their inability to speak
  • To promote the benefits of using signs from BSL in Nurseries, Children Centres ad Pre-school programmes for all children
  • To promote the use of BSL signs as a multi-sensory tool to use with songs and to add fun to children’s daily activities
  • To give teachers that struggle with classroom management an additional tool through BSL, which can improve children’s behaviour
  • To promote BSL and Deaf Awareness
  • To support parents with deaf children, or children with speech problems, with training through BSL
  • To raise children’s confidence and self esteem knowing that they can learn to communicate and achieve through the use of BSL
  • Support the use of BSL signs as a bridge for children and parents who’s first language is not English
  • Supports the principles of ECAT (Every Child A Talker) and I CAN (Children’s Communication Charity of which Communicating-Hands are currently part of the advisory group for the 0-3 programme)

We aim to fulfil our mission statement by:

Parent classes: (Click for more details)


Workshop training for all Teachers and Childcare Professionals (Click for more details)
Teachers Wanted
Interested in becoming a baby signing teacher? Would you like to run your own business, set your own hours with a very low set up fee, but still receive 100% support? Do you have a desire to work with parents and children? Do you want a job that will work around your family? Or to work when it suits you? Do you have BSL skills?
If yes then contact Brenda at Brenda.Devitt@MyBabySigning.co.uk and find out what an exciting opportunity we can offer you. I always reply to emails, so if you have not heard back from me within 5 days please contact me again as I may have missed your email as sometimes mail is received in junk mail.