Last week we were featured on New Idea TV with a short segment on our baby sign classes.

Thanks so much to the parents who took part and of course your wonderful children.

Lena our Northern Beaches teacher did a great job and looks like a complete natural on the telly, a far cry from me and the nerves I felt when I did my first interview on Kerry-Anne several years ago.

As Lena points out the benefits from using baby sign are to help reduce frustration and tantrums for your little one while they are pre-verbal.  Lena also addresses the common misconception that using sign language with children will delay the speech process, when in fact the opposite has been found to be true, with signing children generally talking earlier and having a wider vocabulary range.

If you missed the segment of the show then you can view it below and hear what other parents have had to say about using baby hands and see children using sign in action during the class.

We would love to hear your feedback either on the program or from your experience of using baby sign so please feel free to leave a comment below.

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If you would like to contact Lena or any of or other teachers about classes in your area please contact them via the contact us forms on their page.

If you would just like to get started in your own home then we have a range of baby sign products in our online shopping cart that are all easy to follow and can be implemented into your daily routines very easily.

Happy Signing

Jackie

While Australian Baby Hands products were developed to help aid the communication of pre-verbal “normal” hearing children I feel strongly that we should ensure that we support the Deaf community and use Auslan as best we can.

This week is Hearing Awareness Week.  One in six people in Australia suffer from some form of hearing loss and for many using sign language is their main form of communication.

If you are worried that your child may suffer from any form of hearing loss here are some things that you may want to check:

Normal Progress for children;

• 0 – 4 months – is startled by loud noises and soothed by mother’s voice
• 4 – 6 months – turns eyes towards sounds and responds to mother’s voice
• 5 – 6 months – begins to “babble”
• 6 – 9 months – turns head towards sounds and responds to own name
• 9 – 12 months – copies simple words like “no” and “bye bye”
• 12 – 18 months – says some words and follows simple instructions
• Over 18 months – should be increasing vocabulary quickly

A child with a hearing loss may:

• not hear sounds
• not respond to own name
• begin to “babble”, then stop for no explicable reason and fail to use single words
• use very few words for their age
• misunderstand instructions, seem inattentive and/or restless
• appear to be naughty
• wait to see what others do first after instructions are given

Details and information care of DF child brochure

If you are concerened that your child sufferes from any form of hearing loss please consult with your doctor or local health care worker.

If you would like information on fun and interactive baby sign classes please contact one of our baby hands teachers.

# Update, you can now watch this episode direct on our blog here.

Several weeks ago I got a call from New Idea TV who wanted to do a feature on Australian Baby Hands and our baby sign language classes.

It’s very exciting, as we shot this a few weeks ago, and it will be going to air this Thursday (20th August) at 3pm on Channel 7.

In this segment you will get to see Lena, our Northern Beaches teacher in action. With mums, dads & babies in attendance, Lena introduces baby sign language through songs, activities, stories and Sammy the signing bear.

You’ll see how much children love the workshop and how they start to use signs during the class.

If you’re curious to know what a baby sign workshop is all about, tune in on Thursday and you’ll get to see how fun and educational a baby sign class can be for you and your baby.

If you would like to attend a class then please visit our teachers page and contact them directly for class details in your area.

Please note if you do live outside the current teacher areas but have a mothers group or other group of friends that you would like to get together to organise a class, please contact your nearest teacher and they may be able to come to you.

If you have any questions that you would like to ask me in person I’m appearing at several bookshops over the next few weeks so come along and say hello if you are in the area.

Happy Signing

Jackie

I am holding some baby sign language events  over the coming weeks in Borders stores in NSW. They are starting this week and if you live nearby and would like to come along, it would be great to see you there.

The events are being held at the following Borders stores:

Borders Hornsby

Date: Thursday August 13^th 2009

Address: Shop 2042-204
Westfield Shopping Centre
236 Pacific Highway
Hornsby, NSW 2077

Time: 11am

Borders Tuggerah

Date: Thursday August 20^th 2009

Address: Shop 2029
Westfield Tuggerah
Cnr Wyong & Gavenlock Roads
Tuggerah, NSW 2259

Time: 11am

Borders Macarthur Square

Date: Thursday September 10^th 2009
(please note this date has changed from the previous date of the 26th August)

Address: Shop L02 L087
Macarthur Square Shopping Centre
Gilchrist Drive
Campbelltown, NSW 2560

Time: 11am

I will be running through your most frequently asked baby sign language questions and demonstrating how to introduce baby sign language into your home.

I hope to see you there.

Happy Signing!

Jackie