Did you know that your baby can communicate about the world around them long before they master the art of verbal language? As a parent you become very good at guessing what your baby wants and needs.
With the use of baby sign language you can help your baby communicate with those around them before they have the developmental skills to talk. Baby sign language has been known to lessen communication-frustrations, increase vocabulary and strengthen the bond between a parent and child.
Using baby sign language during the non-verbal stage of development can result in fewerbehaviour issues regarding communication due to the child's ability to convey their wants and needs. Research has shown that in some cases children that have used Baby Sign Language speak earlier than those who have not.
Wendy Harding, an Early Childhood educator, has been using sign language in her line of work as a special needs teachers assistant and preschool teacher for many years now. She has successfully used sign language to support the communication between student and teacher. She has also used it with her own children when they were babies. Wendy is excited to be offering a new program of Baby Sign Language here on Bowen Island. This class has been designed on a learn-through-play method.
Each class will consist of interactive activities, signing and music. Each participant will receive a booklet that will have signs and activities to continue the program at home. There will be two sessions available.
You do not need to take them in order, however, the first session will be more in-depth on the introduction to signing with your baby.
American sign language is used in conjunction with the spoken word. This class will not enable you to speak adultsign language (ASL), it will only give you vocabulary words chosen for the baby-specificfocus of the class.
No previous experience needed.
Classeswill be held at Collin'sHall on Fridays from10:30 to 11:15 a.m., $50 per session. The first session runs from April 13 to May 4.
Registration is through Community Learning at Bowen Island Community School, 604 947-0389, [email protected].
For more information www.sd45.bc.ca/bowen, community tab.
