Where to find a Sign

Sometimes you aren't at class and you want to know a sign.　What to do? What to do...

たまに、クラス以外の時にサインを知りたい。どうしたらいい？

ハイディーにメールしてもいいし、この下のリンクで探してもいいよ！

Well, you can e-mail Heidi... or you can use one of the following!

The Signing Time Dictionary is a great starting point. Rachel's explanations make it easy to remember the signs and the tape on her fingers help to see how the fingers are positioned.

Signing Savvy is a great site with an easy to understand dictionary as well as various learning tools. It is worth becoming a registered guest even if you are just starting out. 

Life Print is another favorite resource. The variety of resources and detailed explanations are really great.

ASL Pro

NHK手話 NHK Japanese Sign Language Dictionary

ASL apps

Bilingual / Multilingual & Signing Links

There are many great articles online but finding them can be a trick!  Here are some favourites. Feel free to add your suggestions in the comments section.

バイリンガル、多言語のリンク
Multilingual Living

Bilingual Monkeys

パトリシア・クール 「赤ちゃんは語学の天才」

Ask an Expert: Will Using Sign Language Confuse my Bilingual Baby? 

プロフェッショナルに聞く！生きる力の育て方！- ハナハウス代表　高橋裕子さん

Benefits of a Bilingual Brain Infographic

Speech Development in Bilingual Children

Advantages of Teaching Baby Sign Language - Infographic

FAQ: Raising Bilingual Children

Emily Howlett: Fact. Signing really does help babies with their language development

海外ドラマ・スーパーナチュラルのJaredとMishaはサイニングタイムとベビー・サイニングタイムを子どもと一緒に見てます！

Sign language for toddlers boosts development

英語とNavajo語をASLでつなげる、こどもたちにNavajo語を教えています。日本で手話をとうして英語を教えると同じ考えです。

Signing with older children

Bilingual Children: Why You Really, Really, Really Should Start When They Are Young

From Second Language Learning to Bilingualism in Schools

New Study Shows Brain Benefits Of Bilingualism

Brain gymBilingualism is an advantage with educational and health benefits, says expert

Johnson: Bringing up baby bilingual

Toddler brain scan gives language insight

Baby sign language more popular as parents aim to communicate

Signing Advent Calendar サインのアドベントカレンダー 1

We are in the first week of Advent so here is the first set of links to our ASL Advent Calendar!

December 1st - Happy Holidays from Signing Time

December 2nd - Christmas Vocabulary in American Sign Language

December 3rd - We Sign Christmas Carols Silent Night

December 4th - Sign-A-Long Carols: Jingle Bells

December 5th - ASL Interpreted "Breath of Heaven"

December 6th - St. Nicholas Day - Sign Language Santa

December 7th - Signing Nativity 

ASL Apps for Kids こども向けのASLアプリ

ASL - American Sign Language Apps for Kids　

こども向けの米国手話、アメリカ手話アプリ

One of the great things about Signing Time using ASL vocabulary is that it can be used in conjunction with other ASL based items. I've been collecting app recommendations from other Signing Time Academy teachers and signing families.    My 5 year old even volunteered to test them and share his honest (sometimes brutally!) opinion.
サイニングタイムの一つの素晴らしいところは、教えてくれた言葉は全部ASLアメリカ手話です。ASLはサイニングタイムで学んだら他のアプリ、ビデオなどで使えます。

These apps all use ASL so if you've been doing ASL-based Baby Sign Language they can help you to build a larger vocabulary, increasing your ability to communicate with you child.

ASLをベースにしてるベビーサイン/ベビー・サイン・ランゲージを学んだ方にもこの下のアプリはオススメです！

 We don't use the iPad/iPod every day but it is nice to have some interesting & educational things on there for when waiting at the doctor's, etc.!

The clear favorite in our house is the Signing Time ASL - Sign Language app. It includes flashcards, a basic dictionary and (the kids favorite!) video clips.  They spent a half hour this morning trying to sign along to Leah's Farm.  Another great feature is that it is playable on our really old iPhone as well as the newer iPad.

US iTunes

日本 iTunes

Two Little Hands also has:
 無料!   Signing Time Lite ASL - Sign Language App 
US iTunes
日本 iTunes

 Signing Time ASL - Dictionary 
US iTunes
日本 iTunes

 無料!  Potty Time
A toilet training app which can be used with and toilet training program but is also a great compliment to the Potty Time DVD/CD!

US iTunes
日本 iTunes

Android:
US      
 日本

Now on to other ASL based apps for kids...
On our iPad we have:


Baby Sign and Sing - This is a nice compliment to the Baby Signing Time classes that I teach as it includes some of the same songs as well as others which include vocabulary we've learned.
US iTunes
日本 iTunes


Signed Stories - This is like the Reading Rainbow of signed stories. I'm not a fan of "in-app purchases" but little by little we're buying up the books in this app.
US iTunes
日本 iTunes

The Baobab - Created by Gallaudet University, this app is like a regular book app but with the added feature of being in ASL & English.  
US iTunes
日本 iTunes


SignShine - Songs, activities flashcards arranged in a way a little kid can navigate around.
US iTunes
日本 iTunes

ASL Dictionary Lite by Sign and Learn
US iTunes
日本 iTunes

Baby Sign ASL (Free) - a dictionary
US iTunes
日本 iTunes

Walk the Plank ASL - An interesting concept but bit too difficult for little kids to navigate on their own.
US iTunes
日本 iTunes

Baby Sign and Learn Lite - a dictionary  - 
While the animation is good it isn't as easy to understand as when an actual person create the signs.
US iTunes
日本 iTunes

Click on the label "Apps アプリ" for other ASL and language related apps!

Do you have a favorite ASL kids app that is not on this list?  Please share it in the comments section!

Easter Signs イースターのサイン

It is almost Easter! もうすぐイースター！

My kids are busy making pictures, decorating and preparing for egg dying later today. Here are some helpful signs for this special season!
今日、うちのこどもたちはイースターの絵を作ったり、イースターや春の飾りを飾ったり、午後の卵染めるを楽しんだり...楽しく、忙しい！ここではイースターの時期に便利なサインを教えます！

 サイニングタイムから〜　From Signing Time ~ Included signs: Spring, Easter, Bunny, Easter Bunny, Egg 

サイン: はる、イースター、うさぎ、イースターバニー、たまご 

 Cross　十字架 

 Savior　救い主  

Jesus　イエスさま 

From Signing Savvy ~ 

 Hallelujah / Alleluia ハレルヤ 　

☆Hallelujah is Hebrew, Alleluia is Greek but they are the same word, just from two different languages. 

Hallelujahはヘブライ語, Alleluiaはギリシャ語、両方は日本語にするとハレルヤになります。 

Resurrection よみがえり

Find 見つかる

Happy 喜び

Forgiveness 罪の許し

And, here is an Easter Story video for you to enjoy!  While it isn't a signed story you can still use many of the signs you know to talk about what happens in the story!

これはみじかいイースターの話のビデオ。サインを使って、何を見たの説明ができますね！

 

もっと長いビデオはこちら。

There is a longer video here.

We Sign Videos

One of the great things about Signing Time (and there are many great things!) is that it uses real ASL vocabulary.  It uses real signs from a real language.  This means that there are great resources in addition to Signing Time that can be used to enhance language learning and communication.

One of the companies that also creates DVDs for kids with ASL vocabulary is We Sign.  A favorite in our house is the We Sign Christmas Carols DVD.  These are all songs we hear a lot this time of year so they are easy for kids to pick up.  Signing the words as they are sung also helps us to pay attention to the meaning of the songs.  It is also a way to add actions (which kids love!) to songs that we don't normally think of adding actions to!

Here, take a look!

The We Sign Christmas Carols DVD includes the following songs:

Silent Night (きようしこのよる）

The First Noel　 (牧人ひつじを)

Away in a Manger　(かいばのおけに)

O Little Town of Bethlehem (しずかにねむれる)

What Child Is This?

Joy To The World (もろびとこぞりて）

God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen　(世のひと忘るな)

O Come, All Ye Faithful　 (神の御子は)

Most of the songs from this DVD are also included in the Japanese/English Caroling Collection CD

(クリスマス ソング コレクション) and can be downloaded from Amazon.co.jp.  The book (sheet music) can be found here.