Early Childhood Education – Acquiring Sign Language (GUEST POST)

One of the keys to surviving in a tilted economic system in which opportunities to achieve a decent standard of living will be limited is versatility – and the ability to communicate articulately in a variety of ways with the widest possible audience. This includes bilingual ability as well as the ability to communicate in non-verbal ways for the benefit of the disabled – primarily the deaf.

At the same time, a growing shortage of qualified interpreters fluent in American Sign Language has led to more career opportunities – and if current trends continue, it's likely that skilled ASL interpreters will have little problem securing lucrative employment in a society where such a commodity is destined to be in short supply.

Signing Before They Can Speak

A great deal of research has clearly demonstrated that the early years – ages 2 to five – are the best time to educate children in different modes of communication and language. This goes beyond the spoken word (though it is an optimal time for children to learn a second language); many young children have an aptitude for signing as well.

This is not as odd as you may think. As you know, many indigenous peoples around the world,
including American Indian nations, have used sign language for centuries to facilitate communication with other tribes with whom they do not share a language. Some paleontologists and anthropologists theorize that Neanderthals – who apparently lacked the vocal mechanism to produce many spoken words – depended a great deal upon hand gestures to communicate.

In fact, recent research suggests that sign language is innate. An article published in the Boulder Daily Camera in 2003 presented strong evidence that babies as young as six months old communicate with their hands:

"...by 6 to 7 months, babies can remember a sign. At eight months, children can begin to imitate gestures and sign single words. By 24 months, children can sign compound words and full sentences. They say sign language reduces frustration in young children by giving them a means to express themselves before they know how to talk." (Glarion, 2003)

The author also cites study funded by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development demonstrating that young children who are taught sign language at an early age actually develop better verbal skills as they get older. The ability to sign has also helped parents in communicating with autistic children; one parent reports that "using sign language allowed her to communicate with her [autistic] son and minimized his frustration...[he now] has an advanced vocabulary and excels in math, spelling and music" (Glarion, 2003).

The Best Time To Start

Not only does early childhood education in signing give pre-verbal youngsters a way to communicate, it can also strengthen the parent-child bond – in addition to giving children a solid foundation for learning a skill that will serve them well in the future. The evidence suggests that the best time to start learning ASL is before a child can even walk – and the implications for facilitating the parent-child relationship are amazing.

Co-written by Emily Patterson and Kathleen Thomas. Emily and Kathleen are Communications Coordinators for the network of Texas child care facilities belonging to the AdvancED® accredited family of Primrose child care schools. Primrose Schools are located in 16 states throughout the U.S. and are dedicated to delivering progressive, early childhood, Balanced Learning® curriculum throughout their preschools.

A SPECIAL THANKS TO EMILY AND KATHLEEN FOR GUEST POSTING!

My Sister's AHA moment!

This is a guest post by my sister Araceli I thought it would be a great lil reminder for all of us.

Today during the usual running around I had a moment when I heard an voicemail that a friend left me. I was overcome by emotion, with chills running down my body. I was speechless. She has a one year old daughter, and a really close friend of hers had a baby that was a month older than hers, that is until today because her little angel passed away.

At that moment I thought wow that could be anyone!

I think that many times we all get wrapped up in our routines, laundry, cooking, cleaning, texting, emailing etc.... , that we forget to take a moment and appreciate how blessed we are.

I know times are extremely difficult, and we are all trying to make ends meet, living paycheck to paycheck, just trying to stay afloat.

As I go to bed tonight, not only will I give thanks for all the good things in my life, like the health of my children and my family, the fact that I managed to pay most of my bills on time, but also for not so great things like my 6 year old daughter coloring her bed sheets with a marker, those five extra pounds from my pregnancy that are still following me around, my sons dirty room, my 7 year old daughters unfiltered comments, my 6 month olds being extremely clingy today, the pile of laundry that awaits me, my husband being untidy, the puppy I can't seem to potty train, and the list goes on. Those things seem so petty now.

You see my life is far from perfect, but there isn't anyone more important in my life than my children, they are my world. I would swap my life for theirs in a heartbeat.

No mother should ever have to experience the loss of a child, regardless of age, and when you do, you learn to live without them in your life, but you hold them in your heart forever.

DARCY (Swap Mamas Founder) Guest Blogger

So, you all know Daisy. The bloggin’ mama who makes the fabulous hair bows. Over the past few months, we’ve gotten to know her over at Swap Mamas www.swapmamas.com too, and let me tell you, the woman is a swapping FIEND. Which, as swapmamas.com’s founder, fills my heart with warm fuzzies.

She’s asked me to tell you my birth story. Okay, not MY actual birth, nor the birth of my daughter (53 HOURS OF INDUCED LABOR, thank you very much), but the birth of my second baby, Swap Mamas …

I’ve been a single parent since the second trimester. As if THAT wasn’t a big enough shock, just 13 weeks into my pregnancy, my entire department at the publishing company I worked for, was laid off. I found myself suddenly alone and without income. Thankfully, a few months later I was re-hired, albeit at a much lower salary … it was still a job and I was intensely grateful.

Suffice it to say, money was tight. Without being asked, my friends rallied and mailed me their no-longer-needed maternity clothes. Then, when my daughter was born, they mailed me THEIR daughter’s no-longer-needed clothes. I received boxes of hand-me-downs every few months. Those shipments were a godsend. I bought very little in the way of clothes the first two years of my baby’s life. It definitely made paying the bills a little easier.

But I couldn’t help thinking of all the mama’s out there who DIDN’T have friends to mail them care packages. And then I thought about all the baby clothes out there that must be sitting boxed away in closets across the country. There had to be a way to put the two together. I obsessed over it.

Four years later, Swap Mamas was launched, and after seven months, the site currently has over 2,700 members. I can’t tell you the satisfaction I get from seeing so many mamas helping others like I knew they would. They’re connecting, shipping hand-me-downs across the country and really supporting one another in a very pure and simple way.

Now, it’s MY turn to give back. I like to think of it as Swap Karma. I’d love to have you join us and find out for yourself just how good it feels!

DARCY (Swap Mamas Founder)

I hope you enjoyed this post by our guest blogger! Thanks Darcy!

Support an Animal Shelter!

We have a guest blogger today HUNTER the Maltese!

Hi Everyone!

My name is Hunter and I'm a maltese. But, what you might not know is that mom and dad rescued me from a local shelter. This shelter took me in not only once - but twice! Why you ask? Because the first family that adopted me brought me back because they said I was "too much to handle" and they didn't have time for me. I was really happy when they brought me back because they hadn't been taking care of me and I had to go back under the sleepy stuff to have my ears cleaned out and a tooth pulled.

Anyways, that was all in the past. Now, because of all the love and support of my local shelter, I live with my wonderful mom and dad who spoil me ROTTEN ! But, I am a good maltese and I will never forget where I came from . That's why every year I participate in the Strut Your Mutt! This is a fundraiser for the shelter that took such good care of me. All the money that I raise goes directly to the care of the animals that aren't as lucky as me and haven't found their fur-ever homes just yet . The money goes towards all the medical bills that the shelter has to make the dapper dogs and crazy kitties healthy and strong so they can have a new chance at life. Surgery is expensive and while the local vets pitch in and give great discounts, it's not always enough. So, all the money I raise will go into the Sadie Fund which is used to treat all the little medical problems that surrenders typically have (like being neutered, spayed, ears cleaned, teeth pulled, and sometimes bigger surgeries that I don't dare talk too much about like kidney, knees, and heart problems - YIKEs!)

I wanted to raise a MILLION dollars for the shelter this year because I love them so much (last year I raise $1000) but my mom said that the economy is tough this year so I she said I needed a more modest goal . I would appreciate it if anyone reading this could give even just a little so that I can help my friends at the shelter to have a nice and safe stay while they are there until their fur-ever homes are found.

Well, I have to get to training - its a long 2 mile walk and it's held rain or shine so the hot summer sun can't slow me down today. Mom said she was going to attach a link for everyone to go to and donate at. Thanks again for reading and donating!!!

xoxo Hunter

http://www.firstgiving.com/erinoreillyjakan