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8-The Canadian Champion, Tuesday, March 22, 2005 www.kasflowurshop.comC oîui y Pg 487 Laurier Ave. g 878-2881 ASL program for babiîes a sign of the times By STEPHANIE THIESSEN The Champion While most babies were stili crying to, make their needs known, Miltontan Leslie Lang's lO-month-old son was taking a different route - he was using sign Ian- guage. As impossible as it inay sound. sien language for hearing bahie is becoming popular not just with movie stars like Debra Messing " but with everyday parents who wat t 0 avoid frustration and com municate better -and earlier - vith their pre-verbal children. "Iwas fascinated wtth the level of communication 1 4chieved svitb hiiu," Ms Lam, saîd, adding. 'As a6 parent, il decreased the level of frustration because you can have tsso-svay commiun icat lon instead of guessing wbat they ssant." Ms Lang is president of Little Hands Talking, which is osne of - 6 two baby signing "I was fascinted with the level of communication I achieved with 1dm. As a parent, lit decreased the level of frustration because you eau have two-way communication lnsted of guessing what they want."9 .......... . ............ of two workshops held at the Milton Leisure Centre, tbe Milton Seniors' Activity Centre, and soon the Milton Comanunity Resource Centre. If's not as if babies leamn 10 sign entire sentences. Ms Lang clar- ifted. Rather, tbey gradually learu easy signs sucb as 'more*, 'milk' and 'dog'. so they're able 10 convey whal they're tbinking before tbey're able to speak the words. During the two 90-miànute sessions -the firast of whicb parents attend without their babies -parents learn about 50 signa to teacb their ebjîdren. The prograin uses Amnerican Sign Language (ASL). There are worksbops for babies aged six to, 12 montha old, and those for babies aged 13 to 36 montbs. On the first session, parents learn how to teacb their cbildren the signa. In the second session, the babies attend with their parents, and leani tbrough garnes, songs and atonies, Ms Lang said. -We talk about the fun ways parents cas incorporate (signa) mbt their regular moutine," Ms Lang said. Some babies are ready 10 sign as early as ftve montha of age, wbile others aren't ready until they're 10 montbs or older, Ms Lang said. She began teacbing ber son, Nathaniel, wben be was seven montbs old, but bad to wait two-and-a-half to three months more befote be did bis ftrst sign. But the wait was worth it, she said. "We were eating breakfast and 1 gave bim bis cereal. I got up te, go to the sink, and be made some sounds and did the sign for ýmore'. 1 was shocked and happy and, of course, gave him more cereal," she said, laugbing. By the age of 10 montbs, Nathaniel could not only sign tbat be Photo by GRAHAM PAINE Mom Shannon Paret signa a duck ta daughter Brooklyn, wha's 10 manths aid, as dad James holds a rubber ducky. wanted more, but also communicate what be wanted more of. Some parents worry tbat signing will prevent cbildren from talk- ing. This fear is unfounded, Ms Lang said. As children begin talk- ing, tbey mix the words they know witb the signa for words tbey can't yet speak. As tbey begin 10 speak tbe words, they drop tbe signa. Ms Lang added babies wbo sign tend to tak earlier than their peers. Since be's always been an ester, Nathasiel quickly picked up food signa. The sign vocabulary will differ according to eacb baby's wasts and intereats, Ms Lang said. Througb signing, parents cas lean wbere their children's inter- ests lie, Ms Lang explained. For example, if a cbild learna asd uses lots of animal signa, ifs a good indication the parents bave as ani- mal-lover on tbeir hasds. For more information or t0 register for a Little Hasds Talking workshop, caîl Ms Lang at (905) 876-2547, e-mail ber aI little- hasdstalking@cogeco.ca, or visit www.littlebasdstalking.ca. Parents looking for a longer weekly program, ratber tbas a work- sbop migbt wast 10 look into Milton Signing Babies, wbicb teacb- es tbe WeeHands signing progrant and uses ASL. 'Me program runs for eigbl weeks. The first session will begin May 12 from 10: 30 t0 11: 15 aru. Tbursdays at tbe HearSay Speecb asd Hearing Centre, 311 Commnercial St., suite 109. Eacb week is based on a tbeme, and 20 signa will be taugbt per week, plus one 10 îwo signing songs based on tbe theme. Classes are lim-ited te, 10 babies. Tbe cost for tbe class covers the entire famnily plus baby, so, the wbole family cas gel in on il. 'Me WeeHands prograru was founded by Sara Bingbamn, a Whitby resident, in 200 1. Ms B ingbam said sbe'd used ASL witb some kids wbo bad Down's syndrome asd autism, so sbe was familiar wiîb its benefils. When ber son was bom,. sbe said sbe began îelling biru nursery rbymes using sign language asd wben be was nine montbs be signed tbe word for 'ftsb'. "Thal nigbt we got a goldftsb," Ms Bingbam said, laugbing. Sbe began îeacbing ber program -based on tbe sîrategies of Josepb Garcia, wbo wroîe 'Sign witb Your Baby' - te, parents and babies in ber living rooru, wbicb soon grew too amaîl. Il's been expasding 10 surrounding communities ever since. "For some reason, Milton is boomning witb Ibis," abe said. Yvonne Oliveira, speecbllasguage patbologial asd audiologiat ai HearSay, said the WeeHasds prograrn lies in with tbe normal speecb asd lasguage developmenl of a cbild. Ms Oliveira said sbe's looking forward te, enrolling ber own nine-montb-old daugbter in tbe ftrst clasa aI HearSay. "I tbink itîIl be great. If's educational, but il's also fun," sbe said. To register for Milton Signing Babies, cal] (905) 875-3345, e- mail bearsay@bearsay.ca or visit www.weebands.com or www.bearsay.ca. Stephanie Thiessen can be reached at sthiessen@miltoncanadi- anc/tompion.com. W7\COGECQ ' Cogeco Cable Channel 14 Programming Schedule - Tuesday, March 22 - Monday, March 28, 2005 Druly Local Television 510 pwin f 4 El P M 6 4GN 566m ,ETR Op 6 DO, 66T66ýEX7R 3 60e-40p lgM nETA 80ý 4s )k ýtaa6g 1, 6 U AMA 0h VAL m 106 rD igd1 1 9M CS' HI.A9f6q 6 j0p , , 600v', CMM~A HÈ 5:1 P10, Aff AI 40p AyP575$Atn 6 op L www.cogeco.ca b- Ln44M H.T 61 6,6 .La ý T.,,IA t4 410646446EXTA67466 NORTH HAPTON STUDIO CAA M., Z1 4ON1 Pý,),1 64 )O16 G.r. H41,, 6 SON 44 AC"44 4 ' 46 Laurier Plaza 3p ,,ý 500 Laurier Avenue w ~ 3% 4,qý > Milton, ON L9T 4R3 A 905-878-9306 New trnes frWdnsa LIVE Shows: Swap TaIk, 7prn and Auto Experts, BpmJ prograrus being offered in town. The other is Milton Signing Babies, wbich is offering the WeeHands programn as HearSay Speech and Hearing Centre on Commercial Street. Little Hands Talking opened in January and teaches the KinderSigns pro- gram through a set