Interested in a new enrichment program for your school/camp?

Tired of the same old choices? 

Want to offer your students a creative and unique music,

drama and foreign language program?

Curious about the latest craze in child education?

NOW BOOKING FOR SUMMER & FALL!!

Let us come to your school or day care and teach a weekly class,

monthly workshop or quarterly or yearly "special"! 

Inquire about our free trial class.

Weekly Classes

Learn sign language while singing, story telling, dancing and more.  We reinforce basic preschool concepts such as letters, pre-reading skills, numbers, colors and concept development.  In addition, our classes have a common theme of friendship, self-respect, respect for others, feelings and self-expression.

Monthly Workshop Series

Our monthly classes are similar to our weekly classes with a greater influence by the schools or centers monthly themes.  Very musically-oriented.

Quarterly or One-time Workshops

You will learn to use sign language in your student's favorite nursery rhymes, familiar songs and childrens books. We will be happy to customize a "special" to match your needs, themes or holiday celebrations.

For more information, please contact us at:

www.signingfingers.com

P.O. Box, Livingston, NJ07039

Phone: (973) 699-3054 Fax: (208) 728-9458

Research has shown that using American Sign Language (ASL) with young children offers many benefits in the early education setting (i.e., day care centers or preschools).  The benefits include: increased development of language skills, increased pre-academic skills, reduced aggressive behaviors (i.e., tantrums) and exposure to a second language.  ASL is the third largest used language in the United States.  With millions of hard of hearing Americans using ASL in addition to children with special needs and more and more "typically developing" babies, toddlers, preschoolers and older children, signing is becoming an important part of our culture.  We are slowly learning what many other countries already know.  Sign language is a wonderful tool to assist with language development in children of all abilities.

How can I incorporate signing into my program?

As day care center providers, preschool educators and therapists, you can learn a handful of basic signs that can be incorporated into your daily activities and routines.  For the younger child, you sign as you speak so children receive two modalities of communication (oral and visual).  For example, during snack you can say "Do you want more juice" and sign "more".  During playtime, you can say "Do you want help putting together the puzzle" and sign "help".  During diaper changing or toileting, you can say and sign "diaper" or "potty".  The use of signs in these examples is meant as a visual reinforcement to oral language.  All you need is a few simple gestures to consistently model for the children.  In turn, their attention and comprehension will improve as salient information is highlighted and their expressive communication will grow.  Another way to incorporate signing is by adding it to "circle time" when you sing your favorite nursery rhyme or read your favorite book.  Using sign language in familiar events (i.e., singing Old MacDonald or reading Brown Bear, by Eric Carle) is  a great way to facilitate language development. 

For older children (ages 3 and up), using sign language can act as a reinforcer for key pre-academic concepts and skills such as learning colors, numbers, letters, visual and spatial memory.  In addition, exposure to sign language carries the same benefits as exposure to any other second language...with added benefits since sign language is a visual based language (so you are strengthening both the right and left sides of the brain simultaneously).  Sign language is recognized as a second language by the State of New Jersey. 

How can I learn more and help my staff?

We will be happy to tailor a program to match your individual needs.  Our comprehensive classes, workshops and workshop series will be wonderful tools to facilitate your staff's and students' learning.  Our Signing Fingers classes and workshops are a perfect addition to your current day care, preschool or school-age curriculum.  Not only will you be taught in a fun and easy-to-learn way, but you will walk away with a useful reference guide to refresh your memory.

Please refer to "About Our Signing Fingers sm Program" for a more detailed program description.