I just realized I had a bunch of storytime posts that I had saved in draft format and never published! This is one of them.
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Disclaimer: I am not bilingual in ASL. I took some courses in college (which seems like a million years ago now…) I know I am not going to teach anyone to be fluent in ASL – as a fully formed language, there is no way I could do this. But I view this program as a way to teach parents signs that they might find useful to use with their babies, as children can sign before they can speak. I am teaching words, not grammar or culture. I mean no disrespect to the Deaf community, and I welcome comments/ways to improve this service in a culturally respectful manner.
SONG: “Hello Friends” in ASL
taken from Jbrary
I changed this one a little so instead of doing it time to “say” Hello, I sing, “it’s time to Sign Hello” and use the ASL word for sign
SIGNS USED DURING THIS PROGRAM:
BOOK:
The Birthday Pet by Ellen Javernick, illustrated by Kevin O’Malley
Signs used with the story:
Turtle
Dog
Cat
Rat
Bird
MOVEMENT: If You’re Happy and You Know It
I sung this one acapella, and when we clap our hands we do the ASL version of clapping, we stomp our feet, and we pound our chest. Whenever there is clapping in this storytime (at the end of a book, etc) we always do it the ASL way.
FLANNELBOARD:
Pet Voices
(Flannelboard pattern & rhyme from 2’s Experience Felt Board Fun by Liz & Dick Wilmes. Art by Janet McDonnell)
For this I just put up the different animals, we named them, and then did the sign for each. We also talked about what sounds they made (which seems weird to talk about sound during a Sign Language storytime, but…), and what color they were.
Signs used with this story:
Bird
Fish
Rabbit
Cat
Dog
Mouse
BOOK:
I Spy Pets by Edward Gibbs
Signs used with story:
Bird
Fish
Turtle
Rabbit
Cat
Dog
SONG: The Alphabet Song
We finger sign along to this one. This was my second time adding this element in to the storytime, so I passed this handout out to the parents at storytime to help them follow along.
BOOK:
Fifteen Animals! by Sandra Boynton
Signs used with story:
Cat
Dog
Fish
Hamster
Horse
Pig
Rabbit
Mouse
Bird
Turtle
VIDEO:
“Iggy’s Pet Friends” from Baby’s First-Word Stories: Pets
Signs used with this story:
Pig
Hamster
Bird
Rabbit
ADDITIONAL MATERIAL IDEAS:
Book: Some Pets by Angela DiTerlizzi, pets by Brendan Wenzel
(signs to use with story: dog, cat, snake, rabbit, hamster, bird, friend)
Book: Pet this Book by Jessica Young & Daniel Wiseman
(signs to use with story: cat, bird, dog, horse)
Book: Emma’s Pet by David McPhail
(signs to use with story: cat, bug, mouse, bird, frog, snake, fish, dog, turtle, father)
PRESENTED: Thursday, March 14 at LM Branch
ATTENDANCE: 14 people (adults and children)
Jen in the Library 