Category Archives: American Sign Language

Win signed copies of new titles by Christine Kirker and Kathy MacMillan!

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We’re so excited to share that the co-authors of the Storytime Magic series each have new solo books out! Read about them below, and enter a giveaway for a prize pack featuring signed copies of both books here.

Nita’s First Signs

Available now from Familius Press!

  • Text by Kathy MacMillan
  • Illustrations by Sara Brezzi
  • ASL/Deaf Culture Advisor: Dr. Barbara Kannapell

American Sign Language makes it easy to communicate with your child, and Nita makes it fun! Nita’s First Signs teaches ten essential signs for every parent and child to know, including eat, more, hungry, milk, all done, ball, play, love, please, and thank you. A simple story about Nita and her parents teaches each sign in context, and repetition throughout each story makes them easy to practice. Even better, each page slides open to reveal accurate instructions on how to make each sign, plus tabs on the side of each page make it simple to locate every sign for later reference. Marlee Matlin, award-winning Deaf actress, author, and activist, says: “Nita’s First Signs demonstrates the value and fun of learning sign language for ALL infants, toddlers children AND adults, regardless of whether they are Deaf or hearing or hard of hearing.”

Order now at amazon.com | barnesandnoble.com | indiebound.org

 

25 Projects for Art Explorers

by Christine Kirker 

Available now from ALA Editions!

With schools emphasizing STEM activities for children to meet curriculum goals for standardized testing, nurturing children’s artistic creativity is often given short shrift. Kirker’s fun resource aims to restore the balance, offering more than two dozen projects that will spark children’s interest in art and encourage creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking. Designed for kids aged 5-10, and flexible enough to use in either storytimes or classroom settings, the projects here

  • introduce children to a variety of art techniques, from gouache and watercolor to collage and papermaking, using a curated selection of quality picture books;
  • provide detailed directions for guiding children to experiment with these techniques to create their own projects; and
  • include materials lists adaptable for any budget, capsule biographies of the picture books’ illustrators, programming tips, and links to additional resources.

Kirker’s inventive projects will help library staff and educators reinforce learning, encourage experimentation, and build an appreciation for art and the creative process.

Order now from ALA Editions!

 

Enter a giveaway for a prize pack featuring signed copies of both books!

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Posted in: American Sign Language, Art, Free Stuff, School Age Programming, Signing in Storytime

New eCourse: Sign Language for Children in Storytime or in the Classroom

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Sign Language for Children in Storytime or in the Classroom: A Practical Guide eCourse

Instructor: Kathy MacMillan, NIC, M.L.S.

Asynchronous eCourse beginning Monday, May 7, 2018 and continuing for 6 weeks (Participants will have 12 weeks to complete course materials)

$250.00

Click here to register.

Estimated Hours of Learning: 36 (Certificate of Completion available upon request)

 

Sign Language is most commonly used in storytimes for babies, but the applications can go much further. In this new 6-week eCourse, Sign Language expert Kathy MacMillan explores the benefits of signing with all children.  In addition to learning basic American Sign Language (ASL) vocabulary appropriate for use with children in library and classroom settings, you will also learn to teach stories, songs, and other activities that incorporate ASL. MacMillan provides you with a linguistic and cultural context to help make your programming more accessible.

After participating in this eCourse, you will:

  • Have a working knowledge of approximately 180 signs (introduced through video)
  • Create two storytime/classroom activities using the featured vocabulary that you can implement in your storytimes
  • Understand relevant aspects of child development and early literacy
  • Understand signing in a linguistic and cultural context

Instructor Kathy MacMillan is a writer and nationally certified American Sign Language interpreter. She is the author of Nita’s First Signs (Familius Press), as well as the author or co-author of many books from ALA Editions, including Little Hands & Big Hands: Children and Adults Signing Together and the Storytime Magic series. She was the library/media specialist at the Maryland School for the Deaf from 2001 to 2005 and has worked in public libraries since 1996.  She presents storytelling programs introducing sign language through Stories By Hand and offers training and resources for enhancing storytimes through Storytime Stuff. Her debut young adult novel, Sword and Verse, was published by HarperCollins in 2016.

Posted in: American Sign Language, Professional Development, Signing in Storytime

Register now for Basic ASL for Library Staff! Starts next week!

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Basic ASL for Library StaffInstructor: Kathy MacMillan, NIC, M.L.S.

Asynchronous eCourse beginning Monday, March 26, 2018 and continuing for 6 weeks (Participants will have 12 weeks to complete course materials)

$195.00

Click here to register.

Estimated Hours of Learning: 30 (Certificate of Completion available upon request)

American Sign Language (ASL) is an invaluable skill for library professionals. A basic grasp of ASL enhances your ability to serve deaf library users and opens up a new world of possibilities for storytime programs. It’s also a marketable professional skill that can translate to public service jobs beyond the library world.

Ideal for those without previous experience, this eCourse taught by librarian and ASL interpreter Kathy MacMillan will use readings, multimedia resources, and online discussion boards to introduce basic ASL vocabulary and grammar appropriate for use in a library setting. MacMillan will place ASL within a linguistic and cultural context, aiding participants in improving library services.

Comments from previous students of this course:

“Thank you for teaching me much more than I expected. It’s been a wonderful experience that I will certainly share with everyone who will listen!”

“This course has been invaluable to me…I am so grateful for the opportunity to participate in the course and truly appreciate someone’s genius in offering it. The instructor was a gem in the way that she provided comprehensive answers to questions, feedback, tips and resources.”

“I absolutely loved the class and would HIGHLY recommend it to ANYONE — librarian or not!”

“This class was interesting, informative and entertaining. It opened my eyes to a variety of ideas and concepts that can only make me a better librarian as well as a better person. I thought things were well organized and presented in an ordered and logical fashion, each lesson building on the one before.”

Register now!

Posted in: Accessibility, American Sign Language, Professional Development

Nita’s First Signs now available for preorder!

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Coming June 15, 2018 from Familius Press!

Nita’s First Signs by Kathy MacMillan

illustrated by Sara Brezzi

Baby sign language makes it easy to communicate with your child, and Nita makes it fun! Nita’s First Signs teaches ten essential signs for every parent and child to know, including eat, more, hungry, milk, all done, ball, play, love, please, and thank you. A simple story about Nita and her parents teaches each sign in context, and repetition throughout each story makes them easy to practice. Even better, each page slides open to reveal accurate instructions on how to make each sign, plus tabs on the side of each page make it simple to locate every sign for later reference. Baby sign language collections aren’t complete without Nita!

Preorder now at amazon.com | barnesandnoble.com | indiebound.org

Posted in: American Sign Language

Candle: A Rhyme to Sign

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Direct Link: https://youtu.be/lESwVjoDdZo

Candle, candle burning bright, (sign CANDLE)

lighting up the darkest night.

Thank you for your shining light,

but with one puff, you’re out of sight. (blow on the fingers representing the flames and curl them into a fist to show the candle going out)

MacMillan_cover_1p.inddFind lots more great storytime activities in More Storytime Magic, the latest volume in the Storytime Magic series!

Posted in: American Sign Language, Baby and Toddler Programs, Holidays, Signing in Storytime

Storytime Stuff featured on Mother Goose on the Loose!

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Our ASL Rhyme “Woodpecker, Woodpecker” was chosen as the rhyme of the month over at Mother Goose on the Loose!  Mother Goose on the Loose is an award-winning early-literacy program for children from birth to age 3 created by Dr. Betsy Diamant-Cohen.  This innovative program is based on research which shows that children learn best through routine and repetition in a nurturing environment. Mother Goose on the Loose uses a variety of activities, such as rhymes, songs, puppets and instruments to foster speech development, motor coordination, self-confidence, and sensitivity to others.

Check out the Mother Goose on the Loose website for lots of early literacy resources, and make sure to sign up for the monthly newsletter to receive great tips, ideas, and research links in your inbox.

Posted in: American Sign Language, Baby and Toddler Programs, Birds, Trees

Playground Romp: A Rhyme to Sign

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Direct Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZ7Ft2p9Lww

At the playground,

always so much fun.

Watching all the kids

on the run.

 

Twisty slide, twisty slide,

climbing to the top.

Slide all the way down

with a great bit plop.

 

On the see-saw,

going back and forth.

We go so fast

we get dizzy of course.

 

Flying on the swing set,

we go so high!

We say hello

to all the birds in the sky!

MacMillan_cover_1p.inddFind lots more great storytime activities in More Storytime Magic, the latest volume in the Storytime Magic series!

Posted in: American Sign Language, Play, Signing in Storytime

Woodpecker, Woodpecker: A Signing Rhyme

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MacMillan_cover_1p.inddAnother sneak preview of our newest book, More Storytime Magic (ALA Editions, January 2016):

Woodpecker, Woodpecker: A Signing Rhyme

Direct Link: https://youtu.be/YCT3FEC-ZY4

Begin by teaching the ASL signs TREE and BIRD. Explain that in this rhyme, you will be learning about a specific kind of bird called a woodpecker, and will be using the signs to show how the woodpecker uses the tree.

Woodpecker, woodpecker, time to eat! (sign BIRD)

Woodpecker, woodpecker, fly to the tree. (sign TREE with your other hand and move the BIRD to your forearm)

Tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap! (make the bird’s beak tap quickly on your forearm, which represents the tree trunk)

Now eat up the bugs you found, just like that. (move fingers to show beak eating bugs)

 

Woodpecker, woodpecker, time to sleep! (sign BIRD)

Woodpecker, woodpecker, fly to the tree. (sign TREE with your other hand and move the BIRD to your forearm)

Tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap! (make the bird’s beak tap quickly on your forearm, which represents the tree trunk)

Now nestle in the hole you made, cozy as can be! (nestle bird in palm of hand)

 

Find lots more great storytime activities in More Storytime Magic, the latest volume in the Storytime Magic series!

Posted in: American Sign Language, Birds, Multicultural Storytime Activities, Nature, Signing in Storytime, Trees

The Logistics of Signing in Storytime

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Screen Shot 2015-02-26 at 12_43_19 PMDawn Babb Prochovnic, author of the Story Time with Signs and Rhymes series, answers the question: “How do you physically hold a book and sign along with it?” with a series of links, videos, and more to help you put more signs in your stories! Check out the post at Dawn’s blog.

Posted in: American Sign Language, Signing in Storytime

10 Great Picture Books About ASL and Deaf Culture

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December 3-10 is Clerc-Gallaudet Week, honoring the birthdays of two visionary leaders in the field of American Deaf Education who were born in December: Laurent Clerc on December 26, 1785 and Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet on December 10, 1787. Check out this previous post for more information about Clerc and Gallaudet, including program and lesson ideas.

Today we are honoring Clerc-Gallaudet week by sharing our 10 favorite picture books/series about American Sign Language and Deaf Culture:

Continue reading →

Posted in: American Sign Language, Books in Storytime, Signing in Storytime | Tagged: , , ,