Colors Signs for Storytime!
Brighten up any storytime by teaching the American Sign Language colors!
Learn the color signs from Shaylee, Ivy, Manny and Sheena in this adorable video from ASL Nook! It’s perfect for learning the signs yourself, and also short and engaging enough to share with students or in storytime!
Then incorporate the ASL signs for colors in your favorite songs and rhymes! Here’s a fun one to get you started. This song is terrific for online storytimes and lessons too, because it keeps kids engaged even through a video screen! For more signing fun, click on the links to learn the signs for the movements too.
Where are Colors? Song
by Kathy MacMillan
(to the tune of Frere Jacques)
Where is RED? Where is RED?
Look around. Look around.
Point to something RED, Point to something RED
JUMP up and down, JUMP up and down.
WHERE is BLUE?…DANCE around.
WHERE is YELLOW?…TURN-AROUND.
WHERE is GREEN?…STOMP around.
WHERE is PURPLE?…then SIT down.
Register now for Little Hands Signing Professional Development Series 2!
Little Hands Signing Professional Development Storytimes Series 2: Seasons
Join us for weekly interactive “annotated storytimes” that teaches basic American Sign Language vocabulary and demonstrate how to use the signs in storytime activities and the early childhood classroom. Each session will focus on specific seasonal vocabulary:
- Tuesday, July 7, 11 AM-12 PM Eastern: Summer Signs
- Tuesday, July14, 11 AM-12 PM Eastern: Autumn Signs
- Tuesday, July 21, 11 AM-12 PM Eastern: Winter Signs
- Tuesday, July 28, 11 AM-12 PM Eastern: Spring Signs
- Tuesday, August 4, 11 AM-12 PM Eastern: Celebration Signs
Because each webinar is theme-based, it is NOT necessary to have taken Series 1 in order to get the most out of Series 2!
Children of participants are welcome to join for the first 40 minutes. The final 20 minutes will consist of lecture and Q&A. Webinars are presented in spoken English. To request accommodations, contact info@storiesbyhand.com.
Individual registration: $200 for the 5-webinar series. Group rate: $1500 for 10 people for the 5-webinar series.
Add-ons available:
- 30-minute one-on-one coaching session: $30. A one-on-one Zoom session with Kathy MacMillan to receive individualized feedback on your planned signing materials for storytime or the classroom – planned around your schedule! Includes recording access. Must be used within 6 months of purchase.
- Individualized video feedback: $20. Submit a video (up to 10 min) demonstrating your planned signing activities for storytime and receive individualized feedback on sign choices, production, and more from Kathy MacMillan via return video within 14 days. Must be used within 6 months of purchase.
Register now! Get 40% off when you register using code EARLYLITERACY (valid on group tickets too!)
Live Storytimes, Giveaway, and a Rhyme to Sign
Happy book birthday to Nita’s Day: More Signs for Babies and Parents by Kathy MacMillan! The second book in the Little Hands Signing series features Nita and her family using American Sign Language all day long! With adorable, bold illustrations by Sara Brezzi and a unique slide-open format, this board book makes a great baby shower or new baby gift!
Order Nita’s Day now! Autographed copies from the Deaf Camps, Inc. Online Bookstore | Indiebound.org | Bookshop.org | Workman.com (use code BOOKS for 20% off!) | Amazon.com | BarnesAndNoble.com
Nita’s Day Teacher/Librarian Guide | Nita’s Day Signs Demonstration Video
Join Kathy MacMillan for the Nita’s Day Online Launch Celebration!
Facebook Live Nita’s Day Launch Day Celebration Storytimes:
- Tuesday, May 12, 2020 at 11 AM Eastern: Storytime in American Sign Language
- Tuesday, May 12, 2020 at 2 PM: Storytime in Spoken English
Enter the Giveaway!
Enter to win a signed copy of the set! This makes a great gift and may be personalized. Must by 18 or older to enter. US Only. Giveaway closes May 22, 2020. Find 3 ways to enter here!
Sign with Nita All Day Long!
Here’s a rhyme to practice the signs in the book:
This is the latest entry in the Little Hands Signing video series. See the whole series here and look for more videos to come!
Register now for Liven Up Baby and Toddler Storytimes with Sign Language
Liven Up Baby and Toddler Storytimes with Sign Language: A 90-minute webinar
Wednesday, June 10, 2020, 2:30pm Eastern/1:30pm Central/12:30pm Mountain/11:30am Pacific
Presented by Kathy MacMillan, NIC, M.L.S.
Signing with young children of any hearing ability fosters bonding, stimulates language development, and reduces frustration for caregiver and child. Learn how to use sign language in storytimes to broaden their appeal and make them more participative. In this interactive workshop, Kathy MacMillan—American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter, librarian, and storyteller—will use video examples to provide easy-to-learn signs that can be retaught and incorporated into stories, rhymes, and songs. You will be able to use the skills learned in this workshop to create programs that will help you, your staff, and parents communicate better with children. Register at https://www.alastore.ala.org/content/liven-baby-and-toddler-storytimes-sign-language-workshop
Register now for the Little Hands Signing Professional Development Storytime series!
Perfect for the librarian or teacher stuck at home trying to juggle professional development with childcare! It’s continuing education you can share with your child!
Little Hands Signing Professional Development Storytimes
Join us for weekly interactive “annotated storytimes” that teaches basic American Sign Language vocabulary and demonstrate how to use the signs in storytime activities. Each session will focus on specific vocabulary:
- April 29, 11 AM-12 PM Eastern: First Signs
- May 6, 11 AM-12 PM Eastern: Feelings Signs
- May 13, 11 AM-12 PM Eastern: Colors Signs
- May 20, 11 AM-12 PM Eastern: Animal Signs
- May 27, 11 AM-12 PM Eastern: Family Signs
Children of participants are welcome to join for the first 40 minutes. The final 20 minutes will consist of lecture and Q&A. Presenter Kathy MacMillan is a nationally certified American Sign Language interpreter, librarian, and storyteller. She is the author of the Little Hands Signing series from Familius Press, as well as Little Hands and Big Hands: Children and Adults Signing Together (Huron Street Press) as well as many other resources books for librarians and educators. Certificate of completion for each webinar available upon request with successful completion of post-test.
$50 per person per webinar. $200 for 5-webinar series.
Add-ons available:
- 30-minute one-on-one coaching session: $30. A one-on-one Zoom session with Kathy MacMillan to receive individualized feedback on your planned signing materials for storytime or the classroom – planned around your schedule! Includes recording access. Must be used within 6 months of purchase.
- Individualized video feedback: $20.Submit a video (up to 10 min) demonstrating your planned signing activities for storytime and receive individualized feedback on sign choices, production, and more from Kathy MacMillan via return video within 14 days. Must be used within 6 months of purchase.
Individual webinars:
Register now for Sign Language for Children in Storytime or the Classroom eCourse
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, March 2, 2020 and continuing for 6 weeks (Participants will have 12 weeks to complete course materials.)
$250.00 (discounts available for ALA members and bulk registrations)
Estimated Hours of Learning: 36 (Certificate of Completion available upon request)
American 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
Feedback from past participants:
“One of the most well-organized and rewarding professional development courses I’ve taken.”
“Kathy is an amazing instructor. She made learning online very easy and comfortable. She replied quickly when students had questions and she responded with feedback with videos to help sign better.”
“I am amazed. It couldn’t have gone better. I came away learning many signs I can use and gained some helpful information for my storytimes.”
“The instructor was phenomenal, and I am already incorporating course work into everyday interactions in the library. Everything in the course is relevant and beneficial.”
Register now for Basic ASL for Library Staff and Signing in Storytime or the Classroom eCourses!
Registration is now open for upcoming sessions of these popular eCourses through the American Library Association!
Basic American Sign Language for Library Staff eCourse begins January 13, 2020.
Purchase both courses as a bundle and save! See below for more information about each course.
Basic American Sign Language for Library Staff
Asynchronous eCourse beginning Monday, May 20, 2019 (6 weeks of lessons; Participants will have a total of 12 weeks to complete course materials)
Instructor: Kathy MacMillan, NIC, M.L.S.
Cost: $250.00 (discounts available for American Library Association members and bulk registrations)
Estimated Hours of Learning: 36 (Certificate of Completion available upon request)
Click here to register.
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.
Past attendees say:
“This course has been invaluable to me. I have spent countless hours reviewing all of the video, re-reading the lessons, and just generally trying to absorb as much knowledge as I could. The instructor was a gem in the way that she provided comprehensive answers to questions, feedback, tips and resources.”
“While I had taken ASL many years ago, this class has expanded my vocabulary and boosted my confidence in my abilities. I think it helped that this class specifically addressed situations I might encounter here at work.”
“This has been a great introduction to both the language and the culture!”
“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.”
“Ms. MacMillan provided timely feedback to all responses, questions, and comments during the entire course. Her answers show the mastery of content knowledge and her response time shows how much she cares about her students and the topic she is teaching. This was one of the best online courses I have taken, and I will highly recommend this course to others.”
Register now for Basic ASL for Library Staff
Register now for American Sign Language for Librarians eCourse bundle
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, March 2, 2020 and continuing for 6 weeks (Participants will have 12 weeks to complete course materials.)
$250.00 (discounts available for ALA members and bulk registrations)
Estimated Hours of Learning: 36 (Certificate of Completion available upon request)
American 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
Feedback from past participants:
“One of the most well-organized and rewarding professional development courses I’ve taken.”
“Kathy is an amazing instructor. She made learning online very easy and comfortable. She replied quickly when students had questions and she responded with feedback with videos to help sign better.”
“I am amazed. It couldn’t have gone better. I came away learning many signs I can use and gained some helpful information for my storytimes.”
“The instructor was phenomenal, and I am already incorporating course work into everyday interactions in the library. Everything in the course is relevant and beneficial.”
Register now for American Sign Language for Librarians eCourse bundle
Registration now open for popular eCourses with Kathy MacMillan!
Registration is now open for upcoming sessions of these popular eCourses through the American Library Association!
Basic American Sign Language for Library Staff eCourse begins January 13, 2020.
Purchase both courses as a bundle and save! See below for more information about each course.
Basic American Sign Language for Library Staff
Asynchronous eCourse beginning Monday, May 20, 2019 (6 weeks of lessons; Participants will have a total of 12 weeks to complete course materials)
Instructor: Kathy MacMillan, NIC, M.L.S.
Cost: $250.00 (discounts available for American Library Association members and bulk registrations)
Estimated Hours of Learning: 36 (Certificate of Completion available upon request)
Click here to register.
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.
Past attendees say:
“This course has been invaluable to me. I have spent countless hours reviewing all of the video, re-reading the lessons, and just generally trying to absorb as much knowledge as I could. The instructor was a gem in the way that she provided comprehensive answers to questions, feedback, tips and resources.”
“While I had taken ASL many years ago, this class has expanded my vocabulary and boosted my confidence in my abilities. I think it helped that this class specifically addressed situations I might encounter here at work.”
“This has been a great introduction to both the language and the culture!”
“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.”
“Ms. MacMillan provided timely feedback to all responses, questions, and comments during the entire course. Her answers show the mastery of content knowledge and her response time shows how much she cares about her students and the topic she is teaching. This was one of the best online courses I have taken, and I will highly recommend this course to others.”
Register now for Basic ASL for Library Staff
Register now for American Sign Language for Librarians eCourse bundle
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, March 2, 2020 and continuing for 6 weeks (Participants will have 12 weeks to complete course materials.)
$250.00 (discounts available for ALA members and bulk registrations)
Estimated Hours of Learning: 36 (Certificate of Completion available upon request)
American 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
Feedback from past participants:
“One of the most well-organized and rewarding professional development courses I’ve taken.”
“Kathy is an amazing instructor. She made learning online very easy and comfortable. She replied quickly when students had questions and she responded with feedback with videos to help sign better.”
“I am amazed. It couldn’t have gone better. I came away learning many signs I can use and gained some helpful information for my storytimes.”
“The instructor was phenomenal, and I am already incorporating course work into everyday interactions in the library. Everything in the course is relevant and beneficial.”
Register now for American Sign Language for Librarians eCourse bundle
Save the dates! New sessions of popular eCourses coming in 2020!
Be on the lookout for these popular eCourses from ALA Editions, taught by Kathy MacMillan! For more details about eCourse content, click here.
Basic American Sign Language for Library Staff
Asynchronous eCourse featuring 6 weeks of lessons (Participants will have 12 weeks to complete course materials)
Winter 2020 Session Begins January 13, 2020 – registration coming soon
American Sign Language is most commonly used in storytimes for babies, but the applications can go much further. In this 6-week eCourse, 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
Sign Language for Children in Storytime or in the Classroom: A Practical Guide eCourse
Asynchronous eCourse featuring 6 weeks of lessons (Participants will have 12 weeks to complete course materials)
Spring 2020 Session Begins March 2, 2020 – registration coming soon
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.
Starting soon: Basic ASL for Library Staff eCourse
Asynchronous eCourse beginning Monday, May 20, 2019 (6 weeks of lessons; Participants will have a total of 12 weeks to complete course materials)
Instructor: Kathy MacMillan, NIC, M.L.S.
Cost: $195.00 (discounts available for American Library Association members and bulk registrations)
Register here.
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.
Past attendees say:
“This course has been invaluable to me. I have spent countless hours reviewing all of the video, re-reading the lessons, and just generally trying to absorb as much knowledge as I could. The instructor was a gem in the way that she provided comprehensive answers to questions, feedback, tips and resources.”
“While I had taken ASL many years ago, this class has expanded my vocabulary and boosted my confidence in my abilities. I think it helped that this class specifically addressed situations I might encounter here at work.”
“This has been a great introduction to both the language and the culture!”
“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.”
“Ms. MacMillan provided timely feedback to all responses, questions, and comments during the entire course. Her answers show the mastery of content knowledge and her response time shows how much she cares about her students and the topic she is teaching. This was one of the best online courses I have taken, and I will highly recommend this course to others.”
