Sweet Treats

Sweets are on my mind because I know I need to eliminate them from my diet but just can't seem to do it! I want to let you know that the signs for sweet and cute are the same, but with different facial expressions. Of course, the context of the rest of your sentence would let the person you're signing to know what you're talking about. I know it's difficult to use expression when you're learning (because you're really focused), but expressions are as important as the signs themselves-- maybe more so!

If you're teaching these signs to children, be sure they respond to you with more than a single sign. If you ask them to tell their favorite kind of ice cream, they should sign, "I like chocolate ice cream." rather than just, "Chocolate."  It's good sign language practice and good practice in speaking in complete sentences.

Summer Activities

Teachers, here's a way to teach some new signs and learn something about your students. Teach them to sign summer activities so they can tell you what they did over the summer. After I teach a new group of signs, I always have students put the signs together into a sentence. Not only is speaking/signing in complete sentences important, but it also reinforces the learning.