by Lisa Stephens

Created on: July 19, 2009

As a parent of a special needs child, who in the first five years of his life was unable to speak the spoken word, learning and teaching him language played a vital role in his ability to communicate his needs and wants effectively. He is now almost 10, and even though his verbal communication has improved, sign language still is an intricate part of his daily communication. Whether you are a parent of a child who struggles with speaking, or a parent that wants to teach your hearing child to sign, there are numerous books and videos available to assist you. Below are a few of my favorite books for teaching children to sign.

Signs for Me, by Ben Bahan and Joe Danms

This is one of my all-time favorites. It is a basic dictionary of common sign for children. It is well-illustrated with drawings and the words are well organized into vocabulary categories. This is a good book for helping young children to learn to sign.

My First Book of Sign, by Pamela Baker

This is another great starter book for young children. The signs and words are arranged in alphabetical order with attractive colorful illustrations that children enjoy.

My Fist Book of Sign Language, by Joan Holub

Similar to the book mentioned above, it lists many of the everyday common words that your young child would use.

I Can Sign my ABC's, by Susan Chaplin

This is another one of my early favorites. It is simply written and easy to understand. It is very helpful is teaching your child the basic vocabulary of sign language. The illustrations are wonderful, showing the proper hand shape for each letter, a word that begins with that letter, and a colorful drawing of the sign.

Sign Language for Kids: A Fun & Easy Guide to American Sign Language, by Lora Heller

This book is geared toward the older elementary child. The book contains photographs of children signing and covers the basic vocabulary of school age children. Each photo is followed by an explanation of how to make each sign, and sometimes contains a description or sentence that uses that particular sign shown.

Pictures Plus Dictionary, by Virginia McKinney

I use this book as a handy reference tool. It is a dictionary that illustrates the words is sign language, including those words that have several definitions.

Come Sign With Us, by Jan C. Hafer and Robert M. Wilson

This book is a wonderful learning guide. It contains illustrated sign language words, includes many activities and lesson plans. The vocabulary words are also in both English and Spanish.

You can Learn Sign Language, by Jackie Kramer and Tali Ovadia

This is one of my more recent favorites, as it is geared to children in the second through fourth grade. Each word (over 300) is illustrated in photos of children signing, sometimes with cartoons. The words are organized by category, making them easy to find and learn.

Learning sign language for whatever reason can be fun for both parent and child. It is a wonderful way to communicate with one another. All of the above books can be purchased from Amazon.com. I hope that you find one or all of these books helpful in learning to beautifully communicate with your child using sign.

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