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Feedback from Hands Up! Students

Darcey
This has been a wonderful introduction to sign language for my family and little Darcey.
I do believe she made her first sign at last lesson ...
... lighthearted, fun but very professional. I cannot think of a single thing [to improve on.]

Phill B, Morecambe

Fred
A review of your beautifully thought out course. We enjoyed every moment and I quickly felt that we were adding to the layers that help our little ones communicate, giving them a complementary language to speech which they could access at an early stage.  I mean, you wouldn't give a child a book without pictures, would you, and that's what I felt about signing. I must admit, its easy to be sceptical before your child signs back to you and you do wonder whether its going to work for him!  I'm so proud to report that we've had our signing explosion! 

Fred surprises me all the time now - he signs enthusiastically each day and although he only SAYS a few words, he signs many more.  He signs, for example: digger, apple, pear, banana, strawberry, plum, plane, rain, motorbike, dog, fish, where, all gone, more, please/thank you, drink, light, listen.
He amazed me by going up to both an apple tree & plum tree in the garden-they have a  a little picture tag on-and signing apple & plum quite independently!! 
I get such a sense of achievement knowing that he can communicate with me and that he knows I understand what he is saying to me.  I am sure that it has lessened any frustrations and Fred is picking up new signs easily.

Caroline A.

Seth - 9 months
"I know that attending the course has been beneficial to myself, and Seth for definite! I feel that when I sign and speak to him he understands what I am saying, which contributes to him being a happy baby as he has a grasp of what is happening around him. Seth's first sign was around seven months old, for milk - which he does when drinking it! He understands when we sign to him for it as he gets very excited!. The music that goes along with the signing is lovely and Seth's face lights up when the music starts. To see him enjoy it so much is the best bit."

Siân B, Morecambe

Brynley
It was so exciting when Brynley was able to tell us, at mealtimes, when he wanted more and when he was ‘all finished!’ He has a big smile on his face, as do we, when he realises he has communicated effectively.
Also must be said that the enthusiasm of the tutor, backed up by in depth knowledge, is very infectious!

Emma & Bill R, Lancaster

Lucy
From learning to sign 'milk' as a baby Lucy is now learning her alphabet at two years. There's always more to learn and very enjoyable. Thankyou! :)
Although Lucy started signing lessons from six months, she still enjoys learning new signs at the age of two and a half years. The songs are great. Very friendly atmosphere.

Michelle B, Morecambe

Lee
"It has been helpful for me to learn as my six-year-old daughter attended a baby signing class with her child minder. Now I can understand and sign with her.
My baby's first sign was 'hello' and once he had learnt it we could not stop him. It was a great experience ... It has been something I look forward to every week so I think that says it all!"

Sharon F, Silverdale

Lucas
"Both my son and I thoroughly enjoyed the course. Lucas definitely understands some of the signs like ‘milk’ so now we have started weaning him I sign to him to tell him ‘food then milk’ so he doesn’t get  upset waiting!
Lucas was so fascinated watching the signs and listening to the singing. They always make him smile and giggle!"

Suzanne M, Morecambe

Isla
My daughter can sign if she’s hungry, thirsty, what she’s like to do, what animals she’s seen...lots of communication! 'More' was her first sign, and 'all done', now she has about 40 signs.

Zoe S, Halton

Luke - 18 months old
I started going to the baby signing class that Deborah ran as Luke's older brother and sister both had delayed speech. I felt that if he had the same problem then it would give him some way of communicating.
As it turns out he does not have these problems and I think his language skills are quite advanced. The course has helped him to be able to express his needs, he will tell us if he wants food - and what kind (unfortunately this is usually chocolate :) he can tell us if he has hurt himself or is ill. He has even learned some colours and letters! He is able to recognize about 10 letters.
What is great is he doesn't just sign all this, he will speak and sign at the same time. As he has been learning to speak, the combination of the sign and the voice has made him easily understandable to us. He is now managing to speak in short sentences, like 'daddy's blue car' and 'my drink'. I think the signing has provided a link for him to assist his speech development and we are really happy with how it has helped him."

watch Luke signing

Vicky D, Morecambe

Robyn - 16 months
"I'd been signing a few basic signs to my little girl since she was about 6 months but she never really seemed very interested.  Then we did a Hands Up 2 Sign course with Deborah in Lancaster when she was 15 months old and all of a sudden things clicked for her and she started using signs all over the place!  A month or so later and she has a range of at least 20 to 30 signs including food, animals and even some more abstract things like 'open'. It's been a fantastic help to us at home to know what she wants and being able to communicate with us has definitely made her a much happier baby."

Emma K, Lancaster

Emily - 16 months
"Emily is keeping us entertained. She is signing especially when she sees something she likes in books- mostly animals, trees etc. Or for really vital things she'll sign them - like swings, trike, cheese! The other thing Emily keeps doing is spotting tiny pictures of things like birds, ladybirds, flowers etc. on cups and signing them so that we have to go in search of the thing she has spotted!
Mark's mum was very touched yesterday. When she arrived Emily signed "friend". When I go to get up Emily up in the morning she signs 'books' straight away! I'm really pleased we've done signing with Emily. So thank you so much for all your help and encouragement to keep going ...
I'll certainly recommend signing and your course to friends in the future."

Jo W, High Bentham

Lancaster University
Training Workshop

Thank you on behalf of the EYPS group for delivering such an enjoyable workshop on 8th November. Feedback from everyone was very positive....

Greta Grindell EYPS Contract and Project Manager

"It was extremely useful as an initial insight into the use of baby signing in every day practice"

Sarah E.

"The session has been very helpful and I was able to take signs back to my setting, share them with other practitioners and begin to use them with children. Definitely encouraged me to look at communication in a new way. Would love to learn more BSL."

Vicky P.

University of Cumbria
Pre-School Centre

"A very helpful training session, thoroughly enjoyed, it was brilliant"

Christina B.

"Absolutely brilliant! Can't wait to start signing!"

Emma G.

"Fantastic, can’t wait to try it out on my children"

Sarah G.

luke signing donkey

Balmoral Childrens' Centre
Staff training session

“Did not realise how beneficial signing is to every child. Will certainly use this in the Centre with families and with my grandchildren.”

Stella S.


"The session has been helpful for work with babies/toddlers in ‘Rattle and Rhyme’ as hoping could try signing within some of the nursery rhymes. The session will also be beneficial for general work with children and families to aid communication. It has helped to learn benefits of signing with children and how to teach it in a fun way. I particularly enjoyed the fun and interactive way in which the session was delivered."

Joanne C.


"I think the session has been very helpful and look forward to trying out my new skill with the children I work with. I found it fascinating how it has enabled children to communicate more effectively and quicker."

Helen H.

'Total Tots' Lancaster & Morecambe
Staff Training Course

"Really helpful, feel that it would help communication with young children and babies especially if they were feeling upset or frustrated"

Viv N.

"Brilliant course, staff are putting it into practice. Lots of positive praise about the course. Thoroughly enjoyed."

Kara S.

"The session has been extremely useful as it has given us a new aspect of learning for the children and a new way of teaching for staff. I didn't know how to do baby signing before I attended this course. I intend to carry this through."