The Magic of Signing Songs—Our Favorite Resources

ABC Phonics: Sing, Sign, and Read! (Picture Book/CD and Program) by Nellie Edge © Sign2Me®/Northlight Communications; 2010 Begin the year with one key ABC and phonics book as your anchor text! We are excited to announce the initial publication of ABC Phonics: Sing, Sign, and Read! a multicultural ABC book and CD in teacher’s edition. Hundreds of teachers and parents using earlier versions of this book have proven the power of adding singing, fingerspelling, and American Sign Language (ASL) to their ABC program! Engaging children in a multisensory musical adventure as they develop letter and sound correspondence dramatically increases recall. Read about our action–research on “Multisensory ABC and Phonics Immersion” in a free e-Book at nellieedge.com.  Visit Sign2Me for the additional Teacher Resource Materials.

ABC Phonics: Sing, Sign, and Read! book and CD by Nellie Edge (Sign2Me/Northlight Publishing, 2010)

The Perigee Visual Dictionary of Signing

By Rod Butterworth and Mickey (1995)

Produced by: Perigee Trade.

Your class needs at least one sign language dictionary.  This affordable paperback is our choice.

Lift Up Your Hands

By Donna C. Gadling, Pastor Daniel H. Pokorny, and Dr. Lottie L. Riekehof (1992).

Produced by: The National Grange, 1616 H Street NW, Washington, D.C.  2006.  (202) 628-3507; www.nationalgrange.org

Favorite patriotic songs with illustrations for sign language interpretation are featured. They use a combination of American Sign Language signs and English word order.

Beginning Sign Language Books and Free ASL Alphabet Poster

By S. Harold Collins.

Produced by: Garlic Press, 1312 Jeppesen Ave., Eugene, OR, 97401; (541) 345-0063; www.garlicpress.com

Our two favorites are: Signing at School, which presents especially common signs, sentences and vocabulary for use in the early childhood classroom, and Signs for Animals and Pets (a board book).

Dancing with Words: Signing for Hearing Children’s Literacy

By Marilyn Daniels. Westport, CT: Bergin & Garvey, 2001.

This fascinating book presents the research underlying the recommendation of teaching sign language to all children to “improve hearing children’s English vocabulary, reading ability, spelling proficiency, self-esteem, and comfort expressing emotions.”

Seminar and Distance Learning Materials

(Email info@nelliedge.com for details.)

The Original Video (Now DVD): The Magic of Signing Songs, Volume I

Instructional DVD: How to sign twenty-one songs, from Nellie Edge Seminars. Signed by Diane Larson. Nellie Edge Resources, Inc.

Includes ABC Song; Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star; You Are My Sunshine; May There Always Be Sunshine; Sing Your Way Home; Five Little Monkeys; Happy Birthday; Rainbow ‘Round Me; Magic Penny; I Think You’re Wonderful; Sign to Me; We Wish You a Merry Christmas.

Also includes Nellie Edge Read and Sing Big Books™:
I Can Read Colors (Se Leer Colores); I Have A Cat (Yo Tengo Un Gato); The Opposite Song (La Cancion de Opuestos); Goodnight Irene (Buenos Noches Irene); Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear (Osito, Osito); I Love the Mountains (Amos Los Montes).

• Comes with ASL Instruction Book and “I Can Read” anthology set.

Maximizing Language and Literacy Through the Magic of Signing Songs

Literacy Manual by Nellie Edge, Revised 2008.

This book combines research and “best practices” for incorporating twenty-one well-loved songs in sign language into the pre K-3 curriculum.  It contains the words, music, and chords for all signed songs and is designed to accompany the original instructional DVD The Magic of Signing Songs.  You will find concise summaries of informative articles, Brain-Friendly Literacy™ strategies, classroom rituals and traditions that build joyful learning communities, the rationale for signing songs with all children, and resources for additional study.  Includes a separate “I Can Read” Anthology packet of ten songs, poems, and rhymes (blackline masters).

The Magic of Signing Songs: Enhancing All Children’s Language and Literacy

Literacy Manual by Nellie Edge, revised 2009.

The next best thing to attending the engaging signing seminar, The Magic of Signing Songs, is to study this book and the accompanying seminar video. This practical book is designed to introduce all educators to the joyful art of signing songs. Engage your children in signing songs for powerful ABC and phonics immersion, to enhance spelling, reading and speaking skills, build a cooperative learning community, and utilize their multiple intelligences in learning and expressing language. Includes words and extensive curriculum connections for all songs, Brain-Friendly Literacy™ strategies, sample parent letters, phonemic awareness and differentiated literacy guides, information on using sign language for class management, classroom rituals and celebrations, literacy research, and resources. Book comes with ASL instructional book and “I Can Read” Anthology and Little Book collection (blackline masters).

DVD: The Magic of Signing Songs, Volume II

(Includes song book with pictorial American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation)

Instructional DVD of ten songs from Nellie Edge Seminars.  Signed by Diane Larson.
Nellie Edge Resources, Inc.

Includes: The Sign Language ABC and Phonics Song, What a Wonderful World, Pledge of Allegiance, America the Beautiful, This Land is Your Land, See Me Beautiful, The More We Get Together (with variations), L-O-V-E Spells Love, M-O-M Spells Mom, English and Spanish Greeting and Farewell Song.  These songs have accelerated literacy, engaged children in joyful learning, and brought audiences to tears.

Teachers, parents, and their children love how easy it is to learn to sign memorable songs with our new video.  Each song is sung and signed in its entirety; the signs are slowly demonstrated and explained and the song is repeated.  Take this video and the songs with the accompanying visual ASL guide into your classroom (or living room) and learn to sign along with your students. 

• Comes with ASL Instruction Book and “I Can Read” anthology set.

Come Sign With Us

Book by Jan C. Hafer and Robert M. Wilson; illustrated by Paul Setzer. Washington, D.C.: Clerc Books, 1996.

Here is a fully illustrated activities manual for teaching children sign language. It features more than 300 line drawings of adults and children signing familiar words, phrases, and sentences using American Sign Language (ASL) signs in English word order. All signs have equivalent words listed in English and Spanish as well. The Come Sign With Us video is also available.

Sign with Your Baby

Book and Video/DVD by Joseph Garcia

Seattle, WA: Northlight Communications, 1999.
www.sign2me.com

We love this timeless book and DVD – it makes a wonderful gift for new parents! The how-to DVD shows Dr. Joseph Garcia and wise, responsive parents empowering early two-way communication with their babies and toddlers while supporting English language development, all through the use of American Sign Language.

Sign Language Rubber Stamps

Harris Communication

1-800-825-6758, www.harriscomm.com  (To locate, go to the homepage, click on “novelties,” “rubber stamps,” then “next page.”)

These stamps are our favorites for the writing center:  Fingerspell “LOVE,” “friend” and the ABC’s with manual sign and capital letter.

Fingerletter Font (Signed letters)

Available at Educational Fontware, Inc., 6396 NE Ralston Rd, Bainbridge Island, WA, 98110.
(800) 806-2155; efi@educationalfontware.com

Help children learn to fingerspell each other’s names by creating name tags with this specialty computer font using the signed fingerspelling that can be made very large.

Sign Language Alphabet Line

by TS Denison

http://www.frankschaffer.com/

These child-size handshapes are perfect to display in the classroom at kid level.  Simply cut the alphabet line apart and add your hand-made laminated heart letters or use a die cut machine. (See page 118.)

Practice American Sign Language on the Internet

Michigan State University ASL (American Sign Language) Browser *

http://commtechlab.msu.edu/sites/aslweb/title

For a comprehensive catalog of sign language resources:

Gallaudet University Bookstore

800 Florida Avenue NE, Washington, D.C., 2002.
(800) 451-1073; http://www.gallaudet.edu/.