Our early literacy colleagues create many opportunities for young children to memorize and perform songs in American Sign Language. Sign language provides the opportunity for children to kinesthetically feel and interpret language. We make school a language learning workshop for our children; turning print into sound and movement and turning the pleasures of this aesthetic experience over to appreciative audiences:

• Sing and sign at a Muffins for Mom and Bagels for Dad Early Breakfast Open House in the classroom - 7:00 a.m.
• Perform signed songs for the principal and secretaries.
• Sign The Pledge of Allegiance atthe next school assembly.
• Perform at a Spring Garden Party or Afternoon Tea.
• Write invitations asking another class or “big buddies” to come to their ¯Songs in Sing Language performance.
• Perform at Grandparent's Day - You Are My Sunshine becomes You Are My Grandma and/or Grandpa. (See original Magic of Signing Songs Vol. I DVD.)
• Do a Patriotic Song in Sign performance for the local radio or TV station.
• Do seasonal performances for senior citizens, families, and community members.
• The children become the “traveling troubadours” and go from class to class signing and singing.
• Perform in small groups within the class, allowing classmates to practice being an appreciative audience and giving encouraging feedback (e.g., “Your voices sounded happy and you smiled when you signed ‘happy.’”).
• Perform What a Wonderful World and See Me Beautiful for a Winter Solstice Celebration, Valentine's Day Program, or End-of-Year Performance. (See Magic of Signing Songs Vol. II DVD.)
• Select a small group of children to perform at the next school board meeting. School board members were amazed to see I Can Read Colors by Nellie Edge, read and performed by kindergartners at their October meeting.  “...Of course, all of my kindergartners can read the first month of school!” proudly responded teacher Glenda Cutright.

To Celebrate Language, Teachers Can:

• Videotape the children signing and singing to play for parents while they are waiting for student-led parent conferences or to give an end-of-the-year gift for each family.
• Send home class-made books that feature photos of children performing language.

When do your children perform the beautiful language of signed songs?

See photo essay: The Magic of Signing Songs