If this is your first visit, I’d like to tell you how I recommend for new moms to navigate the site because I have TONS of info on here that may not be apparent to you with your first click!

The site is organized in chronological order with the newest entries listed first here on the home page. However, most of the best information for parents is in the older articles. What I recommend for first-time visitors is to take a look at the yellow category bar near the top of this page. Find the topic which most interests you. Once you’ve clicked on that section, scroll down to the bottom of the page and select Older Entries. Keep clicking until you’re at the “beginning” of each section, so that you can read the older articles first.

You may want to scroll thru the podcasts too until you find show titles that are most applicable for your child. 

Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you find what you’re looking for to help your baby! If not, leave me a comment with your questions, and I’ll try to point you in the right direction.      

Maybe the “experts” tell you everything’s fine. But you can’t get past that nagging feeling that things should be getting better. And they just…aren’t.

As a parent, there’s nothing more frustrating than watching your precious baby struggle to learn to communicate. While friends’ and relatives’ toddlers are all saying “Mama” and “ball” and even forming simple sentences, your child can only cry in frustration, locked away from the world of words that should to be opening up for her.

You can’t help feeling embarrassed, or jealous, or even angry. Why YOUR child? Why does it have to be so hard?

You would give anything for your baby to be able to ask for help when he needs it, or tell you he loves you when he snuggles close.

Everyone tells you, “Oh, she’ll talk when she’s ready.” Even the pediatrician insists there’s nothing seriously wrong. But you KNOW your child. You know she WANTS to communicate. You see her trying. You know she’s ready now.

But no matter how hard you try to help her, the words don’t come.

Maybe your child is seeing a speech therapist. But it’s hard when the techniques the therapist tells you to use at home are too hard and too complicated for you – let alone your toddler!

I want to tell you right now, the problem is not you.

And it’s not your child.

The problem is simply that you don’t have the simple, easy to understand tools you need to help your child communicate.

Until now.

Right now, TODAY, there IS something you can do. Without letting another painful, frustrating, heartbreaking day go by.

BECAUSE FINALLY, THERE’S AN EASY, FUN, NO-TEARS METHOD THAT’S PROVEN TO HELP TEACH YOUR TODDLER TO TALK.

It’s called Teach Me To Talk, and take it from a mother who’s been there – it’s just amazing.
The Teach Me To Talk DVD is packed with strategies that will unlock that beautiful voice your child has locked away inside. And best of all, these strategies are PROVEN to be simple to learn, easy to apply, and best of all, successful in teaching young children to talk.

Interested in seeing the Teach Me To Talk techniques in action? Here’s a quick preview of the Six Essential Strategies you’ll learn — and a glimpse of the first technique you’ll see:

What makes Teach Me To Talk different?

It was developed by Laura Mize, a pediatric speech-language pathologist who has literally spent thousands of hours and 15 years on the floor, helping toddlers just like yours and mine learn to communicate.

Laura has read stacks and stacks of research on the subject of delayed speech in children. She’s attended more professional courses than you can count. She’s taken the best of the best from all the “experts” in language development.

And she’s condensed all those years of learning and experience and trial and error into a single DVD, with the six most simple, most practical, MOST EFFECTIVE strategies to get your child talking. And best of all, you can start using them the minute you start watching the DVD.

“Thank you so much for this DVD! Our 3 and a half year old son has apraxia and only has 10-12 clear words. When I first started watching this DVD, I wondered if I could ever be that animated. About 5 minutes into the DVD, my son walked into the room and was instantly fascinated. He sat with me and watched the rest with me! His reaction was truly amazing, and our speech therapy will never be the same again! The most amazing thing to me, though, was how my son interacted with you! During the 90 minute video he “got” two new words: choo choo and boom. He also tried to say “pull” and “barn,” and learned the sign for fish. Twice he signed “give me” and then touched a toy you were playing with, and every time you tried to get a child to say a word he knows, he would say it with you.” Robyn, mother from Wyoming

How wonderful would it feel to hear your child say “Mama?”

You’ve been waiting for that moment since he was born and you first held him in your arms. But as the months have dragged by, you may have started to lose hope that you will ever communicate with your baby – to hear what he wants, what he needs, what he feels.

And even if your toddler can say a few words, is it taking longer for her to communicate than other children her age? Are you constantly trying to interpret what you think she might be saying, or asking for?

Maybe both of you are ending up in tears.

“[When I watched the DVD] I felt like I was reliving my son’s life for the past 1 1/2 years now. It was a little sad in some ways, but on the other hand if I concentrate on where he is now and how far he’s come, it’s positive…..” Holly, mother from New Hampshire

Teach Me To Talk the DVD is now available for an introductory offer of $39.99 plus shipping and handling. This is for a limited time only! Order yours now!

HOLIDAY SALE - 11/30/2009 - 12/5/2009 - ENTER THE CODE “2YA” IN GOOGLE CHECKOUT TO SAVE 20% OFF YOUR ORDER.

The Secret is Simple…Change Your Approach!

Of course you’ve been trying to teach your child to talk. It’s what parents do. But if what you’re doing hasn’t been working, the solution is simple.

Change your approach.

If you’re like me, you’re probably wondering what that can possibly mean when you’ve tried EVERYTHING. The problem is, you’ve probably tried without really knowing what to do, or how to do it.

This DVD will change everything. Because a lot of the time, it’s not what you do, but HOW you do it. Teach Me To Talk will lay out step by step, in easy-to-follow terms, exactly what you can and should be doing to help your baby learn to talk.

“I know for a fact that Laura’s approach really does work because I’ve been using it for years myself! Don’t be afraid to copy exactly what she says, how and when she says it! It is not hard and can become second nature to you, just as it has to me. By implementing her approach, you will set the stage for both you and your child to be successful!” Kate, Developmental Interventionist, Kentucky

If your child has a language delay, no doubt you’ve heard it all. There’s always the well-meaning friend who tells you “Boys talk later than girls.” Or the mother-in-law who tells you to “Wait and see” (while you worry what she’s saying about your parenting skills behind your back).

The fact is, the most critical time for language development in a child is from birth through age three. So if you feel in your heart that something’s not right, you’re probably on to something. You know your child.

Most parents of children with language delays regret that they waited to do something. The good news is, YOU DON’T HAVE TO WAIT ANY LONGER.

Teach Me To Talk will show you a better, easier way to do things. Things you can do RIGHT NOW, at home, that will help your child learn to talk. It’s all about learning a new and better way of working with your child.

After all, as a parent, you are the most important teacher your child will ever have.

“Just wanted to let you know how thrilled I am with your video. I just received it five days ago and I’ve watched it every morning to gear up for working with my daughter each day and I have to tell you what a difference it has made! My daughter has been in therapy for a year and a half (she’s 31 months) and she would often run from me during our “play” sessions…finally, after only five days, she is starting to think that her mommy is fun during playtime! Thank you for giving me a way to really connect with my daughter on a new level. This video is priceless.” Helen

“I do think the video will be very helpful for parents with late talkers. The ideas are great, and you really do show them how to do the things you are talking about which is very important…..” Holly, mother from New Hampshire

Secrets Your Speech Therapist Hasn’t Told You (or might not even know!!!!)

“Even when weekly therapy reports indicated a great deal of progress, we weren’t always seeing that progress at home. The Teach Me To Talk DVD has dramatically changed the number of words we hear. Seeing the techniques you use, and seeing how easy they are to incorporate in to our daily routines has been a blessing. I can get so many words and even phrases out of my both my toddlers by incorporating playfulness in to our daily activities. As a working mom, I’ve always felt as if I’m not as active in my children’s therapy as I should be. You DVD is finally helping me make that connection. Thank you so much for such a fantastic tool!” Stephanie, Mother from Kentucky

Speech therapy is a specialized skill – that’s why speech therapists charge hundreds – even thousands — of dollars for their services. But the very same techniques they use can be SIMPLIFIED, so that you can use them at home.

Teach Me To Talk will teach YOU how to use the very best, most effective techniques speech therapists charge hundreds of dollars for. Watch and learn as these techniques are explained in plain language so that you can use them at home. Then, see each technique in action.

And you won’t just see how it works with one child, but with 20 different toddlers, all with different personalities and challenges. You’ll be amazed and inspired by their progress as each and every one of them learns to talk – just like your child can with the Teach Me To Talk DVD.

“The DVD brought tears to my eyes (not your goal I’m sure, but there you go!). Each strategy you used - reminded me of my child. It is amazing how simple techniques (most of which we take for granted) can help a non-verbal child become verbal. Another thing I learned from my experience with being a mom, a pediatrician, having your guidance and the DVD - is that language, talking, speech, and articulation involve SO many other aspects of development.” Ranjana, pediatrician and mom from Ohio

If your child is a late talker, you’ve probably read dozens of parenting books and looked for advice on the internet. But when you apply it to YOUR child, it doesn’t always make sense.

Do you try to do what the “experts” say, but find it just doesn’t work with your child?

The secret isn’t just knowing WHAT to do, but WHY you need to do it, and better yet, seeing exactly HOW to do it. Teach Me To Talk unlocks those secrets.

“The DVD was quite different from what I expected - in a good way. I hardly expected to see so much one-on-one with the kids, and it was great!” Kristyn, mother from New Hampshire
”The DVD is great! I wish I had had this when we first started down the path with Gabe who has been diagnosed with apraxia.” Julie, mother from Illinois

View It — Then Do It!

You don’t have to read another book. You don’t have to make time for a class. All you need is a TV and a DVD player – you can watch and learn at your own pace, in your own time, in your own home.

And your child can be right there with you while you learn!

“I recently watched a DVD that has been advertised on this site called Teach Me to Talk, by Laura Mize, Pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist. The DVD was 90 minutes long and taught six strategies to teach your child to talk.

It is aimed at toddlers who are delayed in speech…..which is how I will use it. It has tons of video of the speech therapist actually working with children! This was so informative. Laura Mize explains what she is doing while showing actual video of her working with children with delays! These are things you can incorporate in every day interaction with your child. I finished watching the video feeling like I could really teach my child to talk!

From the time I first learned Sophie had autism, I have wanted to see what a speech therapist actually did while working with a child. I desperately want to homeschool Sophie, but until now I have been in the dark about what the experts do to get children to talk. Now I have video examples to work with.

I watch this video with my 3 children in the room, and my daughter Sophie, was actually playing along with the video! I highly recommend this video for anyone who has a child with delayed speech. It is worth every penny.”      Sarah, mother and author of the website www.wakingsophie.com

Teach Me To Talk takes the camera INSIDE therapy sessions with children just like yours. Whatever stage your child is at – if you’re just wondering if there’s a problem, if you’ve already seen a professional or if your child is currently in speech therapy – you’ll see all kinds of children in all kinds of situations.

So you’ll discover the very best techniques to use with YOUR child.

”Seeing these tips ‘in action’ was very beneficial. When you have a child that is language delayed, you want to do as much at home as you can - after all, our children are at home most of all! And this DVD helped me do that.” Kristyn, mother from New Hampshire

All of this…for only $39.99???

It can be expensive teaching your child to communicate.

Conferences that teach parents and therapists cost hundreds of dollars – and take up hours and hours of time.

But the Teach Me To Talk DVD has all the information you need for only $39.99. That’s less than 1/3 the cost of a typical one-day training conference.

And the Teach Me To Talk DVD is packed full of ideas and tips you can use all day, every day as your child learns to communicate. Plus, it’s yours to keep and watch over and over again until you master the techniques.

“I have worked with quite a few speech therapists in my practice as a developmental interventionist. In ten years, I’ve only worked with one that was universally appreciated by parents and young children alike! Thanks to this DVD, you no longer have to live in our county to benefit from Laura Mize’s unique and effective approach. For a minimal investment, she comes live to your living room to demonstrate her highly successful approach to speech and language therapy.” Kate, Developmental Interventionist, Kentucky

Teach Me To Talk the DVD is now available for an introductory offer of $39.99 plus shipping and handling. This is for a limited time only! Order yours now!  

          
  “A lot of the therapy techniques that you use, some and or all of his therapists have used EXCEPT for a few things. First, your enthusiasm it’s AWESOME!!!!! I have never seen any of my son’s therapists be so upbeat and fun as you were in your video. I wish they had been because I know my son would respond so well to that in therapy. Any time I play with him at home and do some of the things you do with your kids, like tickling them and just being ’silly,’ his whole frame of mind changes and I can usually get him to try whatever it is again at least one more time.” Holly, mother from New Hampshire

Watch how you can learn sign language to help teach your child to communicate.

“I also like the emphasis put on signing with your child. I was very hesitant to do this with my son at first, I was afraid it would hurt his speech development, but it helped him learn that he has to do something to get something, now anytime I hear someone say they are hesitant about signing, I pipe up and tell them to please consider it. What a great DVD! It will be a huge help to other parents like me!” Julie, mother from Illinois

Teach Me To Talk the DVD is now available for an introductory offer of $39.99 plus shipping and handling. This is for a limited time only! Order yours now!

HOLIDAY SALE - 11/30/2009 - 12/5/2009 - ENTER THE CODE “2YA” IN GOOGLE CHECKOUT TO SAVE 20% OFF YOUR ORDER.

Get The Must-Have Speech Therapy DVD Recommended For Both Parents and Professionals!

The Teach Me To Talk DVD was especially designed for parents. But the techniques used are equally beneficial for professionals. Anyone who works with young children can learn from these PROVEN, EFFECTIVE techniques, including speech-language pathologists, developmental interventionists, occupational therapists, service coordinators, family therapists, and preschool teachers.

“I think this DVD is a tremendous & invaluable guidance tool for parents, preschool teachers, caregivers, and other therapists (speech, occupational, developmental, etc) and should be used as an accessory aid for anyone involved in early childhood development.” Ranjana, pediatrician and mother, Ohio

”Teach Me to Talk is an easy to watch DVD that empowers parents and caregivers with the “how to” skills to not only promote speech development, but also PLAY. As an occupational therapist, I believe that play is an important “job” for a child, but it requires more interaction from a parent than just watching a child play. Finally, parents have a visual tool that teaches them how to interact and play with their child so that he or she will not only learn to talk but will be on the road to reaching their optimal potential! The techniques are easy to implement, and you will discover playing with your child is actually fun!” Carey White, OTR/L, Occupational Therapist

The Teach Me To Talk program is so effective, university speech pathology programs are already ordering this DVD to train their new grad students! Several state early intervention agencies are also purchasing Teach Me To Talk for their loan libraries to make these proven techniques available to parents and therapists.

Why? Because the experts know—Teach Me To Talk does exactly what it says it does.

”This is an excellent training DVD for parents of late talkers. The strategies that Laura teaches are the same ones she used when working with my son, who has apraxia of speech. My son made incredible progress working with Laura. These strategies are very effective and easy to apply to a variety of speech and Ianguage disorders. I wish all speech therapists possessed this level of knowledge and skill. As a Speech-Language Pathologist, I would recommend this DVD to my parents of late talkers. As a Mom of a late talker, I would recommend this DVD to all speech therapists working with children.” Laurie Felty, Speech-Language Pathologist

“I just finished your DVD. It was great! I really got into it and actually found myself taking notes! As a PSC (early intervention service coordinator) it was helpful to see the speech therapy in motion so I can answer some questions from parents. As an OT is was refreshing to see some OT techniques embedded into the speech therapy activities.” Cindy, Louisville, KY

”Thank you so much for allowing me to preview your DVD! I will put these techniques into practice myself on Monday morning with my clients! They’re not going to recognize me anymore! I learned so much from watching you provide therapy, and I will never use those same approaches again. This DVD has rekindled my excitement for pediatric speech therapy. I can’t wait for next week to come so I can try them out! One more thing - Why didn’t they teach me this in grad school? Thanks again!” Penelope, Speech-Language Pathologist, Kansas

Even experienced therapists struggle with the challenge of providing therapy that’s developmentally-appropriate for toddlers.

One on hand, it needs to be entertaining enough to hold their attention. But on the other hand, it needs to provide real growth and learning opportunities in order to be “therapeutic.” Teach Me To Talk effortlessly combines the two, illustrating WHAT to do and HOW to do it in a wide range of situations.

”What I especially loved was that it wasn’t just clips of the PERFECT session; you showed us what to do when a kid turned away, or lost interest, or was more difficult to engage (for instance, touching the child or changing their position). Let’s face it, sometimes kids have their own agenda!” Kristyn, mother of a child with apraxia, New Hampshire

The 1 ½ hour Teach Me To Talk DVD is packed with plenty of “HOW TO” examples you can begin using right away with clients in your practice. Learn how to make therapy FUN, how to keep a busy toddler’s attention, and how to select successful and age-appropriate techniques that will lead to SUCCESS for you and your clients.

You’ll see toys that are “winners” with children at various developmental levels from 12-36 months old, watching the kids in action and seeing how the toys work.

“Just watching how my son interacted with the DVD made me a believer in how engaged he will become once it stops being “work” and begins being fun.” Robyn, mother of a 3 year old with a language delay and apraxia, Wyoming

You’ll learn how to use play and food as THE focus for therapy — not just the reward at the end of the session!

“The whole idea of using food during speech is awesome. I will usually reward him with something after therapy especially if his self esteem is a little low that day or he’s just having an off day, but I never thought of buying something to use when working with him, nor have any of his therapists used food ….” Holly, mother of a 3 year old with apraxia, New Hampshire

Teach Me To Talk is packed with essential, must-have tips to make your sessions more natural, more kid-friendly, and most importantly, more effective.

“If you are the parent of a young child who has been in speech therapy, you may have already learned the hard way that children don’t necessarily respond to all speech therapists efforts to “teach them to talk”. Despite being well intentioned, far too many speech therapists attempt to implement the same strategies that they use with school- age children or mistakenly believe that young children “choose” not to talk. As a result, young children are frequently frustrated by inappropriate techniques or by speech therapists who have even more “attitude” than they do.” Kate, Developmental Interventionist, Kentucky

Of course, there are plenty of things that just DON’T work with toddlers – and you’ll learn what those are too! Watch here as Teach Me To Talk illustrates a classic example of one of the most common mistakes parents and professionals make when trying to teach a toddler to communicate:

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Teach Me To Talk the DVD is now available for an introductory offer of $39.99 plus shipping and handling. This is for a limited time only! Order yours now!

HOLIDAY SALE - 11/30/2009 - 12/5/2009 - ENTER THE CODE “2YA” IN GOOGLE CHECKOUT TO SAVE 20% OFF YOUR ORDER.

More feedback….

“I also liked the tips in the “withholding” section. A lot of times, we Moms are instructed to do so (by putting toys out of reach and such), but sometimes it is difficult to judge just how much is too much or how long is too long. You gave easy to understand tip to follow. How to push just far enough to elicit a response, but not so far as to discourage language, or cause too much frustration.” Kristyn, mom from New Hampshire

”I love the part about not ruining the interaction and to keep it going with humor…this is SO important. I can’t tell you how many times I probably lost Gabe in the process of working with him because it was too drill like. The withholding concept is explained perfectly. It was never explained to me as well as you did, I failed to keep it playful and as a result totally killed the communication with Gabe. As you say in the DVD, you will miss the effectiveness and the child won’t learn anything…I plan on trying to keep things much more playful with him from now on when it comes to withholding.” Julie, Mom from Illinois

If you’ve been struggling to help a late talker learn to communicate, there’s no need to wait another day to hear those precious words. Order Teach Me To Talk today – and you’ll be on your way to a healthier, happier relationship with your child tomorrow.

Teach Me To Talk the DVD is available NOW for an introductory offer of $39.99 plus shipping and handling. This is for a limited time only! Order yours now!

“As members of the medical community and parents of two toddlers who experienced speech delay, we can personally attest to the value and effectiveness of Laura’s instructional video, “Teach Me to Talk.”  The teaching points reinforced throughout the DVD are parent friendly, reproducible, and easy to follow.  Laura repeatedly demonstrates simple and effective techniques that promote language skills, while at the same time emphasizing a fun and engaging environment for both parent and child.”  Jane Rice, RN and Michael Rice, MD

“ Hi Laura. I just finished watching your DVD and am so impressed You really did a terrific job putting everything into “parent-friendly” language, and your examples are super. Thanks so much for doing this. I look forward to sharing it with the parents in our practice. By the way, I am working on a 3rd edition for my “Childhood Speech, Language & Listening Problems: What Every Parent Should Know” book, and I will definitely include your DVD and website. You have so much great information on there.” Patti Hamaguchi, Speech-Language Pathologist and Director, Hamaguchi & Associates, Cupertino, CA  

“I have been a Speech and Language Pathologist for 12 years, and I have worked in the early intervention for the last 2 years.  In my quest to provide the best services I could for the children I worked with, I scoured the internet looking for therapy tips.  I hit a gold mine when I found Laura Mize’s Teach Me to Talk website.  Her website has wonderfully informative articles, but being the visual person that I am, it was even more helpful to see her therapy techniques in action.  The Teach Me to Talk DVD is a valuable tool for anyone looking for hands on ideas to help develop speech and language skills for toddlers, and it is an especially valuable tool for those in the profession.  No matter if you are a seasoned pro or a grad student; you will surely find many helpful tips and ideas to make the most of your therapy sessions with toddlers.  The DVD does a great job of putting the information into very simple and easy to understand steps.  I also found it helpful that Laura did not just show the sessions where “everything” goes perfect, because in the real therapy world it often does not.  Her DVD includes several clips that show you how to playfully re-direct those “little angels” when they might not be at their “toddler best.”  This is really a wonderful tool, and I will be recommending the DVD not only to my early intervention parents, but also to the other early intervention speech therapist I know.”  Yvonne Smith, Speech and Language Pathologist MS, CCC-SLP, Sacramento, California

“The DVD was quite different from what I expected - in a good way. I hardly expected to see so much one-on-one with the kids, and it was great!”
–Kristyn, mother from New Hampshire

“The DVD brought tears to my eyes (not your goal I’m sure, but there you go!). Each strategy you used - reminded me of my child. It is amazing how simple techniques (most of which we take for granted) can help a non-verbal child become verbal. Another thing I learned from my experience with being a mom, a pediatrician, having your guidance and the DVD - is that language, talking, speech, and articulation involve SO many other aspects of development.”
–Ranjana, pediatrician and mom from Ohio

“Just wanted to let you know how thrilled I am with your video. I just received it five days ago and I’ve watched it every morning to gear up for working with my daughter each day and I have to tell you what a difference it has made! My daughter has been in therapy for a year and a half (she’s 31 months) and she would often run from me during our “play” sessions…finally, after only five days, she is starting to think that her mommy is fun during playtime! Thank you for giving me a way to really connect with my daughter on a new level. This video is priceless.” 
–Helen

“Even when weekly therapy reports indicated a great deal of progress, we weren’t always seeing that progress at home. The Teach Me To Talk DVD has dramatically changed the number of words we hear. Seeing the techniques you use, and seeing how easy they are to incorporate in to our daily routines has been a blessing. I can get so many words and even phrases out of both my toddlers by incorporating playfulness in to our daily activities. As a working mom, I’ve always felt as if I’m not as active in my children’s therapy as I should be. You DVD is finally helping me make that connection. Thank you so much for such a fantastic tool!” 
–Stephanie, Mother from Kentucky

” I loved your first DVD Teach Me To Talk, but I think I enjoyed Teach Me To Listen and Obey even more! The way you presented the information made it very easy to understand. My child does have some difficulty understanding what’s said to him, but I never thought it could be the reason he doesn’t seem to listen to me. Thank you for letting me watch this because now I know how to help him better. ” —–Andrea, Mother from Chicago, Illinois

“The discipline information alone would be worth the money to buy the whole set.”  Kathleen, mother of son with speech delay from Florida  

“As a father, I want my son to mind me. Until I watched your video I didn’t realize that he didn’t understand words. Thank you for showing me that.” Jason, Father from New Jersey

“This is a great DVD set for teaching parents how to view receptive language delays. I’m a developmental therapist, and I learned several new things that I will be thinking about as I work with my clients in my state’s program.”  Margaret, therapist from Pennsylvania

HOLIDAY SALE - 11/30/2009 - 12/5/2009 - ENTER THE CODE “2YA” IN GOOGLE CHECKOUT TO SAVE 20% OFF YOUR ORDER.

• Choose signs that your toddler can USE to make a difference in his world.  I always teach words for things he already tries to ask for first since knowing what your kid wants when he’s crying, grunting, and pointing makes a HUGE difference in reducing his frustration level.
• Choose signs for your toddler’s favorite things since she will be more motivated to use her new signs. 
• Initially choose signs to teach that look very different from each other so that you and your child are not confused.   

For specific directions on how to teach signs or why using signs with late talking toddlers is beneficial, please refer back to the post ”Talking Before Speaking? Using Sign Language to Increase Communication Skills in Late Talking Toddlers.” 

Look below the lists to  find links to specific signs and a rationale for teaching certain signs.  If you don’t see a sign you’d like to teach your child, click on this site to search for it. (Click on the word “site” to access the link.)

I also love this site.  They have many cute photos of babies signing in their small but useful dictionary.  There are also lots of great articles about the benefits of signing and lots of books or videos to purchase if you really want to pursue this for your family.     

First Signs - more, eat, milk, all done, please  

I always teach these signs first because these are easy to do, and parents report that these are the ones that their children need to use the most initially.  Click the word to see the sign.      

More                            

Some experts don’t like this sign because it’s so general, but that’s exactly why I still teach this one first.  It’s all-purpose, very simple to help your baby perform, and it’s very univeral.  Many daycare and preschool teachers recognize this, even if they don’t know very many signs.  

Eat                                

Talk about one of life’s basic functions!  Most parents love introducing this sign because asking for food is one of the earliest requests babies make.

Milk                               
Again this is a sign for something babies ask for all day long.

All Done                       
Very useful because it gives your toddler control over his environment.

Please                         

I use this for requests, particularly when a child can’t say or sign the thing he wants, but I still want him to learn to “ask” for it.  

Go  

I use this sign often during play - from making cars, trucks, or trains “go,” or in a game of chase, or as a starter word for any social game as in “Ready Set GO!”  Instead of the ASL version of this sign, I make fists and then roll my hands and arms in front of my body.

Open

I use this sign often during play since toddlers usually need help to “open” most containers, doors, or really any kind of toy. For this sign I place my hands palms down in front of my body then turn them over to expose my palms.  

Next Signs 

Snack Foods - cookie, cracker, fish (for goldfish),  chip, candy (I use this mostly for fruit snacks and other candies), juice, water, cup/drink

Favorite Activities-choo-choo, ball, book, bubbles, car/truck, plane, baby (for dolls)   

Favorite Animals - dog, cat, fish, bird, duck, bear  (Many children’s books, pajamas, stuffed animals, and room decor are based on these.) 

I always teach signs for a child’s favorite snacks and toys, activities, and animals next since these are highly motivating for him to learn.  The following signs are among the most popular I have used for many years.  If you can’t find your child’s favorites here, search for it using this link  or here.

A word of caution - Please don’t encourage your child to use the same sign for all liquids he drinks or all snack foods he eats.  While many new talkers generalize language (They call all animals “dogs,” all vehicles ”cars,” or all men “Dada,” you want to work to expand their language when it makes sense.  This is especially so with requests.  Just as you wouldn’t give him a green bean when he asks for a cookie, try to resist the urge to make it easier to call all snacks the same thing.  I do have one exception that I ponder in my mind all the time - just what do you call an animal cracker;  is it a cookie or a cracker????)  

Cookie                                   

One site I like lists this as the most important sign in a toddler’s life.  I agree!

Cracker                                

Another popular snack and a great one to teach since it looks so different from any of the other signs.

Fish                                        
I use this for goldfish to help differentiate from the cracker sign.  I also use it to label any other fish- the real thing, a toy, or a picture in a book.

Chip  (No link provided)

I use a modified version of this sign since the ASL version is too hard for toddlers.  Place index finger & thumbs together in front of body (like more) and then pull hands apart.   I can’t find a picture of this one on line, but I modified it from the sign for Computer Chip a long time ago.  It’s worked for the kids and families I’ve used it with.   

Candy                                         

I use this sign for fruit snacks and other candies.  I use the version listed at Signing Baby.com, but they are darn picky about using any of their photos on other sites according to their copyright information, so I may have to take this link down if I get negative feedback!  I point my index finger on my check and twist it several times.  You may not want to offer candy often, but it can be a powerful motivator!

Juice                                               
I use a modified ASL version of this sign by performing a “j” in the air with my index finger since the pinkie finger is too difficult for toddlers to isolate.  Many times kids just end up wiggling their index fingers in the air.  You can try the The Baby Signs version, but it’s too similar to milk in my opinion.

Water                                                 

Kids who like water or for parents who insist on water.    

Cup/Drink                                        

I teach this one as the same sign and use the words interchangeably.  I know, I know.  I am contradicting myself again about teaching the same sign for different words, but this is one case when parents might prefer to use the noun “cup” or the verb “drink” to mean the same thing.    

Choo-choo (No link)

Choo-choo is easier to say because of the duplicated syllables and is more novel than saying “train,” so toddlers seem to prefer this version.  Pull arm down as if pulling a train’s whistle.   I can’t find a picture of this one anywhere, but it’s easy, and it’s a keeper!

Ball                                                       
Many toddlers say this word rather than signing it, which is WONDERFUL, but I included the sign just in case your child can’t say it just yet.

Book                                                       

Many late talkers detest reading books, but most of them like to carry them around or chew on them.  Use it whenever/however you can.

Bubbles  (No link)                                             

This activity is almost guaranteed to elicit words and sounds from toddlers.  For hints for using bubbles see the post titled “Facilitating Words - Moving Beyond Grunting and Pointing.”  I can’t find a great link for this one either, but I use this sign everyday.  I alterante opening and closing both hands like I’m popping bubbles.    

Car/Truck                                         
Little hands cannot differentiate these signs, so I sign them the same way, but I always say the appropriate word for what we’re using.

Plane                                                   

Another popular sign for the kids who love vehicles.  Also useful for pointing them out in the sky.  If your child can’t do the ASL version, I prefer to hold both of my arms out beside my body like wings.  This also makes the sign look different from others. 

Baby                                                   

A very cute sign to use for dolls and real life babies.

Dog                                                       
The most popular animal sign ever.   I always pant after I say, “dog.”  Many times this is the first imitation of anything near a word I get with late talkers.   I always use the first part of the sign, patting my leg.  I rarely have a kid who can even try to snap his fingers. 

Cat                                                          

Another cute and popular sign.

Bird                                                          
Lots of kids use this one.  Teach it well after drink is established, or you’ll be confused. 

Duck                                                       
I use the whole hand instead of a few fingers so that it looks dramatically different from bird.  You child may still confuse the two signs, but rely on context to know which one he’s signing.  Don’t forget to “quack” to help differentiate the sign/word.  

Bear                                                          

A favorite one for kids who love teddy bears.

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If your child has learned all of these signs, he knows more than 25 different signs!  What an accomplishment!!!  When you’re ready for more ideas, check out the post titled First 100 Words - Advancing Vocabulary with Words and Signs.      

Social Function Words 

more, please, thank you, hi/hello, bye-bye, again, sorry, uh-oh, yes/uh-huh/okay, no/uh-uh

Common Action Words (Verbs)

eat, drink, go, stop, run, jump, walk, sleep/night-night, wash, kiss, open, close, push, pull, fix, broke, play,want, hug, love, hurt, tickle, give (”gimme”), all gone, all done, dance, help, fall, shake, see, watch, look, sit, stand (up), throw, catch, blow, cry, throw, swing, slide, climb, ride, rock, come (”C’mon”), color/draw      

Location Words (Prepositions)

up, down, in, out, off, on, here, there (Plus later ones such as around, under, behind, over at/after age 3)

Descriptive Words (Adjectives/Adverbs)

big, little, hot, cold, loud, quiet, yucky, icky, scary, funny, silly, dirty, clean, gentle, wet, soft, fast, slow, color words (red, blue, yellow, green, pink, orange, purple, black, white, brown) and quantity words (all, none, more, some, rest, plus early number words - especially 1, 2, 3)

Early Pronouns

 me, mine, my, I, you, it (Then toward age 3 the gender pronouns such as he, she, him, her )

Just in case you’re wondering, here’s a list of the most common nouns:

ball, book, choo-choo, train, bike, rain, bubbles, car, truck, boat, plane, baby, bowl, spoon, diaper, sock, shoe, shirt, pants, hat, star, flower, house, tree, brush, towel, bath, chair, table, bed, blanket, light, cookie, cracker, chip, cheese, apple, banana, ice cream, cereal (Cheerios/ “O’s”), candy, milk, juice, water, dog, cat, fish, bird, duck, cow, horse, bunny, bear, pig, lion, elephant, giraffe, zebra, monkey, chicken, butterfly, bee, frog, alligator, snake   

Plus names for people - Mama, Dada, brother and sister names, pet names, grandparents & other family members, and favorite characters such as Elmo, Dora, Diego, etc…     

What Sign Language Is 

Learning sign language is incorporating a few key gestures into your daily routines when a parent talks with the child.  Babies then learn to use the same key gestures to “talk” back to the adult.  This process becomes communicative and enhances the normal parent-child connection.  Most speech-language pathologists and other pediatric interventionists use American Sign Language (ASL), the same sign language that hearing impaired individuals use.  Another popular method is Baby Signs, a system of modified signs pioneered by Linda Acredolo and Susan Goodwyn.  These signs were designed to closely match naturally-occurring gestures for words.  In my practice I teach and use both.  Some of the ASL signs are too difficult for little hands to master, so I teach the Baby Sign version for that particular word.  However, using ASL is universal in the educational field, so many teachers and therapists recognize and use the same signs.  This can be quite helpful if a child goes to preschool, daycare, or has more than one therapist on his team.    

What Sign Language Is Not      

Some parents get so caught up in the initial excitement of signing that they enroll in courses and invest lots of money in textbooks and videos.  Just when the parents really get going, their kid decides to go and TALK!  I’ve seen parents almost disappointed that signs may not be a lasting”second” language for their kids.  For me and for most parents, using sign language is a means to an end.  We want the child to become communicative and eventually talk.  Signing is one way to help accomplish our overall goal.           

Benefits of Signing 

Researchers, particularly the National Institutes of Health, have conducted studies that revealed the following benefits of using signs with babies & toddlers:

1.  Using signs reduces frustration.  Signing gives the child a symbolic way to communicate before he’s able to speak.  This reduces stress for everyone because (finally!) there’s way for him to let you know what he needs beyond crying, pointing, and grunting.

2.  Signing may make learning to talk easier (and sometimes faster) for children.  When children are exposed to signs, they experience the “word” in a multi-sensory way.  They hear the word as you say it, see it as you sign it, feel as they sign it, and then finally say it.  There’s also good evidence that producing an accompanying motor movement makes it easier for some children to produce the word.

3.  Signing stimulates intellectual development and emotional growth.  Research has proven that upon entering kindergarten, kids who used signs had higher language scores, used more sophisticated play, and had IQ averages 12 points higher at age 8.  (These studies were performed on children who were described as typically developing.)  In the book Baby Signs, authors Acredolo and Goodwyn state, ”Signing allows you to see how smart your baby really is.”  This is so true for kids who aren’t talking yet.  Many people assume that they’re not smart, and this is often not the case.  On the emotional side, signing gives children a “can do” attitude.  It gives kids power to control what happens in their lives, and their self-esteem and confidence is boosted.  This is so important for late talkers.  You can see the pride on their little faces when they finally realize, “I can make Mommy understand what I need!”       

Will signing prevent my baby from learning to talk? 

I always answer this question with an emphatic NO!  It’s actually the opposite!  As noted above, there are lots of reasons, backed by research, that prove that signing does not keep a baby from talking.  Some parents are afraid that signing makes a baby “lazy” about using words.  This is absolutely false!!!  When babies can talk, they do talk.  I promise!  Not signing because you’re scared your baby would prefer to use signs instead of words is as crazy as saying you won’t let your baby crawl because you are afraid he won’t learn to walk, or not teaching your baby  to wave bye-bye because you think he might not learn to say “bye-bye.”  Signing is an extension of using gestures to communicate.  As long as you keep emphasizing the spoken word as you sign, your baby will associate the word with the sign and drop the sign when he or she can consistently say the word.  Trust me on this.  I have RARELY seen a kid hold onto signs past the point when he or she could communicate verbally proficiently.  On the rare occasion that this happens, the kid hangs onto a favorite sign or two, and then it’s pretty easy to fix at that point because you insist that he say the word.  Please don’t let this little issue that very likely will NEVER happen keep you from trying signing.  Any person, (I don’t care if it’s a therapist, doctor, teacher, or whoever) who tries to discourage signing because they think it might prevent talking is, for a lack of a better word, wrong!  It absolutely, positively helps. 

Getting Started

 There are many good programs available to help you teach your baby to sign if you feel you need one.  I’ve already mentioned Baby Signs, a book by Acredolo and Goodwyn.  There’s also a book and video on teaching signs to your baby called Sign with Your Baby by Dr. Joseph Garcia.  The Signing Times series is a darling set of videos that kids and parents can watch together and learn the signs.  Many PBS stations air this program.  (Let me emphasize WATCH TOGETHER.  It does a child no good to learn to use signs if his parents don’t know what he’s communicating!  Again, let me restate that parents should be very careful about the amount of TV, even good quality programming such as this,  that they allow children to view, particularly for children under 2.  See the post entitled “No TV” for the scary truth about television viewing.) 

There are also many good sites on the Internet that demonstrate signs.  Look for my post in the next few days entitled “Early Sign Language Vocabulary” for links to my favorite sites.       

Before I would invest in books or videos on signing, I would start simple by teaching your baby a few signs on your own.  As I’ve stated throughout this site, learning from mommy and daddy is much more effective than learning from a video! 

There aren’t many special skills your baby needs to have mastered before you introduce signs.  If your baby is waving, clapping, pointing, or shaking her head no, then she’s already using the fine motor skills she needs to sign, and she’s already mastered the concept of gesturing to make things happen in her world.  Is your baby bringing things to you for you both to look at together?  Then your baby already understands the concepts of initiating communication and of joint attention.  I have taught signs to children who weren’t using these kinds of gestures yet, but it makes it much easier if they are.  

Children who may not be ready to sign include those who are demonstrating overall developmental lags.  This includes delays in cognitive skills (the way she’s learning and thinking), those with problems in social interaction (Children who don’t or rarely have an interest in other people.  For example, they could care less if they attend to what you’re showing them, or they never take the initiative to get your attention), or those who have severe motor coordination problems, may not be able or ready to sign when you first begin.  As a concerned parent I’d go ahead and try to introduce a few basic signs, even if you’re not sure if your child is ready.  You may be surprised! For kids with motor problems, recognize that his first attempts to sign may be off-target just as we recognize that our child’s first word attempts often don’t sound perfect either.  Look for and reward the effort.  For kids who lack the social interaction skills, work on these first, and then try signing during times when they are highly motivated to get something from you.      

The most important thing to do with signing is to make it FUN!  In the Acredolo & Goodwyn book, the authors emphasize, “Make signing a game and not a chore.”  They recommend that signs be worked into your day, and not practiced during structured, set-aside “signing lessons.”  I have found that parents typically do better when they associate using signs with particular daily routines, such as snack time, bath-time, and especially during play time.  

Signs should always be done in context.  For example, don’t teach your baby the sign for banana unless you have one and are ready to eat it!  Once your baby is signing, don’t have him “show off” signs when it doesn’t make sense.  Many parents do this with signs (and words!) for grandparents and friends.  They have their kids “perform” by signing or saying words when the object/event is not there.  This is very confusing, especially for late talkers.  You ask him to show Grandma the sign for “more” when there’s nothing there to ask for, and he’s thinking, “More what?”  Or worse, he starts to sign “more,” and you give him nothing in return!  During therapy sessions mothers are always trying to get their kids to repeat a new word for me that they might have said earlier in the day or week during a specific event.  More often that not, the child does not repeat the word, much to the disappointment of his mother.  The reason for this is that it just doesn’t make sense to the child.  Resist the temptation and “keep it real.”  If you want him to show off his new skill, set up a real situation, and then have him use the sign.

How to Introduce Signs

1.  Always, always, always say the word you’re signing.  The child needs to associate the word, sign, and object/event/picture you’re labeling as one in the same.  Don’t forget to continue to prompt the word, even if you don’t think your child will or can say it.  Sometimes a child will surprise you by saying a word when you are working on teaching the sign.  Accept this “gift” and move on to a new sign.  Don’t insist that he do the sign too if he’s saying the word.  Remember - speech is your goal!  The only time I try to get a child to use a sign when he’s also saying the word is when his speech is so unintelligible that his parents have no idea what he is saying.     

2.  Pick out a few basic signs to get started.  Don’t try to learn a sign for every word you say.  There will be a suggested list for signs to teach in the next few days in another post entitled “Early Sign Language Vocabulary.”  Pick all-purpose signs like “more” or “please,” as well as signs for your toddler’s favorite things.  Signs associated with food usually work the best in the beginning. 

Signs I Don’t Teach - With late talkers, I never teach a sign for a word he can already say.  I also never teach the signs for gestures he may already use or when the gesture is easier, such as shaking your head for ”no” and “yes.”  I also never teach the alphabet or numbers with signs to toddlers.  It makes no sense to teach them “academic” signs at 1 or 2 (or even at 3 or 4 in my opinion!).  They need to learn signs they can really use in their daily environment.                 

3.  Repeat the sign and word many times.  You have to say the word and show a sign many, many times for a baby to learn the association.  Point and show him the object again and again while you are saying the word and signing.  Always keep the sign in context so it makes sense.     

4.  Help your baby perform the sign.  This is the number one reason parents report failure during their previous attempts to teach a toddler to use signs.  Some children may resist your help, but go ahead and provide gentle guidance to help him get started.  I don’t force kids to do it, but I do continue to provide lots of help until they begin to forcibly resist.  Even then I might persist in hand-over-hand assistance at least sometimes, because many late talkers are not coordinated enough to imitate signs without help.  They often don’t realize this themselves.  You might also find it helpful to use a firmer touch since light pressure is often uncomfortable and almost ticklish to some children with tactile defensiveness.         

5.  Accept your baby’s version of the sign, even if it’s not perfect.  Many babies aren’t coordinated enough to imitate signs exactly like you show them.  For example, many babies modify the sign for “more,” which is typically done by tapping together the fingers of both hands.  Some initially clap, some tap their fists, and still some tap one finger of one hand to an open palm of the other.  Praise and reward his attempts.  Don’t correct him since he’s not likely going to use his signs forever.  The prize is communication, not perfect signing.  If you can remember his version, accept it and move on to a new one. 

The only times I “correct” signs are when a baby is using one that’s very similar to another sign, or when I am prompting one sign and the baby uses another one.  For example, I am saying and signing “please” and the toddler is signing “more.”  By correcting, I mean moving his hands to form the correct sign.

Another common problem is “scrolling.”  A child might perform every sign he knows hoping he gets to the right one.  When this happens, I always place his hands in his lap to stop the “scrolling,” and then I model the correct sign and word.  Most of the time this means that you are teaching too many signs too quickly and your child is on overload.  It could also be that he is so excited that he can’t stop and think before he tries to communicate what he wants.  Either way, slow down and let him master the signs he’s learned before teaching new ones.             

6. When your toddler can consistently use a sign, don’t continue to model the sign yourself.  Model (say) the word and let him do the sign by himself.  This increases the complexity of the task.  Prompt the sign by saying, “How do we sign ___________?” or,  “Show me _____.”  This also helps him become spontaneous, or to begin to use signs on his own.   

  7.  Praise and reward your child lavishly for signing.  Smile, clap, and respond enthusiastically when your kid signs.  Oh - and don’t forget to reward him by giving him what he’s asked for!  Nothing is more disappointing to a brand new signer than performing a sign and getting a big “no” or worse, no response.  Many years ago I had a mother show me a picture of her daughter in her sleeper signing “candy” at 6:00 am.  While I wouldn’t give my own daughter an entire package of M&Ms before breakfast, I would have gladly given her 1/2 a piece of fruit snack just to prove that I “got it” when she signed.  Look for a way to reward his or her early attempts, even if it goes against your initial instincts.  Reinforcing communication in a late talker is more important than proving what a controlling mom or dad you can be.   

8.  Teach all the adults and older children in your child’s life his signs.  I can’t tell you the number of times a mother has told me that her child’s dad/grandmother/babysitter/sister asked, “What does (sign) mean?”  I think this is even more frustrating for a child who is a late talker because she can’t say the word, and now someone doesn’t know what she’s trying to sign! 

9.  Be patient and persistent.  The only time I stop teaching new signs is when a kid is talking well.  I keep modeling signs for a nonverbal kid for months.  (But I always make sure we’re working on the foundational skills for signing - using other gestures, joint attention,  and interacting.)   I don’t give up after a few sessions if they don’t get it, and as a parent, you shouldn’t give up either.  Keep making (oops - I mean “helping”) him do it, and one day, he’ll get it.  I have told many parents and new therapists, you can’t make a kid talk, but you can make him sign!

10.  This is worth repeating - MAKE  SIGNING FUN!  Use something very motivating such as snack foods or his favorite activity.  For a description of how to do this, look under the post ”Facilitating Words - Moving Beyond Grunting and Pointing” in the Featured Articles section for specific additional directions.  I want to encourage you to make learning to communicate the most fun thing your toddler gets to do in the course of the day!  When you are enjoying yourself, your baby will enjoy himself.  Enough said!