Chuckles Day Nursery
We were introduced to Signs for Success on Friday 6th October 2006. David Cassandro introduced us to signing with the under fives with an hour and a half training session which showed us how signing could be implemented in our setting. We loved the training session and were eager beavers to get to grips with signing to be able to teach the children effectively. We wanted to use signing generally in conversations with the children throughout the day and also to encourage the parents to take part. We as a team agreed that we would learn one sign a day. I appointed a co-ordinator who learns the sign in advance and makes sure that all staff know the signs for that day.
WEEK ONE Our first week was fantastic! We got stuck in straight away finding the best ways that work with the setting to help promote signing with the children. We began with signs for "Good morning, Good Afternoon, Hello/Goodbye, Please and Thank you" from the signing DVD. We created a WOW display board with all the relevant information about signing for parents to see. Children were introduced to signing throughout the day, small group times and registration. By the end of the week children were beginning to sign please and thank you at snack times and could sign good morning at registration time.
WEEK TWO We learned signs for "Well done, Good boy, Good girl, lovely and Wow". Staff members are learning the signs quickly and the attitude to signing is very positive. Signing is becoming a natural way of communication. We have designed signing posters around the nursery that name areas e.g. Creative area; this allows children to see the signs for the different letters. We have also introduced a comments book to allow staff and parents to comment on our signing progress and to make any suggestions.
WEEK THREE We learned signs for "Sorry, No, Sad, Stop and Share nicely". Children were beginning to start to show a real interest in the signing. One child was seen trying to copy the sign for the letter "N" from a poster, while other children had included pointing at the signs as part of their game.
WEEK FOUR After discussions with staff we decided to have a week without signs as it was felt that we needed more practice with the signs we have learnt over the 3 weeks.
Staff were seen implementing the signs in as many exciting ways and situations as they could think of. We began writing the sign for the day in the child daybook. We were trying to encourage parents to take interest. We also spent time teaching the parents the signs that we had learnt to try and encourage them to carry on signing in the home environment. We are also in the process of making letter cards and their signs to help aid children´s learning how to spell their name and learn phonics.
