Testimonials

Awards

'Highly Commended'
European Languages Award, CILT

"GOLD Award"
National Parenting Publications

"Clearly changing the lives of children."
Wavemakers Award

BETT Awards Finalists for 2000 and 2001

Supporters

"Should be in every nursery and primary school."
The Times Educational Supplement

"Innovative and new multi-sensory approach to developing literacy for all children."
Nursery Education magazine

"Signs for Success has produced compelling evidence about ways in which the language, literacy skills and behaviour in children can be improved through the simultaneous use of signing and speech"
The Esmee Fairbairn Foundation

Signs for Success' is a novel approach designed to engage pre-school children in multi-sensory activities that pave the way for literacy. Given the degree of success it seems to achieve, it would be well -worth researching this approach to ascertain its value for helping children make a successful start on the road to reading.'
Sir Jim Rose, author The Rose Review

"The Centre for Deaf Studies, University of Bristol, and Signs for Success have begun a cooperative relationship in research and development in sign language work."
Prof Jim Kyle

"Innovative … great potential to increase literacy for all children."
Prof. Tim Brighouse, Commissioner London schools, London University

Professionals

"The use of signing effectively supports pupils with language barriers, those in the early stage of learning English and others with difficulties in concentration."
St Vincent's School Ofsted Report

"The theory part of the course gave me a greater understanding of the impact of signing in all areas of children's lives. Planning, carrying out and then evaluating activities made me reflect on what I had done and how I could improve the activity."
A. Pirie, student, Scotland

I have formally studied the effectiveness of Kathy's programme within my own setting on three occasions and subsequently signing has become a much loved and valued aspect of my continuous provision. I have even be known to implement signing activities during teaching in the lifelong learning sector.
Andrea Turner

"A great piece of work. Stunning."
Karen Kimmel, Dean, Gallaudet University, Washington D.C.

"I love it! It's more significant than any other programme I've ever seen."
Kathy Bishop, Director, The Children's School, Southhampton College, U.S.A.

"´Photo´ sounds like ´foto´. But the children can SEE it's a 'ph' and not a 'f' with fingerspelling."

Erica Hewetson, St Vincent's Primary School

"It's inspiring!" "It's just magic!" "It's simple, spontaneous and so easy to use!"
Allenscroft Children's Centre

"We have one little girl who does not speak much English and she is especially keen and signs all the time. The WOW books are her favourite. It is also brilliant for helping children to communicate what they often feel too frustrated to verbalise. And being able to sign 'too noisy' or 'sit down' from across the room without having to say anything is wonderful. It is so exciting."
Emily Marrain, Iverna Gardens Montessori Nursery School, London.

"A brilliant course. It ticks all the boxes; child development, early years foundation, Inclusion, English as a second language, behaviour, phonics, social skills, speech and language, confidence and self esteem, professional development, parents ... Very exciting."
Helen Parker, Senior Development Officer, North Lincolnshire

I will certainly be continuing to use signing myself in my two preschool settings, and encouraging others to do so too! The SFS course has been a very positive experience (and a lot of fun!).
Sarah Herbert, Manager, Elmwood Montessori School

I love what you do and it is truly amazing information for me too as a parent. The importance of teaching signs to babies and children for their growth and development is phenomenal information.
Vidyut Latay, Director/Producer-Beyond Silence

"The majority of children shared their knowledge of sign with family and friends"
Tucker, 2002 Click Research

Signs for Success Teachers

"Each morning the entire staff learned one behaviour sign or phrase, then used it with the children throughout the day. Within two weeks, the atmosphere of the whole school changed . . .Unbelievable."
Joanne Raybould, SFS headteacher, St Clement's Primary School

"Will be a runaway success. It's what everyone wants. Absolutely a first!
Tarah Coleman, Signs for Success teacher

"Parents of year 1 children want to be assured that their children will continue with signing, so I'm having to loan Billie to that class for a daily session!!! Great, isn't it!"
Signs for Success headteacher

"I was trying to get over the difference between "where" and "were" to Year 2. The class teacher had struggled for ages, but as soon as I fingerspelled the words, the children SAW the difference immediately. Their teacher was amazed."

"I was doing their initial letter formation assessments. The children didn't recognise the written letter formation, but when I fingerspelled the word, then they knew the sound and the letter.

"Signs for Success is "inclusion" in the broadest sense. All children are learning to read and write through the programme."

"We had to have a special assistant for one boy because his autism made him so disruptive. Now he makes eye contact and uses speech and is learning in the same way as other children because of the signing. It's a miracle."

"One of our children had very poor speech and no one could understand her. It was only when I saw her use signs that I realised she was actually a bright little girl.

Signing expands children's language. Yesterday, I used the word "dialogue" instead of '"speech". Children learned "dialogue" immediately because the sign for the two words is the same. I think it's brilliant for that."

"Interest is so great we've got staff learning to Sign from Nursery up to Year 6. 16 Sixteen members of staff! We now advertise for support staff with who have Sign Language skills. The momentum here is just incredible."

"Children, staff and parents are enthusiastic and want more. We are using signs outside the classroom – for example in assemblies, and it is wonderful seeing the children helping each other."

"I hated coming to school. It was completely chaotic. Now the classes are quiet and the children are learning so much and they're polite. I absolutely love coming to school and I love the children."

"Comparing the Year 1's this year with the ones last year, they just seem far more able. Literacy skills are far superior to what we would have expected. And their predicted SAT's results are far higher."

"We put up the Wow posters and 1,500 children learned the alphabet overnight."

"I would never not use signs. I use them all the time."

"I tell the children that we are learning the signs together. Children like the idea that the learning experience is teamwork."

"The children have become much more independent writers. If they get stuck and the teacher signs the letter, they can write it immediately.

"Certainly a big improvement in spelling, particularly in Reception where its made a huge difference."

"Fingerspelling gives access to different types of learners. The kinesthetic learning style is the preferred style. Instead of using the old flashcard system, the children are fingerspelling words on their fingers which allows them to visualise what the letters look like. If you're teaching phonics in the usual way, you're only accessing visual or auditory whereas with fingerspelling they physically form the letters which are then transferred to the written word on paper … The biggest difference is they come back to school after the summer and they've remembered everything."

"There is a more relaxed teacher and child relationship. Signing promotes group identity as it's a shared, enjoyable time."

Parents

My son has a mild to moderate hearing loss. Signing has meant he has not only kept up with his peers but is in the top group for phonics!
Erica Hewetson, mother of Isaac

"I just wish the government would introduce this programme into the National Curriculum; I know how much it has improved my daughter's ability to understand the spoken and written word, and also to deal with the frustration often felt when a toddler is trying to get something across before they have the language skills.
Molly Reid's Mum

"It's been a real success. My two children and their friend signed a hymn in front of everyone at church on Sunday. They were showing us what to do. My son's gone on to the comprehensive. Schools should include signing as a foreign language."
Parents of Signs for Success children

"Since the (WOW) poster went up yesterday, my daughter has learned the alphabet and can fingerspell her name and the colours. It's amazing."
Mother of a Signs for Success child

"I positively believe this is a wonderful idea which I encourage, especially as my child has enjoyed it so much."

"I would like to see signing carried through the whole school – even to secondary school. This programme should go into every school."

"I signed to Isaac from when he was born. At 7 months he was sign babbling and at 10 months could sign "milk, food, please" and "thank you". By 12 months he was signing "hat, duck, orange, milk, eat, please, thank you, Mummy, Daddy. " I also believe that signing has helped to develop his spoken language as one of his first consistent words was "thank you", not a typical start to spoken vocabulary, but I had signed and said it every time I gave him something. It's so exciting to be allowed into his world and to have this connection. It's so empowering for both of us and can only serve to strengthen our communication and consequently our relationship."