Signing Time Vol. 1: My First Signs DVD (2002) Review

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(More customer reviews)I'd like to correct the reviewer who said that the Signing Time videos don't teach the words "please" or "thank-you". I own all three DVDs in the set, and I know those words are taught. Volume 2, "Playtime Signs", teaches both of those words. It even includes a song about them, called, "Magic Words". Currently, the desciption of the Volume 2 DVD on Amazon.com lists the wrong words, so don't trust it. For accurate information about the videos, visit the Signing Time website at www.signingtime.com. You can also see video clips there.
A strong point of the Signing Time videos is the fact that each word is demonstrated by several different people. This is important, because everyone signs a little differently. Other videos, which generally use only one demonstrator, have left me wondering how exact I have to be in imitating the sign in order to have it recognized as the intended sign.
This video is the first one in the series, and was made a year or two before the latter two videos. The producers appear to have learned a lot from making the first video, and the latter two are even better (they've added songs, present words in groups, have better filming, and moved the "Introduction" by Rachel into it's own segment, so you don't have to watch it every time you play the main feature). The latter two videos also include more words - about 30 each, instead of just 18, as in this video.
One thing that has disappointed me about the Signing Time videos is that they leave out a lot of important words that are commonly used with babies & toddlers (which is why I only rate it with 4 stars). I would rather learn "diaper" and "bottle" than "fish" and "bird". Happily, I discovered the "Baby See 'N Sign" videos, which do a great job of filling this gap. I would recommend "Baby See 'N Sign" to all serious baby-signers, in addition to the Signing Time series. The second "Baby See 'N Sign" video was made specifically from words that were requested by parents. The "See 'N Sign" videos aren't as cute as the "Signing Time" videos, but they are well-done, and they still hold my baby's attention. They also cover A LOT more words (60+ on the first video, and 100+ on the second). They're only available on VHS, which was a slight disappointment for me, but they are well worth having. Currently, Amazon.com only sells the first video, but you can order the second one from www.babyseensign.com.
I certainly hope the Signing Time people keep making more videos. It would be great if they would teach simple phrases, like "come here" and "I'll be right back", instead of just single words. I would also like to see more video snippets of children using signs as they play together, or interact with their parents, instead of just seeing children doing a single sign by themself. I also think they should show the object being signed in the same picture with the person who is doing the sign, instead of showing the sign, then the object, then the sign - each in separate clips. (To be fair, there are a few examples of someone doing a sign with the object present - but most of the time, that is not the case - and in some of the cases, they show a cartoon of the object instead of a real object, which I think isn't as effective.)
Overall, the Signing Time videos are well worth having, since the manner of presentation is very engaging, and they do an excellent job of holding a baby's attention.

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The first in the Signing Time! series.Cousins Alex Brown (who can hear) and Leah Coleman (who is deaf) invites babies and children of all ages to "Come sign with us!"My first Signs presents 18 basic American Sign Language (ASL) signs to your family in a fun and memorable way.It's Signing Time: My First Signs - ASL signs you can use everyday! The ASL signs taught are: Eat, Milk, Water, Ball, More, Bird, Dog, Cat, Fish, Car, Airplane, Want, Shoes, Flower, Mom, Dad, Baby, Sleep The DVD version includes an ASL sign review.

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My Baby Can Talk - First Signs (2004) Review

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(More customer reviews)I am an experienced signing parent, having signed with my second son and am currently signing with my 20-month-old daughter. I have seen many signing videos over the last four years, both as a parent and as a professional in the baby signing industry. Upon viewing My Baby Can Talk™ - First Signs DVD for the first time, I was very impressed for a number of reasons.
For starters, the movie itself is extremely engaging. I have my own little group of testers here in the house (three children) and I gauged their reactions carefully. My little girl, the youngest at 20 months, watched it the whole way through the first time with me by her side. She was able to connect the signs with the images on the screen quite easily with a little help from mom and genuinely enjoyed the footage of the animals the best (the panda having a snack is her favorite). I have not seen my daughter love a movie as much as she loves this one. She wants to watch it every day.
I also thought that it is really great to show both an adult as well as a baby signing every sign. This is helpful in more than one way - children get to see another child in their age group signing and they also get to see the sign signed with more precision by an adult. The repetition in the movie is perfect as well as the variety of images shown. It really reinforces the sign.
Love the classical music score, love the images, love the variety of signs ... all in all, 5 stars!

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Inspiring early language development - from simple gesturesto first spoken words.My Baby Can Talk - First Signs is designed to be baby's first introductionto preverbal communication and teaches American Sign Language in a formatthat delights the senses while tapping into a baby's innate languagecapabilities. Created to encourage interaction and set to classical music,My Baby Can Talk - First Signs takes babies and their parents on aninspiring discovery of the first words and signs that are most loved bybabies - including eat, drink, milk, more, book, go and favorite animals todelight babies and inspire them to begin to sign! Honored with fourteen prestigious parenting awards and reviewed andendorsed by child psychologists, professionals in the media as well asearly childhood educators; the My Baby Can Talk series inspires preverbalcommunication as well as first spoken words and is the first programfeaturing preverbal babies signing. Research has shown that babies who usesign language tend to speak sooner with larger vocabularies, show anincrease in IQ scores and engage in more sophisticated play.The My Baby Can Talk series is specifically developed to respect thedevelopmental stage, attention span and intellect of hearing babies from 10to 36 months.This program includes a Parent Tutorial and a printed QuickReference Signing Card.MyBabyCanTalk.com is the premier resource center on the Internet forbabies and signing featuring detailed tutorials, background research, and avideo dictionary with more than 200 ASL signs that are most important toand appropriate for babies and toddlers.

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Sue Thomas: Breaking the Sound Barrier - DVD (2003) Review

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(More customer reviews)Sue Thomas: Breaking the Sound Barrier - DVD
This woman has an amazing story and testimony how God works in people lives, even when we are not looking for His direction. Sue was given some incredible opportunities that can not be attributed to chance, but only through the work of the Lord. She testifies to the strength that the Lord will bring when your life is in disarray because of physical limitations, in her case it was her deafness. There are times in the video when she has you laughing and then will also bring you to tears at the sensitivity with which she tells her story. It is a video that I will watch over and over when I think that I have difficutlies in my life. It is very inspiring.

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You know of her through the TV series "Sue Thomas: F.B.Eye."Now here is the rest you didn’t know, and her story is sure to capture a place in yourheart.When only 18 months, Sue suffered a total loss of hearing. Her parents determined to help her become part of the "hearing world," so they enrolled her in a special school where she learned to speak and read lips. At age seven, Sue became the youngest ever Ohio State Champion free-style skater.Later she took up trumpet and piano and became an accomplished classical pianist. Sue’s parents taught her that with God’s help, she could accomplish anything. After college and graduate school, Sue was hired by the FBI.Her outstanding ability to read lips led to work in undercover surveillance as dramatized in the popular television series , "Sue Thomas: F.B.Eye." Sue’s role is played by Deanne Bray, who is also a deaf woman.Despite her success with the FBI, Sue felt something still was missing. Following further graduate studies, she had a burning desire to proclaim the love and forgiveness of God, which she does as a speaker nationally before civic, professional and church groups. She is interviewed regularly on television and radio. She has also authored her best selling autobiography, "Silent Night." When not on the road speaking, Sue lives in Ohio with her golden retriever.But Sue's amazing story does not end there. She has been diagnosed with the debilitating illness Multiple Sclerosis that affects her mobility and vision. Yet she meets this challenge head-on as she has every other obstacle. In this program, Sue tells how God helped her overcome daunting obstacles to share her message of hope and inspiration with others.

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