FAQs
- How did you get started doing this type of work?
As soon as I heard about My Smart Hands baby/toddler sign language classes, I knew I wanted to become an instructor. My mother worked at Virginia School for the Deaf and taught my siblings and me how to sign before we could speak. Also, I used sign language with children with and without disabilities in a preschool setting for several years. My classroom children loved to learn new signs and picked up signs quickly! Several would have had no other way to communicate had they not had their signs. I decided to teach families sign language to use with their preverbal infants/toddlers because I want them to have the same ability to communicate that the children in my classroom had.
- What advice would you give a customer looking to hire a provider in your area of work?
If you are considering using sign language to communicate with your preverbal infant or toddler, let me encourage you to begin now! It is never too early (or too late) to start signing with your little one! When looking for a provider, make sure to ask about his or her experience and use of sign language in other settings (at work, school, or home). As an added bonus, inquire whether or not the instructor has a background in child development, especially speech and language.