Signing: Waiting for Daddy: Rose’s Story

Massiel will add videos to teach you how to keyword sign for the eBook ‘Waiting for Daddy: Rose’s story‘ on this page.

Summary of videos:

 

Introduction Video   Massiel is signing slowly, so you can practice with her for the first eBook ‘Waiting for Daddy’ linked below. It shows the fingerspelling of M-A-S-S-I-E-L and a brief look at what pages 1-2 are going to be like for the sequential video format.

Video’s for this story have been broken up in parts to make it digestible for teachers and parents to try their hand at KWS (Key Word Sign).

 

Part 1 – Waiting for Daddy pages 1-5  The sign for Deployment, is similar to army or military. Only that it has that gesture at the end with the hand moving away. That represents leaving. In this video, page 5 you see how beautiful “posting a letter” is gestured.

Plus we include a selection of KWS – Signs to try

 

Part 2 – Waiting for Daddy pages 6-9   The word for house is different to home. With “house” you outline the structure. I’m using the variation sign for house you’ll find in Signbank.

When asking questions, you can use your face (raising eyebrows). Facial expressions are a huge part of communication in many cultures, but especially in Deaf communities. So encourage one another to use the expressions. Tell the story with your face, body and gestures, movement.

That is why in one scene I’m “asking” with my eyes and not a sign.

Part 3 – Waiting for Daddy pages 10-11  We use our face to emphasis and show emotion. Have you noticed we use the letter “F” twice when we sign Daddy? That’s because the letter F is for father.

This week we also use the sign for Australia. It’s like you’re picking up something and putting it back down. “At other times daddy is a long way away in Australia”.  This is definitely a great sign to learn and get your students trying out.

“Sometimes I get scared and sleep in mummy’s bed just in case she gets scared too”.

The word “scared” you need to show the emotion. This will be fun to try with your students. Though I had to do it a few times because I crack up laughing, as you might do too (because it’s fun).

Did you know the sign for mummy and mum and mother has two signs? The one in the video is one of the signs. Or you can do the letter “m” twice as can be seen in sign bank.

The suggestion is that you pick one or two signs you want to focus on with your children. A variety of Key Word Signs (using Auslan signs) are given for you to select the ones you like.

Part 4 – Waiting for Daddy pages 12-13   I think my favourite sign this week is “I’m really good at” because you have to show the face as you mean it. In fact, you should be using genuine expressions with your signing. It may feel a little animated at first. It will make you a better storyteller and communicator.

  • Talking on the phone
  • I love love
  • I’m really good at
  • Grandma visits
  • talking and talking
  • we go to the park

With KWS (Key Word Signing), it’s up to the teacher or parent to work out the important keywords for the children you support to learn. You might only focus on one word at a time. Repetition is crucial for sign language. This week, for example, you may want to focus on grandmother/grandma/nanny (it’s the same sign).

As you get familiar with the story you can add more signs. We’ve included as many as possible so that you have variety and not so that you feel you have to learn them all for storytelling.

Finally, a reminder that KWS uses Auslan signs to tell support this storytelling the way it’s written. Auslan (the language of the deaf community) is a beautiful language with its own unique linguistic grammar and structure. If you’re going to learn sign language, then do consider Auslan in your state. It’s a wonderful experience to learn with a deaf teacher too.

 

Part 5 – Waiting for Daddy page 14-17   New signs to learn this week. Do you like the sign for present? I sure do! We continue to share KWS (key word signs) in telling Rose’s Story. This week we look at pages 14, 15, 16 and 17.  I’d love to see your best grumpy version.

One of the best things about KWS is that you convey a much richer story, for example with emotions, or actions. The students get to experience feeling and acting out the gestures with you when you add that extra facial expression.

The sign for “reading a bedtime story” is so elegant and simple. It’s one of my favourite signs. This week is a great week of emotions, with faces like grumpy.  We are getting close to the end now!

 

Part 6 – Waiting for Daddy pages 18-25 We are now at the final part of the story. We get to use signs for counting down as we anticipate the arrival of Daddy. Notice the change “to the airport” and “I love the airport” being the opposite gestures at the start of the story?

The big day finally arrives and there is so much excitement. There is also waiting and the facial expressions matter because it adds to the story and situation.

This concludes the story. Hope you enjoyed looking at Waiting For Daddy with KWS.

Here are some AUSLAN signs to practice

Fingerspelling and new signs

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