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Sign Language

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Sign Language Board Books LoraHeller Sterling

28 pages, Board Book

First published March 6, 2012

5 people are currently reading
76 people want to read

About the author

Lora Heller

17 books4 followers

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5 stars
33 (26%)
4 stars
44 (34%)
3 stars
44 (34%)
2 stars
2 (1%)
1 star
3 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
Profile Image for Joella.
938 reviews46 followers
May 30, 2012
I love alphabet books. Mostly because they are often so perfect for the kids that read them. They are so ready to learn all sorts of fun things about letters and reading and literacy. Also, I have a few new friends who use sign language to communicate. So I was pretty excited when saw this book.

It is an alphabet book with various pictures of hands "signing" the various alphabet letters. And it also has a picture of something that begins with the alphabet letter. For example there is a picture of a hand signing a letter "l" next to a picture of a lion with "L is for lion" on the page. The illustrations are bright and cheerful. The illustrations of the hand signing looks realistic. And the "arrows" that show the movement of the signs (for "j" or "z" where the sign of the letter moves) all seem clear. The only thing that I wish was that included with the sign of the letter "r" there also could be the sign for "robot" which is on that page. Hopefully kids will get that the sign is for the letter and not the picture of the objects. Oh how I wish there were both. Even if it was in the glossary at the end of the book.
Profile Image for Bethany.
26 reviews
April 30, 2018
Awards received?
N/a

Appropriate Grade level?
I feel this book is directed towards grades K-5.

Original Summary:
This is not your traditional ABC book. This alphabet book discusses the American Sign Language alphabet. The traditional letters are displayed, along with the signed version of the letters. Beautiful images go along with the book representing each letter.

Original Review:
The cover of this book is very simple and aesthetically pleasing. Wonderful for individuals of all ages who desire to learn the American Sign language Alphabet. Each letter is represented clearly, with wonderful visuals. Great book to add to a classroom bookshelf, especially to expand on the diversity.

1-2 possible in-class uses:
Learning a new language is a wonderful experience. Incorporating American Sign Language into the classroom would add so much excitement to students. Students will likely feel like they are learning a secret code. Having students read a text that is written in finger spelling would be a fun way for students to puzzle/problem solve.
842 reviews
April 5, 2023
3.8. Certainly there was a better choice than p is for pirate. Also, my signing child disliked this book and thought it was too simple, even for a kindergartener.
Profile Image for Molly.
3,383 reviews
August 26, 2024
An nice alphabet book introducing the ABCs in sign language.
Profile Image for Janie.
542 reviews12 followers
May 27, 2017
Summary: Presents the American Sign Language alphabet using illustrations of both each letter's hand gesture and words beginning with each letter.
My interpretation of this description (given on my library's webpage) was that there was an illustration of the ASL word. That isn't so: This book won't show you the associated sign with each word.

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usefulness: 0; get-again: 0; illustrations (aesthetic): 0; race representation: 1; sociolinguistically facile*: 9

* Sells fingerspelling thusly: 'kids, learn to fingerspell, because then you'll know a "secret language", which "no one else will know"'. Here's a secret sign for you: FACEPALM.
Profile Image for Michelle Murphy.
19 reviews1 follower
October 26, 2012
"Sign Language ABC" by Lora Heller is a simple and brightly illustrated book that spells out words pertaining to it's first letter. Handshapes, fingershapes and movements are all incorporated into this book.

This book is intended for early elementary school learners or Deaf students who are beginning to learn to fingerspell. I must say, although I intend to work in a mainstream classroom, I by no means am an American Sign Language instructor. Yes, I can interpret and share my knowledge, but I am not a native signer and I feel that it is crucial and respectable to enlist a native signer into the classroom when instructing students on sign language. It is very pressing for Deaf students to learn from other Deaf teachers although it is still necessary for Deaf students to communicate with non-native signers like myself. That being said, I accord this book to appeal with it's visually stimulating pictures that can be translated to sign and then onto paper in the form of words. I see this as a very useful tool for any Deaf student learning to read and spell. I would also want to share this book with my students who are not Deaf so they can be a bit more aware of any fellow peers that may be Deaf. Also, fingerspelling out words and letters can be beneficial to hearing readers, as it is another tool to help with memory. I also find meaning in this book by allocating it to students at a young age so they can be acquainted with and appreciative of other ways of people communicate, such as signing--teaching sensitivity, acceptance and early reading skills along the way!

New York : Sterling Children's Books, ©2012.
Profile Image for Miss Pippi the Librarian.
2,774 reviews60 followers
September 23, 2012
Sign Language ABC is bold and bright. The illustrations for each letter are fun! The illustrations of the hand are particularly well-done. I will agree that this is a fun book to introduce someone to the alphabet. This is an alphabet book.

The introduction is written for elementary students, but the images and setup of the book is geared toward early literacy situations. The intro explains that as the reader becomes familiar with finger spelling they can "have your own secret language" to communicate with friends and siblings. Sorry to tell you, but American Sign Language is a recognized language that can't be claimed as your own. It's a wonderful skill and fun to learn, but if you want to claim your own secret language you'll need to create something yourself. (I would recommend a secret code book as well.)

I would recommend this title for any new readers to American Sign Language who want to see the letters of the alphabet or parents teaching their children the alphabet. I would hesitate to give this to someone who wants to learn ASL as a way to communicate with others.

Reviewed from a library copy.
Profile Image for Sivyu.
137 reviews
February 26, 2015
Lora Heller. Sign Language ABC. (2012). Great twist on the usual alphabet book. Along with ABCs, this book uses the ASL (American Sign Language) manual alphabet with each letter. It features a nice big letter in each corner with a hand demonstrating the sign underneath. I liked that it featured different skin tones for the hands throughout the book. The computer generated illustrations are fun and very creative. This book works for a wide range of ages. Younger children can use it mainly for an alphabet book and older children can utilize the ASL portion. This would work well for an alphabet unit or an ASL unit. Target audience: 2-10.
Profile Image for Vicki.
4,972 reviews33 followers
July 3, 2015
The colorful illustrations have matching pictures, written letter of the alphabet and matching sign for that letter on each page. While it seems like a good idea, I was wondering as I read the book, who is this book really for? In reality a toddler or younger who I assume this book is for would not be able to learn sign language from this, but perhaps the adult reading it would be able to use the book to teach a child sign.
Profile Image for Natalie.
780 reviews5 followers
January 28, 2022
The illustrations were good, and I liked the variety of words for each letter compared to other alphabet books. But I was really disappointed by the introduction. ASL was presented as a fun way to speak in secret between hearing friends. No mention was made of ASL being an actual language used by deaf people to communicate with each other and with hearing friends they may have. This could have been a cool inclusive introduction to ASL, but it really missed the mark.
Profile Image for Wendy Garland.
621 reviews50 followers
April 9, 2012
Each letter of the alphabet is presented with a hand showing how to create it in sign language. A simple sentence accompanies the letter, "F is for fish." Very limited information, but perhaps of interest to a younger audience.
Profile Image for Robin.
2,200 reviews25 followers
December 2, 2013
Having been alerted to the need for sign language instruction titles for young kids in Middleboro, I found a few, including this one. This is a very straightforward alphabet book with the hand showing how to shape that letter on the page. I'm sure this will go out often.
Profile Image for Ashlyn Barker-Salyer.
167 reviews3 followers
May 26, 2014
This is a great book with colorful pictures and well done illustrations that demonstrate how to perform the sign for each letter of the alphabet. Students would enjoy this book and it would be a good starting point to talk about the Deaf community.
74 reviews
March 16, 2012
Looks like good fun for kids in addition to being a valuable skill to master
Profile Image for Christine Turner.
3,560 reviews51 followers
May 4, 2012
Teaches children the American Sign Language alphabet through a combination of letters, hand spelling, and bold, bright illustrations.

American Sign Language
Profile Image for Emily.
684 reviews13 followers
July 18, 2012
Cute, and great for any lower level elementary library (illustrations geared towards kids).
Profile Image for Jennifer.
1,406 reviews23 followers
June 6, 2015
I want to learn sign language. Or at least incorporate it into baby storytime.
Profile Image for Heather.
984 reviews23 followers
December 27, 2012
I think it would be really fun to do a whole sign language storytime. This book would be perfect too, bright, large illustrations and fun words for each letter.
Profile Image for Angela.
31 reviews1 follower
September 2, 2014
A great beginning book for teaching sign language to kids.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews

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