Little Hands Signing Professional Development: Summer Reading Special

1 hour webinar, recorded.

Learn basic American Sign Language vocabulary for summer and animals and how to use it in storytime! This session teaches themed vocabulary while demonstrating storytime activities and best practices for signing with young children. Includes storytime demo and language and culture notes to help you present American Sign Language to hearing audiences in context. Purchase includes access to the webinar for 30 days, plus access to webinar resource page. Certificate of completion available upon request with successful completion of post-test.

About the Instructor:

Kathy MacMillan is a nationally certified American Sign Language interpreter, librarian, and storyteller. She is the author of the Little Hands Signing series from Familius Press, Little Hands and Big Hands: Children and Adults Signing Together (Huron Street Press) as well as many other books for children, teens, librarians, and educators.

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Little Hands Signing Professional Development: Group Coaching Session

Tuesday, July 6, 2021, 1:30-2:45 PM Eastern/12:30-1:45 PM Central/11:30 AM-12:45 PM Mountain/10:30-11:45 AM Pacific

1 hour and 15 minutes, Online via Zoom

Here’s your chance to get live feedback on your storytime activities using American Sign Language! In this interactive small-group session, each participant will demonstrate a story, song, rhyme or other activity they plan to use with signs in storytime, and storyteller and nationally certified ASL interpreter Kathy MacMillan will give live feedback on vocabulary choices, sign production, presentation, and introducing ASL vocabulary in context. Expand your storytime toolbox with ideas from your peers and enhance your storytime confidence!

Each session is capped at 12 participants, so register now!

Pricing:

• Individual: $40 (includes live webinar and recording access for 30 days after the live event)
• Group rate (10 people): $300 (includes live webinar and recording access for 30 days after the live event)
• Optional Add-on: Individualized video feedback: $25. Submit a video (up to 10 min) demonstrating more planned signing activities for storytime and receive individualized feedback on sign choices, production, and more from Kathy MacMillan via return video within 14  days. Must be used within 6 months of purchase.

About the Instructor:

Kathy MacMillan is a nationally certified American Sign Language interpreter, librarian, and storyteller. She is the author of the Little Hands Signing series from Familius Press, Little Hands and Big Hands: Children and Adults Signing Together (Huron Street Press) as well as many other books for children, teens, librarians, and educators.

REGISTER NOW!

Little Hands Signing Professional Development: Summer Reading Special

Tuesday, May 25, 2021 at 2 PM Eastern. 1 hour, Online via Zoom.

Add some American Sign Language to your summer reading toolbox! In this interactive session, we’ll focus on basic ASL vocabulary for summer and animals, to go with the Collaborative Summer Library program theme of Tails and Tales. Learn how to incorporate ASL into storytime songs, rhymes, and stories in a respectful and effective way. Certificate of completion available upon request with successful completion of post-test.

Pricing:

• Individual: $40 (includes live webinar and recording access for 30 days after the live event)
• Group rate (10 people): $300 (includes live webinar and recording access for 30 days after the live event)
• Optional Add-on: Individualized video feedback: $25. Submit a video (up to 10 min) demonstrating your planned signing activities for storytime and receive individualized feedback on sign choices, production, and more from Kathy MacMillan via return video within 14  days. Must be used within 6 months of purchase.

About the Instructor:

Kathy MacMillan is a nationally certified American Sign Language interpreter, librarian, and storyteller. She is the author of the Little Hands Signing series from Familius Press, Little Hands and Big Hands: Children and Adults Signing Together (Huron Street Press) as well as many other books for children, teens, librarians, and educators.

REGISTER NOW!

I’ve been getting several questions lately about my various training offerings for library staff, so I thought I would write up an FAQ about the different offerings and how they complement one another.

How are eCourses and webinar series different?

My eCourses offered through ALA Editions (ASL for Library Staff, Levels 1 and 2; Sign Language for Children in Storytime or the Classroom) are asynchronous, meaning that you work through the lessons on your own time and at your own pace.  Each eCourse contains 6 lessons that will take you approximately 5-6 hours each to complete, for a total of 30 learning hours. Course material is presented through videos, readings, and quizzes. You have 12 weeks to complete each course. Each course also includes at least 1 video project that allows you to get individualized feedback from the instructor on your signing.

Webinars and webinar series are conducted live online via Zoom, and all include access to the recording if you cannot attend live or want to review the material after the live session. Participants are encouraged (though not required) to share their video for a truly interactive experience and real-time feedback and assistance in learning the signs.

• The Hands Up! Live ASL Practice for Library Staff webinar series (Beginner and Intermediate levels) is designed to provide interactive practice and reinforcement of ASL vocabulary and grammatical structures relevant to the library setting, to help library staff gain confidence in their abilities to serve ASL users.
• Each Little Hands Signing Professional Development series webinar focuses on a specific storytime theme, allowing participants to register for the areas most relevant to their training needs.

Would the eCourses benefit me if I already took the webinar series?/Would the webinar series benefit me if I already took the eCourses?

The answer to both questions is yes!  The eCourses and webinar series have been designed to complement one another and allow those who have taken either of them to expand their knowledge by moving to the other. The eCourses provide a broad overview of the topic, touching on multiple facets and introducing a wide range of vocabulary. The webinar series cover less material but in much greater depth, allowing for interactive practice to develop your confidence in signing in the library setting.

Which training should I take if…

…I am totally new to signing in the library and I want to better serve Deaf and hard of hearing patrons?

If you enjoy learning on your own and setting your own pace, start with ASL for Library Staff, Level 1 (eCourse). If you would prefer a more interactive, guided introduction, start with Hands Up!: Live ASL for Library Staff (Beginners) (webinar series).

…I want to start using ASL vocabulary in my storytimes and I am totally new to the topic.

Start with Sign Language for Storytime or the Classroom (eCourse) or the Little Hands Signing Professional Development series.

…I have taken one or two ASL classes in the community, but I am not familiar with vocabulary for the library setting.

If you enjoy learning on your own and setting your own pace, start with ASL for Library Staff, Level 1 (eCourse). If you would prefer a more interactive, guided introduction, start with Hands Up!: Live ASL for Library Staff (Beginners) (webinar series).

…I can conduct a basic ASL conversation in the library setting (greeting a patron, discussing basic library locations and services, conducting a basic reference or circulation transaction), but I want to develop my skills more.

To expand your library ASL knowledge and explore ways to improve your library service to deaf and hard-of-hearing patrons, continue on to ASL for Library Staff, Level 2 (eCourse). If you want to focus on practicing and reinforcing your signing skills alone, take Hands Up!: Live ASL for Library Staff (Intermediate) (webinar series).

…I have completed ASL for Library Staff, Levels 1 and 2, and I want to keep up my signing skills for the library setting.

Practice and reinforcing your signing skills with Hands Up!: Live ASL for Library Staff (Intermediate) (webinar series).

…I took the old Basic ASL for Library Staff eCourse, and I want to continue to grow my skills.

Depending on how long ago you took the course and how much you remember, you may wish the start with ASL for Library Staff, Level 1 (eCourse) OR get a refresher with interactive guided practice in Hands Up!: Live ASL for Library Staff (Beginners) (webinar series).  If you feel you retained what you learned in the basic course, continue on to ASL for Library Staff, Level 2 (eCourse) or Hands Up!: Live ASL for Library Staff (Intermediate) (webinar series).

…I have completed the Sign Language for Children in Storytime or the Library eCourse and I want to expand my vocabulary for storytime.

Take the Little Hands Signing Professional Development webinars (offered as standalone webinars and series). Each webinar is focused around a storytime theme to help you grow your ASL vocabulary in different areas.

…I have taken one or more Little Hands Signing Professional Development webinars and I want to deepen my understanding of signing with children in storytime.

Take the Sign Language for Children in Storytime or the Library eCourse, or select others in the Little Hands Signing Professional Development webinars series. Each webinar is focused around a storytime theme to help you grow your ASL vocabulary in different areas.

Don’t see your particular situation on this list? Have other questions about these trainings? Contact me to find out the best fit for your learning needs!