Signing ASL with toddlers
The second-year online documentary "Toddler Talk in ASL" follows a toddler's language acquisition and literacy development in ASL (American Sign Language) on a weekly basis from age one to two.
The child has been exposed to the signed language (ASL) as a first language from birth in a natural, native-ASL environment and visual culture.
Watch the process of language development in ASL and the transition from the one-word stage to the mulit-word stage.
Observe how the toddler acquires pronominal references in ASL. Take an opportunity to look into the child's window of mind how she perceives the world.
ASL toddler talk of the month
Week-by-week posts begin from January 2013. The third year documentary will begin in January 2014.
This documentary also includes some selected anecdotes and stories of other toddlers and their parents along the way. Got any story of yours?
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ASL acquisition milestones (L1)
- 1;0,1: The beginning of one-word stage
- 1;0,2: Pointing at named pictures
- 1;0,3: Naming pictures or objects
- 1;0,4: From obscure babbles to translucent words
- 1;1,1: Telling her thoughts and feelings
- 1;1,2: Pointing to self
- 1;1,3: Naming objects and pictures in new contexts
- 1;1,4: Making a conversation with strangers
- 1;2,1: Making requests; Categorizing the world
- 1;2,2: Expressing manners: "thank-you" and "please"
- 1;2,3: Asking for help using the ASL word
- 1;2,4: The emergence of two-word utterances
- 1;2,5: Identifying some shapes and alphabetical letters
- 1;3,1: Following requests; Getting one's attention
- 1;3,2: Emerging "1" handshape in ASL words
- 1;3,3: Talking about non-present referents
- 1;3,4: Leading by hand

