Need signs/actions My Eternal Family

[rtwinz]

Hi All,

I looked up a couple of ASL signs for some key words, but I think I'd rather use some kind of action. I teach only the Jr. primary and I think they learn the words a little better if the actions actually mimic the words. KWIM? I've thought of a few actions that we've used in the past (I've only been in for just over a month...) but I'm having trouble think up some actions.

That being said, I have two questions. Where can I find a good online video dictionary of ASL?

And does anyone have any good actions for these key words:
working
family
serve
kindness
home
help/work/play (any)

home
live God's word
feel Spirit
serving Lord
help
live with Him

Heavenly Father
I can be
eternal family

Thanks everyone. ;D

[mztamela]

Here is what I'm going to use. I got most of it from a yahoo group post and then I tweaked it a little bit. I hope it makes sense to you.

[rtwinz]

Feb 28, 2009 10:55:18 GMT -5 mztamela said:

Here is what I'm going to use. I got most of it from a yahoo group post and then I tweaked it a little bit. I hope it makes sense to you.

This is all you posted.

[marenras]

There has recently been a really good email that came through the yahoo group about this. I suggest you go check it out.

As far as a good online ASL dictionary, I frequently use both

www.aslpro.com/cgi-bin/aslpro/aslpro.cgi

and

commtechlab.msu.edu/Sites/aslweb/browser.htm

[rtwinz]

Thanks everyone! That other email was mine, too. I've been posting on both boards until we can get a few more people over here.... it's hard to go through so many posts there, but not enough action here for a last min question. ;D

Thanks for the asl sites too. Good luck tomorrow, everyone!

[DeEllen]

Ok, I'm not much help at all. I was going to give lots of ideas and then realized everything I would do for the words I would've taken straight from aslpro.com and it is easier to see it than do it. I love that site. I also have been trying to use lds.org's sign language, but it goes really fast and some of the signs are difficult to copy and then teach to the children. So I pick the easier signs from both sites and then make it work for the kids. I never sign all of the words because my hands get all tangled up. I always choose key words, often one per measure or phrase because that is more than enough and gets the point across.

[susanne]

So, now it's April and you probably figured out what actions you wanted, rtwinz, but for anyone reading this in the future this is what I did for actions with the Jr. primary.

I asked the Jr. primary to help me make up actions. Some of them were a little off. Like for "growing so big" we act like we're drinking water because the child who suggested that said we drink water to grow so big. Others make more sense, though, and all of them help the children remember what's next in the song.

Oddly enough, the actions they came up with actually help me remember the words better too.

[spontoneous]

Here's what we did:

I am a builder working each day to build my family
(hammering motion with right fist in left palm)

And I will do the best I can
(hold up one finger meaning I'm #1)

To serve them lovingly
(cross arms over chest)

I am a builder
(same hammering motion)

Growing so tall
(reach high into the sky)

And learning every day
(make a book with hands)

To speak with kindness
(point to mouth)

In my home
(make pointed "roof" with both hands)

To help at work and play
(make sweeping or raking motion with arms)

Chorus:

My Heavenly Father sent me here
(slowly arc right arm around and point right in front of them)

And He knows I can be
(point to self)

Strong and righteous
(show big muscles)

As I build my eternal family
(same hammering motion)

We haven't done the second verse yet but they love coming up with their own actions that go with the words.
Hope it helps!

[kboren]

This is maybe too late to be helpful, but I sign every song. The kids love it and it helps both me and them remember the words. This is my third year in this calling, and my first year signing all of them. My kids know the songs better than they ever have and they love the signs. I get most of my signs from signingsavvy.com. I also have a little book put out by the church about the official signs for religious and LDS church words and ideas.

[pammybananny]

shucks i just posted on a thread before i read yours. anyways, if you log onto lds.org they have someone doing all the ASL, I chose just key ones for each phrase. like for work, the signer pounds her hands on top of each other and play it looks like 2 shaka signs going back and forth. the kids loved it and learned soooooooooo fast.