I love to occasionally teach Primary songs using simplified ASL! If you are new to signing in singing time, these tips, tricks and ideas are for you! With just a little practice, you can EASILY teach your Primary to sign any song in singing time.
Now, let me be honest here … I’m not an interpreter and have no formal training in sign language. However, I have successfully taught signing in singing time for years. These ideas are what I do to successfully teach signing in singing time!
What is Simplified Sign Language?
Simply put, simplified sign language is just how it sounds … it’s sign language with a lot of words cut out. It’s also termed CASE: Conceptually Accurate Signed English.
Because learning full sign language to any song is difficult, teaching simplified sign language in singing time is much more simple! And I HIGHLY recommend it!
Both Jr. & Sr. Primaries Benefit from Sign Language
Junior Primary loves the large muscle movements. They retain the words better when they can put an action to it.
Senior Primary enjoys the challenge of remembering what hand motions go with what words. And if necessary, you can always teach them more than just the basic simplified signs. They can definitely handle the challenge!
How to Teach Sign Language in Singing Time
Which hand do you use?
A commonly asked question when teaching sign is “which hand do you use? Holly addresses this question in her video here:
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Learn Key Words
To learn those key word signs, I use SEVERAL resources combined. Below are some of my favorite ASL resources:
- My first go-to website is the church’s Primary songs in ASL HERE (this is SO complicated for me but it’s a start!)
- The church also has a list of simple ASL videos of the more unusual vocabulary we use in the Church HERE (I LOVE this resource!)
- This link is an ASL dictionary HERE (for any words that aren’t on the church’s site)
- And another ASL dictionary HERE (I’m more familiar with this link)
- Singing Savvy HERE
- Primary Choristers on YouTube has several of the current year’s primary songs in simplified ASL HERE also check out the website HERE
- Then there are several who post videos of their own. There are a few samples HERE or HERE or HERE
Also, never be afraid to ask others for help! If you know of someone who signs (maybe a Primary child or another adult), they are a great resource!
Write Notes
Create notes of all the ASL signs included in your Primary song. This helps if you draw a blank while teaching. It also helps to reinforce what you already know simply by writing it down!
Find some examples of my notes HERE (scroll through all of the posts). I personally wouldn’t take a video into Primary to teach from but that’s just my preference.
Practice Makes Perfect
In order to teach the signs, you MUST know them beforehand – both the words to the song and the signs. I like to bring my notes because sometimes I get stuck and need a reference.
That said, I don’t want to be stopping to read my notes throughout my entire lesson plan. I look unprepared and it’s terribly boring for the Primary children.
Teach Signs in Singing Time
Review Signs with Scarves
A fun way to review signs you’ve taught is to use scarves!
More details about purchasing scarves are in my shop HERE. Scarves are a very valuable tool singing time! There are TONS of other activities they can be used for in singing time!
Sign Language for the Primary Program
I typically try to have one song learned in ASL for the program. It always adds a neat dynamic to the meeting!
ASL Singing Time Lesson Plans
I have SEVERAL lesson plans that teach simplified ASL! Scroll through all of those ideas HERE.
5 thoughts on “Signing in Singing Time”
Thank you!!! I was looking for a good ASL dictionary and your resources are awesome! Thank you!! I love you blog! Keep it up!
I have a friend who says you can take the ASL church videos and slow them down. This makes it easier to learn them.
Hi! I'm a little late to the game here 🙂 I am the music leader in a designated deaf ward, which means we have hearing and d/Deaf members. I like to teach at least a couple of songs in ASL; this year, over half of our songs will be singing/signing. A couple notes:
These are all great resources, thank you! I have been trying to find the church's ASL library with difficulty for a while now.
If any music leader has a d/Deaf member in their ward, I would urge using them as a resource first out of respect for Deaf culture (and to maintain language integrity). This includes having them teach the signs to the children in singing time. One of our Deaf members teaches the songs in ASL; she is great at teaching simplified sign language and the kids love having her.
With the songs we know in ASL, we use them as a reverent activity to help invite the spirit if it's too rowdy. I have everyone sign the song with no piano, singing, humming or saying the words. They have to be reverent because it takes all of their attention!
Thanks so much for all you do!
I have a 9 year old with Downs Syndrome. She is non-verbal as of yet, but she has a communication tablet and she knows a few basic signs (yes, no, ice cream, chicken, BK, you know, the important ones. 😀 ) In the last couple of years, I’d been called to teach the sunbeams, and Rosie loves sitting by Mommy in singing time. She tries to vocally sing the songs, but I have been trying to encourage her to learn how to sign some of them. But since I don’t know much ASL, it’s hit and miss.
THANK YOU SO MUCH for putting the links to resources. I feel confident I may be able to help her learn the church songs in ASL and more fully participate in primary now.
Hi Sheryl!
Your comment made my day today! I’m so happy you’ve found some helpful content here to help with your daughter. She’s lucky to have you! I’ve always said that parents of special needs children have a saved spot in heaven!
~Camille