Signs of Learning Reviews
Heather - Parent and Signs of Learning Student
My daughter became interested in learning ASL after watching a series on Netflix about a deaf girl and her family. I searched online for a class for hearing kids and was surprised and thrilled to see that Jess Kelly could offer them! Jess provides fun, informal lessons and my daughter loves going. I’m so impressed at how much she’s learned in such a short time! Thank you Jess!
Krystal - Parent and Signs of Learning Student
My daughter loves the Making Music Praying Twice class. I love the format of the class and the pace is perfect for little ones. We have done the class several times now! My daughter looks forward to it every week.
Hannah - Parent and Signs of Learning Student
Jess does an amazing job integrating songs, toys and movement into her classes. She helped me feel confident signing with my baby and to also have the patience for my son to realize his gestures had meaning. Signing cut way down on shrieking and crying when my toddler wanted something because with signing I could respond faster and more accurately. It’s amazing to have a baby tell you whether he wants water or milk... or ask politely for more crackers while at the dining table. I cannot recommend Jess highly enough.
Rachel - Parent and Signs of Learning Student
I heard about the Making Music Praying Twice classes from a friend. I’m so glad I did this class with my son. Jess is very friendly and kind. You can tell she truly cares and is passionate about what she does. She creates a very comfortable and fun environment. She knew all the children by name before the end of the first class!! My son enjoyed the music, singing and instruments. He even started reenacting the class at home during play time!
Erin - Parent and Signs of Learning Student
I enrolled with a friend as a fun little get together, and have gotten so much more out of our experience. Jess offers a fun and safe environment for my little guy to sing, dance, and play instruments. She makes you feel welcome, empowers you to feel like you too can sing (I can’t), and is at once calming and exciting. The kids love her. It’s also been a supportive mom environment too. My guy and I have thoroughly enjoyed our classes with Jess!
Elisabeth - Parent and Signs of Learning Student
Jess Kelly's programs are fun for little ones and grown ups. My son and I have enjoyed her music program and we look forward to it each week. I wish I knew about her offerings when my daughter was little!
Lesley - Parent and Signs of Learning Student
I've been taking my kids to Jess' music class since my first baby was 14 months old in 2013. We have since had 2 more kids and continued bringing all 3 of them to her classes for the past 5 years. They have all thoroughly enjoyed the structure, learning and music fun she incorporates into each class and they all look forward to them every week we attend. I highly recommend her classes as something the little ones would definitely enjoy.
Jackie - Parent and Signs of Learning Student
I enrolled my daughter in Jess Kelly's signing class when she was around 8 months old. At 9 months, my daughter said her first word and paired it with the sign for "duck" as she crawled over to a rubber ducky that Jess had laid out among other toys for the kids. It was clearly a joyous and momentous occasion, and we shared many other joyful moments over the next few years in some of Jess's music classes as well. In the classes, my daughter sang, danced, made friends, and learned A LOT. Jess is a wonderful teacher and I look forward to enrolling my son in her classes soon as well!
Simone - Parent and Signs of Learning Student
We participated at the UNC Parent Workshop Jess gave at the UNC Hospital. We took the class before the baby was born and we learned so much. Now, it's about 7 months I'm using sign language with my DD. She still cannot replicate the signs herself, but I can see that she understands me. I also took the chance to learn the language myself. Overall, Jess is a good, knowledgeble, professional, and friendly instructor.
Maria - Parent & Signs of Learning Student
I wanted to share my experience with you that I had with Drew on our way to VA last month. It was just Drew and I driving (a long 4 hours) and we had the Pick Me Up CD which he just loves. As I was driving the song Pick me up came on. I looked in the rearview mirror and low and behold, Drew proceed to sign most of the signs in the song Up, More, Daddy, Eat. As I was I watching him, I started to cry and ran off the road (well just onto the shoulder). We were fine but I could not help but laugh now. Thank you so much for a great class. We continue to use the signs especially during dinner time. We listen to the CD each morning for breakfast. I forwarded your website to my Mocha Moms group. I hope you hear from a few moms!
Rebecca - Parent & Signs of Learning Student
I just wanted to give you a personal note regarding this as well. I've now been in a couple other 'classes' and am disappointed because yours was so amazing!!! Your knowledge of children and what to 'expect' of the age group is fantastic and so appreciated. Thanks!
Betsy - Parent & Signs of Learning Student
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!! Danny now doesn't throw tantrums on the changing table - he starts to fuss and I say "Do you know what we're doing" and he smiles and signs diaper change '-) Well, change, but that's diaper change for us. He grins and then we sing songs while changing. It has totally changed that experience!! It is really sweet.
Well, today during breakfast he was a little fussy and I asked him what he wanted and told him to use his signs. I was asking more drink? more crackers? more blueberries? and not getting a clear response. He then put his hands together and signed "change." Dumb, sleep-deprived me, I thought, "darn, he is signing change in his highchair, I thought he knew that one; guess we'll have to work on that one. Oh well, it takes time." Can you guess? Yep, when we were done with breakfast I picked him up and YIKES! he stank! Guess he know the sign after all - it is mommy that needed the lightbulb moment! Thanks so much for all you taught us!
Jodie - Parent & Signs of Learning Student
Signing has helped me connect with my daughter, Easton, and has helped her develop a sense of independence. It also gave me another excuse to sing a song and be silly with her! Easton and I started a class when she was about 6 months old and we looked forward to our class each week. Jess always has great toys and music. She tailored the classes to meet our needs. She didn't just teach us signs and songs. She taught us how to use them in our daily lives, about how our children learn language and about the deaf community. Jess shared her stories and encouraged us to share ours. Now, Easton signs and say things together but there is nothing like the first time that she signed back. I'm so glad I took the class!
Nicky – Parent & Signs of Learning Student
My Joshua (15 mo now) is all grown up now and he is using his signs, I am a working mom so my time is limited. But so far he knows MORE, ALL DONE, PLEASE, THANK YOU, WATER, MILK, EAT, APPLE, SORRY and sometimes WAIT. I am so proud of him and we give lots of praise. He is talking too, but the words he speaks are not the words he signs and vice versa, I am so blessed to have learned how to expand his vocabulary this way. I plan on choosing a new word a week and trying to get him to catch on to that sign. For now I am just happy he can tell me things he can’t quite pronounce. I am so grateful for your class, can't wait to take more. I still know my alphabet and the songs you taught me. Thanks!
Heather - Parent & Signs of Learning Student
We are actually doing really well with signing. It seems like over the past 2 weeks Brady is really catching on and understands that he can get what he wants if he signs. His signs are funny.....not quite what I do, but I get them! I love that we can communicate! It makes life so much easier. Thanks for all your help in learning!
Edie - Occupational Therapist, Parent & Signs of Learning Student
I just want to say again how much I appreciated your workshop (ASL for Young Children). I feel I can immediately apply it to my work. Also, I have been enjoying sharing the signs I learned with my 6 year old son and 3 year old daughter!!
Comments from Early Intervention Specialists (OT, PT, SLP, nurses, etc.) at AHEC Conferences:
"I have taken a lot of hospital classes and this is he best class I ever took. I learned more in two mornings from Jessica than I have learned in a long time. Jessica is very dynamic and refreshing instructor that keeps interest in the subject matter and really knows how to teach. Excellent class!"
"This is the most entertaining informative and functional workshop I've attended this year!"
"Jessica was very entertaining and knowledgeable. This program far exceeded my expectations. I am amazed at how easy this was to learn."
"One of the best educational programs I have attended! Jessica was awesome! I learned a lot and had a terrific time!"
MaryJo Dostal - Director, Union Bay Children's Center
Based on our experiences of introducing ASL to hearing infants, toddlers, and preschoolers over the last five years, we have found ASL to be an incredible bridge between receptive language and verbal language. It is a wonderful tool for children learning English as a second language and for introducing a second spoken language. We have also found ASL to be an effective connection for children moving through infant, toddler, and preschool groupings. By having the consistency of ASL throughout our entire program, the children and staff can easily communicate through recognized signs.
Alice Stroutsos - Speech-Language Pathologist
By giving a child a sign or symbol, it enhances their ability to communicate and develop intellectually, and I think the other thing it does is it really helps the child-parent bond. They're both invested in the situation, they're both attending, they're both connected.
Dr. Martha Bullock Lamberts - Human Development Specialist
This is a time when the brain is growing very, very rapidly. It is too precious a time to waste. That's what I like about the idea of signing very young. We know from research and observation that the first major way children learn is kinesthetically, through movement, through touch, through experience. I think [SIGN with your BABY] is particularly good because signing is that kind of learning process.
