Top tips for signing and singing

We’d like to say a big thanks to Dr Paul Whittaker OBE, artistic director and founder of the charity Music and the Deaf, for all the great advice he gave us for the production of our Christmas carols.

Here are our top tips for teaching and enjoying our carols in your classroom.

• Keep the signing flowing smoothly and avoid stopping and starting
• Don't stand still. Encourage children to sway gently for the slower songs like Once in Royal David's City, and to express themselves by jumping and skipping in the faster songs like Jingle Bells and We Wish You A Merry Christmas
• Make sure you're clear when teaching children the signs - try teaching each individual sign first before you put them together in the song
• Having the music and lyrics available will make the songs easier to learn
• Most importantly, keep at it – practice makes perfect!

And Mandy Davison from Northern Counties School in Newcastle offers this advice.

• Always be enthusiastic as it rubs off on the children.
• Performing songs in front of others encourages children to be proud of their sign language.
• Using facial expression and body language is important as it helps tell the story of the song.
• Make sure children understand the meaning of the songs. Tell the story before you sing and sign it, and talk about the themes, concepts and vocabulary.
• Introduce props, instruments and dress up to help get children into character.
• Don’t be afraid to mix age groups – the younger ones look up to the older kids as role models, and the older ones learn new skills from helping the younger ones.
• If you’re singing at school, get the parents involved. Invite them to a sing and sign class – and get the kids to teach their parents new signs.
• During instrumental parts of music, encourage the kids to dance – you can choreograph a dance or let them make up their own moves!
• Most importantly – have fun with singing and signing. It’s a great way to build confidence and help children and families bond!