Date published: 01.09.08 - not release date

TINYTALK SUPPORTS ‘FAMILY READING FORTNIGHT' WITH SIGNED BOOK TIME

New curriculum for baby signing classes to promote speech, language and literacy development

2 January 2007 – TinyTalk, the UK’s favourite baby signing company, is supporting the National Literacy Trust’s ‘Family Reading Fortnight’ taking place from 8th to 20th January 2007 with the introduction of its new curriculum that includes TinyTalk Signed Book Time. TinyTalk teachers will share selected books with parents and their babies during a class, demonstrating signs for certain words with the aim to improve both language and early literacy development.

“It is never too early to start introducing books to your baby. Reading with your child is a great way to help their speech and language skills as well as their early literacy skills. We have taken this much loved bonding time and incorporated the use of sign language to help illustrate the meaning of the words. Parents can use these same skills at home when reading with their children. Discussing storylines plus pointing at the pictures, making the signs and saying the words is a powerful combination for early language and literacy skills. With our exciting new approach we really want to foster a love of reading for babies,” explains Katie Mayne, founder and MD of TinyTalk.

As part of its new curriculum, TinyTalk has developed 36 new class plans, 12 per term. The already popular, fun-filled classes will now feature revamped weekly signing themes, greater recapping of previously learned signs, a broader range of songs, still including lots of well-known nursery rhymes and action songs, and the TinyTalk Signed Book Time.

Following the massive demand for baby signing in the USA and Canada, TinyTalk set the baby signing trend in motion in the UK by going national almost five years ago. Baby signing in the UK is now growing dramatically. TinyTalk runs more than 200 classes a week, teaching over 2000 UK families the benefits of communicating with their babies. The company was also the 1st to introduce Organisational Training Programmes for nurseries and other childcare establishments so that childcarers can incorporate signing as part of their daily practice.

Mayne explains why there's such demand for baby signing classes: “Babies understand and are able to communicate far earlier than they’re able to clearly pronounce words. Signing helps ease their frustration by giving them the tools to say exactly what they want and what they’re thinking about! It also helps parents bond with their little ones as they have a deeper understanding of each other. Our new curriculum combines singing, signing, talking, moving, reading and socialising- all in a relaxed and fun way. TinyTalk classes are greatly enjoyed by parents and babies alike.”

To find a TinyTalk class near you, go to www.tinytalk.co.uk/baby-signing-find.htm. If you’re interested in becoming a TinyTalk teacher and running your own TinyTalk classes, call 0870 2424 898 or go to www.tinytalk.co.uk for more information.

About TinyTalk

TinyTalk run the UK’s favourite baby signing classes, helping babies to communicate before they can talk.

Founded in 2002 by Katie Mayne, mum of two, primary school teacher and teacher of the deaf, TinyTalk has gone from strength to strength and continues to do so, bringing fun and enjoyment to baby signing. Following an appearance on ITV’s This Morning, TinyTalk was the 1st baby signing organisation to go national and, in little over three years, TinyTalk has grown to almost ninety teachers in the UK teaching over 2000 families in over 200 classes per week in locations from Aberdeen to the West Country and the Channel Islands. TinyTalk has gone down under with the 1st TinySign classes in Australia, beginning after Easter 2006.

TinyTalk classes provide entertainment in an educational and fun setting for both babies and their carers. Learning can continue at home through the TinyTalk signing pack, CD, video and interactive DVD. The TinyTalk Baby Signing DVD and Baby Signing Pack both recently won the coveted Silver Award in the 2006 Practical Pre-School Awards. TinyTalk use BSL (British Sign Language) as its sign language of choice.

May 2005 saw the publication of Amazing Baby ‘Baby Signing’, the ultimate simple to use baby signing book, written by Katie Mayne and published as part of the award-winning Amazing Baby book series by Templar Publishing. Promoted extensively, the book is sold in national children’s and book shops such as Mothercare, ELC, Daisy and Tom, Ottakers, Waterstones and Amazon.co.uk and has just been edited for America!

Notes for editors:-

For further info, contact:

Melissa Talago
Peekaboo Communications
Tel: 01635 248496
Email: melissa@peekaboocoms.co.uk