Just Deaf

"It was a blessing in disguise, since we wanted to learn a new language anyway, and we enjoy it."

Schuurman family

Learning sign language

"The sign language classes evolve alongside your child."

"When family counseling started, we were taking sign language classes."

Is it difficult for parents to learn sign language?

Can children learn sign language at school?

"When Guus was three years old we were taught sign language at home."

How can you learn sign language as a parent?

"I think it's good, learning sign language from both a hearing and a deaf teacher."

How much language input is necessary for proper acquisition of a language?

How early should you start learning a (first) language?

Why is it important for children to learn sign language if they have a CI?

"I learn all kinds of signs from Guus."

"In Norway they offer sign language to babies at school."

Why is it important that parents learn sign language too?

"We run into all kinds of situations where we're forced to use sign language. That's quite exciting."

"I had to sign in public for the first time -- that was quite a big step."

"At the day care they watched the Lotte & Max DVDs with the children, and that's how they learned how to sign."

Why is it important to start learning sign language before your child gets a CI?

"The best response is when people ask: could we join you for one of those sign language classes?"

"Guus' first sign was MOMMY!"

Why is the first year of life so important for language acquisition?