Hello, welcome to my website.

Hello and thank you for visiting my website! You are taking the first step in an extraordinary journey with your baby. I am so excited to be able to bring to you the joy, excitement and passion the Baby Signs® Program has brought to my family.

My journey with signing started way back in 1997 while obtaining my Early Childhood Educator’s Diploma. One of my practicum placements was in a school for children with special needs. I learned first hand how important signing can be in a child’s life and started incorporating basic signs in to activities for typically developing children as a way to enhance literacy and language skills. I have since been lucky enough to work in many different areas of the field of early education, with infants and toddlers and preschoolers, children with special needs, and as a teacher of early childcare at the college level.

My journey with the Baby Signs® Program began after the birth of my son in 2007. Out of habit, I used the signs "all done", "more" and "drink" during mealtimes with my son, and at about 9 months noticed that he was starting to use the signs on his own. I wanted to teach him more signs but wanted to do some research before I continued. Like many parents I was concerned that it might slow down his verbal language when used as mode of communication, and not just for building literacy. After researching all the sign language programs available for hearing children, I fell in love with the Baby Signs® Program. I read How to Talk to Your Baby Before Your Baby Can Talk, by Drs. Linda Acredolo and Susan Goodwyn in one evening and immediately started signing with my son the next day. Over the next few months, my son learned 25 signs and continues to add more literally everyday. I love going for walks and reading books with him as he tells me what he sees and looks for me to teach him new signs!

I became an instructor for the program the same month I started using the program with my son. Signing has opened a whole new world of communication and connection in our home, a dynamic that I know would not have existed had it not been for his ability to express his thoughts and needs through sign. As an instructor I feel confident in teaching a program that has more than 20 years of research behind it, and I am excited to have the chance to help parents experience the same benefits my family continues to experience.

There are many programs out there that can teach parents how to use sign with their babies. As someone who has over 10 years experience in the field of early childhood education, I feel 100% certain that this program has the most to offer both babies and parents. I am thrilled to be able to support parents in this journey and help them realize and experience the joy and pleasure of signing with their child.

I hope to sign with you soon!

Marina Unger
Marina@BabySignswithMarina.com
416.536.2412

Offering Classes, Workshops and Educator Training in Toronto and surrounding areas.

Baby Signs® Parent's Yahoo Group
This group is designed as a place where parents who are using the Baby Signs® Program can get help and support both from Certified Baby Signs® Instructors and other parents!

Baby Signs® Frequently Asked Questions
Answers from the official Baby Signs® Canada Web Site

International Moms Club
A support group designed just for you, the at-home mother of today! You are interested in the world around you, want a variety of activities for you and your children, and are proud of your choice of at-home mothering for your families! We know, because we're at-home mothers, too!

ASLPro
A resource for American Sign Language (ASL) learning tools.

CBS News Video
Here's a recent CBS News Video story on baby signing and it features the twins who signed their way to stardom in the movie Meet the Fockers.

Hand signals help babies on their way to speaking
This is a great article from the Exeter News-Letter that gives some background about the Baby Signs® Program and shares some stories about babies who have been in the program.

ABC News Story
This story appeared on Good Morning America

Getting Smart from the Start
MSN Video CBS Nightly News Segment

Baby Signs: Improving Communication
From an article in the Daily Democrat.