Seeking Going Rate for in Home Sign Language Instruction?

Signing is not something your child will learn by doing it once a week. However, she will learn it if you & nanny learn it and use it in context during the course of each and every day. There are books and videos that can teach you (and her) for free, if you borrow from the library. The best video is Signing Time. My daughter LOVED it when she was 18 months. She lost interest when she was introduced to Little Bear and Little Einsteins(cartoons). I learned the signs and used them as often as I could remember.

Best of luck.

I have long thought that every child should learn to sign. We tend to treat deaf Americans as if they're speaking a foreign language when, in fact, they're just "speaking" a different form of American English.

It would be best if you were to learn to sign together so you could put it to use on a daily basis.

I would call the Deaf Services Center and ask them for help with this issue. They can probably tell you what a certified teacher would charge for in-home lessons, who they would recommend, when they have classes (in case you decide to learn together), etc.

Good luck! Marvelous idea!

Hi C. -

I'm sorry I cant help you with rates, but we have done Sign Language on our own in my home since our 20 month old was just 8 months old. I would really reccomend the Signing Time series - we have the board books in our home which are super helpful, but most libraries carry videos and books if you're interested in going that route. www.SigningTime.com has more info. I did take a class on infant sign langugage when my daughter was 6 months old, which was good to get some tips for teaching hearing infants - then I looked stuff up if I didn't know it, or called up MY interpreter friend. What a great resource! I would just reccomend that you do a little background research on your own so that you can make the most of your interpreter-friend's time! Still signing on occasion, but mostly talking, our 21 month old has more than 40 words and an additional words with signs. I really reccomend signing, so I'm glad you're interested!

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions - otherwise I hope another Mom can help you out with pricing. Cheers!

Hi C.,

For an interpreter, rates are different depending if they are an employee or independent contractor. Rates vary in the community for actual interpreting. For a NON-certified interpreter, brand new out of college they typically get 16-25/hour depending on where they work and what the agreement is.

Teachers in the world are typically 25 and up /hour for tutoring services and that is a VERY reasonable rate if they are licensed.

If this is a friend and you are working with, they will/should probably give you a decent rate, teaching sign language and OTHER developmental skills (not sure what that means so not sure what to say there) you might be looking at 25+/hour.

The question I have to ask is: Why are you talking about pay? Just food for thought, if you are going to be paying someone you could also consider spending the same amount of money for some exceptional DVDS which you could learn from and eventually your daughter if you are interested in her watching tv at some point. Signing Times is the one most folks I know who use DVDS us.

p.s. I'm a certified sign language interpreter and have my master's degree in education. I taught ASL for 6 years and now work in the interpreting field. Im NOT interested in providing classes, just letting you know where I'm getting my numbers from. :)

You don't have any responses yet so I'm share my experience though it's a bit different.

I used to tutor in NC before we moved. I'm a master's degree teacher with 8 yrs experience and I charged 30- 45 an hour. $45 was the going rate in a well-to-do neighborhood, $30 was what I could get people to pay in my own more average neighborhood. This was a little over a year ago.

HTH-
J.