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The signs
YES
- Handshape
- A fist — an S hand, thumb across the front of your fingers.
- Place
- Up in front of your shoulder.
- Movement
- Nod the fist up and down, exactly like a head nodding yes.
Remember it: Yes is a fist that nods like a head.
NO
- Handshape
- Index and middle fingers together, thumb underneath.
- Place
- Up in front of you.
- Movement
- Snap the two fingers down onto your thumb, twice, quickly — like a little beak closing. (It is the letters N and O signed fast, together.)
Remember it: No snaps shut like a beak.
MORE
- Handshape
- Both hands in loose O shapes — fingertips pinched together.
- Place
- In front of your chest.
- Movement
- Bring the fingertips of both hands together and tap them, twice.
Remember it: More is fingertips meeting — bring it together again.
FINISHED
- Handshape
- Both open hands, palms facing you.
- Place
- In front of your chest.
- Movement
- Flip both hands outward at the wrists, so the palms turn away from you.
Remember it: Finished flips your hands over — all done, nothing left in them.
EAT
- Handshape
- Pinch all your fingertips together into a point.
- Place
- Up to your mouth.
- Movement
- Tap the point of your fingers to your lips twice, like bringing small bites of food to your mouth.
Remember it: Eat brings fingertips to your lips, like little bites.
DRINK
- Handshape
- A C hand — fingers curved like holding a cup.
- Place
- At your mouth.
- Movement
- Tip the C up toward your mouth, like drinking from a cup.
Remember it: Drink tips a pretend cup to your mouth.
WATER
- Handshape
- A W hand — index, middle, and ring fingers up, spread.
- Place
- At your chin.
- Movement
- Tap the side of your index finger against your chin twice.
Remember it: Water is a W tapping your chin.
BATHROOM
- Handshape
- A T hand — a fist with your thumb poking up between your index and middle fingers.
- Place
- In front of your chest.
- Movement
- Shake the hand a little, side to side.
Remember it: Bathroom shakes the letter T — T for toilet.
HOME
- Handshape
- Fingertips pinched together, like the EAT hand.
- Place
- First at your cheek near your mouth, then beside your ear.
- Movement
- Touch your cheek near your mouth, then move the same hand up and touch by your ear.
Remember it: Home is where you eat and where you sleep — cheek, then ear.
SCHOOL
- Handshape
- Both hands flat, palms facing each other — one up, one down.
- Place
- In front of you.
- Movement
- Clap your top flat hand down onto your bottom palm twice.
Remember it: School claps like a teacher getting the class's attention.
Try It — sign it yourself
- Sign YES, NO, MORE, FINISHED in a row, five times, a little faster each time.
- At your next meal, sign EAT, DRINK, and WATER before you touch anything.
- Spell-check yourself: is BATHROOM's T shaking? Is WATER's W tapping your chin?
Hands learn by doing. Slow and clear beats fast and sloppy — every time.
Vocabulary — words to keep
| Word | Spelling | What the sign does | A line to remember it by |
|---|---|---|---|
| YES | Yes | Nod the fist up and down, exactly like a head nodding yes. | Yes is a fist that nods like a head. |
| NO | No | Snap the two fingers down onto your thumb, twice, quickly — like a little beak closing. | No snaps shut like a beak. |
| MORE | More | Bring the fingertips of both hands together and tap them, twice. | More is fingertips meeting — bring it together again. |
| FINISHED | Finished | Flip both hands outward at the wrists, so the palms turn away from you. | Finished flips your hands over — all done, nothing left in them. |
| EAT | Eat | Tap the point of your fingers to your lips twice, like bringing small bites of food to your mouth. | Eat brings fingertips to your lips, like little bites. |
| DRINK | Drink | Tip the C up toward your mouth, like drinking from a cup. | Drink tips a pretend cup to your mouth. |
| WATER | Water | Tap the side of your index finger against your chin twice. | Water is a W tapping your chin. |
| BATHROOM | Bathroom | Shake the hand a little, side to side. | Bathroom shakes the letter T — T for toilet. |
| HOME | Home | Touch your cheek near your mouth, then move the same hand up and touch by your ear. | Home is where you eat and where you sleep — cheek, then ear. |
| SCHOOL | School | Clap your top flat hand down onto your bottom palm twice. | School claps like a teacher getting the class's attention. |