Articles by JOHN MILLER

Cooking Up Language with Signs: “Homemade” Double Chocolate, Candy Cane Cookies

Cooking Up Language with Signs: “Homemade” Double Chocolate, Candy Cane Cookies

By John Miller
Wednesday, December 19, 2018

Today I’m cooking up "Homemade" Double Chocolate, Candy Cane Cookies. These cookies look like a million bucks and taste even better, yet they are so easy to make (you start with a cookie mix from a bag). The article features a recipe and accompanying Signing Savvy word list to get you started on an interactive cooking activity that is great for spicing up language learning at home or in the classroom.
Signing Children’s Books: Frosty the Snowman

Signing Children’s Books: Frosty the Snowman

By John Miller
Wednesday, December 12, 2018

This is another holiday classic! Frosty the Snowman is a song that was developed into a book and animated movie, that is shown on TV every year during the holiday season. The book is discussed and paired with a pre-built Signing Savvy word list to help you get started with learning and signing the vocabulary in the book.
Cooking Up Language with Signs: Frosty the Snowman Oreo Truffles

Cooking Up Language with Signs: Frosty the Snowman Oreo Truffles

By John Miller
Tuesday, December 11, 2018

Today I’m cooking up "Frosty The Snowman" Oreo Truffles. These are some of the easiest no-bake treats I make, and every time I take them anywhere, people go nuts over them! You can make them for any occasion, but you’ll see here how I’ve turned them into snowmen for the perfect holiday treat. The article features a recipe and accompanying Signing Savvy word list to get you started on an interactive cooking activity that is great for spicing up language learning at home or in the classroom.
Signing Children’s Books: Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer

Signing Children’s Books: Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer

By John Miller
Thursday, December 6, 2018

Children everywhere love the story of how Rudolph and his glowing red nose guided Santa’s sleigh through the night skies on a blustery Christmas Eve long ago. This classic has since been made into several books and movies. The book is discussed and paired with a pre-built Signing Savvy word list to help you get started with learning and signing the vocabulary in the book.
Cooking Up Language with Signs: Peanut Butter Reindeer / Rudolph Cookies

Cooking Up Language with Signs: Peanut Butter Reindeer / Rudolph Cookies

By John Miller
Wednesday, December 5, 2018

Today I’m cooking up peanut butter reindeer / Rudolph cookies. They are a cute and fun treat that kids love. The article features a recipe and accompanying Signing Savvy word list to get you started on an interactive cooking activity that is great for spicing up language learning at home or in the classroom.
Signing Children’s Books: The Very Hungry Caterpillar's Christmas 123

Signing Children’s Books: The Very Hungry Caterpillar's Christmas 123

By John Miller
Friday, November 30, 2018

The The Very Hungry Caterpillar is a classic book, loved by many. It was a favorite that I would read in my classroom. Not only is it cute and kids love it, but it also incorporates days of the week, counting, and food… if you’ve read some of my other articles, you know I love teaching signing through food! The book is discussed and paired with a pre-built Signing Savvy word list to help you get started with learning and signing the vocabulary in the book.
Signing Children’s Books: Help! I want to share the love of reading with my little one, but how???

Signing Children’s Books: Help! I want to share the love of reading with my little one, but how???

By John Miller
Friday, November 30, 2018

Recently, I was contacted by a young hearing mother of a 10-month old, deaf child. This mother had two other children that are hearing, she works full time outside of the home, and now her third child was born profoundly deaf. She has tried her best to read and learn everything she can about deafness and educational options. She and her husband have decided they will be using sign language with their family. This mother did share one thing she was feeling very guilty about though; something she knew she did with her hearing children, that she was NOT doing for her deaf child… reading and sharing literacy with him on a nightly basis.
Common Fingerspelling Mistakes New Signers Make

Common Fingerspelling Mistakes New Signers Make

By John Miller
Friday, September 14, 2018

One of the first concepts covered in beginning or basic sign language classes is fingerspelling. There are a few common mistakes that are made by many beginner signers related to fingerspelling. Hopefully you can recognize them in your own practice and avoid making bad habits that are difficult to break.
Raising Deaf Children From a Foreign Land

Raising Deaf Children From a Foreign Land

By John Miller
Wednesday, May 2, 2018

The DNA heredity companies are very popular right now. Every time you turn on the television you see a new touching commercial of how people’s lives have been changed. While watching a recent commercial, there was a woman who, all her life, thought she was primarily from one genetic background and her ancestors came from one place and lived her life accordingly. However, after getting the results of her DNA test, she realized her ancestry really was from a totally ...
Teaching Language Through Play: Lessons Learned While Playing Restaurant and Getting Started with Introducing Food

Teaching Language Through Play: Lessons Learned While Playing Restaurant and Getting Started with Introducing Food

By John Miller
Wednesday, November 1, 2017

Kids naturally learn while they are playing. Introducing activities that allow them to learn through play lets them explore their curiosity, have new experiences, and better connect and retain what they have learned. Lessons Learned While Playing "Restaurant" One great example of a learning through play activity is setting up an area to play “restaurant” in the classroom (or at home). Playing restaurant is a very successful way to cover several areas all at the same time – vocabulary, health and nutrition, ...