Meet Liz Shaw: A Passionate Advocate for Baby Signs® in Michigan
Meet Liz Shaw, a dedicated Baby Signs® instructor based in Michigan. Liz’s journey into the world of Baby Signs® began after graduating from Michigan State University with a degree in Deaf Education and earning a master’s degree in Early Childhood from Oakland University. Discovering the Baby Signs® Program felt like a natural extension of her interests and expertise. In 2014, she eagerly signed up to become an instructor, combining her love for ASL and Deaf Culture with early childhood communication.
Liz’s passion lies in ASL and Deaf Culture. The philosophy and research supporting the use of ASL with hearing babies just made perfect sense to her. While not a formal part of the Baby Signs® Curriculum, she enjoys incorporating elements of Deaf Culture and highlighting the differences between ASL and Signed English.
Liz’s professional background is extensive. She has worked at two Deaf schools, served as an Early Childhood Special Education teacher, and currently teaches American Sign Language as a World Language at West Bloomfield High School. One of her most cherished roles was as a Deaf Education outreach teacher, where she visited families with newborns who were Deaf or Hard of Hearing, teaching them ASL and providing essential tools for success.
Over the past ten years, Liz has found immense joy in watching parents engage with their babies in the Sign, Say & Play™ classes. More recently, she has focused on Early Childhood Educator Training, ensuring that childcare staff can implement Baby Signs® immediately after training. One memorable feedback she received was from Kayleigh A., who said, “Thank you so much for coming to our center to train us on baby sign language! I’ve been working in childcare for over ten years, and this was easily one of my favorite trainings! It was super engaging, and I feel like I left with so much new knowledge and information!”
Liz is passionate about the benefits of the Baby Signs® Program. She highlights that babies can start signing as early as 6-8 months, which significantly reduces frustration and fosters early communication, strengthening the bond between infants and their caregivers.
Her advice to parents and professionals interested in teaching babies to sign is to focus on eye contact, repetition, and making the process fun. Liz encourages celebrating every attempt to sign, no matter how small, with a big “YAY” and a smile. She says, “have a party” if your baby attempts to sign, even if they don’t finish it. Using voice along with signs with hearing babies also promotes both speech and signing, creating a foundation of trust and successful communication.
Liz also extends her gratitude to Michelle Cromeenes, who has been instrumental in navigating technological and website changes over the years. From transitioning music from CDs to online platforms, Michelle’s support has been invaluable.
If you reside in Michigan and would like to learn more about Liz’s Baby Signs® Early Childhood Educator Training, please contact her via email: [email protected]
For more updates and information, follow Liz on her Facebook page: Baby Signs with Liz.
Visit https://BabySigns.com/teach to learn more about the Baby Signs® Instructor Program or email [email protected].
