Category Archives: Professional Development

Add some signs to your springtime storytimes!

American Sign Language, eCourses and Webinars, Professional Development, Resources for Teachers and Librarians, webinars
Photo of a white girl holding up a flower in a field. Text reads: Little Hands Signing Professional Development: Spring Signs. Wednesday, March 18, 2026, 12-1 PM Eastern/11 AM-12 PM Central/10-11 AM Mountain/9-10 AM Pacific, Webinar presented by Kathy MacMillan, NIC, M.L.S. Includes recording access. StoriesByHand.com/webinars.

Little Hands Signing in Storytime: Spring Signs

Wednesday, March 18, 2026 from 12-1 PM Eastern/11 AM-12 PM Central/10-11 AM Mountain/9-10 AM Pacific

Online session via Zoom (1 hour webinar). Includes recording access for 30 days.

Learn basic American Sign Language and extension activities to use in spring storytimes! Learn how to incorporate ASL into storytime songs, rhymes, and stories in a respectful and effective way. Certificate of completion available with successful completion of post-test.

Pricing:

  • Individual: 45.00 (includes live webinar and recording access for 30 days after the live event)
  • Group rates available for groups of 10 or more. Contact info@storiesbyhand.com for more information.
  • Optional Add-on: Individualized video feedback: 25.00. Submit a video (up to 10 min) demonstrating your planned signing activities for storytime and receive individualized feedback on sign choices, production, and more from Kathy MacMillan via return video within 14 days. Must be used within 6 months of purchase.

Register now

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Librarian and Teacher Resources for NITA’S FOOD SIGNS

American Sign Language, Little Hands Signing series, Nita's Food Signs, Professional Development, Resources for Teachers and Librarians

I’m so excited to share with you these resources for using Nita’s Food Signs in the classroom or storytime!

Nita’s Food Signs Teacher/Librarian Guide (printable .pdf)

 

Video Demonstration of the Signs in the Book:

 

Nita’s Food Signs Storytime with Author Kathy MacMillan (in Spoken English with Closed Captions)

Nita’s Food Signs Storytime with Author Kathy MacMillan (in American Sign Language)

 

More Resources for Signing with Young Children:

Little Hands Signing Storytime & Craft Ideas

Little Hands and Big Hands: Children and Adults Signing Together

Resources for Signing with Babies and Young Children

Resources for Signing in Storytime or the Classroom

Resources for Educators and Librarians

Picture Books about ASL and Deaf Culture

Hear This!: Use That Microphone, Already

Professional Development, Resources for Teachers and Librarians

photo of a microphoneIt happens again and again: a speaker is asked to use a microphone, and they say, “Oh, I don’t need it. I have a [teacher/pastor/camp counselor/fill-in-the-blank supposedly loud profession] voice.”  (I even had a clergy member at my own parent’s funeral try to pull this!)

But guess what? It has nothing to do with how loud you (supposedly) are, and everything to do with your audience’s comfort and access. Some people can hear high sounds, some low, and some need you to use the microphone to help drown out background noise. And just because people can hear you when you shout “Can you hear me?” at the top of your voice, that doesn’t mean that they can comfortably listen to you for five or ten or sixty minutes when your voice, tone, and pitch go up and down in the course of normal speaking.

Continue reading Hear This!: Use That Microphone, Already →