Say, Sing & Sign: Mother Goose

Ever since I learned fingerspelling in eighth grade (motivated by the desire to communicate with my friends behind the teacher's back), I've been fascinated by the graceful but mysterious signed symbols for words. This new volume in the Say, Sing & Sign series (VL-5/98), which uses American Sign Language, leads children on a "sign-along" of sung nursery rhymes. Instructor Lee Tierney demonstrates gestures for the words in each familiar verse, incorporating common-sense explanations. After each presentation, viewers are urged to sign and sing that song with her, providing instant-playback reinforcement. The vibrantly expressive Ms. Tierney eclipses my small quibbles concerning the unvarying painted backdrop and some minor camera glitches (nearly decapitating the instructor during "Three Blind Mice"). Recommended. Other new titles in the series include: Animals and Nursery Rhymes. Aud: E, P. (T. Shannon)