Category Kids Queries

What are Native American hand signs?

For many years, Native American tribes with different languages used hand signs to talk and trade together. Try them by yourself or with a friend!

“Father” – Touch the right side of your chest several times with your right fist.

“Mother” – Touch the left side of your chest several times with your right fist.

“I” – Point to yourself with your right thumb. For the sign “You”, point to the other person with your right thumb.

“Thank you” – Hold your hands chest high, palms facing out. Push your hands slowly toward the person you wish to thank, letting your hands curve downward.

“Bird” – Hold your hands at your shoulders. Move your hands up and down, like the flapping of a bird’s wings.

 

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What are hand signs?

Baseball teams in the U.S.A. have their own secret hand signs. A coach on the sideline may touch his hat, pat his knee, or rub his nose to send a message to a player on the field.

People who are deaf use sign language every day. They use their hands and faces to make signs that stand for words or ideas. They also spell out words by shaping letters with their fingers.

You probably already know a few signs yourself. How do you say “Good-bye,” “Okay,” and “Stop!” without making a sound? What other signs do you use or see?

People who are, deaf and blind can learn to feel what people say if words are finger-spelled into their hands.

 

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What is body language?

Every day, you use your arms and hands and head or other parts of your body to help you say things. Sometimes your actions say things almost better than words can.

In school, you raise your hand. This tells the teacher you are asking for a turn to speak. When riding a bicycle, you let others know you are going to turn by signalling with your arm. Once in a while, you might shrug your shoulders to tell someone, “I don’t know,” or “Hmmm, maybe”.

Babies “speak” almost from birth. They frown, laugh and snuggle. Their mothers and fathers respond to every “word”.

Everyone around the world uses body languages to speak. We all greet a friend with a smile, and we all frown or cry when we are sad. But be careful! Some body language means different things in different places.

Did you stick out your tongue? In Tibet, you’re saying, “I respect you”. In Western countries, you’re saying just the opposite!

Did you tap your forehead? In the U.S.A., you are saying “smart”. In the Netherlands, you are saying “crazy”.

Did someone tell you “Shhh”? In Australia, you need to be quiet. In Germany, you’d better “hurry up”.

Did you nod your head, then shake your head? In most countries, you said “Yes”, then “No”. In Bulgaria, you said “No”, then “Yes”.

Saying good-bye? Wave to the English with your palm facing out, fingers waving. Wave to Italians or Peruvians with your palm facing in.

Are you making a circle with your forefingers and thumb? In most countries, that means “Okay!” In France, it means “It’s worthless”. In Greece and Italy, it’s an insult.

Want to point to something? In most countries, you use your finger. In Thailand, you use your chin.

A pinch on the cheek is a friendly greeting and a sign of affection in some parts of Eastern Europe.

 

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What are the different ways to say hello?

How many different ways can you say hello? Here are seven different ways. Try them!

  • In French, you say Bon jour
  • In Portuguese, you say Ola
  • In Turkish, you say Merhaba
  • In Vietnamese, you say Xin Chao
  • In Spanish, you say Hola
  • In Lithuanian, you say Labas
  • In Swahili, you say Jambo

Now, how do you “see” hello? It depends on who’s writing it! Try copying some of these friendly written greetings from around the world.

Do you want to learn more words in another language? Find a radio station or TV channel on which people are speaking another language. Listen for a while. See if you can work out what some of the words mean. Practise saying them. Or read product labels and public signs that include your language and another language. Compare the words and see how much you can understand.

 

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Why do children speak more than one language?

How many ways can you say “Hello”? Some children speak more than one language, because the people they live with speak different languages. Children who live in places like Western Europe, where many countries and cultures are close together, often learn a second language.

Even people who speak the same language don’t always say words the same way. In the U.S.A., people in the northeastern states may say “dahg”. People in the southeastern states may say “dawg”. They are all saying the word dog, but they have different ways of saying it.

There are about 6,000 languages in the world, and most people speak and understand only one or two. People who know more than one language can become interpreters. Interpreters are people who translate words from one language into another. When world leaders meet, they often exchange ideas through an interpreter.

When people who do not speak the same language get together, they talk through interpreters.

Canada has two official languages, English and French. Many children there learn to speak both.

 

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Why is it important to teach kids about culture?

Children need to know a lot besides how to read, write and do arithmetic. They also need to learn things that are important in their culture. Children everywhere learn skills that will be useful when they grow up.

In the U.S.A., many young people learn how to use the kitchen stove, so they can help prepare meals. They also learn how to read maps to find places and how to use a library to find out many things.

There is nothing better than knowing your students are inspired and connected to what they are learning and researching. When students feel emotionally connected to their coursework, they often times feel more inspired to be creative and put a great deal of effort into their work. When teaching the importance of cultural heritage, students can easily be inspired by thoughts of their own culture, where they come from; perhaps they are adopted and grew up in a home with a different culture from where they were born, then that student could explore into their birth culture and understand more about themselves in the process of researching. Cultural heritage is deeply personal, but it is also a connection we all share; through connecting with your culture you connect more with those around you. Many students find they share similar cultures with their peers, or they may find a peer who is from a place they want to know more about. This connected learning opens doors for sharing and exploring the world while never really leaving the classroom. Also, as a teacher it is important to allow students the opportunity to connect to their culture because at home they may not have the opportunity to connect with parents about this topic, offering information and research databases for students to dig into a culture is important because it allows a student to thrive and grow, while still learning something they are passionate about.

 

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