User:BornInShadow/sandbox

Etel Leit is a linguist, educator, and entrepreneur in Los Angeles who specializes in American Sign Language (ASL) and Baby Sign Language (BSL). As the owner and founder of the largest BSL center in Los Angeles County, SignShine®, Leit’s career is devoted to integrating sign language with parenting for improved family communication and baby and toddler critical thinking skills.

Working with other linguists, educators, therapists, and parents internationally, and also as a motivational speaker, Leit stresses that learning baby sign language is a simple task and not limited to deaf children. In fact, with nearly 20 years of research and parenting experience, she’s found that using BSL benefits babies and toddlers with special needs, creating a reliable parent-child communication channel.

An Israel native, Etel Leit received her Bachelor of Arts in Hebrew and Arabic Literature from The Hebrew University and her Master of Science in Educational Administration and Leadership from Pepperdine University. Her formal education finished in 2004 when she became a certified “Sign2Me Presenter” for signing with babies and children.

While running SignShine®, Leit regularly writes articles for Ezine, Hubpages, and Opposingviews; blogs for BabySignShine; and develops the SignShine® iPhone app for making sign language fun and entertaining for the family. She has also made television appearances on NBC’s Nightly News with Brian Williams, KTLA’s Morning Show, and Fox 11’s Good Day L.A.

Awards
1.Jerusalem Mayor Kolak Award (1995) 2.Sign2Me™ Presenter of the Month (February 2005)