Name Etel Leit | ||
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Interview with Etel Leit at Parenting 2.0
Etel Leit, M.S., (born Ester Guy) is a communication advocate, linguist, motivational speaker, author and the founder of SignShine®, a communication center for individuals and families. Etel Leit created a parenting and educating baby sign language method for hearing children in Southern California. She is the publisher of SignShine.com, an international signing resource. Etel served as a commander in the Israeli Intelligence. She is also a certified Sign2Me Presenter in Los Angeles, California. She was instructor for the Hebrew Master’s Program at USC. She is an expert contributor OpposingViews.com and is a sign language and special needs expert on SpecialEducationAdvisor.com.
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Personal life
Etel was born in Jerusalem in 1971 and is the eldest of six children. Though her mother and father were both born in Jerusalem, her grandparents’ heritage is varied and includes Russian, Syrian, Lebanese, Turkish, Moroccan and Algerian ancestry. Etel believes this background contributed to her understanding of the power of language later in life. Etel currently resides in California and is the mother of two children.
Education
Etel was accepted to and attended a high school for the gifted, Highly Gifted High School Boyer in Jerusalem. At the age of 18, Etel became a commander in the Israeli Intelligence. She later engaged in a dual degree program at The Hebrew University in Jerusalem, and by the age of 21 worked full-time as an Arabic instructor. In order to support her education, Etel hand wrote hundreds of letters to scholarships programs. After completing earning her Bachelor’s degree at the age of 23, Etel moved to the United States as a part of a teacher exchange program. She obtained her Master’s degree from Pepperdine University in Malibu, California at the age of 27. She is fluent in English, Arabic, Hebrew, and American Sign Language (ASL).
Career
After completing her Master’s degree at Pepperdine, Etel began work as a school director. Not long after, she was hired by two universities to teach at their Hebrew master’s programs.
Etel shifted her focus to sign language, specifically for young, hearing children, when she became a mother. She began offering a free workshop at a local library, wrote a book, developed an app, and was covered by television and print media. Etel is now the founder and owner of SignShine®. The center was named in reference to the energy and power of language and the life-giving sun, as well as to her own last name.
In addition to being the founder and owner of SignShine®, Etel is a professional speaker and has presented at conferences, workshops, and events across the world. Etel has spoken at many events, including the National Association for the Education of Young Children’s (NAEYC) annual conferences, the National Black Child Development Institute (NBCDI) annual conferences, the Los Angeles Unified Preschool (LAUP) conferences, as well as the Child Care Resource Center conferences. In addition, Etel presents at educational centers across the United States.
As a languages expert, Etel has developed a mind-body communication-focused program to help both individuals and organization create meaningful lasting change. In her talks, she draws from her extensive background in education and writing, as well as her research on sign language and parenting. Etel also incorporates the fields of spirituality, kabbalah, astronomy, astrology, Feng Shui and poetry into her work.
Media
Etel’s television appearances include features on NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams, KTLA Morning Show, Good Day LA on Fox 11, WE tv Growing Up Hip Hop, and the Style Network’s Tia & Tamera. Etel also regularly publishes articles in professional newsletters, and her work has been profiled by several periodicals and online news agencies, including Reuters, CNN, and Yahoo. She is an expert contributor on parenting websites, including Opposing Views, and is a sign language and special needs expert on SpecialEducationAdvisor.com.
Authorship
Etel is the author of You are My SignShine!: A Complete Guide to Using Sign Language to Connect and Communicate with Hearing Babies and Children, 2015. The book teaches parents how to communicate with their non-verbal babies through visual communication. She dedicated this book to her two children with the message, “To Zoe and Dylan who teach me unconditional love beyond words.”