You are confusing the issue a little here with JAA and FAA logging. If flying with an FAA Instructor for raining towards a rating or BFR/IPC etc then the relevant section in the logbook is annotated not the line in the logbook. I have never had a BFR or IPC signed in the log section I have always had the entry at the rear of the book with the specific FAA wording inserted and signed.
If just flying with an Instructor dawdling around the sky then the entry does not need to be signed.
For the purposes of this discussion the time is not being used towards a rating but as it was a training flight will count towards the total hours flown.