Empowering Young Children with Sign Language

Empowering  Young  Minds  Through  Signs  How  to  Introduce  Effec9ve  Communica9on  

 at  Home  and  in  the  Classroom  

Dawn  Braa,  MA  Dakota  County  Technical  College  

May  16,  2013  

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Dawn  Braa  M.A.  Dakota  County  Technical  Collage  

Dakota County Technical College, MN

Dawn Braa, M.A.

Agenda for this session

You learn something every day if you pay attention ~Ray LeBlond

Knowledge

Practice

Review

Knowledge

Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere. ~Chinese Proverb

Ob

ject

ive

s

Expand knowledge of teaching American Sign Language to young children

Develop beginning level skills in using sign language

Learn signs to use with young children

List strategies to support parent/caregiver use of signs at home

Attendees Will…

POLL

Describe Your Knowledge/Experience With Sign Language And Young Children a. I’ve never heard of using sign language with hearing children before b. I’ve heard of using sign language with hearing children but haven’t tried it c. I’ve heard of using sign language with hearing children and use it occasionally d. I use sign language often with hearing children in my home/center e. I’m a pro and implement sign language consistently into my home/center

How Do Children Learn? Through environment and interactions

Why is communication important? Participation in their world Communicate needs/wants

Without communication… Feel elevated stress and frustration Guessing game

Background

Research

Dr. Garcia Studied children in a Deaf community

Children can communicate through signs, beginning at 6-7 months of age

Drs. Linda Acredolo and Susan Goodwyn Longitudinal study of infants

Babies who used gestures understood more words, had larger vocabularies, and engaged in more sophisticated play than babies who did not sign

CHILD • Jumpstart language • Stimulate intellectual development • EMPOWER them by giving them a VOICE • Ease frustration • Reduce stress • Increase self-esteem

Why Use Sign Language?

Tiger

CHILD CARE

Assist in determining basic needs of children

Explain/show the sequence of an event (i.e. diapering)

Great aide in biting and aggression

Children with special needs can interact in a meaningful way with typical developing children

Bridge to foreign language

»Tips for Signing Success »Top Books for Signing

»Lending Library

• Sign2Me Complete Kit • www.sign2me.com

Supporting Parents and Caregivers

VIDEO www.sign2me.com

» Web » ASL Dictionaries

» Signing Savvy » Google – ASL Browser

» Online Courses » Informational Sites

» Library

» Books » DVDs

» Community

» Classes

Resources for You and Parents

*Earliest to ACTIVELY teach is at approximately six months *Begin with signs that are relevant and IMPORTANT – Milk *Step by step Process

How to Begin…

Are YOU ready?

Teaching ASL to preverbal and non-verbal children

Practice New Signs

Practice is the best master ~Latin Proverb

-Early Childhood Songs & Stories

• The More We Sign Together • Brown Bear, Brown Bear

-Routines/Transitions

• Meals/Snacks, Diapering • Group Times (Songs & Stories) • Choices – Colors • Wait, Ready, Stop, Inside,

Outside, Bite No

-Favorite Resource! (Signing Video Dictionary)

• signingsavvy.com

Signs…Sign…Signs!

Review New Knowledge

Knowledge is power ~Sir Francis Bacon

• Casually model (anytime)

• Actively ‘teach’ (6mo+) depending on child’s readiness

• Begin with relevant signs (milk, more, all done)

• Be consistent! Think all the time, every time

• Great bridge to foreign language

• Another tool to stimulate language development

• Involve & support parents

Review

What ideas do you have about taking this information back to your setting? Any other suggestions for supporting parents and caregivers using sign language?

References/Resources

•Acredolo, L.P., & Goodwyn, S.W. (2000, July). The long-term impact of symbolic gesturing during infancy on IQ at age 8. UK, Brighton: The International Society for Infant Studies. •Battel, S. (2004). Better than baby talk: sign language for toddlers. Mothering, 32(7), 125. •Berk, L. E. (2007). Development Through the Lifespan. Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon. •Bower, B. (2004). Babies’ sound path to language skills. Science News, 166(10), 158. •Daniels, M. (1996). Seeing language: The effect over time of sign language on vocabulary development in early childhood education. Child Study Journal, 26, 193-208. •Daniels, M. (2001). Dancing with words: signing for hearing children's literacy. Westport, CT: Bergin and Garvey. •Dickinson, A. (2000). Signs of the times. Time, 156(63), 93. •Edelson, S. (2003). Signed speech or simultaneous communication. Retrieved October 21, 2005, from http://www.autism.org •Goodwyn, S.W., Acredolo, L. P., & Brown, C. (2000). Impact of symbolic gesturing on early language development. Journal of Nonverbal Behavior, 24, 81-103. •Graves, G. (2004). Origins of language. Toddler talk. •Honig, A.(2000).How babies learn to communicate. Scholastic Parent & Child, 8(2), 31. •Honig, A. (2000). Babies, todds, and twos. Scholastic Parent & Child, 8(2), 31. •Honig, A. (2002). Helping babies build connectors. Early Childhood Today, 11(3), 24. •Katy, K. (2003). Tiny hands talking. U.S. News & World Report, 133(15), 66. •Kaye, H. How to talk to baby before he can talk. •Kramer, E. (2004). From the hands of babes. Psychology Today, 37(6), 24. •Mulvaney-Smith, A. (1998). How to get your non-talking toddler to talk. Australia’s Parents, 107, 44. •Noonan, D. (1996). Communication with your infant: It’s in your hands. Mothering, 78, 68. •Signs of success. (2004). The Economist Print. •Vallotton, C.D. (2012). Infant signs as intervention? Promoting symbolic gestures for preverbal children in low-income families supports responsive parent–child relationships. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 27(3), 401-415.

•http://www.signingsavvy.com •http://aslbrowser.commtechlab.msu.edu/browser.htm •http://mysmarthands.com •www.sign2me.com

Empower a Child! THANK YOU!

Contact Information

Speaker Name: Dawn Braa

Speaker Title: Early Childhood Instructor

Phone: 1.651.423.8315

Email: dawn.braa@dctc.edu

Blog: http://blogs.dctc.edu/ecyd

? Questions/Comments

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