When I used to teach in the public schools, one of the kindergartners favorite things was learning new signs (using American Sign Language). I taught them the signs for each of the colors of the tables that they sat at (for silent releasing of tables before lunch), as well as just about anything else that came up that I also knew the sign for. (And, of course, there were times that I went out in search of the sign for something that the kids were just dying to know.)
My interest in learning simple signs started when Jack was a baby. At 16 months old, he didn’t make any sounds. Not “baba” or “mama” or anything like that. The only sound he made was to cry. And, even worse — he didn’t seem to really respond to anything we said to him. We could repeat his name ten times with varying volumes and tones before he might finally turn his head to us.
After we got him into Early Intervention, we then started learning and using signs with him. It took him a while, but after a few months, he started using some of the signs that we had been using! We were finally able to communicate with him!
As time went on, many of the first few words that he finally produced were those that he had already long since been signing. (I will add that after going back to get my masters in special education, and then working in early intervention as a therapist, I have seen this many times — the children start using the words they know the signs for first, and then eventually drop the signing because they can use the words.)
Jack, of course, eventually did start talking. It was not an easy road to him becoming a fluent speaker. And, it also took a while before he really responded to us speaking to him. But, now at seven, he doesn’t even receive speech therapy any more. And, truth be told, he has a hard time stopping from talking. It is not unusual for us to say, “Jack — can you please stop talking for just one minute?” (Oh, and though he doesn’t always respond to us still, it’s not that he doesn’t hear us. He appears to have super human hearing, actually, and can hear something from across the house like nobody’s business. Well…especially when it’s not his business!)
Signing definitely worked for us! Here are some great resources for learning signs to use with young children:
You can check out more great tips and ideas at Rocks in my Dryer’s Works for Me Wednesday!
Photo by midnightglory
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