Does Sign Language Help or Hurt Children with Special Needs?

Children with special needs are each very different and as such, respond to certain teaching methods better than others. Sign language, however, brings many benefits to families with children with special needs, regardless of whether they are hearing or deaf. Sign language brings advantages to all! Autism, apraxia, or Down Syndrome—these, as well as speech and language delays can all be ameliorated by using sign language in your home or school. Whether your child has difficulty with social situations, speech, or even tantrums, signing can be a great medium to encourage communication and more appropriate social behaviors. Sign language does NOT hurt children with special needs. Instead, signing has been found to HELP children who have difficulty making requests, expressing themselves, or even verbally speaking. For children with limited motor skills, sign language is still an option! Children with disabilities like cerebral palsy can make approximations of the signs—which still allow both children and parents to communication and understand each other. If you have a child with special needs, feel free to contact SignShine® for a list of available classes or programs in your area. It is time to introduce signing into your child and your family’s life. SignShine® can show you how to get started!

Keep Sharing

My son's Kindergarten class is going to make a windsock this next week. While volunteering, I was helping cut out the construction paper, and I couldn't help but sing the Signing Time song, "Rainbow Song" in my head as I went along picking out the colors of the rainbow as she had asked.

I asked Mrs. Johnson if she had ever heard of Signing Time. Next thing I find myself at home, gifting the "Rainbow Song" file from iTunes and emailing it to her along with finding the song lyrics on Signing Time's site and sending that too.

We'll see if my son can help her out next week in teaching the Kindergarten kiddos the colors of the rainbow signs. ^^ Never stop sharing the gift of signing with our children!

Written by Shawna Tran.

iTunes "Rainbow Song"

Singing TIme "Rainbow Song" Lyrics | signingtime.com

How to Sign St. Patrick's Day ASL Signs?

Learn how to sign St. Patrick's Day Signs with SignShine.

 

ASL Signs, American Sign Language Signs. 

 

Fun, interactive and easy to sign with Mara:

• Happy Saint Patrick's Day
• Green
• Rainbow
• Gold
• Luck

 

Happy Saint Patrick's Day from SignShine®!