Autism Awareness Month

Paretns of Children with Special Needs ask often times: "Why should we use sign language if my child is not deaf?"

 

Children with Autism, or ony child that struggles with spoken language can benefit from using signs. Enhancing communication skills with sign language has a profound impact upon the quality of interactions between children with special needs, their peers, their families, and the professional who work with them. Sign language is now being used more and more outside the deaf community by children with and without disabilities, in order to communicate more effectively. In fact, signing is recommended for children with disabilities for several reasons (Sundberg and Partington, 1998):

• Signing is completely portable and requires no special equipment.
• Signing can be performed at a speed similar to talking.
• Signing initiates motor movements, which may prompt talking.
• Signing may reduce problem behavior more effectively because the response form is more efficient than when using picture selection or exchange.
• Signing is easier and quicker to learn than picture selection or exchange by some children. Parents or teachers can help a child learn signs by helping mold the child’s hand into the correct sign for a given word.
• Signing may enhance receptive language.

etel
Etel Leit, M.S.
Founder & Owner http://www.signshine.com/
Publisher http://www.babysignshine.com/

A Little Signing Going A Long Way

In humor and content, signing continues to bring us together with understanding and acceptance. A little signing can go a long way.

The other day when my throat was hurting along with a cold brewing, I knew that I did not have the energy to keep up with the requests of my children. With the soar throat, each time I talked, the tickling cough would go into affect as well.

So, instead of trying to tell my oldest son (age of 7) to go continue to play for a little bit before bedtime, as he came up to me, I pointed to my throat area on my neck and signed “hurt.” It took him a while to figure out what I was talking about, but once he got it, he was not only humored that mommy was signing But very supportive. He signed back to me in silence as he pointed to his own throat and signed "hurt," pointing then back to me, and smiled as he just went on to go play.

It continued on to the next morning, when we were in the car. He simply asked, “mom, does your throat still hurt?” I said “yes.” Then he said, “you can sign ‘yes’ or ‘no’ when I ask questions.” So for the next 15 minutes, as we drove, he would ask me questions, and I would simply reach my arm towards the back and sign “yes” or “no.” We were bonding over a simple game of "Yes, no, maybe so."

Then later that night, as we were getting out bedtime books, I was beginning to read to my children. My oldest then took over and said, "I can read because your throat hurts." I smiled as I held up the story book about animals and their moms and gladly listened as he read to his siblings.

Signing can be empowering to not only our children’s voices, but for our own. It can be a very helpful and fun way to communicate as well as bring a sense of visual understanding that can go a long ways (instead of just saying "my throat hurt," signing it seemed to have a more lasting affect!).

Written by Shawna Tran

ASL Online Video Dictionary

There are may FREE online ASL dictionaries, which allow you to practice your signs and learn new. You can browse them on: http://www.signshine.com/online_dict.php

I just got to broswe a new very detailed and fun one:
Baby Sign Language Academy:
http://dictionary.baby-sign-language-academy.com/dictionary-result.php?word=mom

The dictionary has over 550 signs online with another 500+ in production. Once the initial uploading phase is complete, more words will be added based on requests from visitors.

Enjoy and practice,

etel

Communication is about Connecting with Others

Signs, words, facial expressions, eye contact, a kick of the foot, cries and giggles are all about communication, and communication is about connecting with others, expressing needs, wants, thoughts and ideas. The more children and babies feel understood, the more they will use these modes of communication to initiate a reaction from you.

Establishing a routine allows children to anticipate and to feel in control; establishing a routine is a good thing. Sign language is a wonderful tool to incorporate into your routine as it helps the baby’s brain to anticipate, remember and to be understood. By having a routine, the chances of your baby guessing what is next, or anticipating what is next is much greater. “Oh, so when mommy signs ‘milk’, I’m going to be fed.” Eventually he’ll try to communicate his desire by imitating your sign or by approximating his own.

Focus on keeping learning fun, and communication about being understood. When you demonstrate that you understand what your baby is thinking, he feels successful in his communication - his simple reward is “they understand me!” When I asked, 'oh do you want milk?', your baby may give you a big smile, nod of his head, a nuzzle in your breast, a clap of his hands or a gleeful kick of his foot. This is great communication. He is using his signs to let you know what he wants.

Signing Lady Gaga and Bon Jovi

One of SignShine’s moms emailed me this very interesting article this morning.

Thank you Laurie!

“The first question that interpreters get asked is, "But why would a deaf person go to a concert?" They think it's a silly question, but everyone asks it.

Going to a concert is partly about hearing the songs. It is equally about the costumes, the spectacle, the pulsing, the convulsing - the sticky, claustrophobic mass of humanity. When you consider this, it makes perfect sense that deaf people go to concerts.

But someone still needs to interpret the words".

Read article: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/03/01/AR2011030106229.html?hpid=artslot

Is lady gaga signing MOON??

Learn Signing ABC with Zoë

Zoë is almost 7 years old.... and for her birthday she wanted to teach you and  babies around the world the ASL alphabet: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKfhmqonbhU 
Write a little not to Zoë, she will really appreciate it!

Let's Sign and Shine,
etel

Clap for a Sign of Signing

"Can you come help sign 'more' as I feed your brother?" The oldest brother comes over to the table and automatically changes his voice and demeanor to match that of his baby brother and begins signing "more" while saying, "you want more, here's more." His mom watches the youngest clap his hands and raises her two hands in the air to say "yeah, good job signing more!"

My youngest just starting clapping at 9 months old. He was actually giggling at himself as he noticed his two hands coming together to make this magnificent sound. In my head, I realized, wow, that's one "sign" of signing (him creating movements with his hands to satisfy his own desires... this time it was purely a desire of entertainment^_^).

• Look for those cues of your child gaining more and more motor skills.
  
• Look for those sign approximations too! Often those first signs may not appear to be a sign.
  
• Look for consistency in their hand movements.
  
• Help create environments that allows for consistency such as having a routine where you sign eat before sitting in the high chair, sign eat as you go to the refrigerator to get the food, and sign eat as you prepare the food.
  

And although clapping is a sign separate from the sign "more," within the context of eating and wanting more, big brother was able to help encourage using your hands to not just make fun noises but to put your hands together to communicate "more."

Written by Shawna Tran.