By Louise Sattler
If you are a
parent of a child who is past the infant stage, you will undoubtedly know about
a period of time I refer to as the “Eh’Eh”
stage. This is when young toddlers go about the house pointing to objects and
people and saying “Eh-Eh”. It is cute for a while. That is until the
tantrums start because most adults are not fluent in “toddler-speak” and
guessing can be only so effective.
Eventually, language develops for the toddler at a rapid pace and this
phase dissipates quietly away. That is
unless your child perhaps has Autism or is on the Autism Spectrum (aka
ASD). Then the question arises- “What can
we do to help our child to communicate?”
As a
psychologist, I have long believed that sign language integrated with speech,
can be a powerful mode for communication among children on the spectrum. The key, however- that this is a group effort. Therefore, most of the people in the child’s
environment, need to hop on the sign
language train in order to maximize the benefits of multi-modal
communication for the child. This would include caregivers, babysitters and all
the immediate family.
How does one even
start to learn sign language if you don’t have access to the deaf
community? For one, recognize that the
deaf community usually uses American Sign Language (ASL) which has its’ own
nuances, including a formal grammatical system.
Sign language customarily used for ASD children follows English word
order. Also, many times key words and
phrases will be spoken to “punctuate’ the important factors of the spoken
communication. Sign language does not
use all of the bits and pieces of spoken English- such as articles, many “to be”
phrases, etc. One would be more likely
to sign RED CAR (pointing) vs. “That is a red car”.
When I instruct
adults on how to learn sign language I give them a few key informational
concepts, particularly if their goal is to promote or augment communication
with children within the special education population. Here they are:
1. Adults should
start with FIVE signs. When you feel that you have integrated the “first five”
then it will be time to add five more. And do not expect the child to sign back
for quite some time. Sign language acquisition is a process.
2. Start with
signs that are generic- such as MORE,
EAT, DRINK, PLAY vs. detailed signs
such as Cheerios, Apple Juice and Elmo.
3. Do not worry about making mistakes. Everyone
needs to keep trying. Make sure that you introduce the sign language during
natural circumstances. Don’t force sign
language on your child (Especially by moving the child’s hand for them, unless
they are accepting of this). This will reduce frustration, increase
participation and make it fun for all.
4. Access free and
affordable materials to learn sign language.
The library is a great resource for many. Also, online you can find a whole host of
companies that offer for free basic vocabulary lessons. I have some listed below.
5. Practice
yourselves. Reinforce your child when
they do sign.
6. Remember that
you are on a language journey and don’t give up.
Thanks for reading!
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Suggestions for further study:
Abcteach.com
Louise Sattler is a Nationally Certified School
Psychologist, owner of SIGNING FAMILIES™,
expert contributor to the JustAsk! Forum on Education.com, and a founding
member of the new media network- 411Voices. She often speaks to groups regarding how to
use sign language effectively with children who have learning challenges.
BIO:
Connect with Louise at SIGNING FAMILIES, LouiseSattler.com
and 411Voices.
Look for SIGNING FAMILIES on Facebook.
Louise tweets as @LouiseASL
