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 Learning to Sign Introducing new languages to children is important. It teaches them early about the world outside of their own. That there are people who speak and look different and to appreciate those differences. This month for Mother Goose Time we are talking about the Alphabet. Which ordinarily would not be fun since most of my kids already know their letters, sounds and are on their way to reading. Mother Goose Time made it fun my introducing new animals into the mix. The animals have been super fun to learn, especially since we are adding sign language into the mix. I learned how to sign the letters as a teen because we got detention for passing notes. This is not the most noble reason for learning sign language BUT it did spark my interest in the language. Which I am now passing on to the children in my classroom.  Everyday we are learning a new sign and practicing the ones that came before hand. I am encouraging them to use the sign every time we speak about the animals as a way to help them keep the prior skills we have learned. I am also encouraging them to show the signs to their families. I introduced the learning of signs by teaching them the reasons someone might use signs and reminding them that sign language IS a language that is used by people who want to communicate just like those of us who use our voice. Something that is important to let children know, is that deaf and blind people can do the things that we sighted, and hearing people can do. For example I explained to them how deaf people are able to be dancers, how they may some who were able to speak and that blind people were able to learn to read.
I am enjoying myself with this lesson immensely. Especially since I am learning more signs right along with them. My hope is that I have inspired one child to learn sign language as another language and that the children are able to at least communicate socially with those who use it. For now remember….. Live Long and Keep Teaching!! |
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