1. The training course for parents and children Austria

2. Early intervention programs focus on speech and hearing 6 schools for deaf --> Austrian Sign Language (ÖGS) used marginally Mainstreaming Deaf kids graduating from high school have low literacy level (Cheers Study, 2007) 20 – 40 deaf students at universities No general information center for parents with deaf babies CURRENT SITUATION IN AUSTRIA

3. Founded 2005 by Barbara Schuster (Austrian Sign Language Teacher) and Andrea Rohrauer (Pedagogue/Austrian Sign Language Interpreter) Only organization offering ÖGS classes for kids 3 classes --> 13 classes 2 teachers --> 13 teachers ÖGS classes --> Expanded activities KINDERHÄNDE

4. Language and communication institute for learning Austrian Sign Language (ÖGS) for kids and parents Playgroups with ÖGS for parents and kids inclusive ÖGS classes for kids Family Language Support System with Native Signers Information Center for parents with children with hearing loss (in progress) Training Center for using Sign Language and visual communication in childcare /nursery/kindergarden (in progress) Additional activites: Open meetings for parents & kids, bilingual kids choir, production of learning material KINDERHÄNDE ACTIVITIES

5. BILINGUAL METHOD Sign Language Spoken Language Representatives from both languages and cultures

6. BILINGUAL TEACHING VIDEO KINDERHÄNDE

7. SIGNING WITH BABIES IN AUSTRIA Interest of parents with hearing kids to use signs for communication Few offers slowly starting from Germany with little sign language knowledge Tiny Signers within kinderhände --> switching to bilingual sign language classes possible

8. TINY SIGNERS IN AUSTRIA Target Group: Hearing kids of hearing parents 6 months up to 2 ½ years Teachers: 1 hearing person (fluent in ÖGS) + Deaf teacher visiting the class 3 times (team-teaching) Tiny Signers within kinderhände --> switching to bilingual sign language classes possible

9. BILINGUAL VERSUS TINY SIGNERS Bilingual Team-teaching (hearing/Deaf) Deaf and hearing children/parents 6 months - 14 years ÖGS signs and grammar 60 min - 75 min Full language Tiny Signers Hearing teacher Hearing children/parents 6 months – 2, 5 years ÖGS signs for daily life 60 min Signs to communicate (additional system)

10. TEACHER TRAINING Deaf or hearing teacher: Native Signer – Native Speaker Fluent in German - ÖGS in written/spoken form Knowledge of Deaf AND Hearing Culture Basic Degree in Pedagogue or Social Studies Experienced in working with children Hearing teacher: Native Speaker Fluent in ÖGS Knowledge of Deaf culture Basic Degree in Pedagogue or Social Studies Experienced in working with children Kinderhände Training supervised by University Klagenfurt and the Ministry of Education of Austria

11. 1 class 10 times (weekly) - 60 minutes each Absolute beginners Basic vocabulary of about 100 active signs 3 times accompanied by a Deaf teacher Scientific evaluation (questionnaire and video material) --> results in progress TINY SIGNERS CLASS (March – June 2011)

12. TINY SIGNERS VIDEO TINY SIGNERS CLASS - PROGRAM

13. Scientific evaluation of bilingual class (same age) Contrastive evaluation of both types and impact of deaf teacher in Tiny Signers class Producing accompaning learning material for parents and kids NEXT STEPS

14. Existing: Movie for children in ÖGS: Die Wunderlampe Yearly calender to learn the signs of the months/days for kids Postcards with the fingeralphabet of ÖGS Buttons with the fingeralphabet of ÖGS In Production: Learning material for parents with babies (first vocabularies) Games for kindergarden and school kids Online Learning Tool for parents and kids Bilingual songbook for Deaf and hearing children MATERIALS