1. 11th July 2018
Signing

2. The Communication Team….
We are a multi-disciplinary team
Work in collaboration with every class to ensure every pupil has a communication programme
Provide a range of additional support
Work on development projects

3. This morning we’ll talk about...
Why we use signs
What sign systems we use
How you could use signs to support your child’s receptive and expressive skills
Practise, Practise, Practise!!
It will be very informal
Feel free to ask questions

4. A Little Ice Breaker! Get into pairs or small groups
Both of you imagine you don’t understand or use speech, reading or writing.
Each of you will be given a sentence – don’t let your partner/group see it!
You need to communicate the sentence and see if you can be understood!

5. How did that feel? How did you communicate?
This is what pupils experience on a daily basis
We all use gesture and mime – signing is an extension of this!

6. It slows our communication down It simplifies our communication
Why do we sign?
Signs give clues to the meanings of words
If key information is given in a visual way, it gives the child another opportunity to understand what is being said. This is because:
It slows our communication down
and
It simplifies our communication
Clues to the meanings of words e.g. they often look like the object – house looks like the roof shape
e.g. ‘look’ shows the direction to look in whereas the spoken word doesn’t
Slows us down – we have to think about signing at the same time as talking
Simplifies our communication – it helps us to think about what we’re saying and the key words within it.

7. Understanding Total Communication Expression
Signing is a key part of our Total Communication Approach
It supports pupils attention, listening, understanding and expressive skills

8. The Communication Ladder
6) Words; Written or spoken
5) Black & white symbol
4) Colour picture
3) Colour Photo’s
Pretend object, e.g. a toy
1) The real object
Signing
Signing can support pupils who are using any form of representation

9. ‘visuals are useful in helping a child to make sense of routines, to understand what is going to happen next….. If you use visuals to back up your language, you are giving pupils two chances to understand – they can hear your words and see the visuals. The visuals stay there, spoken words disappear!!!’
This is why we sign to support UNDERSTANDING and GIVING INFORMATION plus it can SUPPORT PUPILS EXPRESSION

10. What sign systems do we use?
Primary system is Makaton
Refer to Communication Link & BSL
At times we mime or agree a Glyne Gap Sign (topic vocabulary)
We use ‘on body signing’ for pupils with sensory impairments
We are currently well on the way to completing a Glyne Gap Core Vocabulary for the most important words.
We only sign the key words in a sentence…
For example, if you were to ‘the man is eating an orange’ We’d sign ‘man eat orange’

11. What signs will we learn today?
Common objects
Food related signs
Feelings/opinions
Words that can empower your child and support your directions
Greetings
People/pronouns
Activities and doing words
Places
Time related words
Question words
You’ll have the opportunity to learn 100 signs that we think will help you in your daily lives.
Bare in mind there are thousands of signs and we have 2 hours!
If there are specific signs you would like please see us in the break or at the end.
We will be giving you a set of line drawings of all the signs you learn today

12. Let’s go! Angry Car Dad Apple Calm Dinner Bag Chair Dirty Biscuit
Choose
Don’t like
Book
Clean
Brother
Coat
Brush teeth
Cold
Bus
College
Banana
Chocolate
Bowl
Cereal
Bath (to have)
Go through signs together
Ask participants to see if they know a symbol and then ask them to sign it
I sign with no speech and they guess what I’m signing
Your child will begin to associate the sign with the item/person…. You are talking about.
Don’t expect your child to start signing back straight away, it can take a long time but they may well be developing their language and gaining information from you signing in the mean time.

13. Play from 39 seconds (Mr Tumble Farm Something Special Out and About)
Take a couple of minutes to chat with the person next to you…..
What did Justin do to make his communication so clear?
Clear speech
Facial Expression
Gesture
Didn’t use that many signs!

14. Tips for Effective Signing
Use clear speech and signs
Use facial expression and body language to enhance meaning
You can use mime or gesture
Remember you don’t need lots of words or signs to express what you mean!
Always speak when you sign!
Get your child’s attention before you speak/sign
Always position yourself where your child can see you- ideally get on the same level as them, with no distractions behind you (like the TV!)
Encourage and praise your child for their attempts at signing and model the correct sign back to them.

15. Second Chunk! Drink Go I Do Good Ill Finish Goodbye Knife Friend Happy
Learn
Fruit
Hello
Like
Fork
Help
Listen
Food/eat
Home
Look
Get Up
How are you?
Give
Hungry
Go through signs together
Ask participants to see if they know a symbol and then ask them to sign it
I sign with no speech and they guess what I’m signing

16. Time for a break!

17. Third Chunk! More Now Packed Lunch Mum Outside Quiet Music Orange
Respite
Meat
Pad/Nappy
Sad
Milk
Pain
School
Money
Play
Share
Next
Private
Shop No
Pudding
Noisy
Plate
Go through signs together
Ask participants to see if they know a symbol and then ask them to sign it
I sign with no speech and they guess what I’m signing

18. Signing Techniques Directionality – direction in which the signs move
Placement – where the signs are made
Movement – the use of body language to add meaning
Let’s watch good old Dave….!

19. Nearly There! Sister Thirsty What? Shower Today Where? Spoon Toilet
Work
Sitting
Toy
Yes
Sleep
Talk
You
Sorry
Toast
Stop
Vegetable
Table
Wait
Taxi
Want
Think
Wash
Go through signs together
Ask participants to see if they know a symbol and then ask them to sign it
I sign with no speech and they guess what I’m signing

20. Let’s Practice…
In pairs or small groups, have a go at signing the sentences given out.

21. Where do we start?!
Don’t feel you have to use all the signs at once, think about the ones that will be useful to help your child understand or learn to use. Keep it simple! Remember your child will understand more signs/words than they can express.
Show the sheet in the handout – Important signs for my child. Ask your child’s class team for help.

22. Where do we start?!
When do I sign?...To start with make it easy for yourself – mealtimes, bath time, bedtime Where do I sign?....Anywhere! If I don’t know a sign?....Mime, point, gesture and then ask class or us

23. You did it! Thank you for coming
If you have any questions please see us now, we’re here for 10 minutes.
You did it!